4 days in Marrakech in February 2005

Hi group.

I just booked my flights for a short break in Marrakech 19-23 Feb. I
will go with my wife only (a small celebration of our 30 years of
knowing each other...). Now that I have the tickets, I am starting to
ask myself a number of questions:

1. What are the differences in terms of residential places in lodging
in one or another area of the city (the Palmeraie, the Medina, ...)
what are the pluses and minuses of each places ?
2. We would like to stay in a Riad. Do you have name and recent good
experiences of Riads that are worth staying at ?
3. Knowing that we will be 3 full days and one afternoon there, what
type of program would you recommend ? One specific question on the
subject: is it worth thinking of a walking trail in the nearby Atlas
Mountains for one day ?

Thanks in advance for your recommendations,

Dominique in Brussels,

--
Dominique & Lucy
Brussels
http://www.samoens.int.ms
dominique(at)foucart-dever.net

#2: La Maison Arabe
Villa des Orange -- better

#3 This is a frequently asked question without any stated personal
preferences.
Best is to consult a travel book -- Eyewitness is the best.








"Iti is better to be vaguely right than precisely wrong.
--J. M. Keynes

#2: La Maison Arabe
Villa des Orange -- better

#3 This is a frequently asked question without any stated personal
preferences.
Best is to consult a travel book -- Eyewitness is the best.








"Iti is better to be vaguely right than precisely wrong.
--J. M. Keynes

1. Palmeraie: Outside the city, set in palm tree gardens, most hotels here
are enclosed "clubs" with everything from tennis courts to two or three
restaurants. The big advantage of these hotels is the quiet setting.
Medina: The old town in the center of Marrakech. Available hotels range from
backpacker hellholes, via quaint family-run businesses, to lush and
expensive riads. The city's main landmarks are all clustered in and around
the medina. So are traffic, noise and Marrakech's infamous hassles.
Gueliz: The best part of the "Ville Nouvelle", where all the tourist hotels
are located. Wide boulevard, but concrete blocks for hotels, not an
inspiring part of town.
Most of the 5-star international hotels are located just outside the medina,
between the city walls and the Menara gardens.

2. www.jnanemogador.com, or if you can afford it www.lamaisonarabe.com

3. If you want to see the touristy things, don't miss the Badi palace
(basically a ruin, it includes the Saadian tombs), the Bahia palace (more
interesting in terms of decoration), and the Menara gardens. And of course a
night at the Djemma El Fnaa. For a daytrip into the Atlas, I can recommend
the Ourika valley, less than 90 minutes by car from Marrakech.

For more info, see www.triotours.com/faq/ma/index.htm


"Dominique Foucart" wrote in message
...
Hi group.

I just booked my flights for a short break in Marrakech 19-23 Feb. I
will go with my wife only (a small celebration of our 30 years of
knowing each other...). Now that I have the tickets, I am starting to
ask myself a number of questions:

1. What are the differences in terms of residential places in lodging
in one or another area of the city (the Palmeraie, the Medina, ...)
what are the pluses and minuses of each places ?
2. We would like to stay in a Riad. Do you have name and recent good
experiences of Riads that are worth staying at ?
3. Knowing that we will be 3 full days and one afternoon there, what
type of program would you recommend ? One specific question on the
subject: is it worth thinking of a walking trail in the nearby Atlas
Mountains for one day ?

Thanks in advance for your recommendations,

Dominique in Brussels,

--
Dominique & Lucy
Brussels
http://www.samoens.int.ms
dominique(at)foucart-dever.net

1. Palmeraie: Outside the city, set in palm tree gardens, most hotels here
are enclosed "clubs" with everything from tennis courts to two or three
restaurants. The big advantage of these hotels is the quiet setting.
Medina: The old town in the center of Marrakech. Available hotels range from
backpacker hellholes, via quaint family-run businesses, to lush and
expensive riads. The city's main landmarks are all clustered in and around
the medina. So are traffic, noise and Marrakech's infamous hassles.
Gueliz: The best part of the "Ville Nouvelle", where all the tourist hotels
are located. Wide boulevard, but concrete blocks for hotels, not an
inspiring part of town.
Most of the 5-star international hotels are located just outside the medina,
between the city walls and the Menara gardens.

2. www.jnanemogador.com, or if you can afford it www.lamaisonarabe.com

3. If you want to see the touristy things, don't miss the Badi palace
(basically a ruin, it includes the Saadian tombs), the Bahia palace (more
interesting in terms of decoration), and the Menara gardens. And of course a
night at the Djemma El Fnaa. For a daytrip into the Atlas, I can recommend
the Ourika valley, less than 90 minutes by car from Marrakech.

For more info, see www.triotours.com/faq/ma/index.htm


"Dominique Foucart" wrote in message
...
Hi group.

I just booked my flights for a short break in Marrakech 19-23 Feb. I
will go with my wife only (a small celebration of our 30 years of
knowing each other...). Now that I have the tickets, I am starting to
ask myself a number of questions:

1. What are the differences in terms of residential places in lodging
in one or another area of the city (the Palmeraie, the Medina, ...)
what are the pluses and minuses of each places ?
2. We would like to stay in a Riad. Do you have name and recent good
experiences of Riads that are worth staying at ?
3. Knowing that we will be 3 full days and one afternoon there, what
type of program would you recommend ? One specific question on the
subject: is it worth thinking of a walking trail in the nearby Atlas
Mountains for one day ?

Thanks in advance for your recommendations,

Dominique in Brussels,

--
Dominique & Lucy
Brussels
http://www.samoens.int.ms
dominique(at)foucart-dever.net

Hello,

I understand that it will be the first time in Morocco ...

I can speak of what I know: the Medina.
If you stay there, you will really "smell" the Moroccan way of life, at the heart of the city.Going to the markets or to the hammams, smiling with people, visiting very charming areas ...
Personnally, I have a Riad at 5 mn from the Djemaa el Fnaa square and the souks.It's a guest house with 6 rooms.

Should you need further information about Marrakech (accomodation, etc...), don't hesitate to contact me.
Regards,

Anne-Marie

Originally Posted by Dominique Foucart

Hi group.

I just booked my flights for a short break in Marrakech 19-23 Feb. I
will go with my wife only (a small celebration of our 30 years of
knowing each other...). Now that I have the tickets, I am starting to
ask myself a number of questions:

1. What are the differences in terms of residential places in lodging
in one or another area of the city (the Palmeraie, the Medina, ...)
what are the pluses and minuses of each places ?
2. We would like to stay in a Riad. Do you have name and recent good
experiences of Riads that are worth staying at ?
3. Knowing that we will be 3 full days and one afternoon there, what
type of program would you recommend ? One specific question on the
subject: is it worth thinking of a walking trail in the nearby Atlas
Mountains for one day ?

Thanks in advance for your recommendations,

Dominique in Brussels,

--
Dominique & Lucy
Brussels
http://www.samoens.int.ms
dominique(at)foucart-dever.net