Where to Stay in Marrakech 2027: Best Areas Compared

Marrakech is compact. The walled Medina sits in the middle; Gueliz, the new town, lies to the north-west; Hivernage fills the gap between the two; Agdal stretches south of the walls along Avenue Mohammed VI; and the Palmeraie, the palm grove, spreads over the north-east edge of the city. Agafay is not a district at all but a stony desert plateau outside town.

The choice comes down to three questions. Do you want to walk out of the door into the souks, or step into a car? Do you want a courtyard with a handful of rooms, or a hotel with a large pool and a lift? And how much time will you spend in the old city compared with by the pool?

A common plan for a first trip is a few nights in a Medina riad followed by a few nights in a resort in the Palmeraie or Agdal, or a night in an Agafay camp. Moving between them is a short drive.

The Medina is the walled old city, on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1985. Staying inside puts Jemaa el-Fna, the souks, the Koutoubia, the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs on foot. It suits first-time visitors, couples and anyone who wants the old city on the doorstep in the early morning and late evening, when day visitors have gone.

Most Medina accommodation is in riads, traditional houses built around an inner courtyard. Most open onto lanes too narrow for cars, so your driver stops at the nearest gate or street, and riad staff or a porter with a handcart walk you the last few minutes. Our guide to the Medina riad drop-off explains the gates and what to send before you fly.

The airport is 7 km from the Medina, about 10 min by car, plus the walk in. The Kasbah, around Bab Agnaou, is on the south side of the Medina; Bab Doukkala, on the north-west side, is the closest gate to Gueliz.

Expect some noise: the call to prayer from nearby mosques, motorbikes in the lanes and street life around Jemaa el-Fna. Riads face inward, so rooms are usually quieter than the lane outside.

A riad has a few rooms around a courtyard, often with a roof terrace and sometimes a small plunge pool. Breakfast is usually served in the courtyard or on the roof, and staff know every guest by name. Many have steep stairs and no lift, and some rooms open straight onto the courtyard, so ask about stairs and room layout if that matters to you.

A hotel gives you a lift, a reception that is usually staffed around the clock, a larger pool and a car at the door. Most hotels are outside the walls, in Gueliz, Hivernage, Agdal or the Palmeraie, which means a taxi or a walk to reach the souks.

If you are travelling with heavy luggage, limited mobility or a late flight, a hotel with street access is easier on arrival night. You can still spend the days in the Medina.

Gueliz was laid out under the French protectorate in the early 20th century, and its main axis is Avenue Mohammed V, which runs straight to the Koutoubia. It has the city's cafés, restaurants, galleries, supermarkets and pharmacies, on ordinary streets where a car stops at the door.

It suits travellers who want a modern apartment or hotel, easy taxis and a short trip to the Jardin Majorelle, which is on the edge of the district. The Medina is a short taxi ride or a long walk down Avenue Mohammed V.

The airport is 8 km away, about 10 min by car, and the driver drops you at the entrance.

Hivernage is a small district of wide avenues between Gueliz and the Medina walls. It has many of the city's larger hotels, with gardens and big pools, as well as restaurants, bars and clubs that stay open late. The Bab Jdid side of the Medina and the Koutoubia are within walking distance.

It suits couples and groups who want a full hotel, nightlife and the old city close by without sleeping inside it. It is also convenient for conferences and events, and for the train station, which sits on its edge.

The airport is 7 km away, about 10 min by car, door to door.

The Palmeraie is a palm grove on the north-east edge of the city, with villas, golf courses and resorts set in large grounds. It is quiet and green, the base for quad and camel rides, and suits families and travellers who plan to spend much of the day by the pool. The old city is a drive away, not a walk: some resorts run a shuttle to town, so ask yours.

Agdal lies south of the Medina, along Avenue Mohammed VI, with large hotels, resorts and golf courses, and the Agdal gardens beside the royal palace. It is closer to the Medina than the Palmeraie and on the side of the city facing the Atlas.

From the airport, the Palmeraie is 14 km, about 20 min, and Agdal is 6 km, about 10 min. Villas in the Palmeraie are often down unsigned tracks, so send the driver a map pin rather than just an address.

The Agafay is a stony desert of bare hills, not sand dunes, 28 km from Marrakech, about 45 min by road. Camps there have tents with proper beds, dinner and a pool in some cases, with views of the Atlas on clear days. Most visitors stay one or two nights, often between a riad and a flight home.

Nights in the Agafay are cold from late autumn to early spring, even when the days are warm, so bring a warm layer. In summer the afternoons are hot and the camps are at their best from late afternoon onwards.

A private transfer from Marrakech to the Agafay costs 700 MAD per car for up to 3 guests. If you only want the sunset and dinner, our Agafay afternoon trip costs 1,200 MAD per car and brings you back to town the same night.

Airport rides to every Marrakech district are quoted on request: send your flight number, the number of guests and bags, and the address, and the office replies with the price per vehicle, agreed in writing before you fly. The driver tracks your flight and waits 60 minutes free after landing.

For a Medina riad, send the riad's phone number and the drop-off point it recommends. For a hotel in Gueliz, Hivernage or Agdal, the address is enough. For a Palmeraie villa or an Agafay camp, send a map pin and the host's phone number, because the last stretch is often unsigned.

Moving between two stays, from a riad to a resort or a camp, is a single short transfer. Book it with the airport ride so the office can plan both.