Room
Check availability

Reviews of Villa Garance

3 out of 5
Villa Garance
10 Rue Addakhil, Essaouira, Marrakech-Safi

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 89 out of 131 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 36 out of 131 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 131 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 131 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 131 reviews" "

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

9.6/10

Amenities

9.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Shelley

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Charming riad in the medina. Stayed 3 nights in the deluxe room #10 on the rooftop - comfortable room with a separate small living area and an outdoor sitting area, great for relaxing in the afternoon sunshine. Breakfast was good, and the staff were friendly and accommodating. Good location down a quiet alleyway.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

ben

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location, lovely staff highly recommend
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Cynthia

Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Response from Marie on 5 May 2023
Un grand merci Cynthia pour cette note d'excellence !Nous sommes heureux que soyez satisfaite et espérons vous recevoir une prochaine fois, ou l'un de vos proches.

10/10 Excellent

Elissa

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023
Response from Marie on 5 May 2023
Quel bonheur de découvrir que vous avez tout aimé à la Villa Garance. Cela nous encourage à poursuivre nos efforts d'amélioration constante.Merci beaucoup !

10/10 Excellent

A

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023
Response from Marie on 5 May 2023
Un grand merci pour cette note d'excellence. Nous poursuivons nos efforts pour toujours mieux satisfaire nos hôtes. On espère vous revoir si vous avez l'occasion de revenir à Essaouira.

2/10 Terrible

Aijing

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Staff & service
Two days before my check-in date, I called Villa Garance for recommendations of dinner places. I was told "oh there's a little problem with your booking, only a little problem, not big problem. We accepted a tour group and we have no room for you. We book you in another hotel which is better than us. Come to the reception and we will bring you there". So I asked which hotel they moved me into, they told me was Liouba. Then I searched online and found out Liouba was all sold out that night. I called back Villa Garance if they confirm that i have a room, because i couldn't find any room in the last minute by myself. Villa Garance called Liouba in another line and booked the room. Then I called Liouba to confirm it, it took like an hour back and forth, finally Liouba confirmed that I have a room. The fact that Villa Garance has no business commitment to individual bookings, didn't reached out to me and told me about this information until I called them is unacceptable. They expected me to show up at their reception to receive the news and waste our valuable vacation time travelling between hotels. I was happy with Liouba hotel for their service but still I filed a complaint with Expedia about Villa Garance. And Expedia told me they contacted Villa Garance and was told this is totally business as usual and they have done this to many other clients. Just want to write my experience here so whoever book this hotel can be prepared for such incident as "business as usual".
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karen

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023
Response from Villa Garance on 18 Feb 2023
Thank you Karen for you good rate. We are always happy when you are happy. We wish you the best. Kind regards. Marie & Pierre

10/10 Excellent

Ahmed

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Highly recommend this place. In the middle of the old city with rich history.
Response from Marie on 13 Jan 2023
Many thanks ! We're so happy when our guest are satisfied, doing our best everyday to deserve your confidence.

10/10 Excellent

Madeleine

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved our stay here, the staff were so friendly and helpful, the room was lovely, and the breakfasts on the roof were amazing! We will come back!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jacqueline

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely Stay
We had a lovely stay at this beautiful property. Breakfast was delicious with incredible rooftop overview of the area. Thank you for providing a home-like stay for your guests.
Stayed 1 night in May 2022

8/10 Good

Bruno

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Traditional riad very well maintained.
+ves. Nice location inside medina. Well maintained Riad. Responsive and helpful owners. Good staff. -ves. A bit pricy. No elevator so taking luggage to 2nd floor thru spiral stairs cud be an issue. Very basic breakfast.
Stayed 1 night in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Janette

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic few days in Essaouria
My sister and I stayed at the Villa Garance from the 10th to the 14th March. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. The breakfast was wonderful and served up on the roof terrace. It is situated down an alley in the Medina and is very central for walking to the port or the beach. I would definitely recommend a stay here.
Our companions whilst walking along the beach.
The port.
View from the Medina walls.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
An old jewish riad, so there were some external windows, unusual for a Riad. Hence good light, some cosy nooks and crannies, a welcoming fireplace for cold evenings. Decor is lovely, the owner Pierre is a sweetie. Really pleased.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Victoria, Sedona AZ

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is the best place we have found to stay in Essaouira. We have stayed in 5 different road, each with their strengths and weaknesses. But Villa Garance is by far the most comfortable. We will stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

stephen

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel
No faults with the hotel , staff very helpful and friendly. Great location just off one of the main streets in the medina yet quiet, though there is a school next door this wasn't an issue for us. Bedrooms and general feel of the hotel is great.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was a very personalised stay in a riad in Essaouira, great location, very comfortable and quiet. Friendly hosts and staff. A wonderful stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2019

