Le Riad Yasmine: A Hidden Oasis in Morocco

A riad is a traditional Moroccan inn, and whenever I stay in one, I almost always feel like I’m placed in a time warp.

The motorcycles, cigarettes, smartphones, and trendy restaurants of the Moroccan city kind of just.. go away. 

I’m left with a quiet space, surrounded by intricately carved stone, greenery, and tranquil waters. 

And while I’ve stayed in quite a few of them, Riad Yasmine is still probably one of my favorites.

You wake up early in the morning to be met by cool air and a stillness. No one is taking selfies, it’s just you and a hot cup of calming sweet mint tea.

Also, if it wasn’t for my husband, I wouldn’t have had this experience.

I had seen this riad on Instagram many times, and it was my idea to maybe just stop by and ask if I could take a few quick photos. But, my husband had a better idea! And he ended up surprising me by booking a few nights in this lovely place.

The Incredible Tranquility of Le Riad Yasmine

Now,when I say this riad is a hidden oasis, I don’t mean that it’s not well known. Actually, it’s VERY well known.

But what I do mean is that if you were to walk by it, in the red earthen walls of the old city, you would never know it was there. 

And when we knocked, they led us in and we were met by the sudden quietness and coolness. This was definitely a relief since we had been walking in the hot Saharan heat.

Then, as they finished preparing our room (we had arrived a bit early), they sat us down by the courtyard and served us fresh sugar cookies and hot mint tea. 

The People

I can also honestly say that the staff was incredible. They kind of just made us feel like we were supposed to be there and that we weren’t a bother that we existed. I mean, I’ve had that kind of experience way too many times; you pay good money, but they just make you feel like you did something wrong by even coming.

They did such a good job at hiring just the right people; we really felt welcome. 🙂

The Room

Also, the room my husband booked for us was perfect; it was big, it had a great view, and a beautiful interior.

I really loved how they took the colors of the red earth that was used in the old city to create this warm and inviting room!

It was definitely a nice contrast to the calming green space of the riad.

The Layout and Design

I really loved the pretty dining space on the roof! We had the option to eat breakfast up there or take drinks and lounge around.

Also, the roof has a great view of the city which is obviously a plus!

Oh, and another kind of interesting thing about this place; you might leave it wanting to build a home that’s basically a replica of the riad.

I mean, how awesome would it be to have a hidden courtyard with pretty green tiles, cool waters, beautiful silver trays, and softly waving palm trees? 

Seriously, it’s not off the table for me. 😉

One of the most relaxing views is to lay down on their thick cushions and just stare up at the sky and palms; so if you go, definitely make time for a lot of this. 

Quick Tip: If you want to each lunch in, make sure to order the day before so that they have all the ingredients they need to make it. Otherwise, they won’t have the time to do it.

Now to end this, I do want to say that I’ve heard many people talk about how Morocco is a love it or hate it place.

And I understand it! There were people aggresively pushing us to come into their shops and buy their items, and silly scam tactics for tourists. But there were also plenty of kind and warm people who were very hospitable, and their medieval winding streets were incredible. 

So understand that Morocco is full of contradictions and beautiful people (and spaces like this riad).

And if I had to do it over again, I might have rented out an entire month here, but maybe I will in the future!