When I remembered it was our 10th anniversary imminently I started to suggest places my gorgeous wife would like and she came up with Marrakech. I bought Alastair Sawday’s book and whilst I shortlisted about 10 she picked this as the first one the book fell op0en on. After a couple of other guide boos featured it too and Trip Advisor spoke highly of it, we settled on it and I lost out on my argument for the star room for the red room. So, you arrive to heat, follow a man with a car through ha maze of street that aren’t the most beautiful and land in heaven. Wonderful place. We set out for a little explore but returned to eat in the riad that night and it was excellent. Perfect place and taste. We snuck a peek at some of the other rooms and decided I was right with the star room but actually both were brilliant and even the room we were given for a shower late on the day of departure was beautiful – my wife deciding we’d actually ask for that when we come back (and we will and we’ll stay here).
So, what makes it special?
Firstly it has to be the location. A short walk from the place / main square means every time you go out you have to explore the souks.
On a par – the excellent advice from Cyrus. None of it bad or worrying, heed his guidance on places to go / see / eat.
Do the spa they recommend (Les Bains de Marrakech), but be sure to head to the Kosybar afterwards. Have a lazy lunch at an upmarket hotel (Jardins de la Koutoubia) to contrast the frenetic mayhem outside / nearby. Get lost in the souks and enjoy getting lost then finding yourself.
Go to spice square – we had a great coffee on the roof terrace opposite the recommended Café de Epices – which was great and the lunches other people had looked scrumptious.
Equally good – the service and friendliness of the riad – I will be recommending it to my parents and we will be coming back; when we do it will be here (Riad Meriem) again.
How long to stay? We did 4 days and if it was any longer I’d probably consider exploring beyond the medina – if a week then take a trip to the Atlas mountains, but 4 days is ideal for city walking and people / spectacle watching. Forget fashion and have some good and comfortable trainers for the day if walking / exploring.

We stayed here for a short break and loved it. The Riad is very calming and provides a great bolt hole from the hustle and bustle in Marrakech. All the rooms are nicely decorated and comfortable. The staff are very helpful and friendly. We pre ordered a lunch to have on arrival and ate on the roof terrace. It was wonderful with delicious fresh produce and was the perfect way to start our break

My new husband and I stayed here as a surprise honeymoon and had such a beautiful and relaxing experience! The staff could not have been helpful booking and arranging trasport for us to the best restaurants! The rooms are stunning and clean! Breakfast in the morning and wine in the evening on the roof terrace was delightful! I wouod recomend to anyone and would love to go back as the staff could not do enough to look after you

Among the strangest places I have ever stayed was the Riad Meriem. Like all of the old city of Marrakech, it is in a rabbit warren tucked away in a seeming cave. Like all riads, the door from the rabbit warren opens to central courtyard. The staff was incredibly warm and helpful. The manager Cyrus was out on our arrival and was still fighting a tough Spring cold the next day when first met. Cyrus "got" us as travelers better than any property manager/concierge, etc has before. His suggestions are spot on and he is quite a nice guy just to chat with.

So, why the Average score? The place is just not being maintained. Towels are threadbare, Robes have stains on them, bedding sags, bath fixtures oxidized and cranky, and an over all lack of maintenance bring this place down. Also, NO PRIVACY! None. We were in a room on the bottom floor with a thin door that is more like a gate with everyone able to sit and know your business and peek in. Uncomfortable. Nice rooftop though.

IF looking for an inexpensive jumping off point for exploring the medina this could be your spot. Cyrus guided us perfectly and he really got into being helpful. If looking for luxury and privacy this is NOT your spot.

Breakfast was good and the meal provided to us for the one dinner we ate in was very good!

We stayed here for 2 days following a fun but dusty week of exploring Morocco... what a fabulous way to end the trip. Beautiful decor, flowers everywhere and lush places to relax during every part of the day. On the roof terrace chairs are artfully placed around so at any point of the day you can recline in sun or in shade. Perfect. My husband picked up a bug our last day in the desert and arrived at the riad in a bit of a state- the staff couldnt do more to help, even having a friend open up a pharmacy out of hours to get him the medications he needed. I wouldnt stay anywhere else in Marrakech!

I hesitate to write this review because I really wanted to love Riad Meriem and, judging by the other reviews, my fiance and I are the first people ever to not be blown away by our stay. The positives: great rainfall shower, comfortable bed, good breakfast. The negatives: everything else. When we arrived, the guide they sent spoke only Arabic (no English, no French, so if you had any questions you were simply out of luck), our room smelled heavily of cigarette smoke, and we were not given any information about the amenities (wifi, breakfast) or given a tour of the Riad. Obviously, we're independent travellers so we could do without any of this this, but these details were the absolute minimum customer service we received at three other Riads throughout our stay in Morocco. As for the decor...much has been made of the Thomas Hayes design. Let me tell you the reality: the door to our room had no lock whatsoever. The bathroom also has no door. The windows do not close competely, so you can hear EVERY noise from the courtyard. The "romantic" lighting is so dark you can barely see enough to put in contacts, let alone apply makeup or shave. The furnishings in the room are so minimalist (not even a nightstand) so your belongings end up strewn about the room. So, in all, this place is not terrible by any means. Especially if you are staying in one of the two smaller rooms, I believe you will get your money's worth. However, having received twice the service/amenities for the same price elsewhere I simply felt compelled to provide my honest thoughts here.