Morocco Multi Centre Holiday (Marrakesh, Taroudannt & Imouzzer), Kuoni, March 2008
We spent 3 nights in Marrakesh, 2 nights in Taroudannt and 3 nights in Imouzzer des Ida Outanane - one of the suggested itineraries from the 2007 Kuoni Morocco brochure. It's not explicitly mentioned in the 2008 brochure but I expect they would still offer it as a tailor-made itinerary.
The Journey
We flew from Heathrow to Marrakech with GB Airways, which took 3½ hrs each way. There were hour-long delays in both directions but the in-flight service was adequate (meals were included but there was no entertainment on the outbound leg). This flight has now unfortunately been discontinued due to the sale of GB to Easyjet so you can no longer fly direct from Heathrow to Marrakech (as at April 08) - I believe that the only Heathrow based alternative is going via Casablanca with Royal Air Maroc.
Once we arrived at the airport in Marrakech, we were met by the Kuoni rep and transferred immediately to our riad - a journey time of about 30 mins. Our transfers between the other centres were also very good - each time it was just the two of us in a 4x4 or people carrier with air conditioning and loads of leg room. The drivers were happy to stop for a break when asked. Transfer times (including stops) were as follows: Marrakech>Taroudannt - 4hrs; Taroudannt>Imouzzer - 90 mins; Imouzzer>Marrakech - 4 hrs.
The Weather
We had 4 days of beautiful weather in Marrakech - hot and sunny with temperatures reaching +32c - but the temperature did drop quite significantly at night. It was a lot cooler and windier in Taroudannt - during the day it was fine but it was too cold to sit out in the evening. The first day in Imouzzer brought a cold spell and we were really glad that they put the heating on for us that night. We had heavy rain on the afternoon of the second day but the third and the final days were lovely and sunny again, but it was still cold enough at night to need a fire in the restaurant and the electric heating on in the room. It was a bit odd to go from sleeveless tops and linen trousers in Marrakesh to jeans and fleeces in Imouzzer!
The Hotels
Riad Amina, Marrakech (http://www.riadamina.com/)
We stayed at Riad Amina for 3 nights, on a bed and breakfast basis. We chose it because we wanted to stay in somewhere with character in the medina that wasn't too expensive and it turned out to be a very good choice. We were warmly greeted on arrival by the manageress who spoke excellent English and gave us a lot of very helpful tourist advice along with some mint tea and cakes. We had paid for a standard room and were given no 6, on the first floor. It was not very big, but we thought it was very charming with a comfy double bed, air-conditioning and en-suite with shower. The only downside of the rooms is a complete lack of soundproofing - the calls to prayer at the local mosque were audible at all hours and you could also hear noise from the courtyard during dinner and breakfast. If, like me, you are a light sleeper then I would say that earplugs are a must, otherwise it just adds to the atmosphere.
Breakfast is served in a variety of locations, depending on the weather and number of guests but we were able to eat in the courtyard every morning. A selection of bread, pastries, jam, and yoghurt was brought to our table along with orange juice and tea or coffee - we certainly didn't go hungry. We didn't eat dinner there but we did have lunch there once - a cheese baguette and chips will set you back about £5 - you can eat out much cheaper than this but you can't beat the convenience. For eating out, we would suggest Café Arabe in the Medina (http://www.cafearabe.com/) and Les Premices on the south side of the Djemma El Fna. You will probably need to book a table in the most popular restaurants and locations at the weekend.
Riad Amina is situated in the north of the Medina, not far from Bab Taghzout. The Kuoni brochure says that it is ‘only 7 minutes from the heart of the souks and the Djemma el Fna' - we felt this was a bit misleading as it actually takes nearly 30 mins to walk to the Djemma even by the most direct route. As a result, we ended up getting taxis for most of our return journeys - at a cost of between 15 and 35 dirhams each time (£1 = 15 dirhams approx) - definitely worth every penny. It also mean you're less likely to get lost - we didn't have any problems finding our way to the Djemma on foot, but getting back was a different matter and we got very lost on one occasion.
All in all, Riad Amina is a really lovely place with great staff, but the location could be better. If we were to go back again and had more money to spend then we would probably go for somewhere nearer the Djemma instead. But if Riad Amina suits your budget better then I would definitely recommend you give it a try.
