Kimkim Trip Reviews for Morocco

My family’s experience in Sahara dessert in terms of accommodation was disappointing .
My family, who organized the trip, had requested luxury tent accommodations in Sahara dessert and we were booked with Paradis du Sahara.
However when our party of 22 arrived there , our family was told that we had to go to another tent. We waited for 20 minutes in the cold and were transferred to another, basic tent with cheap and bare minimum furnishings. Another family in our group also had the same experience. We had to be driven back for dinner to where the rest of the party were housed. We reported this to our local tour guide Ibrahim who made an alternate arrangement which was slightly better than the basic tent but still not the luxury tent we had originally booked and which others in our group got lucky enough to stay in.
This experience left a bad taste, especially since we were the first to book it and because we paid the same (high) price as the families who got the luxury tents.
Again, in Ourrzazate and Marrakech our accommodation were changed from a central location to different ones. In Ouarzazate, we were supposed to stay in a traditional Riad, and instead stayed in a standard hotel. The accommodation in Marrakesh was a good resort, but it took about 45 minutes each way to the city center, while the one I had planned for was right in the center with slightly more luxurious accommodations. Also the hotel we did stay in did not cater to our vegetarian options, despite our repeated prior communications with them, which led to many of us having to skip dinner on New Year’s Eve.
At the very least, I would have liked to have received communication about these changes. Not being informed about the downgrades made the experience all the more stressful and disappointing.

Hotel Reviews

Paradis Du Sahara

Merzouga

We were booked to stay here , but when were arrived we were transferred in a vehicle to another camp with cheap and basic accommodation after making us wait in the cold for 20 minutes. The rest of our group got the accommodation here while we who had booked earlier than the rest got to stay in a downgraded camp tent while paying the same high price for the luxury camp

Fredj Hotel & Spa

Tangier

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shower was not draining

Puerta Azul

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fes Marriott Hotel Jnan Palace

Fès

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Barcelo Palmeraie

Marrakech

Beautiful hotel and rooms However far from the city Centre and takes a long time to commute

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Odyssee Center

Casablanca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ibis Ouarzazate Centre

Ouarzazate

Shower was excellent Food was good Rooms are very small and walls are very thin. Everything can be heard from the neighboring rooms and hallway. Dirty carpets

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Fes with a Private Guide

Fes

Very knowledgeable guide with great communication. Kept the tour very interesting . However can avoid taking the travelers to the ceramic factory which is priced over the roof

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ibrahim- our guide went above and beyond to take care of us

Transport

Camel Trek into a Luxury Sahara Camp

Morocco

We had booked in Paradis Du Sahara but when we went there we were told we would be transferred to another camp- were made to wait for 20 minutes for the keep in the cold weather and transferred to a cheap and basic camp. We were again transferred for dinner to the paradis du Sahara and when we told our local tour manager that we were supposed to be staying in paradis du Sahara- he arranged us accommodation in another basic camp but with better bathrooms- very disappointed with the experience -we felt cheated

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sahara to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorge

Morocco

Tides gorge was abbreviated to 15 minutes only in favor of a shop i between

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ait Benhaddou, Tizi-n-Tichka Pass over the High Atlas, Marrakech

Morocco

Did not see the switch backs in Tizi N tikta pass

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Marrakech with a private guide

Marrakesh

Our local tour guide Mustafa - was knowledgeable However , in the Marrakesh bazaar he was hurrying us up and not letting us to explore the shops which we wanted to go and see only to take us to shops of his choosing which were very expensive and telling us to take our time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Abdou was attentive, caring, and provided necessary service promptly. He was able to tailor individualized services within the group. He promptly tended to all our needs and accommodated last-minute changes. His honesty and transparency helped us make proper choices throughout the trip.

Most of our accommodations were boutique-style hotels but were not elderly-friendly. Part of the accommodation difficulties included a lack of hot water to shower, overall poor lighting in the rooms, and no elevators for the elderly to use. Abdou was receptive to further improvement of his custom tour planning. We would recommend KimKim to Morocco travelers.

