Hotel Details
Dar Ilham
| Region: | Marrakech and the Region |
| Location: | Marrakech |
| Season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation Type | Low | Mid | High | |
| Ali Baba Room |
First floor, double bed (can be twins), en-suite shower, seating area
|
n/a | 119 € | 139 € |
| Aladin Room |
Ground floor, king-size bed, en-suite shower, seating area, extra: CD radio
|
n/a | 149 € | 179 € |
| Sinbad Room |
First floor, king-size canopy bed, en-suite shower, seating area
|
n/a | 149 € | 179 € |
| Sheherazade Suite |
Top floor, king-size canopy bed, en-suite shower and bath, seating area and private balcony
|
n/a | 189 € | 209 € |
| Exclusive rental of Dar Ilham |
All rooms
|
n/a | 606 € | 706 € |
| Please note: All prices are per room per night | ||||
Check Availability
Special Offers
Room discounts in Jan, Feb, March 2012
- 30% discount for 2 nights stays 6 Jan to 5 Feb 2012
- 10%,15%,20% discount for 2,3,4 nights stays 6 Feb to 31 March 2012
Facilities
Swimming pool
Air-conditioning
Spa on site
Sunbathing area
Internet connection
Disabled friendly
Vegetarian food
Smoking
Child-friendly
Bar and drinks
In-house restaurant
OtherFree laundry service on request.
Satellite tv, bath robes, mini-bar, hairdryer, toilet and swimming pool towels and safety box in each room.
Description
Located on the marrakech-to-Fes road, Riad Dar Ilham is situated within one of Marrakech’s palm groves, just fifteen minute drive from the Marrakech’s medina, making it an ideal place for guests to make trips in to the city leaving its hustle and bustle behind at the end of each day. Although Riad Dar Ilham was built only in 2004 and opened the following year, the classic design of Moroccan riads has been incorporated to produce a traditional feel to an otherwise modern building.
Three bedrooms and one suite of Dar Ilham are laid out around the courtyard where a central, cooling fountain plays. The bedrooms are located on the ground and first floor, all with en-suite facilities, air-conditioning, satellite television, safe, hairdryer and mini-bar. These facilities are also available in the Sheherazade Suite, which is fortunate to have a private balcony with views over the pool, garden and local landscape.
Riad Dar Ilham has an oval shaped pool (heated if ever needed), surrounding by spaciously arranged sun loungers. If guests want to swim then the adjacent Kasbah swimming pool is larger and may be available upon request. Within the riad there is a traditional and popular hammam with under-floor heating. The hammam is included in the price whilst other treatments such as massage, manicures and pedicures are available through Nawal, Dar Ilham’s beautician. Dar Ilham offers a four-day programme of relaxation including body scrubs and massages. Additionally, guests can relax in the lounge, a communal area offering a large television, various board games and a cosy fireplace (lit in winter).
Read MoreMeals at the riad can be served on request in the softly-lit, flowered courtyard with bordering eucalyptus, orange and olive trees, the caidal tent or in the rose-filled garden near the swimming pool. The riad's cuisine is typically Moroccan using ingredients from nearby markets. Guests can chose between soups, meat-based tagines, couscous side dishes and fish in generous portions! The head-waiter speaks English fairly well although guests may find difficulty in communicating with other staff.
Staff are able to organize special parties for guests using the pool-side tent and employing local Arabic-Andalousian musicians, belly-dancers and snake charmers. To explore the surrounding area Dar Ilham can arrange hire of scooters, quad bikes and 4x4 cars. The hotel recommends a horse-riding school a few minutes walk away as well as a hot-air balloon company, which is located nearby. If guests want to visit central Marrakesh, taxis can be booked or there is a bus that leaves every hour in front of the riad.
Where is it?
Dar Ilham is a 30 minute drive from Marrakech airport and a 15 minute drive into the city centre.
Travel Times
| Airport | 30 minute drive |
| City | 15 minute drive |
| Beach | 2 hour drive to Essaouira |
Other useful information
Once a week the local market's noise may disturb guests in the morning.
Five friendly tortoises share the garden space with guests.
The hotel scores are aggregated individual user scores which have been audited as authentic and accurate through due enquiry by Morocco Gateway.