Palais Salam, Taroudannt (http://www.palaissalamtaroudant.com/)
Having read the numerous negative reviews of this hotel on Trip Advisor, we weren't expecting too much from the Palais Salam, so we weren't as disappointed as we might have been. The location, architecture and ambience are all very good, but they are completely let down by the rooms themselves. Our room was massive, the bathroom alone was bigger than our bedroom at home, but to say the décor is dated would be an understatement - it probably hasn't been decorated for 30 years and also not cleaned thoroughly for a very long time. The only good points in the room, apart from the size, were a TV with BBC World and a small fridge. The water supply was ‘temperamental' and we had a couple of cockroaches pay us a visit one night. The grounds are attractive and well maintained but the swimming pool also looked like it was in need of an overhaul.
We were there on half board so had dinner in the main restaurant both nights - one night was generic buffet food (various unknown dishes with rice, pasta, veg etc) and the other night was Moroccan food - neither was brilliant but I doubt you'd get much better in Taroudannt itself. The puddings were good though. The main dining hall is often reserved for groups - there is another smaller one at the back of this room on the right which is used as an overspill. Breakfast is mainly bread based and the service was a bit slow. The staff were generally very helpful but nothing they can do will disguise the level of dilapidation in this hotel. Unfortunately, I doubt anything will be done about this soon, as their main income seems to come from large tour groups on overnight stays so they don't have the incentive to spruce things up to attract customers. In any case, Taroudannt itself is not very interesting, so in all honesty I wouldn't recommend either the town or the hotel.
Hotel des Cascades, Imouzzer des Ida Outanane (http://www.cascades-hotel.com/)
We stayed here for 3 nights at the end of our trip to Morocco. It's quite a small hotel, with only about 30 rooms and appeared to mainly attract short stay guests. There is very little to do at the hotel itself - there is a swimming pool and tennis courts, a small seating/bar area in reception and a restaurant. The main things that should attract you to this hotel are the views and the walking. Over the time we were there, we did a walk to the Kasbah on the hill above the hotel (2hrs), to the waterfalls below the hotel (3hrs) and in the hills near the hotel (4hrs). One of the hotel staff, M'Barek, accompanied us on our trip to the waterfalls which was great - I'm not sure we would have found our way without him. All the staff in the hotel were brilliant and the food we had for lunch and dinner was very good - I particularly recommend the Honey and Almond chicken. Breakfast wasn't as good though - mainly bread and jam but you could ask for eggs as well. Our room was a good size and we certainly appreciated the radiator and electric heater that we had as the temperature dived in the evenings. The log fires in reception and the restaurant were also very useful. The views from the hotel terrace are amazing on a clear, sunny day - you can almost see the coast. All in all, this is a lovely hotel if you want to get away from it all, or need somewhere to stop overnight, but if you're after lots of things to do then you might want to look elsewhere. It's worth bearing in mind that there are no cashpoints or banks in this area, but the hotel will change Euros and Sterling.
Riad Amina, Marrakech (http://www.riadamina.com/)
We stayed at Riad Amina for 3 nights, on a bed and breakfast basis. We chose it because we wanted to stay in somewhere with character in the medina that wasn't too expensive and it turned out to be a very good choice. We were warmly greeted on arrival by the manageress who spoke excellent English and gave us a lot of very helpful tourist advice along with some mint tea and cakes. We had paid for a standard room and were given no 6, on the first floor. It was not very big, but we thought it was very charming with a comfy double bed, air-conditioning and en-suite with shower. The only downside of the rooms is a complete lack of soundproofing - the calls to prayer at the local mosque were audible at all hours and you could also hear noise from the courtyard during dinner and breakfast. If, like me, you are a light sleeper then I would say that earplugs are a must, otherwise it just adds to the atmosphere.
Breakfast is served in a variety of locations, depending on the weather and number of guests but we were able to eat in the courtyard every morning. A selection of bread, pastries, jam, and yoghurt was brought to our table along with orange juice and tea or coffee - we certainly didn't go hungry. We didn't eat dinner there but we did have lunch there once - a cheese baguette and chips will set you back about £5 - you can eat out much cheaper than this but you can't beat the convenience. For eating out, we would suggest Café Arabe in the Medina (http://www.cafearabe.com/) and Les Premices on the south side of the Djemma El Fna. You will probably need to book a table in the most popular restaurants and locations at the weekend.
Riad Amina is situated in the north of the Medina, not far from Bab Taghzout. The Kuoni brochure says that it is ‘only 7 minutes from the heart of the souks and the Djemma el Fna' - we felt this was a bit misleading as it actually takes nearly 30 mins to walk to the Djemma even by the most direct route. As a result, we ended up getting taxis for most of our return journeys - at a cost of between 15 and 35 dirhams each time (£1 = 15 dirhams approx) - definitely worth every penny. It also mean you're less likely to get lost - we didn't have any problems finding our way to the Djemma on foot, but getting back was a different matter and we got very lost on one occasion.
