Do not be worried by the approach via the chaotic street market, the jumble of people, donkey carts, cars, taxis and dozens of motorcycles spewing out clouds of unsavoury exhaust, nor by the cobbled street with its gaping pothole on the Derb Taht el Khochba a few yards from the Riad door.
Once through that modest door you enter another world. Sybille, Saad and their staff are always there to welcome you and you do get treated as personal house guests. The courtyard and inwardly facing rooms provide a quiet haven from the bustle of life outside. Sybille is particularly good at catering for guests requests, providing excellent meals and arranging tours. She is an excellent conversationalist in English or French as well as other languages.
Days can start early with the call to prayer from the neighbouring mosque at or before sunrise and a chorus of birds chirping in the courtyard. Breakfast is served on carefully laid out tables inside or outside according to the weather. The choice of fruit juice, yoghurt, pancakes, bread and pastries along with coffee and mint tea makes a light but refreshing change from the fried breakfasts and cereals offered in many large international hotels.

"Right smack dab in the middle of town
I've found a paradise that's trouble proof (up on the roof)
And if this world starts getting you down
There's room enough for two"


Paradise is the best word I can use to express our stay here. From the very 1st time we were welcomed in to the most beautifull and unique of Riads. Forget about 5* All Inc' in out-of city developments. For sheer position this scores 5/5. But it's the fact that it is owned and run by two amazing people who welcome you into their own home and treat you like old friends. Perhaps family run sums up our experience. You wake in the morning and go upstairs to the terrace {The roof} No sooner have you sat down and one of staff {Abdul as a rule} brings up a tray of breakfast. It's simple mint tea,Coffee,a selection of pastries,Yogurt,Bread and cheese and Fresh Orange juice. Once you have finished Sybille arrives and has a little chat and asks if your eating at the Riad that night. If you say NO you will miss out on her wonderful cooking. It's all excellent and the range is varied from traditional Tajine fayre to Moussaka and Spag Bol' all cooked to a very high standard and served by another memder of staff called Layla. To put it another way, we never suffered any illness eating at the Riad unlike a few other people we met who had eaten out and paid the price.

As I said the position of the Riad is perfect. Right in the north end of the Madina close to the Souk and the main square.

http://www.riaddarsbihi.com/en

Because there are only 10 rooms it's like you have a private Riad with your own staff.

Sybille and Saad are very friendly hosts and can organise a guide for your 1st day so you can get a feel for the area. They can also arrange tours and taxi hire for you.

I would recommend that once at the Riad you upgrade, if possible, to a suite as this adds that little bit more luxury. Also check out Saad's vinyl collecting he has got a few gems in there.

We had a great time and will return in a couple of years. Please, for a laugh, read the negative reviews on T.A. Having stayed here and having the experiance I think the negative feed back is probably more spite than constructve.

At the end of the day this Raid ticked all the right boxes and our only moan was that we couldn't have stayed longer.

OUR LITTLE HAVEN

We can’t recommend this beautiful, peaceful and friendly riad, in The Medina enough. Saad and Sibylle are so welcoming that you feel like one of the family, as are all the wonderful staff. Everything is done with such care and attention, breakfast on the terrace or lunch/dinner in the courtyard, nothing is too much trouble. They also play very groovy music that meets the ambience just right. I even managed a wee bit of dancing much to Saad’s delight. It is amazing how peaceful and relaxing it is after coming back from the cacophony of sound and movement outside. Sibylle also does a mean Moussaka and Spaghetti Bolognese, as well as traditional cuisine. We would recommend that you book all your trips via them, especially if it is your first visit, as it can be very daunting if you try to go it alone. We would go again in an instant.

We stayed for a week and really enjoyed it. Our first visit to Marrakech it was important we could have a nice environment to stay in and this was certainly it. It is spotlessly clean and very quiet in stark contrast to the bustle just outside.

We ate at the riad a few times and the food was always excellent. We found some nice restaurants as well just a 10 minute walk away (kafe souk, les jardins, cafe arabe, Terrasse des epices). I don't know what it is like to stay in the more modern parts but I am glad we stayed in the medina. It takes some getting used to but after a while you realise it is safe and you can always retreat to the riad or a restaurant if you want to relax.

The staff are just lovely and makes you realise what nice people the locals are. Always attentive but never intrusive. Nothing was too much trouble. The owners Sybille and Saad made us very welcome and Saad's dry humour made us laugh.