More about Dar Eliane
There couldn't be a better riad
by TripAdvisor Member ukpat02
I sincerely wish I could convey how wonderful my stay at the Dar Eliane was with words. I've traveled all over the world and am fairly positive that I haven't encountered such a friendly staff that would go out of their way to make my stay in their city so pleasant.
Bader and Boushra are truly wonderful people who everyone must meet. From Boushra continuously calling the airport to check on our lost bags to Bader taking me on his scooter to the hammam and finding me safety pins when I really needed them, they both truly bent over backwards to make our trip to the Dar Eliane memorable.
The Djemma al-Fnaa isn't exactly easy to find on your first trip out, but once you figure that out (and it really doesn't take long) it's about an 8 minute walk, which isn't bad at all. Bader is also there to help you arrange hammam visits, taxi rides and day trips to the High Atlas.
All in all, location is wonderful, the staff is world-class, and Marrakech is a gem of a city. If you're planning a trip to Marrakech, include the Dar Elaine in your plans.
An Oasis of calm in a fabulous friendly city
by TripAdvisor Member BearsBrighton
We were welcomed by Badre and were given excellent service and food. the Riad is stunning and the rooms well deorated and appointed. It was chilly at night so we were greatful that the rooms had heating and airconditioning.
We found the area around the Riad colourful and exciting and the people very friendly. At no point did we feel threatened. on the contrary people are only happy to help you find your way in the myriad of busy streets.
We bought a large quantity of silk in the medina and this had to be manufactured. Badre arranged for this and also arranged for the silk to be sent to us back in England. John even brought the silk back to the UK himself to ensure we received it!
In summary and excellent place to stay. Thanks we will be back again
An Oasis among Culture
by TripAdvisor Member musicbabe25
I planned a four day break to Marrakech and stayed in the Dar . Eliane for my husband as a Valentine Gift. The Riad was beyond our expectations it was absolutely wonderful. Everything from the wonderful greeting that we had to the wonderful location, in te middle of absolute culture. Thank you so much for a wonderful stay. If you are reading this recommendation then look no further this is absolute heaven, enjoy! Once again thank you best wishes from Mark and Mandy scarbro, Skegness, Lincolnshire.
Wonderful Dar Eliane
by TripAdvisor Member Seemore_G
We (four couples) exclusively rented the Dar Eliane for a short break. Even before we arrived we had plenty of helpful advice from the owners - a good omen!
The riad is a beautiful oasis of calm in the hustle and bustle of the medina. It does take a little walk to reach as it is right in the heart of the souks, but our helpful taxi driver (booked through the riad) walked us the whole way, managing to get a local to transport our luggage in his cart to the riad. We all had a tour of the four rooms before choosing our own. Each had its own character and all were decorated to a high standard. Nothing was too much trouble for Badr and Bouchra throughout our stay. Badr, the manager, even walked us across the old city to an excellent restaurant, so we didn't get lost.
If you would like to be in the heart of the souks and markets, we would all highly recommend the riad as a great base to explore old Marrakesh.
Wow Factor
by TripAdvisor Member Miles-Perryman
Amazing place to stay. We found this on Trip Advisor, thought it looked right for us, and it was. Booked direct with the owner at , we felt, a reasonable rate and couldn't wait to get there. As mentioned by others, the approach could be a little foreboding to some, but we had no problems navigating to and from, day and night. Set around a bright courtyard, the two storey accommodation is well presented and traditionally furnished; our first floor room was colourful and exactly as we had hoped for; certainly had the wow factor. We opted for a traditional meal in on our first night, served by the extremely friendly and helpful staff, Bouchra and Badre, and were very impressed with the tagine of honeyed lamb with prunes and apricots with walnuts amongst other local fare. We found the main square an easy ten minute walk and the property is well placed for other nearby sights such as the Medersa Ben Youssef which is well worth a visit. Dar Eliane was a great place to escape from the "madness" ,and to be able retreat to the Riad for instant peace and quiet, the only noise coming from birds nesting in the courtyard area, was wonderful. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Welcome to Narnia
by TripAdvisor Member PeterBingham
My wife and I stayed with two other couples at the end of April to celebrate our best friend's 40th birthday. The riad has four rooms in total which we booked out (the unused fourth room being a perfect space to store all the shopping purchases)! The effect of this was our own private riad - sheer luxury! The riad is in a great location not too far from the main square. Entering the Dar Eliane through the noisy, dusty streets of Marrakech can only be likened to the excitement of passing through the wardrobe into Narnia. Once inside, the riad is the most beautfiul oasis of classic Moroccon architecture, beautiful artifacts, stunning bedrooms, a delightful sun bathed roof terrace and most of all an extremely friendly and attentive staff. On one evening of our stay we had the most sublime dinner, under the stars on the roof terrace of Dar Eliane cooked and served by the staff. We have eaten in some of the world's finest restaurants - for sheer ambience, exclusivity and wonderful food this ranks amongst the best of them! My wife and I also purchased an antique Moroccon door (weighing approximately 100 kilos!) during our stay. Badre was incredibly helpful in organising the transaction for us (in fact nothing was too much trouble for him down to organising a personal guide to a restaurant on our final night). The riad owner, John, has worked tirelessly since we left to ensure its safe passage to the UK via DHL and negotiate the peculiarities of the Moroccon export system! All in all, a fantastic experience at Dar Eliane and highly recommended.
