The only way to get over one trip is to book another one, am I right. Rhetorical. I am correct, no notes. So, let’s go to Marrakech baby.
One brief yap before I get to the recommendations – we spent a week and it FLEW by, so if you’re considering a couple of days but can spare more time it’s absolutely worth it.
7 days in Marrakech: Where to stay
I’m not usually an all-inclusive girly. Mainly because I can’t sit still for more than two mins and love sampling local food. But as we had a holiday refund from squeezy jet (long story, tell ya never) it made sense on this occasion, and I was pleasantly surprised.
The rooms are spacious, the pools are lovely, there are no screaming children aka the big three. Plus they offered free transport into town which was super handy. The food was also delicious, special shout out to the desserts that looked as if they’d been crafted by Cedric Grolet himself. Even though, having a bf that averaged four plates at every meal probably put a dent in the hotel’s margins. Still reeling from him loading up tagine, pizza and chocolate biscuits on one plate, decorum where?
The only bugbear I had, was with the huge window separating the bedroom and bathroom – I’m a liberal queen but do I need to hear “wahey” every time I stepped out the shower, not really? Let me have my Lana del Slay getting ready space and maintain some sort of mystery already. But aside from that, lovely.
Travel tip: If you want an adults only escape in Marrakech, add BeLive to your consideration list.
We did one day on (exploring) and one day off (lounging). Our explores relied heavily on stopping frequently for snackies and cocktails (my IG doesn’t say flights, bites and outfits for no reason) so below are some of my faves.
7 days in Marrakech: Top restaurants, rooftop cafes & great eats
I’d like to preface this section by saying that we booked none of the below and relied purely on positive vibes but I’d 1000% recommend booking all of the below ahead of your visit.
Dardar
Located in the heart of the bustling Marrakech medina, you’re only one short ascent from scenic rooftop views & a well-earned glass of Frosé. Everything about this place is gorgeous, from the live music on the roof, to the quirky interiors and extensive food options. Although we didn’t eat here, the food looked incredible, I could have stayed for hours and happily eaten my way through the menu.
Travel tip: book ahead, ideally a few weeks before you travel bc this place gets busy!
La Trattoria
I know, I know. I flew all the way to Marrakech and ate Italian food. Fight me. Gorgeous vibes, great service and delicious pasta, tick, tick tick. Again, one to book as it’s listed in the top 10 best restaurants to visit in Marrakech, I’m still unsure how we managed to wangle a table without booking. Greenery and rattan furniture lines the pool area but don’t bother packing your swimwear bc the swimming pool is just for décor and honestly, I get it. Would you want chlorine in your bruschetta? I doubt it.
Foodie tip: Order: the beef ravioli and a Hugo spritz, obvi
Nobu rooftop garden and restaurant
Ngl it is a cute setting and the views from the terrace are stunning, but it does veer towards being a bit knobby. So, no wonder I liked it. I do love the food at Nobu (shout out the black cod) but the pool is kind of small & £35 for two fairly average cocktails felt excessive. So would I divert another afternoon to go back there, probably not. I think they offer a pool pass so you can spend the day lounging and watching the sunset, which would be cute, but we had souvenirs to source so couldn’t justify a full day.
Travel tip: Worth a visit for the views and the black cod – booking and menu here.
Les Jardins du Lotus
Best picante I’ve ever had, beating Soho House. Which is lucky as my decision-making process in heading here was purely down to seeing a cute pink archway on Instagram. I am, the worst. Again, cute courtyard with luscious trees and pool (sensing a theme here) and the most dramatic bar area. The bartender gave us a midday shot of tequila for no good reason, would either of us usually shot tequila? Never. But did we drink it anyway bc we’re top tier people pleasers? Yes. Anyway, fabulous service (see tequila) and the perfect place to dine al fresco in a Barbie palace.
Travel tip: Befriend the barman lol menu & brunch inspo here.
7 days in Marrakech: Exploring the Marrakech medina: Souks, squares, and hidden gems
Get ready to get your haggle on *in missy Elliot’s voice”. If you’re in the market (pun intended) for some new jewellery, some crockery, a bag, a camel – you name it, you can buy it here. I’d heard you get hassled a lot whilst you’re shopping but I didn’t think it was too bad at all. The most aggressive sellers were the ones selling juice and I could understand why, as there’s about 40 of them within 10 square feet of each other. We basically opted for the fruit seller that shouted the least, I don’t require screaming with my strawberry juice.
What else. Ok so you might see a monkey on a lead or a snake being thrown around which was horrible, I understand people need to make a living but to the detriment of an animal, no danke. Whatever you do, don’t take photos as they’ll try to charge you and/or launch a creature at you.
Visiting the Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Museum and Jardin Majorelle
YSL Museum
Loved. Such an interesting exhibition detailing the life of YSL, his early career, his inspiration and seeing the collections up close was incredible. I would say that if you’re not fussed by fashion, it’s an expensive activity. I had originally wanted to pick up a new bookmark from the shop on site but with my ability to lose things and at £45, I swerved.
A few things to note:
- You can’t take photos in the main part of the exhibition (I got told off)
- For those of you who love a photo op, the iconic YSL plaque is situated as soon as you walk through the main doors and there’s more than likely to be a big queue forming behind you, so you have about 5 seconds to snap a pic before someone launches a lipstick.
Travel tip: You can buy combined tickets for the YSL museum and Jardin Majorelle here – if you want to do both it works out cheaper (you’re welcome).
Jardin Majorelle
I have a very long-winded story to tell about Jardin Majorelle which ends in getting aggressively bitten lol but long story short, we didn’t visit because we lost all concept of time and arrived a whole day late for our reservation. Proof that we were fully in relaxation mode. There were tears (there weren’t) but altogether it was very frustrating as there were no other slots for the remainder of our trip. Remedied by Italian food at La Trattoria, see above.
Travel tip: Book well ahead of your visit, ideally a few weeks before you fly as it gets busy in peak season and if you’re scatty like us, remember what day it is so you make your reservation!
7 days in Marrakech… wasn’t enough
The most frequently question I’ve had about Morocco is which I preferred, Agadir or Marrakech and honestly, it’s hard to choose. They’re both so different, with Agadir being more of a beach holiday and Marrakech being a bustling city they both had their own charm.
Initially I’d wanted to stay at a riad and would like to try that on my return to Marrakech (because yes, I absolutely will be returning) but I’d say if you’re more of a pool/beach dweller wanting to visit Marrakech consider booking a hotel rather than a riad for more of a relaxed vibe especially after spending the day haggling over “Frada” sunnies.
Alas, it’s time for me to stop yapping. As always, I hope you enjoyed my guide to 7 days in Marrakech, but if there’s anything you loved that I’ve missed off my list let me know in the comments xo
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