Said was wonderful, and friendly!! If I were to visit Morocco again, I would definitely want him to guide us. Our driver, Mohammed was quiet but a very nice gentleman. Timely and drove well.
Kamal in Fez was very knowledgeable and nice. He took to a restaurant for lunch, which turned out to be the best meal of our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Maison Bleue And Spa

Fes

Loved our stay at this hotel. Loved the “complexity” of the different buildings. We hung out by the sitting area by the restaurant and the service was great. The welcome with the dates with walnuts was amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Every single staff member was very nice, courteous and professional

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradis Du Sahara

Merzouga

Pros: Nice tents Amazing staff Good food!! Location Cons: Some of the tents had water and heat issues Bathrooms were very basic but considering it’s a desert, it was set up well..

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just check to make sure the heaters work well throughout the night. Water also stopped a few times for us. If there are time restrictions due to eco-conservation, it would be nice to know beforehand.

Dar Chamaa

Ouarzazate

Dinner is included in your stay at this place. We only found out when we got there. The place is okay. Not the cleanest. I would rate it a 2-3star place

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The shower overflowed into our room. Also the rooms were not the cleanest

Riad Wow

Marrakech

Enjoyed the location of this place. Within the Medina and walking distance to pretty much everything. Staff was friendly and the courtyard was pretty and clean. They have a rooftop area with a bar but the staff, although extremely friendly, was not the best bartender.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Absolutely stunning!! Definitely check out this mosque from the inside.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was not the best. It was a large group. We could barely hear or understand him.

Transport

We walked. Not sure about transport within the mosque

Tour Fes with a Private Guide

Fes

Amazing tour with Kamal. He was knowledgeable about Islam as a religion and the town of Fez. Just didn’t care for the stores they take us to during the tour for shopping.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Camel Trek into a Luxury Sahara Camp

Morocco

Amazing experience on camelbacks at sunset!! An absolute must do!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sahara to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorge

Morocco

Beautiful scenery during this drive!

Quality of Experience

Tour Marrakech with a private guide

Marrakesh

This tour was good. But just inside the Medina. It would have been better if it included the Majorelle Gardens as well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cooking Class

Morocco

Our cooking class was at Faim D’epices just outside of Marrakech. Transport is provided by the class. Run by a couple - a French person, Michele and his wife, chef Ilham. It was really fun day! The cooking class was fun. Michele was entertaining and educational and chef Ilham shared some amazing recipes. Definitely a thumbs up and fun activity in Marrakech

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Aït Benhaddou

Morocco

we were very pleased with the trip and all your crew and Abdou for the caring and help.Really was enjoyable.

If the idea behind using an agency is to make the travel experience seamless and easy, then working with kimkim and their local partners is absolutely the right move. Our flight from the US was cancelled and rescheduled...they made everything work. They recommended and booked wonderful hotels, adapted on the fly to changes we requested, and were there for us whenever we reached out.
Marrakesh is unique and interesting and Fes is all about the history and the culture, but you cannot beat spending time in the Sahara for sheer epic wonder.

Hotel Reviews

Desert Luxury Camp Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

True desert experience. Don't miss sunrise and sunset

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Amani

Fès

Had dinner ready for us at 3am because of delayed flights. Who does that?

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Berbere Palace

Ouarzazate

Interested in Hollywood? This is the place for you in Morocco.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Authentic riad, not a purpose built hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central, but a bit sketchy to locate

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hammam & Spa Experience Marrakech

Morocco

Little bit odd but relaxing

Ali was very informative and helpful in Marrakech, showing us around the old Medina including the mosque, gardens, and souks. He accommodated our preferences, asking where we wanted to spend the most time

We planned a seven day trip in Morocco for seven people and everything was amazing. The organization was top notch and the operation was flawless. A special shout-out to Khalid our guide-driver and Saïd, our organizer, they were always available, checking in to make sure we were okay and super attentive. If you are looking to plan a magical trip to Morocco, I highly recommend Original Travels.

We are finally back from our trip and although we are glad to be back, we will cherish this trip as it was a phenomenal experience. From our first day in Chouen to our last day in Casa Blanca everything worked smoothly and when there was anything to be fixed, Said delivered immediately

I'd like to thank the whole KimKim team for making this possible. From Said's constant follow-up on our trip to Abdoul's very friendly and efficient service to the job done by both our guides in Chouen and Marrakesh, every little detail made our trip a memorable one.

