Riad La Kahana

Riad La Kahana Overview

I’ll be honest – when I first walked into Riad La Kahana, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The entrance is tucked away on this narrow alley called Derb Jdid, and you know how it is with riads, they’re basically hidden behind these massive wooden doors that could belong to anyone’s house. But once you step inside, it’s like entering a completely different world. The courtyard hits you first – traditional Moroccan tiles everywhere, probably some of the most intricate zellij work I’ve seen outside of the major palaces, and there’s this fountain in the center that actually works (not always a given, trust me).

What really got me was how quiet it felt despite being smack in the middle of Riad Zitoun Kdim. I mean, you’re literally a ten-minute walk from Jemaa el-Fnaa – close enough that you can hear the call to prayer from Koutoubia Mosque if you’re up on the rooftop terrace early enough. The staff here actually knows the medina, which sounds obvious but isn’t always the case. They’ll tell you to take the left fork near the spice seller with the blue cart to get to the Bahia Palace, or warn you that the main souks get absolutely crazy between 3 and 5 PM when the tour groups descend. The rooms themselves are what you’d expect from a well-run 4-star riad – proper AC that works (crucial in summer), decent WiFi, and those gorgeous tadelakt walls that feel smooth as silk. Some rooms are definitely better than others though, so it’s worth asking about courtyard views versus the ones that face the alley.

The rooftop is honestly where I spent most of my time – you can see the Atlas Mountains on clear days, and there’s something magical about watching the sun set over the medina while sipping mint tea. Breakfast up there is pretty solid too, though don’t expect elaborate spreads – fresh bread, local honey, squeezed orange juice, the usual suspects. One thing I appreciated was how they handle the whole tourist-versus-local dynamic. The location means you’re staying where actual Marrakchis live and work, not in some sanitized hotel zone, but the riad feels respectful of that rather than intrusive. You’ll hear roosters in the morning (yeah, there are chickens in the medina), kids playing in the alleys, the bread seller making his rounds. It’s real life, which is exactly what you want from a riad experience. The 8.4 rating makes sense to me – it’s not trying to be the fanciest place in town, but it nails the authentic medina experience while keeping you comfortable. Just remember to download offline maps before you arrive, because finding this place the first time can be an adventure in itself.

Riad La Kahana Accommodations

Reviews of Riad La Kahana

• Very good – Myriam from Israel – 13 April 2025 (8/10)

  Good location, excellent service, basic breakfast, good attention to our needs and comfort, large bed and very confortable
  Would highly recommand.

• Very good – Shafiq from Netherlands – 31 March 2025 (8/10)

  I liked most of the aspects about this Riad; I was welcomed warmly, the host, eventhough limited in English, was calm, respectful, welcoming; he took time to show me around the riad and explain everything. An each time I came back to the riad he was there and welcomed me in a friendly way.
  The riad is also not far from Jemaa el-Fnaa so you could easily walk there and back; regardless of having the souks almost behind it, the riad was quite quiet and calm.
  Would definitely recommend it.
  
  What could be improved: Not really a low point but the shower not having a shower curtain, I was more worried about getting water all over the bathroom and toilet.

• Such a nice Riad. Great staff – Traci from United Kingdom – 12 March 2025 (8/10)

  lovely rooms, such good communication and help prior to visit.
  Helped us book a taxi from the airport which was waiting for us on arrival who communicated with the manager was there to meet us and walk us to the Riad.
  Coffee in the morning was lovely which they let us drive in our room as we wanted a lazy start.
  Very local to the medina – but so wonderfully quiet.
  Great roof Terrace as well.
  Really couldn’t fault it.
  Great value and very beautiful
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Very good – Nicholas from United Kingdom – 15 February 2025 (8/10)

  Abdullah was very friendly

• Fantastic stay in Marrakesh – Loraine from United Kingdom – 19 January 2025 (8/10)

  Lovely, traditional riad. Well located for lots of the features of Marrakesh. Helpful, friendly staff. Nicely presented breakfasts. Everything was beautifully clean.
  
  What could be improved: Might be easier to give guests a key or entry system for access late at night rather than summoning the staff with a knock on the door.

• Clean Riad in a good location – Reza from Germany – 2 April 2024 (8/10)

  A clean and quiet Riad, with a good location in a side street near the Medina, offering good access to all attractions and at the same time not affected by the Medina crowd and noise.
  
  What could be improved: Two points that were a bit annoying were
  – The payment was only in cash, which is not a big problem if you know and plan it in advance, but it is not the case if you book the room through booking.com.
  
  – Access to the riad was only possible by knocking on the door, which wasn't a big problem, but we felt uncomfortable every time we wanted to get back to our room either for rest or anything else, especially when we wanted to go out late in the evening. if the host offers a main door key to the riad (like all the other riads we stayed at in Morocco) this point could be easily fixed.

• Good – Steve from United States – 8 November 2023 (7/10)

  Property was good but we had the unfortunate experience of receiving an email from booking.com clearly stating the room the room has 2 full beds. Upon arrival we found a tiny room with 2 twin beds pushed together. There was no other room available. It was unfortunately uncomfortable.
  We would have booked elsewhere has we not received the “upgrade” email
  
  What could be improved: Room size

• great place for 3-4 nights – Anouchka from Switzerland – 15 April 2023 (8/10)

  location easy to find
  
  What could be improved: noisy as rooms are all open to the center

• Great Riad with helpful staff. Really liked the location. – Anna from United Kingdom – 27 March 2023 (9/10)

  Great location in the Medina and near markets. Riad was very peaceful. Very helpful staff who went above and beyond.

• Quiet and cozy riad. Would stay here again. – Balgis from United Arab Emirates – 24 February 2023 (8/10)

  This riad is quiet and cosy, one street down from the hustle and bustle of main shopping street. It is family owned and the people are wonderful! From the minute I walked in they made me feel comfortable. Clean and good value for money.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing in particular I could think about. Overall quite a nice stay.

Surroundings

Facilities