This riad was simply amazing. We were only in Meknes for a few days, but we hope to go back soon. We are Americans living in Europe, and we've traveled quite a bit--this is one of the best places, or perhaps the best place we've ever stayed in.
Lionel sent very detailed directions from the train station, and Zohra met us at Bab Mansour to lead us to the hotel. It was our first time in Morocco but we still had no trouble following the instructions. I love the location--very close to the action but off the beaten path, so it felt like we were really experiencing a new culture. We slept in the Suite Toubkal, which was amazingly beautiful. The furnishings are gorgeous and the bed was very comfortable. We have a 2 year old and a 5 year old; the staff made up a bed for the 5 year old each night on the first floor, and a pack and play for the baby. My kids loved exploring the riad and playing with Zohra. The hospitality and charm could not have been better.
The food was also incredible--we ordered dinner for our first night and ate until we were stuffed, and then some, because the food was just amazing. We had 4 or 5 salads with bread, our main courses, fruit, a small tray of pastries, water and tea. The food was an excellent value. It may seem like you can eat for less in the square but when you add drinks and extras, you really can't do better than the prices offered by the riad. Plus the quality of the food is just not comparable, as was the convenience of eating at the riad, not feeling rushed, and the freedom to allow our children to play while we ate. We enjoyed it so much that we opted to have dinner there on our last night as well. You can't go wrong with any of the meals offered, but we had the pastille, couscous, beef and prune tagine and chicken lemon tagine. All were spectacular.
Zohra is a very gifted chef. She prepared a fresh breakfast for us daily as well, and each day we had a different bread. Again, we ate until we thought we couldn't eat any more, and we found room for more delicious food. We were also able to order tea during the day. There is a wonderful cozy common area with a television, games, and lots of movies and books available.
Payment is cash only but there is an ATM in Bab Mansour, a short walk away. My five year old loved walking to the square with me and stopping for bread, nuts, dried fruits and yogurt along the way.
In short--don't miss this riad. It was simply amazing and, inshallah, we will return soon.
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