Our day in the Blue City, the ruins at Volubilis, the Riad in Fez, our trip to the Market in Marrakesh, the donuts Hasan took us to in our culinary tour, our ATV tour in Agafay were only some of the memorable highlights of the trip

Hotel Review

Hotel Dar Mounir

Chefchaouen

Simple but very nice and the service is super friendly - one amazing fact: teh best WiFi of the whole trip!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

We had an amazing day visiting the city of Marrakesh, it's mosques, streets, and the Majorelle Gardens, and closing the day with a wonderful private food tour of the market. She took us on an interesting, colorful, and rich experience while giving us wonderful memories and flavors we will always remember. I would always contact her if we plan on visiting Marrakesh again.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Abdoul, our driver, made us feel at home from the moment he picked us up at the airport, until he saw us off to come back home. He was always warm, funny, kind and friendly and by far, one of the best drivers we've ever seen. His expertise was palpable at every moment of the trip. We couldn't be more grateful for having Abdoul take us all around Morocco!

Our trip to Morocco was a big hit with our family. We started from Casablanca going to Chefchaouen and then moving down to Fez and then Marrakech. Our driver Mohamed and the guides chosen for us especially Hafid and Hanan were very knowledgeable and awesome! Overall, everything arranged by Said and the owner Abdel was very well organized and professionally handled. Highly recommend Abdel and his team for Morocco 🇲🇦

Hotel Reviews

Movenpick Hotel Mansour Eddahbi Marrakech

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Odyssee Center

Casablanca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dar Mounir

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad El Yacout

Fès

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-guide

Morocco

Quality of Experience

G

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Architectural Elegance: A Journey through the Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Casablanca to Chefchaouen via Rabat

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Sightseeing in Fes

Fes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip from Marrakech to Agafay

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We cannot recommend Sharon and our tour manager, Abdou. Throughout the entire trip planning process, Sharon answered every question and was ready to tackle all obstacles. We traveled to Morocco with 19 people, with three different arrival dates. Sharon helped coordinate complex room assignments, a private family event in the desert to celebrate a birthday, and so much more. The trip philosophy of Abdou and Sharon is to focus on locals in Morocco and to show a picture of Morocco that focuses on its true essence, the culture and local food of the people. During the actual trip, Abdou made everything seamless and everything was arranged without hesitation. He had a positive spirit and encouraged us to live in the moment the entire time. Every accommodation and activity was wonderful and would do this trip again in a heartbeat! We highly highly recommend a night in the Sahara desert camps and spending time in Dades. If we could do this again, probably would spend more time in Chefchaouen and Dades, and one less night in Marrakech.

Hotel Reviews

Merzouga Dunes Camps

Merzouga

One of the best accommodations during our entire trip to Morocco! Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Hicham

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Camel trek to your Camp

Merzouga

Extremely scenic and we can't recommend enough. Sunset over the desert on Christmas eve via the camels was just surreal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

As a family of 19 ranging from teens to senior citizens there was a lot of anticipation for what was to come. After many flight delays and hours of travel we were met with Abdou who made sure the rest of our trip was trouble - free. Abdou is full of great energy, very kind, patient, and wants to make sure you have the most fun possible. As we traveled across Morocco Abdou introduced us to the amazing culture and history that this country holds. Immediately you can tell he loves Morocco and that he's very passionate about sharing his culture with everyone. Some of the highlights were watching the sunset next to a Spanish mosque on top of a mountain, riding the camels through the desert, and being invited to his home where we met his wonderful wife, Sharon.
During the bus rides, Abdou kept us entertained. We played guessing games and the kids even wrote a paragraph based off the game :
"The country of Morocco is represented by it's flag which include the colors red and green. So far on this trip we visited the city Chefchaouen which is known for being the the blue city. Some of the meals we have eaten so are are Tagine which consists of potatoes, carrots and other vegetables and Couscous. We also visited Volubilis where we saw Roman ruins. Then we went to Fez where we saw many donkeys and stayed in the riad. Lastly we have tried Hammam which was an interesting experience for us all"
If you are looking for an adventure where you truly feel immersed in Moroccan culture without complications, then we highly recommend Morocco Immersion Tours and Adventures to plan your trip. We are very grateful for them and we will be sure to use them for our next trip!