Morocco Gateway reserves the right to exclude any reviews submitted by users which cannot be validated as authentic and accurate. Equally we will resist any request from any hotel to delist any negative review.
| Condition of rooms and the hotel | 8.3 | Food and drink | 9.0 | |
| Overall cleanliness | 8.3 | Relaxation | 8.3 | |
| Pool and facilities | 9.0 | Value for money | 8.3 | |
| Quality of staff | 8.0 | Overall rating | 8.5 | |
| out of 10 | out of 10 | |||
User Reviews on Dar Ilham
Below you'll find reviews written by our users, that have stayed in this hotel. The reviews are vetted and verified by us and may have been summarised by our editor to give you a meaningful summary.
The Editor's Summary
Guests of Dar Ilham have recommended the riad to those looking for a “spa retreat” or a “luxury break from city-life”. Certain guests have also noted its “kind and attentive” staff, which help to make a stay “very practical for a family” but also “very romantic” for couples. The fact the riad is a modern building has been positively commented upon with guests stating its “very comfortable and spaciously planned but still with that Moroccan touch” in the design and decoration of the rooms. Although guests have mentioned issues of “miscommunication” with staff not fluent in English, as well as the placement of Dar Ilham that means “there’s not a lot to do locally”, the benefits of the riad such as the hammam, lounge and pool offer ample relaxation opportunities. 
Dar ilham is a lovely riad out of town but wonderfully quiet and still within a reasonable distance to all that Marrakesh offers. We’d definitely recommend it for the staff, the food (very generous quantities of food at good prices) and the fact it’s a new hotel makes its very comfortable and spaciously planned, but still with that Moroccan touch in the decortion. 10/10.
| Condition of rooms and the hotel | 10.0 | Food and drink | 10.0 | |
| Overall cleanliness | 9.0 | Relaxation | 9.0 | |
| Pool and facilities | 10.0 | Value for money | 9.0 | |
| Quality of staff | 9.0 | Overall rating | 9.4 | |
| out of 10 | out of 10 | |||
This riad was brilliant. Its great for those who want a spa retreat as it offers all such of pampering in the hammam: massages and beauty therapies. The pool is lovely to splash around in and cool down after sunbathing on the beds circling the pool. We stayed in the Sinbad room, we were lured but its canopy bed and the photos we saw of it really DID do the room justice. The rooms were arranged thoughtfully and had a nice atmosphere with the traditional Moroccan interiors Dar ilham have chosen. We stayed mostly in the hotel, making the most of the pool, hammam and lounge in the evening after some lovely meals. One of two issues we had with the riad was the location, although we did make a trip to Marrakesh we found the taxi there was over-priced and felt that the hotel should provide a shuttle service in the price. The other thing was the booking policy which makes guests stay a certain number of nights depending on the season. Although we knew about this at the time, we didn’t think this was a great policy..
Overall though we enjoyed staying here greatly and would recommend it for those who want a luxury break from city-life.
| Condition of rooms and the hotel | 7.0 | Food and drink | 8.0 | |
| Overall cleanliness | 8.0 | Relaxation | 8.0 | |
| Pool and facilities | 9.0 | Value for money | 8.0 | |
| Quality of staff | 8.0 | Overall rating | 8.0 | |
| out of 10 | out of 10 | |||
We stayed in this riad last April with our two children (5 and 7), we were concerned about how it would work but it turned out we had nothing to worry about. The staff were very kind and attentive (though sometimes miscommunications were a bit frustrating) to us and the children during out two nights at Dar Ilham. Our children are quite fussy eaters but the food they served up in the tent by the pool was a delight. It was a great stay, very romantic but also very practical for a family (spotlessly clean and well furnished). Although it was lovely I’m glad we did not book a third night as the location of the riad means theres not a lot to do locally and with two kid you don’t really want to be taking the bus into the city etc.
| Condition of rooms and the hotel | 8.0 | Food and drink | 9.0 | |
| Overall cleanliness | 8.0 | Relaxation | 8.0 | |
| Pool and facilities | 8.0 | Value for money | 8.0 | |
| Quality of staff | 7.0 | Overall rating | 8.0 | |
| out of 10 | out of 10 | |||