8/10 Good

Kimberly

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great vacation spot
Everything was great except no blackout curtains (outside our room there was a streetlight lit until dawn) so it was never very dark. There is a school right next to it but they were on holiday so no noise from there only passers by in the street. Breakfast on the rooftop terrace was always delicious. And relaxing there in the afternoons. We had 1 massage and it was good. They also helped plan outings.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place, people and location. Convienent lication. Staff and owner were super. Building and room was terrific. Great price too.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Anat

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely peaceful spot close to it all
What a lovely place to stay, so close to the action of the Medina but with the quiet of a cozy home. Kind and thoughtful staff. Nice breakfast. Peaceful spot on the roof deck to read and think.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Trisha, Michigan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect place to stay in the old city of Essaouira. I wish I had stayed in Marrakech less time and here more. Quiet. Charming. Easy walk to suprabus, beach, etc.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Sandy, Sebastopol

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We loved the interior design. Our room was lovely. Very close to everything.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

8/10 Good

Patrick, Montreal, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great location to visit the medina and to go to the beach (10-15m walk to the beach). Riads are about having a cultural experience in historic moroccan building, not about having the ultimate comfort. This riad delivers on expectation with very pleasant and friendly staff. Bed comfort could be improved with better mattresses.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

8/10 Good

Pierre

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Morocco in style
All the charm of the Moroccan style in this well maintained villa. Location in the Medina is really nice and the breakfast on the roof is cherry on the cake....
Stayed 9 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Samuel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent service in the heart of the medina
Located in the heart of the medina, Villa Garance is ideally located for the purpose of exploring the old city as well as the port and Essaouira's sweeping beach. The service was charming, courteous and always available in the event I had any questions. In fact, on arrival the owner provide me with a map and highlighted key sites and restaurants. The room was comfortable and clean. There is a small school opposite with excitable children at reception but I was up and ready to go by that time. The hotel represents excellent value for money and is highly recommended. I was myself recommended Villa Garance by a friend who had stayed for a few nights in December last year.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2018

10/10 Excellent

Joan, Tulsa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Villa Garance
I can’t say enough about this lovely Riad. Located in a central, easy-to-find place, we were able to explore Essaouira easily and without hassle. The dinner was lovely, and every staff member was friendly and accommodating. Comfortable rooms with an incredible view of the sea. If it’s nice weather, definitely try to eat a breakfast or two on the roof. 10/10 would recommend this place to anyone
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2017

10/10 Excellent

LUCY, CANTERBURY .KENT.. UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location
Lovely to be welcomed by a friendly taxi driver at the airport, holding up a sign with my name and our hotel... Drove us to the City wall and then walked us along market streets to Villa Garence,,,, What a super old Riad... Great welcome... Loved our cosy room, although found it a little dark...The french doors were super... Perfect location, in the hustle bustle, but quiet... Breakfast everyday on the roof terrace, fresh fruit, variety of warm bread.. juice tea/coffee....
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Magic Amidst the Mayhem of Essaouira
This is a wonderful little riad in the heart of Essaouira. It's really well run by a really helpful and kind group of people. This is an experience not an accommodation. Our (18 month old) daughter was really warmly greeted and played with as breakfast was served each morning (delicious assortment of breads and spreads, yoghurt and fruit). She was in her element rambling around the beautiful old building and stealing smiles and laughs from the wonderful staff. One of the nights we had a delicious meal that had been prepared partly by our dinner companions (fellow residents for the week) who had been taking a traditional cooking class that day with the chef of the house. This was a lovely experience start to finish; our daughter was close enough to be heard if she awoke, we had good company, and the food was magnificent! More generally this is a comfortable and relaxing space in the heart of a bustling little city that is just what you need in a haven from the haggling and haranguing of the souk (which, of course, is great fun but exhausting!). Ask Pierre and Marie for suggestions of things to do, there's a lot going on in this little city.

8/10 Good

Amine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from Marie on 2 Aug 2016
Nous sommes heureux que vous ayez apprécié votre séjour à la Villa Garance. Cela récompense nos efforts quotidiens et le magnifique dévouement notre équipe. Nous espérons que vous aurez l'occasion de revenir nous rendre visite.

