A friend and I stayed for five nights and loved it.

The best thing about the riad is the warm and helpful staff, particularly Mohammed, who was very kind and helpful, and generally looked after us during our stay. But everyone there was very friendly, and, after long days, we were always glad to return to the riad and felt very much at home there. We very much appreciated the great service and hospitality.

We stayed in two different rooms, each of which was clean, spacious and comfortable. (Beds were comfortable too!) The design is in a Moroccan style, but contemporary and minimal -- very soothing. We also appreciated the location -- near the northern edge of the Medina on a quiet side street and away from the main hustle. (Worth arranging a transfer from the airport until you get your bearings. Also, note that there isn't really parking there -- if you intend to rent a car, let them know first). We booked through Tablet and the included breakfast of breads, fruit, eggs or fried breads, jam and honey, fresh squeezed orange juice and coffee was great. We also stayed in for several dinners (let them know in the morning you'd like to have dinner in) and were very pleased with the food, particularly a chicken lemon tagine and cous cous. The wine was also surprisingly good.

For anone who wants to stay in the Medina, I can't recommend Zaouia 44 highly enough.

If you’re looking to spend your time in Marrakech watching CNN, if an in-room minibar is something you simply can’t live without, and if the descriptors “slick” and “high gloss” tickle your fancy, then you’d do well to follow the rest of the nouveau riche to one of the more modern hotels in the ville nouvelle. If you’re looking for an authentic riad experience in a less touristed part of the medina however, then I personally don’t think you could do any better than Zaouia 44. The aesthetics rely upon a more muted palette to allow the Moorish elements to pop, resulting in an overall effect that is tranquil and serene – the sort of place you’d relish returning to after a day spent dodging runaway donkey carts and dung heaps in the chaotic alleyways. I initially booked myself in for three nights but stayed five. To be honest, I could have spent the rest of my life here, drinking freshly squeezed pomegranate juice while watching sunsets on the roof.

I found this riad located within the walls of Marrakech's historic medina on Tablet Hotels, known for their keen attention to ambiance and style.

The authentic riad architecture combined with the pared back interior design really appealed to me — big, open courtyard with fountain, garden and various outdoor seating nooks and an indoor living room on the first level, carved wooden balconies, cupolas and passageways above and up further still a trellised terrace and open sun deck with rather modern landscaping.

The rooms are all lovely; I've poked around to see 4 of the 7 available, and they all really stand-up to the photos on Tablet and the riad's own site. I'd be happy in any. The color scheme is consistent everywhere: a soothing pale grey, bright white and vintage red. Floors and the bottom of the walls are a modern grey sanded concrete, and the rest of the walls are white stucco. Windows are all shuttered in grey with thick white canvas drapes to maintain privacy and keep out the hot sun. (AC in all the rooms.) Seating benches and nooks abound in the rooms, too. Moroccan light and bath fixtures are all delightful. Great bath products, too: soap, shampoo, conditioner and lotion in local scents.

Only constructive criticism would be to extend the wifi beyond the ground patio (although I see the challenges with the thick mud brick walls) and to replace the plastic-lined mattress pads with cotton ones (as they remind me of the sheets my brother had to use before he was fully potty-trained!)

The staff is lovely and helpful, too. Run by a French couple Sophie and Frederic but also employing locals like Sardiq (manager), Mohammed (man about the riad) and Hakim (tour guide and driver). Easy to get transport to and from the airport and to arrange other help getting to/from dinner, navigating the maze of alleyways, etc.

Love the breakfast served in whatever nook you choose: something hot off the griddle as well as a bread basket with butter, a variety of amazing preserves (apricot, strawberry, orange and honey), fresh OJ and hot coffee and milk.

Finally, delighted at how affordable the place is considering its high design! I would love to come back and fill the entire place up with friends and family to share the experience.

(Do note that the riad is located in the northern part of the medina, a good 20 to 30 minute walk from the main square Djemaa al-Fna where all the ATMs are depending on how distracted or lost you might get! While you have to get through some serious chaos to get cash or to some of the main sights, the riad is an oasis of calm when you arrive back.)

My partner and I spent 5 days at Zaouia 44. The property is tucked in a neighborhood a bit removed from the busy tourist spots so definitely arrange to have the riad's driver pick you up at the airport when you first arrive. Our stay was a great experience from start to finish. I really appreciated the beautiful, restrained design of the property. It is a VERY refreshing departure from most of the riads in Marrakesh which go overboard on color, decor and kitch. Rooms are quiet and comfortable. There are many lounging space and for some reason we were the only guests to use the small, refreshing dipping pool. The staff is welcoming, well-trained, unobtrusive and genuine. Mohamad and the young woman who oversees the kitchen were standouts. We elected to take most of our dinners at the riad because the traditional food was delicious, well prepared and a good value. After chasing around the very bustling (chaotic)medina souk all day long, a quiet dinner "at home" was the perfect end to the day.