The Hostelz.com Review
Riad Zitoune Youth Hostel is a riad-turned-hostel located in the Medina of Marrakech, close to Djemma el Fna. It's a decent place to stay and offers a nice getaway from the hustle and bustle of the square and souks. Excellent features include the inner courtyard and roof terrace, as well as a small cafe menu that's available most of the day.
The Location
The hostel is located in one of thousands of alleyways that litter the Medina. It's a bit hard to find (like most other hostels in the area) and is marked by a small sign to the right of the door. It's about a five-minute walk to Djemma el Fna, so the location is pretty central. From Djemma el Fna, walk down Riad Zitoune street (through the arch, near Toubkal cafe and the ATMs) and make a left when you see the sign for "El Hamra" restaurant. Keep going and make a right down the next alleyway and the hostel will be around the corner.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There are quite a few dorm rooms on both the first and second levels. The gender-divided dorms each have five beds; the rooms are spacious enough and the beds are not bunked. The rooms are left unlocked and there are no lockers in the rooms. You can leave important belongings with the receptionist/owner in their bedroom, but then you may not be able to access them when they are asleep or busy.
The bathroom has three toilets, three showers, and two sinks. The toilet stalls are extremely cramped and you have to sit on the toilet sideways to avoid knocking the doors open with your knees. The toilet stall doors are difficult to close completely and can result in a peep-show if you aren't careful. The showers are decently sized, but the availability of hot water is sporadic. There isn't any soap in the sinks and toilet paper is also a bit unreliable. The bathroom is always soggy gets very crowded during the morning hours. It is bearable, but could be a negative point if you are staying for more than a couple of days.
Common Spaces
The common spaces in Riad Zitoune are great! There's an inner courtyard with tables and chairs, where you can also order drinks and snacks off the small menu (a lifesaver when you are too lazy to walk into Djemma el Fna to grab a bite). There is a couch area with a small television next to the courtyard. The roof terrace offers four lawn chairs for sunbathing as well as a couple tables and chairs for sitting. About half of the terrace space is used for storage, which makes the space not as wonderful as it could be. These common spaces make it easy to meet others who are staying in the hostel. The atmosphere is friendly, but doesn't scream party. It is definitely a place where you can relax and lounge during the day. There is a midnight curfew.
Summary
Overall, Riad Zitoune Youth Hostel is a wonderful oasis within the hectic atmosphere of Marrakech. The hostel owners are very sweet and offer a lot of advice and excursion opportunities (in as much broken English as they are able to). The common spaces offer an excellent place to relax and the dorm rooms are clean and relatively comfortable. The bathroom could use some improvements, but is decent enough. It's excellent value for such a low price. There is also free Wi-Fi and free breakfast (coffee, juice, small pancakes, jam, butter).
The Location
The hostel is located in one of thousands of alleyways that litter the Medina. It's a bit hard to find (like most other hostels in the area) and is marked by a small sign to the right of the door. It's about a five-minute walk to Djemma el Fna, so the location is pretty central. From Djemma el Fna, walk down Riad Zitoune street (through the arch, near Toubkal cafe and the ATMs) and make a left when you see the sign for "El Hamra" restaurant. Keep going and make a right down the next alleyway and the hostel will be around the corner.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There are quite a few dorm rooms on both the first and second levels. The gender-divided dorms each have five beds; the rooms are spacious enough and the beds are not bunked. The rooms are left unlocked and there are no lockers in the rooms. You can leave important belongings with the receptionist/owner in their bedroom, but then you may not be able to access them when they are asleep or busy.
The bathroom has three toilets, three showers, and two sinks. The toilet stalls are extremely cramped and you have to sit on the toilet sideways to avoid knocking the doors open with your knees. The toilet stall doors are difficult to close completely and can result in a peep-show if you aren't careful. The showers are decently sized, but the availability of hot water is sporadic. There isn't any soap in the sinks and toilet paper is also a bit unreliable. The bathroom is always soggy gets very crowded during the morning hours. It is bearable, but could be a negative point if you are staying for more than a couple of days.
Common Spaces
The common spaces in Riad Zitoune are great! There's an inner courtyard with tables and chairs, where you can also order drinks and snacks off the small menu (a lifesaver when you are too lazy to walk into Djemma el Fna to grab a bite). There is a couch area with a small television next to the courtyard. The roof terrace offers four lawn chairs for sunbathing as well as a couple tables and chairs for sitting. About half of the terrace space is used for storage, which makes the space not as wonderful as it could be. These common spaces make it easy to meet others who are staying in the hostel. The atmosphere is friendly, but doesn't scream party. It is definitely a place where you can relax and lounge during the day. There is a midnight curfew.
Summary
Overall, Riad Zitoune Youth Hostel is a wonderful oasis within the hectic atmosphere of Marrakech. The hostel owners are very sweet and offer a lot of advice and excursion opportunities (in as much broken English as they are able to). The common spaces offer an excellent place to relax and the dorm rooms are clean and relatively comfortable. The bathroom could use some improvements, but is decent enough. It's excellent value for such a low price. There is also free Wi-Fi and free breakfast (coffee, juice, small pancakes, jam, butter).
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
April 2011
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