Activity Review

Camel trek to your Camp

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Morocco was absolutely FANTASTIC! The itinerary was flawless. The destinations, riads, guided tours, transport, just everything! A special shout out to our amazing driver yusuf, who was with us throughout. Morocco is a must visit destination, where every city we visited was unique in its own way. My favorites, however were ChefChaouen, the hike to the Berber village in the Atlas Mountains and the piece de resistance, was the amazing Inara camp in the Agafe desert. Communication with Said was prompt and efficient and i have to say, this was one of my most memorable vacations ever! I will definitely be recommending your services to all my friends and family!

The planning process with kimkim was very easy. I went with them to organize 5 days in the northern part of Morocco because they offered more flexibility in arranging the itinerary. Every other company I looked at had a trip to the desert as part of the tour, and we didn't want to do that. I never spoke to Yassine, but had two conversations with Louis and he was great. The first conversation was early on fine-tuning the schedule, and the second was when our flights were delayed leaving the US. He told us not to worry and took care of sorting out the impact of our late arrival in Morocco. We ended up losing a day in Fes, but once we arrived everything went just as planned. Our driver Salim was very friendly, reliable, and competent. He told us a lot about Morocco as we drove from place to place. We felt like we were in good hands with him behind the wheel. We spent a day with Hassan as our tour guide in Fes. We started at a few sites outside the medina and then spent the rest of the time inside the medina. Along with seeing what was there, we combined it with a food tour. We sampled authentic food from stalls, all delicious. He did a great job showing us around.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

This was the least impressive of the riads we stayed in. It was fine, but not as beautiful inside as the others. The service was friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I probably would not include Rabat again if I was to do this trip again.

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad & Spa Dar Bensouda

Fes

This riad was lovely. The courtyard spaces were beautiful and the roof terrace was very nice. Our room was lovely and made you feel like you were somewhere special. We had dinner at this riad one night and the food was good. Breakfast was the standard Moroccan fare and it was fine.

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully decorated.

Location

The medina is so confusing I don't know if we were in a good location or not, but I think it was.

Staff

Very helpful and friendly. Served mint tea and pastries on arrival.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Cherifa

Chefchaouen

This was the second property we stayed at on our trip. It was nice, but since the riad we stayed at before in Fes was so gorgeous it was a slight letdown. Still there was nothing wrong with it and if it had been the first place we had stayed I wouldn't have had a comparison. The food and service were both good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Well located to explore Chefchaouen

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Exploring the Imperial City and Medieval Medina of Fez

Fes

In my opinion, if you don't have a guide you will get hopelessly lost and not enjoy yourself. Our guide did a good job. When you are taken to see the ceramics being made, the tannery and the weavers outside the medina it is also a selling opportunity. We were not interested in buying pottery, leather goods our carpets and Hassan was happy to move us along. I don't know who takes a cut if you are to buy something and maybe most tourists really are interested.

Quality of Experience

Except for the selling stops, we learned and saw a lot.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hassan was very personable and easy to communicate with.

Transport

Our driver Soukaina was the best part of our trip. There was a lot of driving involved (hours and hours a day especially on the way to and from the desert) and Soukaina was always kind, pleasant and willing to do anything to help us have a good time

Hotel Reviews

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

This was the best part of the trip. The owner of the camp is a great host, musician and really cares about giving you the best experience in the desert. Highly recommend staying at least two nights and visiting with a Berber family and ATV riding.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Very friendly staff and best massage I've ever had.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa

Rabat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very unfriendly and unhelpful staff, bathrooms are terrible with poor drainage, breakfast is not good

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We were only at this ryad one night (less than 14 hours) but the staff was amazing, helpful and friendly. Dinner was great.

