Superb! The Riad was more than we expected and everything about the place was excellent.

We stayed in the "Ispahan Suite" which was most comfortable and very Moroccan.

Our French host,Cyril ,and his staff were all really helpful.

The food in the Riad was the best we had while in Marrakech and we ate there on 3 of our nights.
Try it at least once!

Very romantic and relaxing.

Congratulations to Patrick(owner)who we met for such a beautiful restoration of the Riad.A true labour of love! Jim & Kerry --IRELAND

Mary M
Riad vs. Hotel
Which to choose when visiting Marrakech -- the familiarity, routine of a hotel, or the adventure, inspiration of a riad? We chose the latter.
We wanted more than a taste of local color, convenience and comfort; we got it all at the Riad Samarkand: inside the Medina (old walled city), tucked away at the end of small alleyways, the Riad soothed our body and soul with its elegant decoration, space, luxuriant garden, pool, not to mention the comfortable couches on the roof terraces with views of the Medina and the Atlas mountains. The Riad Samarkand is an elegant, refurbished home with 5 bedrooms. Our room was spacious and comfortable; it had a huge private balcony overlooking the garden, where a copious breakfast was served on linen tablecloths. The day of our arrival, we had a candle-lit dinner in the Riad’s exquisite dining room, with a treasure trove of CDs to choose from, a wonderful way to feel at home in an otherwise different environment. Our visit at the Riad was facilitated by Cyril, the manager and his efficient, discrete staff. Cyril was available to show us around, in person. He made reservations for our excursions to Imlil and Essaouria, and also recommended restaurants for every night of our stay. He’s got a wealth of information about the city, insights into the culture and a wry sense of humor, a definite plus that enhanced our stay. The Riad is a 10-minute walk to the main square, and a 5-minute walk to a local taxi stand. You can't go wrong choosing this Riad.

Riad Samarkand was a perfect place to stay in during my first visit together with my friends in Marrakech beginning of March. Beautiful riad and well taken care of by Cyril and his friendly staff who did their absolutely best to make our stay very good. If you needed anything they were there to help you! No doubt I'll be back and look forward to stay in Samarkand again. =)
Thank you Cyril with staff!

This overdue review is for a trip made November 2010, but I see that the riad is meeting the same stellar reception from guests that have stayed since that time. We were disappointed to find the highly rated Riad L'Orangerie booked, but the manager Cyril suggested we try this sister riad. It was unbelievable, as I hope you can see from the photos. Cyril was tremendously helpful with our itinerary, and walked us along the path to the main marketplace until we were comfortable. Do have dinner at the riad one night - we arranged for a delicious and romantic dinner on our arrival night. This will be remembered as one of my favorite accommodations in the entire world.