This riad is really cozy! So much so that on my 2nd and final night I decided to stay in instead of joining the action outside. The rooms are tastefully furnished, clean, and most important - warm! It started to get cold when I was there. Laure, the owner, and the two other ladies who work here are really friendly and will help make your stay as comfortable as possible - offering extra blankets, a radiator, great food.... Also, I'd arranged a camel ride before I got to Morocco, not realizing that it was overpriced. Hasna referred me to one of their contacts who does camel excursions at a much cheaper price and it turned out to be the highlight of my Morocco adventure. I loved Essaouira and I loved this riad!

The renovations in the riad are beautiful, the room we stayed in was bright and clean and the bathroom and showere were wonderful

Good things
--Laure--she welcomed us and gave us a selection of rooms to select from as it was the slow period before christmas and gave us information about the town.
--The rooms are beautifully decorated and very comfortable
--Location--the riad is so easy to find and on a quiet side street.
--Great Wifi

Neutral--breakfast was ok...the coffee was weak and not great tasting.

Bad
--the service was mixed; when Laure was there it was fine, Laure asked if I wanted to have the mats for the chairs, but it was late in the afternoon and the sun was about to go down. I thought taking the mats out this should have been a daily activity if the sun was shining and it if was warm, which was every day we were in Essuaria.
--The rooms/riad was musty. On the sunny days the windows should be opened on the terrace to let in the fresh, warm air.
--breakfast should be served on the terrace if the sun is shinning and it is warm. I asked if it would be possible to have breakfast on the terrace and was told no without any explanation so I was too scared to ask again.

It seemed as if no one was ever at the Riad. When Laure was at the Riad, we were greeted upon return, but other than that it seemed as if the Riad was abanded.

We stayed here in Mid-September and initially booked for one night only but kept extending and extending every day because we loved Essaouira and we loved the Riad and the people running it. Really can't recommend it enough. Room was great, loved the bathroom and the hot shower felt fantastic after a few weeks travelling round Morocco and showering under cold drizzle!

Matt & Linnea

I stayed here for 11 nights from the 29th of October 2012. I had a beautiful room, delicious breakfasts every day plus a couple of really incredible tradiitional Moroccan dinners cooked by Hasna. Stephane is the ultimate host and wants all his guests to fully enjoy the delights of Essaouira, Nothing was too much trouble for the team at Riad Zelaka and as a lone traveller this was a fabulous place to stay. I felt at home, relaxed and happy.