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

This was a long day of traveling but our driver Soukaina was always wonderful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dine with a local family

Morocco

I highly recommend having dinner with a local family. The food was incredible and the family was very kind. A lot of food is served so keep that in mind when planning your meals that day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

We did not like our guide Mohammed. He spoke to us as if he had a script and didn't answer any of our questions. He also brought us into a carpet place and was aggressive about trying to sell us carpets when I had told him I wasn't interested.

Quality of Experience

Desert Adventures around Merzouga

Merzouga

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

If you've traveled through other places with Roman Ruins, I would skip this part of the trip. We had wanted to go to Scorpian House for lunch but they need reservations 2-3 days in advance. Make sure you tell your driver and trip rep if you want to do this. Otherwise, lunch is in a tourist spot in the parking lot of Volubilis (which we skipped).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sand-Boarding in Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

ATV Ride in the Dunes of Merzouga

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

We liked our guide however beware of asking him to take you to any stores not researched beforehand. We asked our guide to take us to a herboristerie for spices and argan oil and it was a complete scam. Our trip rep took care of returning the fake products and made them reimburse us immediately. Not sure whether or not guide knew this place sold fake products.

Our family trip to Morocco was excellent. Every aspect of the tour and travel arrangements were well coordinated. We loved our tour guide, Simo, who was with us every day - knowledgeable of the sites and history and a pleasure to spend time with on a personal level. He was great with all of the kids on our trip, as well. We really enjoyed Asilah, visiting the old city and touring the Caves of Hercules. Seeing the Strait of Gibraltor was a highlight on a beautiful day. The Berber-Roman city of Volubilis was fascinating. And Fes was an awesome experience -- our local guide, Said, was essential in guiding us through the maze of Fes and educating us on its history. We also thought the restaurant selections for lunch and dinner every day were amazing. Always a lovely, local atmosphere and great food. Hotel selections worked perfectly for our combined family of 9. Rooms were comfortable and check-in and check-out was seamless.
Mohamed, our driver, was impressive. We covered a lot of territory and tricky terrain without a hitch. Thank you for a most memorable trip.

We just returned from a most excellent trip Morocco that was booked through KimKim. We appreciated having a local specialist who could help us choose what to see and how best to schedule. Mohamed was very quick to respond and kept us on track to get the vacation scheduled. The hotels that were selected were outstanding and exceeded our expectations. We especially liked our two tour guides in Marakkesh - one for a food tour (Hannan), and the other for a general tour of Marakkesh and the Old City (Abdal). Our driver for the week, Tarik, was friendly and helpful. He was great about communicating and coordinating between the different activities and the hotels. For example, on our final morning, we took a most amazing hot air balloon ride outside Marakkech with Mathieu as our pilot. Tarik knew what time our flight was and communicated directly with the hot air balloon company to make sure that we finished in enough time to make it to the airport on time. There were many moving parts to our vacation and multiple parties involved - the local tour company, our driver, different hotels and and guides for individual activities, but having it all organized through KimKim helped it feel seamless.
Four stars only because we ended up feeling a wee bit overscheduled. This was our first time in Morocco and going into the trip we did not understand how much driving time was needed between locations. However, given the complexity of the trip, we were overall very satisfied.

Hotel Reviews

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Amazing experience. The tents are luxurious - comfortable beds, running water (hot and cold!) and both showers and flushing toilets in each tent. Remarkable set up in a desert!! A separate full dining tent. Even heated mattress pads to keep us warm on a very cold night! The folks running the camp were welcoming and friendly. We enjoyed a drumming circle by a campfire after dinner. Wished we could have stayed a second night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Lovely hotel tucked away in the heart of the Chefchaouen medina. Rooms were very comfortable and we loved the rooftop deck. The staff was very welcoming and helpful. Food was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Out of all the hotels we stayed on our trip, this was not our favorite. The location was great, in the heart of the Fez medina. The lobby and inner courtyards were incredibly beautiful with a huge WOW factor. However, our room was very small and was an adjoining room to a larger suite (e.g. not enough room to open a suitcase on the floor). There was little to no soundproofing between the rooms, so we could hear things like light switches being turned on/off and our neighbor's electric toothbrush in the morning. There was only one very small window. The mattress was very hard, which may be typical, but nonetheless, it was not the best night's sleep. We changed rooms the second night, so it was not as noisy, but the second room was even smaller than the first. We could not get hot water in our room, no matter how long we ran the shower, so ended up showering in our kids' room. Food was excellent and the staff was very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mattress was very hard and pillow was lumpy. Could not get hot water in our shower the second morning.