All in all, Riad Amina is a really lovely place with great staff, but the location could be better. If we were to go back again and had more money to spend then we would probably go for somewhere nearer the Djemma instead. But if Riad Amina suits your budget better then I would definitely recommend you give it a try.
Palais Salam, Taroudannt (http://www.palaissalamtaroudant.com/)
Having read the numerous negative reviews of this hotel on Trip Advisor, we weren't expecting too much from the Palais Salam, so we weren't as disappointed as we might have been. The location, architecture and ambience are all very good, but they are completely let down by the rooms themselves. Our room was massive, the bathroom alone was bigger than our bedroom at home, but to say the décor is dated would be an understatement - it probably hasn't been decorated for 30 years and also not cleaned thoroughly for a very long time. The only good points in the room, apart from the size, were a TV with BBC World and a small fridge. The water supply was ‘temperamental' and we had a couple of cockroaches pay us a visit one night. The grounds are attractive and well maintained but the swimming pool also looked like it was in need of an overhaul.
We were there on half board so had dinner in the main restaurant both nights - one night was generic buffet food (various unknown dishes with rice, pasta, veg etc) and the other night was Moroccan food - neither was brilliant but I doubt you'd get much better in Taroudannt itself. The puddings were good though. The main dining hall is often reserved for groups - there is another smaller one at the back of this room on the right which is used as an overspill. Breakfast is mainly bread based and the service was a bit slow. The staff were generally very helpful but nothing they can do will disguise the level of dilapidation in this hotel. Unfortunately, I doubt anything will be done about this soon, as their main income seems to come from large tour groups on overnight stays so they don't have the incentive to spruce things up to attract customers. In any case, Taroudannt itself is not very interesting, so in all honesty I wouldn't recommend either the town or the hotel.
Hotel des Cascades, Imouzzer des Ida Outanane (http://www.cascades-hotel.com/)
We stayed here for 3 nights at the end of our trip to Morocco. It's quite a small hotel, with only about 30 rooms and appeared to mainly attract short stay guests. There is very little to do at the hotel itself - there is a swimming pool and tennis courts, a small seating/bar area in reception and a restaurant. The main things that should attract you to this hotel are the views and the walking. Over the time we were there, we did a walk to the Kasbah on the hill above the hotel (2hrs), to the waterfalls below the hotel (3hrs) and in the hills near the hotel (4hrs). One of the hotel staff, M'Barek, accompanied us on our trip to the waterfalls which was great - I'm not sure we would have found our way without him. All the staff in the hotel were brilliant and the food we had for lunch and dinner was very good - I particularly recommend the Honey and Almond chicken. Breakfast wasn't as good though - mainly bread and jam but you could ask for eggs as well. Our room was a good size and we certainly appreciated the radiator and electric heater that we had as the temperature dived in the evenings. The log fires in reception and the restaurant were also very useful. The views from the hotel terrace are amazing on a clear, sunny day - you can almost see the coast. All in all, this is a lovely hotel if you want to get away from it all, or need somewhere to stop overnight, but if you're after lots of things to do then you might want to look elsewhere. It's worth bearing in mind that there are no cashpoints or banks in this area, but the hotel will change Euros and Sterling.
Sightseeing
Marrakech
City Sightseeing bus - This costs 130 dirhams (about £9) for a 24 hr ticket. None of the stops are properly sign posted - the main places to join are either outside the tourist office in Gueliz or by the bus stops at the west end of the Djemma el Fna (head towards the Koutoubia mosque and wait at the right hand end of the little triangular park where the horses and carriages are). The main route is interesting and worth going on just to get your bearings, but we thought that the ‘Romantique' route which tours the ‘Palmeraie' was pretty boring and not worth doing.
El Badi Palace & the Saadian Tombs - The ruins of the old El Badi palace are huge and well worth a visit. Take Rue Zitoun el Kedim from the south corner of the Djemma and you will arrive in Place des Ferblantiers. Access to the palace isn't obvious - it via a little street that should be straight in front of you. Taking the little road on the right instead will take you to Bab Er Robb which is near the tombs - they get very busy with tour groups so it's worth getting there early. Both close over lunchtime.
The Marrakesh Museum, Ben Youssef Medersa and Almoravid Koubba - These are a nightmare to find but worth the effort. There are some signs on Rue Bab Doukkala but you'll still probably end up getting lost on the way. The museum mains showcases Moroccan art - but we found the building itself more interesting, it also has a nice little café there. You can buy a combined ticket for all 3 sites - for some reason we were only allowed to visit the Koubba after the other 2. It's small but interesting, and the Medersa is definitely worth a visit.
