UPDATED MAR 2020. My blog motto is to share extraordinary travel experiences for ordinary people like me, and, I have to say that staying in Riad Star, the former home of Josephine Baker, was one of the most extraordinary travel experiences I have ever had. It was here, in this stunning palace in the heart of the Medina, that I got to live out all of my childhood Princess Jasmine dreams. Well, minus having a pet Tiger but you can’t win them all right? For a few nights, this was my palace, my Agrabah, and I am happy to share it here today. Here’s why I think it is the best riad in Marrakech for solo female travelers and why you’d be crazy to miss it.
Why This Is The Best Riad In Marrakech For Solo Female Travelers
Disclaimer
There are affiliate links included in this post. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission if you book through the link.
The basics
Accommodation: Riad Star
Location: In the Medina, Marrakech
Good for: Solo travelers, couples, friends
Highlights: Location, rooftop, hammam, a navigation app, pool
Also owned by Marrakech Riads:
Fresh mint tea on arrival
The location
The first reason why Riad Star is a fantastic option for solo female travelers is that it is located oh so conveniently in the heart of the Medina.
This made it very easy to get around on foot.
Just a short walk from your door is the Jamaa El Fna Square, a range of cafes, and endless shopping in the famous Souks. It’s convenient because you don’t need to rely on taxis or haggle with them to get around.
To get there from the airport, you can book an airport transfer when you make your booking. It’s only 200MAD (21 USD) and well worth it because the riad is quite hard to find from the outside.
The Grace Room at Riad Star
The palace-like rooms
One thing I like about the riad is that each room is styled differently and has its own name and personality.
I stayed in the Grace Room which was a regal, neutral themed room, well suited to one or two people.
In this, I had a comfortable, clean and quiet room with wi-fi, ensuite, in-room safe, fridge, robes and even a meditation pod.
The shower was a little rugged and not the most glamorous looking, but overall the room was comfortable and luxurious.
The awesome rooftop
Be sure to check out the rooftop in the evening to watch the sky light up with all the colors of the sunset.
It’s a beautiful view and it’s so surprisingly peaceful that you would be forgiven for forgetting about all of the hustle and bustle going on in the streets around you.
My favorite way to end the day was on the rooftop, with a pot of mint tea, watching the sun go down over the city. If you are having dinner at the riad, you can also have it on the rooftop.
There are a lot of reasons why this is the best riad in Marrakech for solo female travelers
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The pool is heaven after a day exploring Marrakech
Another great feature of Riad Star is the plunge pool.
After a day walking around in the Moroccan heat, the pool was nothing short of heavenly.
There is an iPad with speakers in the pool room to play relaxing music as well as books to read, or you could soak in the cool water with some mint tea and just relax.
The adjoining room even houses a range of Josephine Baker inspired costumes you can try on for a fun dress up.
If you like to meet others when you travel, I was always chatting with the other guests by the pool and on the rooftop each day.
The refreshing plunge pool
Hammam and spa
Whatever you do, make sure you book a Hammam treatment while you’re visiting.
A handy feature of Riad Star is that you can book this just steps from your room. This way, you can avoid the haggle or hassle when finding one out in the Medina.
After the treatment, you can relax on the roof afterward without needing to go anywhere which is another bonus!
I had never had one before so in case you’re a newbie like me, what happens is you go into a private steam room to relax, then a lady scrubs your skin, applies a mask, rinses you off, and applies oil afterward.
My skin felt so clean and silky smooth after the treatment. I added a one hour massage after the Hammam treatment and was in a relaxation daze afterward.
Meditation pod in the Grace Room
The staff
I cannot say enough good things about the staff at Riad Star. They truly made the Riad feel like a home away from home.
The host Aziz always met me with a smile and was so helpful in offering advice, answering all of my 1 million questions, and making endless pots of mint tea.
I am 150% sure that my visit would not have been as good without his help and guidance.
Yasmine served up a delicious breakfast each morning and always made sure I had enough to start the day with and Raga was the Hammam and massage expert who gave my skin a new life.
All three made this poor blogger feel like a princess!
Travel Tip: I recommend at least a 3-4 night stay to allow plenty of time to get out and explore the sights of Marrakech as well as enjoy the comforts of the riad.
Lounge and breakfast area
What makes this the best riad
I’ve saved the best thing until last.
It’s the best riad for solo female travelers in Marrakech because they have created an App to help you plan your trip.
I downloaded it before my visit which I recommend because then you can read the insights about things to see and do before you get there.
The best part about the app though, particularly for a solo female traveler like myself, is that is has a map function that can navigate you through the streets without using any of your data.
I can’t stress enough how helpful this was!
Google Maps doesn’t recognize all of the little alleyways in the Medina so if you use that, you can get lost pretty fast. I know from experience!
I preferred to use this app and it was so reliable to help me find my way around.
It could even point out places on the map in categories, for example, if you clicked the ‘Woodworking’ icon, it would pinpoint woodwork related stores on the map with information and a street view for each location. How handy is that?
Other posts to help you plan your trip to Marrakech
Sunset from the rooftop
For more information on Riad Star:
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Mmmm, rooftops with a view – that’s where you got my attention and where I’m totally hooked! If there is anything I love about a place to stay, this is the view!
The view is definitely amazing and it’s so nice to relax on the rooftop in the evenings! With some mint tea of course!
Wow! It does feel like your in the Aladdin story. 😉 I love the room and the pool. So cool!
It’s like an Aladdin dream come true!
this looks like a beautiful place. I’ve been wanting to go to Marrakech for a long time and have saved it already 🙂
That’s awesome! I hope you get to visit and stay here 🙂
We’re thinking of coming here for our honeymoon, so any recommendations are going on the list! What a gorgeous hotel – the rooftop views and pool are calling my name!
That sounds like it will be a great honeymoon, what a way to start off your new chapter! I love it!
This hotel is Nice 😉 i really like your post. Good inspiration for my own trip there.
Thank you!
What a wonderful Riad. Looks like a slice of heaven, perfect to relax after a day of exploring the souk! And the app is truly a game changer 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
Yessss the app really is the game changer here. So very useful!
OMG the charme hotels’ breakfast are over the top in Marrakech!! The tea and the honey and the pancakes! aww! Gonna check Riad Stars next time I go back!
I hope you love it – the breakfasts are so delish!
I love the riads in Morocco! Riad Star looks a lot nicer than the riad I stayed at in Marrakech. I love that there is a pool inside and each room is decorated differently. And I will definitely try a hammam when I go back!
The Hammam is definitely worth a try – such a relaxing experience!