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

AMAZING! Lovely, small hotel in the Dades Valley. Our rooms were beautifully decorated and spacious. There is a lovely rooftop deck and a beautiful pool in the courtyard. The food was amazing - definitely ranked as one of the best meals of our trip. The staff was so helpful and attended to our every need. My only regret is that we could not stay longer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Nyla And Spa Marrakech

Marrakech

Lovely, tranquil spot with an excellent location in the medina. It truly felt like an oasis in the middle of the noise and chaos of the streets. Beautifully and elegantly decorated with an absolutely lovely rooftop deck. The rooms were spacious, clean and well appointed. We even had a Nespresso machine in the room, which felt like a real treat (although we take this for granted in the US, this did not seems to be common in Morocco). The spa looked clean and elegant - unfortunately, we had a hammam pre-booked elsewhere, but in hindsight, I wish we had booked this at the hotel. The food was excellent - on the final night of the trip, we had a most elegant dinner on the rooftop deck. Would absolutely stay here again!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

Highly, highly recommend. The camel ride was SO. MUCH. FUN. No better way to see the dunes than on the back of a camel. It was so quiet and peaceful compared to the 4-wheelers. Two hours of the 'camel massage' was definitely enough for my backside, but I would not recommend any other method of transport in the desert!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike through Berber Villages

Morocco

We arrived later than expected. However, our local guide made sure to feed us quickly (food was great) so that we had enough time for our hike before the sun set. He took us to see the local kasbahs and for a short hike through the 'monkey fingers' rock formations. Even though the sun had set, he instructed our driver to take us up the famous windy road into the Dades canyon area for a spectacular view over the valley. He was so friendly and welcoming. Would recommend!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Marrakech via Roses Valley, Ouarzazate & Aït Benhaddou

Morocco

Very long day in the car. Our driver made a few stops which helped to break up the day - a rose water cooperative, the Atlas Studio, the Aït Benhaddou kasbah and an argan oil cooperative. The day was already quite long, so we did not spend much time at each location. The drive through the Atlas mountains was absolutely spectacular, but we felt rushed because we wanted to get to Marakkech.

Quality of Experience

Food

ate at a typical touristy lunch spot

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

Excellent. Highly recommend a guide from the outset to help navigate the overwhelming choices. Also, so many food-safety pitfalls in the markets, so best to do with a guide. Our guide, Hannan, was very kind, well-spoken and took us to local spots that she felt were safe for tourists.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sand-Boarding in Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

This is a pretty silly activity, given the natural beauty of the dunes. Would not recommend scheduling any specific time for this. So many other nicer things to enjoy.

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Our tour guide, Abdul (sp?), was great. He was very knowledgeable and energetic. He took us to multiple historic sites around Marakkech and then into the medina. He took us to a few shops that were better quality and gave us some tips for navigating the medina on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hammam & Spa Experience Marrakech

Morocco

This place was very busy - probably saw 15 people (mostly tourists like us) cycle through while we were there for 1.5-2 hours. We had never been to a hammam before and felt a little unprepared as to what to wear - we ended up wearing our underwear bottoms only, but it would have been better to have a bathing suit bottom (and top if you are uncomfortable with a bare chest around strangers). Massage was OK.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sunrise hot air balloon ride in Marrakech

Marrakesh

The BEST. Don't miss this!! Very professional and we felt safe throughout the entire experience. Our pilot was French and very knowledgable. Other than when he was focused on flying, he spent lots of time explaining to us how the balloon worked and how he navigates. Scenery was spectacular. Highly, highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ali, Said and Abdel at Original Travels put together an absolutely fantastic itinerary for my husband and I to experience some of the wonders of Morocco recently. The two of us were expertly driven by Faisal for the 17 days, who also provided advice along the way. The local guides Original travels organised, most of them called Mohammed but in one case Ahmed, at every point were great: knowledgeable, helpful and so friendly.

