This was our first time to Marrakech and arrived via a taxi at the Bab Doukkala entrance. It's a local market area and its like walking onto the filmset of Raiders of the Lost Arc. Its quite a dirty area, but no different from anywhere in the madina. Dont let that put you off. A short walk through a quieter part of the madina brought us to a large darkwood door and Riad Clementine.

We were greeted by Angela and given a crash course of what to do and what not to do, and some orientation while sipping Mint Tea. After being shown around we crashed into our room, Room 6 which was beautiful. A real fantastic room with big bath, and large comfortable bed. The extras in the room extensive, but take it from me, there was so much emphasis on detail it made it very speacial.

We relaxed on the roof the rest of the day, got a bit of a tan and had a lovely swim in the small pool, drying off and supping on a few 'Cassablanca' beers.

We ate 3 main meals, and a couple of snacks during our stay. All food was fresh, and although limited in choice (you eat what they have) it was the best food we ate on the whole trip. All main meals consist of 4 courses, and there is a choice of beers and wines etc. The lamb tagine was fantastic, as was the beef and chicken. Each night we had a bottle of red and a couple of beers and we found the prices to be fair in relation to bars elsewhere. We found that the value for money for food was also very very good.

We couldnt believe that once through the door of the Riad, you were in a peaceful paradise, especially relaxing in the garden which was traditional with its fountain and trees in all four corners. Apparently if the gardens not set up like this, its NOT a Riad but a Dar... well there you go.

All the staff were attentive, and although the main language was French we got by and everything was clearly understood. Both Angela and Antoine, the owners speak English. In fact we cant praise the staff enough. They were a credit to the Riad and Morocco, and were always on hand and worked hard through the day keeping everything nice.

If you want to experience Riad life go to this Riad. Its placed in a great place. Easy walk to square and souks, and also near the taxi rank to take you anywhere else.

We have a million pictures of the Riad, and Marrakech but the same as you can see on their web site. Also, trust me, living it will be a hundred time more fantastic than a picture.

Just as a footnote. Angela arranged a guide for Marrakech. Said arrived at 9am and took us everywhere in the madina arriving back at the Riad at 6pm. It cost 50 Euro for the full day, and he does do a half day for 30 Euro, but we went into places off the tourist trail. Said is a 50 year moroccan who knows his stuff . Especially History. Its really worth having a guide, and Said is not like some of the fake guides you see on route. Said can be booked through the Riad. Speaks English and French/Arabic etc etc

Be careful not to be ripped off in the souks though. We were told a standard tagine cost 2 Euro to produce. Spices were about the same price as at home, but some are hard to get at home. Do your homework and buy from a registered spice seller in a shop. Said did have contacts in the souks which we think were partly good value. All guides are usually in on the deal, so walk away before you ever buy anything. We usually hagled to half or less of what they wanted.

We travelled to High Atlas with Légendes Evasions, bookable through the Riad.

Phillipe our driver was brilliant. French, but perfect English. We shared the trip in a 4 Wheel Drive with a Belgium couple. We laughed all the way, did a lot of off road and took in some fantastic scenery. Stopped to meet locals in villages, camel ride (optional) etc etc. You tailor make the trip to suit. Cost us 80 Euro per couple, and was well worth it. We stopped at a fantastic hotel (L'Oliveraie de Marigha in Ouirgane) for food. Excellant, cheap and a very memorable location with The Atlas in the background.

Take some sweets for the kids in the village. They dont use money.

Have a great time

This was our first time in Marrakech, and it took us a long time to decide on which riad to stay at. Riad Clementine was the perfect choice for us. It was such a pleasure to come back to the riad after a long day exploring the medina (which can be overwhelming) and entering such a haven of peace and tranquility, and that lovely smell of clementine!
- Location: easy to find (which is quite rare in Marrakech!), in the medina but close to Ville Nouvelle
- Swimming pool: real swimming pool, huge extra compared to other riads
- Room: we stayed in room 6, which was huge and extremely well decorated. Mattress is of great quality.
- Breakfast: great quality. Freshly squeezed orange juice, toast, homemade jams, yogurt, cheese, dates, fesh fruits, and a surprise every day (we had a delicious orange cake one day, fresh peaches another...)

But the real extra in this riad is the amazing quality of the service, both by the owners and the staff. The owners, originally from Switzerland, are always available if you have any questions. They are very knowledgeable on the area. The atmosphere they created in the riad is magical, the attention to details in decoration is undeniable. All members of staff are truly amazing, from the cook (we had our best meals at the riad), to the cleaner (our room was cleaned twice a day). We visited other riads for eating out at dinner, but none had that homely feel we felt for Riad Clementine.

This is a truly magical place, look no further!

Merci Antoine et Angela!


Geoff and Marianne

This is a small, well-managed riad. The French owners live on the property, so you needn't worry about standards slipping. The staff were very professional and obliging. Another big advantages is that it is relatively easy to find, being near one of the main gates to the medina. However, we happened to stay at a slightly more upscale riad before arriving here, so I admit we weren't totally wowed by Riad Clementine. The breakfasts, in particular, were rather pedestrian in comparison.

We stayed in the room on the top floor balcony, which I think is bigger than others of the same price and more private. On the downside, since the room didn't have a phone, we had to walk all the way down to ask for something. Another oddity is the lack of shower curtains in the bath, which meant that the bathroom got quite wet whenever we had a shower.

My girlfriend and I had an absolutely wonderful stay here in July/August 2012. Breakfast was delicious, pool was a great addition especially during such hot weather, and don't be fooled by other reviews - the walk to the central square (Place Jemma Al Fna) is a lot quicker than 30 min! (maybe they got lost?

Only downfall is that staff doesn't speak any English although the owners apparently do (they were not there when we visited)

Would highly recommend!