Where to Stay in Marrakech with Kids: 10 Family-Friendly Hotels and Riads
- minna
- 12 hours ago
- 7 min read
If you're wondering if going to Marrakech with young children is a good idea, then the answer is absolutely yes! It is such a colourful and vibrant city, with plenty to do for both kids and adults, but what stood out to us the most was the people. Morocco is just one of those countries where children are always welcome. We went in February last year with our then 2-year-old daughter, and everywhere we went, our daughter was met more respect, warmth and generosity than any other place we've taken her.
That said, it is a busy (and loud!) city! The medina (old town) is a bit of a labyrinth, mopeds are coming from ever angle there's just lots going on. Therefore, having somewhere comfortable to stay where you can get a break from the hustle and the bustle, is key.
To help you choose where to stay in Marrakech, I've pulled together a list of family friendly places to stay with kids, covering budget, mid-range, and luxury, with notes on what to expect at each. Skip to it here.
A Few Practical Things Before You Book
Riad or Hotel - What's Best with Kids?
Riads are traditional Moroccan houses built around a central courtyard found inside the medina. They are usually small (anywhere from four to twelve rooms) which means a more personal, home-like feel and staff who actually get to know you. The tradeoff is that most riads are modest in size and facilities. It's worth bearing in mind that most riads have staircases and small decorative courtyard pools so if you have accessibility or mobility considerations a hotel might be better. Whilst we had a pram and lots of luggage we found the staff were always very helpful and it wasn't too difficult.
Larger hotels and spa resorts tend to sit outside the medina, in districts like Hivernage or the Palmeraie. They offer more in the way of pools, grounds, and dedicated children's facilities, but you lose the medina experience (the souks, the architecture, the noise and colour) and you'll likely need a taxi every time you want to sightsee.
For most families visiting Marrakech for the first time, I would recommend a riad in the medina as your base. The ability to step out directly into the city and then retreat to somewhere peaceful is worth more than a large pool.
Venturing out of Marrakech
If you have enough time and feel like a break from the city, then why not spend a night out of Marrakech? Only 50 minutes drive from the city is the Agafay Desert, with plenty of options for luxury glamping. Spend a night under the stars in complete silence, go for a camel ride and have a traditional Moroccan dinner with a show! We stayed at Agafay Pearl Camp and I couldn't recommend it enough - I even wrote a post about our experience which you can read here.
Getting to Marrakech
Menara Airport (RAK) is just 15–20 minutes from the medina, and flights from the UK are plentiful. I would recommend arranging your airport transfer in advance through your accommodation - it might be a little more expensive than a taxi off the rank, but they know the parking situation, they'll meet you at arrivals, and you won't have to negotiate a price with an unofficial driver while dragging a car seat through a crowd.
Getting around
We mainly walked around the medina as a lot of the streets aren't accessible to cars, but taxis are cheap and easy for anything further afield (you'll find lots of taxis around the square Jemaa el-Fnaa). If you're planning to venture beyond Marrakech (the Atlas Mountains, the Agafay Desert, the coast) I would recommend hiring a car (we used Dollar/Hertz and had a good experience) or booking tours. A lot of the information we read online prior to our trip advised against driving, but we found the roads easy and had no issues (the area around Marrakech can be a bit hectic, but once you're further out it's like driving anywhere else). Check out our full 7-day Morocco family itinerary for more on that.
Where to Stay in Marrakech with Kids: 10 Family Friendly Recommendations
Budget & Mid-Range
Located right next to Le Jardin Secret and about five minutes on foot from Jemaa el-Fnaa, the location is exceptional, and the building is located down a quiet dead-end street, which makes it calm despite being so central. The interconnected rooms are a bonus, giving you two connected spaces and two bathrooms for families of four. Breakfast on the rooftop terrace, with views across the medina, is one of the highlights. Children of all ages are welcome, and cots are available on request.
2. Riad Saba
This is where we stayed for the first part of our trip and I cannot recommend it enough. Riad Saba is beautifully decorated (proper Moroccan craftsmanship, spacious rooms, a gorgeous courtyard) but what really made it stand out was the staff. They really went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed. Breakfast was delicious and baby cot is available on request.
A lot of riads in Marrakech quietly don't welcome children under 12 - but Riad Les Hibiscus actively does and is actually set up for it. The family room has space for a couple with young kids, the courtyard pool is a manageable size, and the staff have a well-documented reputation for being warm with children. It's tucked into a quiet alleyway a short walk from Jemaa el-Fnaa, close enough to the action, but far enough from the noise. Car parking is also available nearby at around €5 per 24 hours.
