I went on a splurge and treated myself to my first all-inclusive hotel resort experience while visiting North Africa in Marrakesh, Morocco.
I had plans to visit North Africa, by way of Marrakesh, Morocco and decided to take advantage of the strong weight of the US dollar versus local currency. I saw this as my chance to experience luxury all-inclusive hotel resort at a low price point. After doing some research I decided on Riu Tikida Palmeraie, since I was familiar with the Riu all-inclusive hotel chain. From the moment I stepped foot into the resort, I was greeted by such friendliness, beautiful ascetics, and a sense of pure relaxation.
Now let me break down my experience a little more, because there were highs and lows at this all-inclusive hotel resort!
Ambience
As I entered the grand lobby I was immediately struck by the warm and inviting atmosphere. The staff greeted me with genuine smiles, making me feel right at home. The sleek and modern decor blended seamlessly with traditional Moroccan elements, creating a captivating fusion of cultures. From the stunning courtyard to the tranquil gardens, the hotel’s design exuded an air of tranquility that instantly put me in vacation mode.
Food
Now, let’s talk about the food—this is where I was not pleased! Don’t get me wrong, on the surface things good okay but upon tasting I discovered that the food was beyond basic. There were three dining options, buffet, Italian restaurant (still buffet), and Moroccan sit-down restaurant. Besides the bland food, my main complaint was the lack of variety amongst the buffet or amongst the restaurants. Another frustrating point is that typically guests stay multiple nights, I would say 3 at a minimum. I saw no variety in the food options day over day which came across as lazy planning. Perhaps have a set menu for each day of the week that varies. I don’t think I could have made it there another day, and in fact stopped eating there and opted for food outside the resort. Also, during meals the drink options were pretty limited to soda (which I don’t drink), red & white wine, or water. I was surprised that there was no iced tea option, maybe it’s not a Morocco thing.
Drinks
So here is the thing about the drinks. Like I said before, I never had an all-inclusive experience before, but I thought the cup sizes were very small. Especially the plastic cups that were distributed by the pool. Speaking of the pool this was the only place you could grab a drink during the day, which required a long walk around the pool to receive your small cup. I stuck to the cocktails, which had about 10 options, none that blew me away.
Relaxation
There are lots of nooks and crannies set up all around the resort. This is a perfect way to escape the crowds or have a private conversation. The resort boasts not one, but multiple swimming pools but I spent my days basking under the Moroccan sun at the main pool. The pool area was definitely busy, but I still had multiple places where I could grab a lounge chair and relax…and I did.
Room
My standard room was as expected with king size bed (two twins), living area, and desk area for those who need to get in some work. However, I can say that the Wi-Fi in the room was consistently spotty, at best. Room has had a separate shower & sink in one room, followed by toilet & bidet room only in next room. I am not a fan of this layout as it requires me to open the toilet room door prior to washing my hands. A standard room also came with balcony overlooking manicured lawns with table, two chairs, and permitted smoking, which I don’t consider a plus.
In all, I am glad I was able to try the all-inclusive experience at a low price point but would not recommend this hotel. I might try the all-inclusive experience again in the future, but definitely not here, and maybe not with the Riu brand.