Morocco is a fascinating country with its diverse rugged landscapes, fabulous architecture and rich cultural history. For us the highlights were Chefchaouen, Merzouga and Essaouira.

The distances are big in many cases and the array of choices potentially bewildering. It was good to have the know-how of Original Travels supporting us, dealing withal the details while we just had to enjoy ourselves!

Amazing experience overall. We had a great trip with lots of good memories and experiences that we will cherish for a long time.

What made our trip really special was our driver Karim. He was very professional, polite and patient. We enjoyed his company and the stories he shared with us. Karim was very knowledgeable about the history of different places and their significance.

When we were not feeling well during our stay in the desert, Karim went to town and got us medicine. This is a gesture we truly appreciated.

They came through when it mattered most.
This is a small company who treated us like we were special on our family week in Morocco. Our Driver was Hicham and we worked with Sharon. We were able to make easy changes and they listened to us.
We did a private tour. It was my wife and our two children 10 and 12. We were having a very good time and Hicham took great pride in the country and was an excellent guide.
But the most important thing was at the end. It was about a year ago and I have not had a chance to write. My wife got very sick. She couldn't get out of bed on the last day of the trip in Marrakech. Hicham had other clients to deal with but he treated us like family. He got us to a private hospital, waited with us, made sure I found a pharmacy and made many extra trips. He was a friend in the country when we really needed one. I can never be more grateful. They are wonderful.

My trip to Morocco was very good. I had no problems, and overall, I was happy with the plan. Here are some specific thoughts.

I felt the details of my trip were handled at the very last minute. This gave me some anxiety, especially since I had not used KimKim before and did not know if I could trust them.

My driver/guide/translator/friend, Ayoub, was excellent. Maybe most important but the least visible to me, he is a very safe and careful driver. It was nice not to even think about the driving. Ayoub also gave me excellent insight into Moroccan history and culture, and I enjoyed traveling with him. When I return to Morocco, I will request his service. (I might even want his plan for visiting the southern desert.)

My trip plan was good. I liked all the riads in which I stayed. Each was comfortable and sufficiently modern, yet each had the flavor of Morocco. Also, each was in a good location. The quality of my city guides was inconsistent.

I really liked visiting Chefchaouen and Fes. Marrakech was the best, and I wish I had more time there. Rabat was a waste of time. Everyone lives across the river so by late afternoon, the Rabat medina is empty. I think a couple of things were missing from my trip. I saw only the old towns (medinas) of large cities. I am curious how most modern Moroccan city dwellers live. I should have walked through a new town street and maybe had lunch there. Also, I did not stop in a small village or town in Morocco. I would have loved to visit a small town on market day. Now that I have read more about Morocco, I wish I had gone to see the desert. The desert is clearly an important part of Morocco. (I might have said "no desert" in the planning stage. If I did, then that was my mistake.)

I enjoyed the cooking class I did in Chefchaouen. It was not great for teaching cooking that I could do on my own, but it was a fantastic view of life in a real Moroccan home. It would have been better if I did not do this on Friday when the markets are closed.

I wanted to visit Merja Zerga National Park to see flamingos. Where we went for a boat into the park did not sound correct according to what I read. We hired what is basically a water taxi that people use to cross the river. I did see flamingos, but the boat driver was restricted from entering the park and getting close to the birds. Also, he did not know his birds. However, we did have the boat drop us at Moulay Bousselham (across the river from the car). We had lunch there, and there was not another tourist in sight. I felt like I was seeing the real Morocco off the tourist route.

A couple of additional resources would have been helpful. I wish someone at KimKim had suggested some reading to get me oriented to Morocco (other than my guidebook). After visiting Morocco, I read 'My 1001 Nights: Tales...'. It is not great literature, but it is a good introduction to a foreigner's visit to Morocco. I am sure there are other books that would be good. I also wish someone had suggested restaurants for dinner. I used my guidebook (Moon Morocco) and Trip Advisor. I felt every place in which I ate was for tourists. I am sure your local contacts could have suggested better. (I did manage to eat at Nur in Fes... one of the best restaurants in Morocco.)

I enjoyed my trip, and I want to thank everyone at KimKim and Morocco Immersion who helped.