4. Riad Samsli
We checked into Riad Samsli for our final night in Morocco and were genuinely sad we'd only booked one night - it is definitely a place where you want to stay longer! Beautifully decorated, attentive staff, and the bonus of an on-site hammam and spa, which means you can book in a treatment once your toddler is down for the evening. (We had intended to do this and then fell asleep ourselves at 9pm!) The rooms were spacious and the whole atmosphere felt calm and considered. I would definitely come back here.
This is one of the highest-rated riads in Marrakech for good reason. Owner Jean-François runs an exceptionally personal operation - five rooms, beautifully restored 18th-century architecture, carved wood ceilings, a zellij fountain in the central courtyard and great food from in-house cook Samira. Riad Soundouss is also very well catered for families with a family suite, children's menus, cots provided free of charge and children under three stay free. It's a ten-minute walk to Jemaa el-Fnaa, which is slightly further than some options on this list but means you're right at the entrance to the souks instead.
If the labyrinth of the medina feels a bit too intense for your entire stay, 2Ciels Boutique Hotel in the modern Hivernage district is maybe an option for you. It sits right across from Harti Park (which is ideal for letting the kids burn off some energy) and offers a sophisticated Art Deco vibe that still feels authentically Moroccan. The rooms are notably more spacious than your typical riad, making it much easier to navigate. The rooftop pool and terrace are the real winners here, providing a calm spot to relax with views of the Atlas Mountains while the city hums below. It’s about a 20-minute walk or a very short, cheap taxi ride to Jemaa el-Fnaa, giving you a quiet, modern base to return to after a busy day in the souks.
Luxury
7. Dar Darma (from around £150–£250/night)
Dar Darma offers proper luxury finishes and service without the price tag of Marrakech's big-name palace hotels. You get an 18th-century private mansion with six individually designed suites, a rooftop pool with views across the medina to the Atlas Mountains, and an in-house chef. The location right next to Ben Youssef Madrasa puts you in one of the most interesting parts of the northern medina, well placed for the souks and a short walk from the main sights. Cribs and rollaway beds are also available. It's small enough that the whole place feels like a private home rather than a hotel.
8. Les Jardins de la Médina (from around £250–£350/night)
This is a former 19th-century palace in the Kasbah district, converted into a 36-room hotel set within a 3,000 square metre garden that has featured in a BBC garden documentary which gives you a sense of how exceptional the grounds are. The centrepiece is a 16-metre heated pool surrounded by ancient palm trees, citrus trees and bougainvillea. For families, there are suites that take additional beds and a cot, interconnecting rooms available on request, babysitting services, and a restaurant with children's menus. It's about a 15-minute walk from Jemaa el-Fnaa, which is close enough to sightsee easily but far enough that the area around the hotel is noticeably calmer than the heart of the medina. This is the kind of place where you don't need to leave the grounds for a whole afternoon!
9. La Sultana Marrakech (from around £350–£500/night)
La Sultana Marrakech is made up of five beautifully interconnected riads in the Kasbah district, a UNESCO World Heritage site, just a 10-minute walk from Jemaa el-Fnaa and steps from the Saadian Tombs. I haven't stayed here myself, but you can see below the rooms are are stunning and the staff are meant to be extremely friendly and accomodating of family needs. The hotel has a heated outdoor pool, rooftop terrace with panoramic city views, pink marble spa, two restaurants, babysitting available, and cots for children under six at no charge.
10. La Mamounia (from around £400–£500/night)
This is one of those hotels you hear about before you've ever thought about going to Morocco. It has been open since 1923 and it carries that history well. Despite being a hotel of such grandeur, it is surprisingly accommodating for families with a dedicated children's pool with a lifeguard on duty, interconnecting rooms, babysitting services, a vintage games room tucked into the gardens with pinball and pool tables, a cinema, and attentive staff. A short walk to the Koutoubia Mosque and about 15 minutes on foot to Jemaa el-Fnaa.
Our Verdict
For most families visiting Marrakech for the first time (especially those with a toddler or young child) I would go for a mid-range riad in the medina. You want to be walking distance from the sights, you want a private courtyard to retreat to during nap time, and you want staff who know the city well enough to point you in the right direction for food and activities.
Whatever you book, make sure the riad knows you're arriving with a young child before you get there (the good ones will have a cot ready, will suggest the quietest room, and will probably have a plate of biscuits waiting!). Morocco, in our experience, takes very good care of families.
Planning a trip to Morocco? Check out our 7-day Morocco family itinerary for a full road trip guide through Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains, the Agafay Desert, and the Atlantic coast.
