Prompt Service in a Foreign Country
Morocco
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Dec 20 - Dec 26, 2023
Overall we are very happy we booked through Kimkim on a recent 7 day tour to Morocco that just concluded before the New Year. For context there were 3 of us on this 7 day journey, my wife, my young adult daughter and myself. We flew out from NYC. All three of us have busy schedules and we were looking for something adventurous but not borderline dangerous (e.g. Egypt or Turkey at this time). We are not into camping, interested in history but not looking for a full blown history course either.
Fast forward to the punchline: Kimkim is good and delivered on its promise. I like their descriptive itineraries. Mostly accurate. But Original Travels led by Abdellah really delivered and we are glad we had Original looking out for us and providing prompt service. Flying in we knew Morocco was a welcoming country but also a lower middle-income country. This meant hotel accommodations could have a wide range. Hence, we picked the "luxury" tier service (not into camping nor campy). We did not expect Four Seasons but a US style Holiday Inn was the expected floor. We stayed in 4 places over 7 days, Casablanca, Chefchaouen, Fes and Marrakech. We love the variety of hotels and luxury ryads Original curated for us. Each were unique. La Maison Arabe hotel ranks as our favorite stay. Sofitel in Casablanca was a perfect modern choice after a red eye flight - and has a fabulous breakfast. Lina ryad is so unique, beautiful and private. But there was a glitch at Fes. When we pulled into the parking lot next to Dar Lys ryad after a 5+ hour road trip, we were greeted with a putrid stench. Apparently there was a river near by. After we checked into this otherwise beautiful facility the stench was fainter but unmistakable. We then had the misfortune of facing noisy neighbors and reving motorbikes at night. Early next morning, we were all exhausted and the whole trip experience teetered on the edge of collapse because we needed rest. So I texted Original's Said and he promptly found us a different, modern hotel. No question asked! This is why thou shall not DIY when touring Morocco :-)
Other highlights: desert camel ride arranged and rearranged at the last minute; dinner with a local family at Fes was unique and unforgettable. Thank you, Mohammad and family for your hospitality; our tour guides Sharif in Fes and Hanan in Marrakech were very professional. Our trusty driver Oussama (not Bin Laden he'd add with a smile) loves to say exactly and was always on time and always politely waiting outside. Too many to cover every point, but I would recommend kimkim and Original Travel to friends.
Hotel Reviews
Modern amenities. Fabulous breakfast and room service. Just the ride option after a red eye flight.
Gorgeous view of the Blue City. Extremely private. Lovely dinner.
No go.
We were treated like royalty. Got upgraded to the penthouse / roof top unit 287 (yeah, only 2-3 floors in a traditional ryad). The place looked like an ambassador's residence with a walk in closet that can fit wardrobe for a dozen people. I credit that to our guide Said - even though he did not take credit for that.
Activity Reviews
Thank you, Mohammad and family for your hospitality.
We went to Agafy instead thanks to Original Travel's suggestion last minute. Our driver Oussama knew the area very well. The desert landscape is amazing!
Obviously, the country put a lot of work into this mosque and it shows. It's not a museum but an active place of worship 5 times a day.
Long, exhausting drive. Took 7+ hours and we did not waste time on the road.
This trip is surprisingly compact and good. See pictures of multiple sites we visited.