8/10 Good

Alexandra, New York

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great option in the center of the medina
Villa Garance is a very sweet place to stay in the center of the medina. It's location is fantastic if you want to be in the thick of it all. The breakfast was light and lovely, with great bread and jams and some fruit with yogurt. The bed was comfortable and the wifi was quite excellent for Morocco! My only complaint would be how dark the bathroom and room were. It just made getting around in the room with the lights off or curtains closed a bit difficult. Other than that, beautiful little place!
Response from Marie on 2 Aug 2016
Many thanks for this kind review. We're very pleased that you appreciated the location and breakfast of our charming house. Almost of our rooms are very bright with 1 or 2 large window with a view in a smal and quiet street. Only 2 open only the patio and need lights when curtains are closed. Hope we'll see you again, we were pleased to mee you. Kind regards, Marie

10/10 Excellent

Chad, Annecy, France

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely, comfortable and friendly place
We had a great time at Villa Garance - it is a lovely place. The location is perfect for walking the medina, the beach, etc. Marie and Pierre were very friendly and helpful - Pierre shared some of the history of the area with us, gave us a good map and recommended some restaurants. We will stay here again if we return to Essaouira!
Hello Chad, Thank you for your kind comment. We like so much Essaouira and we make our best for people who come in our house to like also this charming town. We are happy your stay was successfull. We wish you the best and also to see you again ! Best regards. Pierre

10/10 Excellent

Ross and Tom, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Friendly welome
The owners Pierre and Maria were both very charming and made us very welcome. They went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and were excellent at recommending places to eat and watch the sun go down. We will definitely return again next year. It was lovely to sit out on the roof and eat breakfast each morning served by the delightful staff. As our room was on the roof we could look at the stars at night..It was a very relaxing break.
Response from Pierre on 7 Apr 2016
Thank you so much for your kind comment. It was a pleasure to meet you. We hope to see you aganin. Best regards

10/10 Excellent

Nitasha, Great Denham, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Simply delightful
I loved this hotel. It felt more like visiting a family raid than being at a hotel. Pierre and Maria are delightful, every request is seamlessly handled. The house is wonderful if you want ambiance and old world charm. Breakfast on the terrace is spectacular with friendly seagulls to keep you company.
Response from Marie on 16 Apr 2016
Hello Nitasha, Many thanks for your comment. We were very happy meeting you in our house. We are very pleased that you had a delightful moment with us and in Essaouira. We wish you the best for the future. Best regards. Marie & Pierre

10/10 Excellent

Lynda, Las Vegas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
My stay at Villa Garance
This was my first time staying at a Riad. I was taken on a series of twists and turns, through the array of souks only to find that the Riad was in alley (welcome to Morocco. But once inside, I was pleasantly surprised by décor and ambiance. Each floor and room is tastefully decorated differently from the other and each captures the Moroccan theme. I after I was shown to my room, (which was quite comfortable, cozy and clean), I was greeted with a serving of traditional mint tea and cookies in the artfully decorated sitting room adjacent to my room. Thank goodness the houseman was on hand to take my suitcase upstairs as Raids do not have elevators. Also, the stairs are quite steep, so consider yourself warned. Each morning on the rooftop, a breakfast of traditional fresh breads, jams, mint tea, and juice is served. The view alone is worth the steep climb up the stairs. I found the owners and staff to be quite pleasant and accommodating. My French is quite limited but that wasn't an issue as the owner and some of the staff spoke English. I was able to maintain Wi-Fi connection throughout my stay. The place goes dark at night, I had no problems sleeping in complete quietness. All things considered, (price, cleanliness, comfort, décor, and convenience to attractions) I would return to Villa Garance again when I return to Essaouira.
Response from Marie on 2 Apr 2016
Hello Linda, Thank you so much for your comment. It was a pleasure receiving you in villa Garance. We are very happy that your stay was so good. We hope to see you again ! Have a very nice day. Kind regards Marie

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from Marie on 11 Jun 2016
Thank your for your stay and for reviewing us. It's very important for us to know our guest impressions. We 're working hard to improve your experience.Hope you'll be back soon.

10/10 Excellent

Andrew & Tania, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Truly fantastic hotel!
Our stay at Villa Garance was the highlight of our trip to Morocco. Excellent staff, beautiful hotel, great location right in the medina with a fantastic breakfast on the rooftop terrance each morning. We can't speak highly enough of Villa Garance and think it deserves more than 5 stars!

10/10 Excellent

Alvin, Panama City,FL

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Highly recommended
Charming and well decorated riad in the medina of Essouira. Pleasant room for 3 with ample space and nice bath. No AC, but you really don't need it in Essouira. They sell sweaters in the medina in August! Roof top breakfasts were a delight. The town and medina were safe and welcoming. The riad has a night watchman and a very attentive owner. We rented bicycles, rode camels and thorougly enjoyed this guesthouse and this town. I recommend it to anyone visitng Morocco.