Cosy base in the heart of the Medina
by TripAdvisor Member Maybus
Our stay at Dar Eliane got off to a bit of a rough start, when our flight was delayed. We called ahead when we found out to change the time of our taxi pick up, but when the flight arrival time changed again and we arrived at 4am instead of 6am, there was no way to get a hold of anyone and get in to get some much needed rest. We made our own way to the riad but no one answered the doorbell or the phone. In the end we had to go back to the airport and wait for our designated pick up. Although this change in plan is in no way the riad's fault, it simply isn't like a hotel where you can show up at any hour and get access to your room.
Other than this, our stay was truly excellent. The rooms are as beautiful and comfortable as the pictures suggest, with the sunny but cool courtyard a great escape after a busy afternoon in the Medina. I especially loved our room decor and felt it was definitely perfect for a romantic trip with my boyfriend. We especially liked the common room where there was loads of entertainment provided - DVDs, chess, cards, great for those that aren't into being out all hours of the night and would like to retire to the riad and still be able to find entertainment. Because there are only 4 rooms, it also felt very cosy, as you recognized all the guests that were staying there. It can get a little noisy as the riad's rooms are all surrounding the open courtyard, so you can clearly hear other guests' conversations going on, but no one was inconsiderate and everyone quieted down once it got late.
We had made note that some reviewers described the location as daunting, and while it is tucked away behind several narrow alleyways, it did not feel any more dangerous than any other part of the city. It also was not hard to get back to the hotel at all, you could not miss it if you came through the souks. Also a good location because of the proxmity to the souks and Jemma El Fna.
Badr the hotel manager was also very helpful in arranging tours and making a reservation for us at Chez Ali. Although there did seem to be a lack of communication to us about the details, the plans were always already made after an initial request.
Absolutely a gem in the middle of the souks
by TripAdvisor Member DaisyHongKong
A beautiful house "dar" in the southern part of the souks, owned by an English gentleman, John, who has been putting lots of efforts in decorating the dar - has lots of Moroccan decorations/accessories. We were able to meet with John during our stay, fortunately. John told us he normally visited the dar once a month. John is absolutely a very nice & knowledgeable person, who has traveled to many parts of the world, knew a lot of things & is a tennis player. According to him, we don't have to be a member to play tennis in the Royal Tennis Club de Marrakech, in Gueliz (clay courts). Just pay 100dh per hr for a court, an extra 50dh per hr if you wish to play with a coach.
The dar was renovated in early 2007 according to the house manager, Badre. It is about 6-7 min walk from the big square "Jemma El Fna". The dar has a vegetable & fresh meat market nearby.
My husband & I (both are extensive travelers) stayed here for 8 nites. We booked online directly with John & paid 700dh per nite (best deal than all other travel agents'). We stayed in "Jawhara" room, the largest one in the dar, which contains 4 bedrooms in total. Our room is special where its bathroom is located outside the bedroom. The bathroom is very large & has a see-thru ceiling that you can look up & see the sky while showering. Really kool!
We called the house manager in the morning of the arrival day to arrange taxi pick-up from the railway station. We paid 100dh to the taxi driver. The dar is located in the area where cars cannot reach, we needed to walk to the dar for 2 min after we got off the taxi. An old man awaited & came to carry our baggages to the dar. We didn't have small notes or coins to pay tips to the carrier, so we asked the dar manager to help manage this for us.
In conclusion, this is a very value for money place to stay!!
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