One of the reasons we wanted to bring our daughter with us to Morocco was for her to experience the beauty and tranquility of the Sahara Desert. Due to us visiting Morocco during the hot summer month we were not able to stay the night at the Desert Luxury Camp as we did last time, but we did have the opportunity stay at the beautiful Riad Madu in Merzouga.
Riad Madu is a new luxury riad located on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes in Merzouga, the gateway to the Sahara. The 12-room riad has a combination of four suites and eight standard rooms decorated in the typical style of the region using warm-colored plaster (tadelakt) and mosaic tile work (zellige). All rooms have a bathroom, double bed or twin beds, air conditioning and free Wi-Fi.
The riad has a beautiful, cozy living area with a fireplace, large outdoor space for eating, relaxing, having tea or for the kids to play.
You can even go up on the rooftop terrace where the pool is located. There, you can take in beautiful views of the dunes and at night see a blanket of stars closer than you can imagine.
If you’re into stunning sunrises and sunsets, the rooftop deck is the perfect place to observe this. Of course, my husband was able to capture good shots while I stayed asleep in the comfy double bed.
For our one night stay, we had two rooms on the first floor. Each room was spacious and clean with gorgeous detailing, including intricate metal work light fixtures that really added Moroccan character to the room.
Our rooms, since they are located on the first floor, meant that we had the convenience of direct access to all of the amenities offered at Riad Madu.
Our dinner for the eating took place in the outdoor dining area, just steps away from our bedroom. Dinner was good. Of course, in typical Moroccan dining fashion, we were given more food than the four of us could eat. Breakfast was also good. I loved the coffee and my daughter loved the hot chocolate. The breakfast here was one of the best we’ve had during this particular trip.
Riad Madu offers five star services, making it the perfect place for both couples and families whether you are looking for a place to relax, catch up on your favorite book, or take in the beauty of the Erg Chebbi, which can be done from the rooftop or via a scheduled camel trek through the desert. Our daughter loved the camel trek, and could not stop talking about it.
Room prices vary depending on the type (double) and whether or not breakfast and dinner are included. These prices range from $75 to $190.
Visit http://www.riadmadu.com/en for more information. Also, check out reviews of the riad on TripAdvisor.com.