10/10 Excellent

Michael, London, England

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Calm, simple, stylish.
This is a calm, simple and stylish hotel. Completely clean. Very friendly and helpful team. It's also great value for money.

8/10 Good

ahmed, Egypt

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Interestimg quaint building
Nice location. Was there during the Gnawa music festival.

10/10 Excellent

Corey, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We adored Villa Garance, they've got it spot on!
Lovely greeting on arrival by proprietor Pierre. Beautiful residence, fantastic location, brilliant price....possibly the best of the 6 places we stayed..definitely head and shoulders above 5 of them...heartily recommend it. Best sheets by far...crisp and clean. Also bags and bags of lovely hot water at a good pressure. Loved staying at Villa Garance.

10/10 Excellent

Lucy, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing riad with lovely owners
The riad is beautifully done up, with clean and spacious bedrooms and a lovely rooftop terrace. The owners are incredibly helpful with restaurant recommendations etc. It's in a perfect location in the old town, with a 5 minute walk to the beach. Couldn't recommend it more!
Response from Pierre on 21 Apr 2015
It was a pelasure meeting you and your friends. Thanks a lot for coming ! We wish you the best for the future Best Regards. Marie & Pierre

10/10 Excellent

Stacy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

Louise, Glasgow

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Boutique Hotel
Hotel arranged a taxi for us which was very convenient and much cheaper than on line quotes- 700 dirhams between us rather than each. Staff were very friendly and helpful,although they spoke no English. Room not big but very attractive individual styles, clean and comfortable. Breakfast generous but lacking in variation. Great location- might be noisy during the season. Windows but no air conditioning. Gorgeous roof terraces ideal for chilling out in the sun. Fabulous shopping. Bring big bags with lots of space!

10/10 Excellent

ripley, uk

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Original Old Riad guesthouse
Well looked after by French owners and local staff.

8/10 Good

anna, sweden

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cousy riad in the middle of the medina
The staff is really friendly and can give you good recommendations of restaurants etc, nice roof terrace and great breakfast (morocan panncakes, fruit salad, bread and youghurt). The wifi didn't work all the time and it could be a little noisy daytime because it's a school next to the house. The interiour is lovely. Overall I recommend this riad.
Response from MP on 21 Feb 2015
Thank you very much for this comment. We love the special way of life in Essaouira and like sharing with our guests. We do our best to receive you in good conditions. Hope we'll see you next time. Merry Christmas and happy new year ! Marie & Pierre

10/10 Excellent

Aidan, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect riad in great location
Great location, nice relaxed atmosphere with lovely rooftop terrace. Very good breakfast including fruit and yogurt. Nice and comfortable bed as well. A welcome break from the pace of Marrakech.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Helpful and friendly, good information given.
Warm, friendly and central.Good local links to ease the vaguaries of a new environment. Lovely staff, sound and comfortable rooms. Lighting a bit dim in room 6: on the one hand, difficult for reading, but, on the other, good for the over 50s mirrorwise! No alarm clocks needed due to the call for prayer and the chanting of small children in the school opposite - both of which added to the authentic flavour of our delightful stay. We totally recommend La Garance - despite the precipitous stairs - not for the elderly or those with problems with the trocho-ginglymus! 9/10 and we will be returning!

10/10 Excellent

David, Wales, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A lovely Villa in lovely Essaouira!
I really recommend staying at the Villa Garance. The Villa itself is very nice and well decorated with a very nice terrace with great views over one of my favourite places in Morocco, Essaouira. Christine the owner is very kind and helpful and all the staff there were also very courteous and welcoming. It's nicely situated in the medina, so as soon as you leave the door you are there in the middle of the little chaos! I'm a solo traveller and even though normally I would stay clear of tourist-type resorts, Essaouira for me is an exception, and the Villa Garance is a perfect place to stay as well as for families. The breakfast was very good and I highly recommend a massage; the lady masseuse is very good indeed. I stayed in bedroom 3 which is overlooking the alleyway and normally these rooms can be noisy, but it's isn't really and what noise there is, i.e., people chatting can be blocked out if you wish by closing the two very solid doors, and yes you will be still able to sleep without air conditioning because of Essaouira's famous micro-climate; it's incredibly cool there even when just 60kms or so away it's boiling hot! I forget the name of the wind that blows there, but in summer it is so refreshing!