How do I choose a riad (what to look for)?

A riad is a traditional house built around an inward-facing courtyard, and staying in one is part of the experience of Morocco — but they vary wildly, and the listing photos rarely tell you what staying there is actually like. The first thing I check is location within the medina: a riad deep in the maze is atmospheric but can mean a ten-minute walk through unlit alleys with your luggage, while one near a medina gate is far easier to reach. Ask specifically how a car or taxi gets you to the door, because many riads are only accessible on foot and a porter meets you at the nearest vehicle point.

Next, the practical comforts that the romantic photos quietly omit. Traditional thick-walled riads are gloriously cool in summer but can be genuinely cold in winter, so I always confirm there is proper heating if you're travelling between November and March, and reliable air conditioning if you're coming in the heat of summer. Check whether the room you're booking has a window onto the street or only onto the courtyard, whether there's a lift or just steep tiled stairs, and whether the famous rooftop terrace is actually open to guests for breakfast and sunset, because that terrace is half the joy of riad life.

Read the reviews like a detective, and read the recent ones. Riads are small — often six to ten rooms — so the experience hinges almost entirely on the owner or manager and the handful of staff. I look for repeated mentions of warm, responsive hosts, help with onward logistics, and an honest match between photos and reality. Be wary of a riad with dozens of rooms marketing itself as intimate, and pay attention to whether reviewers were given a different (often smaller, darker) room than the suite in the headline image.

My honest advice after years of this: a small, lovingly run riad with attentive owners beats a larger, glossier one almost every time, even at a similar price. The best ones become a kind of home base — they arrange your airport pickup, walk you to a good dinner, pour you mint tea when you stagger in tired, and remember your name. That human warmth is the thing people remember, far more than the thread count. Spend a little time choosing well and your riad becomes one of the best parts of the trip, not just a place to sleep.