Are riads suitable for families with kids?

I travel Morocco constantly with my own children and I place a lot of families, so this is a question I answer almost weekly. The honest version is: riads can be brilliant for families, but you have to pick the right one rather than assuming any pretty courtyard house will do. The very feature that makes a riad magical — that open central courtyard, often with a plunge pool and a fountain — is also an open body of water and a hard tiled floor in the middle of where you are staying, which matters a great deal with a toddler.

The riads that work best for families fall into two camps. The first is a larger family-friendly riad that genuinely caters to children: connecting or family rooms, high chairs, a flexible kitchen that will do plain pasta or an early dinner, and staff who are relaxed about kids. The second, and my personal favourite for groups, is a smaller riad booked in its entirety — sole use of the whole house and courtyard. The privacy means no other guests to disturb, the children can be children, and the cost per head often works out very reasonable when shared between a family or two.

Things to check before you book, because they catch people out: whether the property has a minimum age (some boutique and honeymoon riads are adults-only or quietly discourage young children), how the stairs work since riads almost never have lifts and rooms are spread over several floors, and whether the pool is fenced or shallow. I also ask about the rooftop terrace railings. None of this is a reason to avoid riads — it is simply the homework that turns a stressful stay into a lovely one.

When it lands well, a riad is a far better family base than a resort. Children love the secret-house feeling, the staff tend to dote on them, and breakfast on the roof with the call to prayer drifting across the medina is the kind of thing they remember for years. For the desert leg, family desert camps with larger tents and connecting sleeping areas exist too, so you can carry that same intimate, looked-after feeling all the way through the trip.