Opinions RIAD FARNATCHI Marrakech

My partner and I are getting married in Marrakesh and wanted to spend a night on quiet luxury, L’Farnatchi was exactly that. Beautiful architecture, the most comfortable bed, every little detail was taken into consideration. We loved using the Hammam too and having a lovely breakfast on the rooftop. Thank you to James and team.

They have got it so right at Riad Le Farnatchi - it is an oasis of calm and luxury in the craziness of the Marrakesh Medina. From meeting us from our taxi (can't drive right up to the riad - it's maybe a 5 mins walk but they deal with your bags) to the welcome with mint tea and sweet nibbles ( no pesky check in - the manager took our passports to do that boring stuff), the beautiful, well thought out rooms and the smiles and friendliness of everyone working there, this place is a real treasure.

There are 10 suites and ours was over 2 floors with a lounge area downstairs and a bedroom (huge, comfy bed) and bathroom (with a selection of shower gels and shampoo/conditioner and the best towels I've ever had in a hotel) upstairs, leading onto a terrace with table, sun loungers and view. There is also a sun terrace where you can sit. Room service was seamless and nothing is too much trouble. Breakfast is included - yogurt and fruit, breads and eggs, with coffee or tea) I can't recommend Le Farnatchi enough. Apparently many of the staff have been there for years and it shows in the best way. They are all fluent in English (and other languages) so can help easily with any problems. Thank you for a lovely stay.

The number one address if you want to stay in the beautiful, charming old town of Marrakech and have an authentic Moroccan riad experience. Exemplary, warm service whether in the spa, the restaurant or in-room. Could not recommend more.

What an amazing oasis of calm just moments away from the excitement and vibrancy of the souks. Stunningly beautiful Riad and simply wonderful staff. Stayed for 3 nights. Will be going back for sure.

Awesome hotel in the heart of the medina, a stone's throw from the souks. The hotel is wonderfully designed and the team couldn't have been more friendly and accommodating. I would highly recommend this place to anyone wanting a lux couples holiday in Marrakech.

Beautiful hotel in the heart if the medina. Lovely staff were very welcoming. Would certainly recommend!

This was our second visit in 6 months to Le Farnatchi---we loved it so much the first time that we brought our family back, and, once again, Le Farnatchi was beyond exceptional. Owner James Wix and his team have a knack for making one feel more like an old friend visiting a much loved and well cared for private home rather than a hotel guest. Saida, Morad and Mahfoud are just a few of the staff at Le Farnatchi who went above and beyond in making our family feel welcome and relaxed---any question or request was accommodated with ease. The Riad itself is meticulously designed and maintained---no detail has been left untouched. The overall vibe is not decorated---but curated. Each day (even on my second visit there!), I discovered a new discreet little detail within the space. On our visit in January 2023 we were welcomed with hot mint tea and a cosy fire in our room. This time, we had iced-tea, air conditioning, and use of the lovely refreshing pool in the center.
Our boys were just as mesmerized by the place as my husband and I were earlier this year. We look forward to many returns.

Short take:
Their cancellation policies are misleading. We disputed the charge and our bank agreed that their cancellation policy was misleading but we just ended up being losers anyway. Please be careful when you book on their website if you feel that you feel that you might need cancellation security. THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF THE RIAD, THE STAFF, OR SERVICES OFFERED.

Long take:
We were very excited to visit Le Farnatchi for our honeymoon but ended up getting sick right after our wedding and were not able to travel. We had booked our room on the "flexible cancellation policy". When we decided to cancel, we found out that there are two policies "Fully Flexible" and "Semi-Flexible." The reservation page makes no distinction or present that there are two options. The fully flexible policy hasn’t been offered in months but it’s there to throw people off.

This policy has been rephrased slightly since we originally booked but they intentionally haven't taken this information out months after it is completely invalid.

Honestly, had they worked and even offered us credit and helped us reschedule, we would have done it because the Riad and the services looked absolutely incredible. After trying to work with them, we decided to open a dispute with our bank.

We opened a dispute with our bank. It was extremely easy to point out the inconsistencies within their dispute response and how poorly the policies were enforced. Their own screenshots and documentation was obvious proof of the misleading policy. We still had to draw up a long response to our bank pointing these out. Our bank agreed with us and requested them to transfer the funds back but they refused to offer a refund. This took months and hours of time and effort. It feels worse because this Riad is very expensive and we wanted to do something nice for our honeymoon.

When we asked our bank on next options, they said that we could take legal action but that's a whole other mess. We were also recommended to talk to the Better Business Bureau but that is mostly applicable for the United States and felt like the best thing to do was to leave a review warning others and hopefully the cancellation policy as stated can be rectified and not ruin other travelers' vacations.

We stayed for 4 nights in May 2023. It was our first time in Morocco (and the first time abroad since COVID), and we were so glad that we chose Le Farnatchi. It's an absolutely beautiful building, the rooms are immaculate, huge and amazingly decorated, and the staff are fantastic - nothing is too much trouble for them, and they really went beyond what they needed to do.

When you're going to a new city or country you can spend a lot of time trying to decide where to stay - if you're wondering where to stay in Marrakech I would recommend Le Farnatchi without any reservations whatsoever.

Le Farnatchi is an amazing Riad run by James and his wonderful team. Nothing is too much trouble for them. They will organise your holiday if you want them to.

Love this place. A haven of peace where nothing is too much trouble

So well looked after by all the staff. James the owner was so helpful helping recommend places to shop and restaurants to book.
Beautifully restored by local artisans. Loved coming back from shopping and sightseeing in the Medina to relax and recharge. The Spa and Hamman definitely are a must to help at the end of the day.
We were lucky to see snow on the Atlas Mountains ( see picture) and don't miss sundowners on the roof terrace.
Will definitely be coming back with our lads.

Lieu spécial

Great place to stay and the service is amazing!

The best riad in the medina.