The Djemma El Fna and the Souks - Obviously you can't go to Marrakech and not visit the Djemma and the souks! We initially enjoyed walking through the chaos of the souks, but it did get tiring after a while. We didn't really have any problems with harassment from local people - most would leave you alone if it was obvious that you weren't interested. If you can, try and get a table on one the restaurant terraces surrounding the Djemma - it's an impressive sight either during the day or at night. There are some good shops and cafes on the south west side of the square.
Taroudannt
To be honest, there is very little to see or do in Taroudannt. The rough guide suggests hiring a bike and cycling around the ramparts, but a lot of the route is rocky and covered with rubbish. The souks are a reasonable size if you like that sort of things and there are a few ok cafes on the main square. There's probably enough to do for a few hours, but that's about it.
Imouzzer
The main attraction here is the walking. The local waterfalls are practically dry nowadays - but they are still worth a visit to see the rock formations caused by the water. The ‘Café du Miel' near the car park is good value - staff at the hotel told us that the other café (Amalou?) has a reputation for trying to force customers into buying a carpet so may be best avoided. The entrance to the waterfalls is just next to it and you will pass a variety of shops and stalls on the walk to the bottom of the falls themselves. You are also likely to be followed by children hoping for a tip. We also got followed by a local teenager for over an hour on one of our walks - tourists are obviously more of a rarity in this area than in other parts of Morocco.
In hindsight, I don't think we should have gone to Taroudannt at all and I think we could have managed with one less night in Imouzzer and maybe one more night in Marrakesh. One of the main deciding factors when we chose our itinerary was price, and the itinerary we chose was by far the cheapest Kuoni had to offer. We still an enjoyable break, but I think it would have been better to spend a bit more and gone to some more lively destinations. Morocco is definitely worth a visit though - especially Marrakesh.
Marrakech
City Sightseeing bus - This costs 130 dirhams (about £9) for a 24 hr ticket. None of the stops are properly sign posted - the main places to join are either outside the tourist office in Gueliz or by the bus stops at the west end of the Djemma el Fna (head towards the Koutoubia mosque and wait at the right hand end of the little triangular park where the horses and carriages are). The main route is interesting and worth going on just to get your bearings, but we thought that the ‘Romantique' route which tours the ‘Palmeraie' was pretty boring and not worth doing.
El Badi Palace & the Saadian Tombs - The ruins of the old El Badi palace are huge and well worth a visit. Take Rue Zitoun el Kedim from the south corner of the Djemma and you will arrive in Place des Ferblantiers. Access to the palace isn't obvious - it via a little street that should be straight in front of you. Taking the little road on the right instead will take you to Bab Er Robb which is near the tombs - they get very busy with tour groups so it's worth getting there early. Both close over lunchtime.
The Marrakesh Museum, Ben Youssef Medersa and Almoravid Koubba - These are a nightmare to find but worth the effort. There are some signs on Rue Bab Doukkala but you'll still probably end up getting lost on the way. The museum mains showcases Moroccan art - but we found the building itself more interesting, it also has a nice little café there. You can buy a combined ticket for all 3 sites - for some reason we were only allowed to visit the Koubba after the other 2. It's small but interesting, and the Medersa is definitely worth a visit.
The Djemma El Fna and the Souks - Obviously you can't go to Marrakech and not visit the Djemma and the souks! We initially enjoyed walking through the chaos of the souks, but it did get tiring after a while. We didn't really have any problems with harassment from local people - most would leave you alone if it was obvious that you weren't interested. If you can, try and get a table on one the restaurant terraces surrounding the Djemma - it's an impressive sight either during the day or at night. There are some good shops and cafes on the south west side of the square.
Taroudannt
To be honest, there is very little to see or do in Taroudannt. The rough guide suggests hiring a bike and cycling around the ramparts, but a lot of the route is rocky and covered with rubbish. The souks are a reasonable size if you like that sort of things and there are a few ok cafes on the main square. There's probably enough to do for a few hours, but that's about it.
Imouzzer
The main attraction here is the walking. The local waterfalls are practically dry nowadays - but they are still worth a visit to see the rock formations caused by the water. The ‘Café du Miel' near the car park is good value - staff at the hotel told us that the other café (Amalou?) has a reputation for trying to force customers into buying a carpet so may be best avoided. The entrance to the waterfalls is just next to it and you will pass a variety of shops and stalls on the walk to the bottom of the falls themselves. You are also likely to be followed by children hoping for a tip. We also got followed by a local teenager for over an hour on one of our walks - tourists are obviously more of a rarity in this area than in other parts of Morocco.
