CONTEXT
My first visit to Morocco. An introductory tour of Moroccan cities by train and bus. Stayed at a Riad in Marrakech to begin with, am staying in a four star in Agadir at the end for three nights, and in between have stayed at low-price hotels, such as the Morocco House Hotel in Casablanca. I have booked a night in advance as I travel, which has often limited availability and choice. I stayed here in early January and paid 49 euros for the night.
PROS
Fairly good location next to major boulevards and easy walking distance of city centre and Medina.
Mint tea and cakes on arrival.
Few minutes walk from bus station and Casa Port train station is a little further on. It is about five to ten minutes by taxi from Casa Voyageurs train station.
Free Wifi throughout hotel (see CONS).
CONS
Reception asked for my passport upon arrival and would not return it until I had paid, suggesting that I pay there and then (the international norm being to return the passport as soon as possible, normally after details have been jotted down in front of the guest or at latest when the guest leaves the hotel after arrival). I encounter this practise very little on my travels, but when I do it tends to make me distrust the establishment (since they are distrusting me in retaining my passport until payment is made). Since I had an early departure the next morning, I paid the night before: something I am usually loathe to do. Whenever this has happened to me before, I have complained and changed hotels. Since I am here for just one night, I complained to the hotel and will comment via this Tripadvisor review.
The staff member with whom I dealt made suggested two or three times that I pay in cash in Dirhams. To suggest a given payment to a guest when no such enquiry has been made is quite simply unprofessional, and it is clear that the hotel has a policy of attempting to persuade guests to pay in local currency for their own benefit, and that of guests.
Free WIFI in room, but signal was intermittent.
Too many objects in the room. Too much unnecessary clutter.
Badly designed rooms in terms of space and dimensions.
Needless bathroom accessories provided without request: they are cheap and I would rather not pay for them in the total cost of my room charge, to which they have undoubtedly been added.
Bathroom is horribly decorated.
Shower is built at an angle which makes it difficult to position for a shower and causes the floor to be soaked.
Traffic noise – I stayed in room 24 and it woke me from 7am.
CONCLUSIONS
Thinking of a UK readership of this review, I have to say that this is the most garrulous and kitsch hotel I have ever stayed in, although I am sure that this is not the management’s intention, and some of it is inherently culturally specific. The design and decor of the hotel is meant to evoke a riad or traditional house, but to my taste it is far too over done (having stayed in a genuine riad). It feels oppressive, overbearing and Japanese Feng Shui masters would despair. The doors are bulky and have several locks on them, some functional, others not, and guests are given their electronic key card for entry attached to a huge old-fashioned key which, although an attempt at evoking charm, is just impractical and silly. The same can be said for the four-poster bed: if that floats your boat, then this is the place for you, but it is ridiculous to put these in such a small space (they even have a large painting attached to the frame looking inwards onto the bed!). I booked this at late notice but wish I had taken greater care to look at it and to find something else. I did not like the attitude of the staff regarding payment and currency of payment, I think the room is overpriced and the whole design of the place is overbearing. I would never stay here again and urge people to spend a little more to stay somewhere better such as some of the old Art Deco hotels around the Rialto cinema.
Room Tip: If you have to stay here, get a room where the noise of the traffic will not disturb you.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.