Dar Catalina

We recently spent a good spell at Riad Catalina and have returned rested from the tranquil experience that Nadia and the staff provided. The garden is certainly a welcome retreat from the fast pace environment that Marrakesh provides. Our stay was made very pleasant by helpful, kind staff that serviced our rooms every day , providing towels , cleaning the rooms and making the beds. They do the best they possibly can in an environment which is jaded and tired. We loved the idea of staying in somewhere traditional and in that regard this does not fail . What does fail is the standard it provides , showers are basic or below , and we experienced three different ones while we stayed . It clearly survives on regular trade as the faded glory of the whole establishment is evident throughout . It needs an injection of investments and professionalism . The photographs on the site are old , it’s now painted white , quite slapdash and unfinished , the paddling advertised as a swimming pool has large cushions in the sun and four chairs , two of which are broken and we reported those straight away but nothing was done . There is no food or drink service to the pool which could be offered by telephone . No one explains where the pool is and there is no signage . Many of the staff whilst very very pleasant struggle to understand what the guest requires . The ladies clean the communal floor tiles every single day but more structural maintenance is definitely required. The breakfasts are predictable offering of hard boiled eggs, bread , cake and yoghurt or fruit. Food at lunch is hard to achieve as there is a menu but often nothing on it is available . I think you can always get coffee and cake but even a salad or a sandwich seems too much . It appears they make one meal a day for those on full board . They miss a trick here as there are people about who like us wanted food on several occasions. The comfort element here has to be regarded as average . Our thanks to Nadia and her team for doing their very best under trying conditions.

Friendly, family feel. Comfy rooms, friendly staff. You are made to feel part of the family. Staff are always around to help eith any issues. My parents have stayed here 5 times before and my mum brought me for my first visit. Will definitely visit again.

I am sitting here at 1am in the majestic Riad Catalina court yard waiting to be collected to go to the airport home. Khalid has just left out a gorgeous breakfast and given me a beautiful thoughtful gift to say goodbye...to say it's touched my heart is an understatement. My partner and I, from the moment we arrived to this Riad and we were greeted by the amazing Nadia, we knew we were in for a treat. From minute one to now just as I leave, I can't get over the genuine hospitality, kindness and effort to make our stay as good as possible by everyone connected to this business....you are remarkable people who have really touched me deeply and I can't wait to return with my children. The Riad is so beautiful but the people who work here are even more special....and that's saying something because the place is spectacular! Do yourself a favour and go to the Raid Catalina...I did and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Thank you Nadia❤️

Stayed here for the first part of our honeymoon and it was lovely. Great location and the staff couldn’t do more for you. So welcoming and accommodating. Delicious breakfast in a morning too. Rooms are very rustic. Exactly what we were looking for. Seems a very authentic place.

We're just back from a 4 night trip to Marrakesh, I'll start with the good points about Riad Catalina - Excellent location in the Medina Very friendly staff Beautiful kittens & even a couple of resident Tortoises! Nice breakfast Now the main reason for 3 stars instead of 5, I had messaged via Instagram several months ago after booking to make sure we would have a terrace as it was my Husbands 40th Birthday the day we arrived and this holiday was a surprise, I booked a Superior Double & the description on the Riad Catalina website states the Superior Double as having a 'view of the Koutoubia Mosque and a balcony/terrace', but on arrival we were shown to a room which looked like one of the standard rooms, so I asked Nadia if the terrace room was available instead, which it was and we were moved with no problem. Apparently the room we were given first was a suite, but was pretty small and had no view at all from the room(looked out onto an internal corridor)despite the website description of the suites as having a terrace and Atlas Mountain views? The pics are also confusing as they don't accurately show the room type you are booking which could lead to disappointment. That being said, Nadia was lovely and we got moved to room 307 which is on the top floor with access to a shared terrace. The room itself was quite tired, small things like TV not working, wall socket cover fell off, only one pillow each, shower head broken so sprayed everywhere if mounted in the wall so had to use as a hose instead and because there's no shower screen, just a curtain, the floor got soaked every time, only small bottles of shampoo, no hand soap or tissues in bathroom, I know we could have mentioned these things to Nadia but I already felt bad about asking to move rooms so we decided not to! A few small things could make the rooms more comfortable, maybe a kettle with tea/coffee in room, a small fridge, hand soap, and I do think the website needs updated with accurate pics and descriptions of each room type. Not a big deal, but this particular Riad does not sell alcohol due to licensing, but you are allowed to bring your own in and they will keep in fridge for you. We had some terrible cold weather and rain during our trip unfortunately but I can imagine it would be beautiful in warmer, drier months.

A true oasis in the hustle bustle of Marrakech. A 10 minute walk from the magnificent Jemaa El-Fna, where the crowds gather every night for street entertainment and the atmosphere is always electric. The Riyad was traditional and so peaceful. The room was spacious and comfortable. The staff were super friendly and accommodating and nothing was too much trouble for them. A massive thank you to Nadia, Atif, Abdul, Yasin and all the staff who made our stay so amazing and unforgettable. We would definitely recommend staying in this Riad when visiting Marrakech!

Very nice Riad, 10 minutes walk to the souks and the Jemaa el Fna. Lovely people, you can sit outside for breakfast or dinner. It is very quiet, so nice to relax and enjoy! We were 1 night in the Agafay dessert, the white camel and was nice to do. Special thanks to Nadia, Athiyf and Youness :)

Really great stay! Romantic, quite, easy going, friendly staff! Do not expect luxury or wine and dinning, but a peaceful riad in the middle of the hectic medina! We visited rooftops of Le Fen, Kadana and Mazel which are within 100 metres! Conclusion: great value for money, would recommend it

Riad Catalina offers a delightful stay in Marrakech, situated near the iconic Jemma el Fna square and Koutoubia Mosque. We had an issue with our booking for another hotel and was given this Riad as a replacement hotel by the company we booked through. We arrived and got dropped at Bab laksour, taken through these alleyways (which are all safe by the way) to this riad. We were actually staying at Dar Catalina which is a minute walk away from Riad Catalina but owned by the same. Dar Catalina was dark and the room was quite small too, even when we switched on all the lights on the room at night it would still feel too dark (hence the 4 stars instead of 5). We really liked the feel of Riad Catalina and asked Nadia if we were able to get a room there, however unfortunately they were fully booked until the last 2 nights. Which even for that we were super thankful and grateful for. So thank you Nadia! Food - breakfast consisted of eggs, tea, fresh orange juice, breads and something sweet, which is basic but decent. HOWEVER THE TAGINES WERE INCREDIBLE. We had dinner one day where we had tagines and honestly they were so delicious, cooked for perfection, perfect way to end a busy day! The traditional charm of the hotel, with its authentic architecture and intricate decor, provides a cultural experience. Nadia, Yasin & the rest of the amazing attentive staff made our whole stay amazing! The courtyard was this beautiful peaceful place amidst it being located round the corner from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech! The riad provided an authentic and cultural feel of Morocco! Overall, Riad Catalina is a great choice for those seeking an immersive, traditional Moroccan accommodation close to major attractions. Thank you to the whole team at Riad Catalina for making this stay wonderful and comfortable :)