In hindsight, I don't think we should have gone to Taroudannt at all and I think we could have managed with one less night in Imouzzer and maybe one more night in Marrakesh. One of the main deciding factors when we chose our itinerary was price, and the itinerary we chose was by far the cheapest Kuoni had to offer. We still an enjoyable break, but I think it would have been better to spend a bit more and gone to some more lively destinations. Morocco is definitely worth a visit though - especially Marrakesh.
Brilliant report Corinne - thank you very much 
Great report Corinne, a lot of detail in there! I'd love to return to Marrakech. We did stay in the Medina, which was great for being in the heart of things, but not dead quiet either. Imouzzer sounds a good addition to the trip, with the views and the surrounding scenery. I think I'll give Taroudannt a miss if I go again though, as it doesn't sound as if it warranted a couple of nights with a four hour trip either way as well. I can highly recommend Essaouira to combine with Marrakech, if you go again, by the way. Anyway, highly enjoyable read, thanks very much.
Its somewhere I have never visited yet. Sounds fascinating though
Have just been clearing out all my Morocco paperwork and found the following info which might be useful for future travellers. It's all based on stuff we got from Kuoni:
Cities - Distances in km's and transfer times
Marrakech to Agadir - 260 km - 3-4 hrs
Marrakech to Casablanca - 240 km - 3 hrs
Marrakech to Ouarzazate - 200 km - 4 hrs
Marrakech to Fes - 485 km - 6-7 hrs
Marrakech to Essaouira - 175 km - 3 hrs
Marrakech to Imlil - 75 km - 1 hr
Fes to Meknes - 60 km - 1 hr
Casablanca to Rabat - 70 km - 1 hr
Rabat to Tangiers - 280 km - 4 hrs
Imlil to Ouarzazate - 275 km - 5 hrs
Ouarzazate to Agadir - 380 km - 6-7 hrs
Tipping suggestions (in dirhams)
Airport/hotel porter/bell boy - 10
Driver transfers (airport/hotel) - 20
Guide (half day tour) - 50
Guide (full day tour) - 100
Driver (half day tour) - 20
Driver (full day tour) - 50
Guide (Tour based holiday) - 30 per day
Driver (Tour based holiday) - 10 per day
Assistant (Tour based holiday) - 5 per day
Excursion prices in dirhams (Private tour prices in brackets)
Marrakech Palaces & Monuments (half day) - 200 (400)
Souks & Squares of Marrakech (half day) - 170 (340)
The Ourika Valley (full day) - 350 (700)
The Majorelle Gardens/Menara Gardens (half day) - 260 (520)
Essaouira (full day) - 400 (800)
Camel Rides - 270
Ouzoud Waterfalls (full day) - 380 (760)
Fantasia (Dinner and folklore show) - 420 (600)
Asni Valley/Toubkal Mountains/Imlil (full day) - 650 (1300)
Ouarzazate (full day) - 520 (1040)
Hire of a private guide - 250 per 3 hrs
Cities - Distances in km's and transfer times
Marrakech to Agadir - 260 km - 3-4 hrs
Marrakech to Casablanca - 240 km - 3 hrs
Marrakech to Ouarzazate - 200 km - 4 hrs
Marrakech to Fes - 485 km - 6-7 hrs
Marrakech to Essaouira - 175 km - 3 hrs
Marrakech to Imlil - 75 km - 1 hr
Fes to Meknes - 60 km - 1 hr
Casablanca to Rabat - 70 km - 1 hr
Rabat to Tangiers - 280 km - 4 hrs
Imlil to Ouarzazate - 275 km - 5 hrs
Ouarzazate to Agadir - 380 km - 6-7 hrs
Tipping suggestions (in dirhams)
Airport/hotel porter/bell boy - 10
Driver transfers (airport/hotel) - 20
Guide (half day tour) - 50
Guide (full day tour) - 100
Driver (half day tour) - 20
Driver (full day tour) - 50
Guide (Tour based holiday) - 30 per day
Driver (Tour based holiday) - 10 per day
Assistant (Tour based holiday) - 5 per day
Excursion prices in dirhams (Private tour prices in brackets)
Marrakech Palaces & Monuments (half day) - 200 (400)
Souks & Squares of Marrakech (half day) - 170 (340)
The Ourika Valley (full day) - 350 (700)
The Majorelle Gardens/Menara Gardens (half day) - 260 (520)
Essaouira (full day) - 400 (800)
Camel Rides - 270
Ouzoud Waterfalls (full day) - 380 (760)
Fantasia (Dinner and folklore show) - 420 (600)
Asni Valley/Toubkal Mountains/Imlil (full day) - 650 (1300)
Ouarzazate (full day) - 520 (1040)
Hire of a private guide - 250 per 3 hrs
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