ClubHotel Riu Tikida Palmeraie

Hotel was great, however they were still finishing off in places. This did not effect the clients thougth. Food was good, rooms nice. There was a free shuttle bus into Marakech running every hour. It is the ideal place for a short City break. Marakech is what you excpect, caoutic, busy and full of life.

We spent a week at the hotel from Christmas day to New Years day. The hotel is 20-30 mins from the airport the other side of Marrakesh which is about 15 mins away depending on traffic. The check in was efficient and carried out in the entertainment lounge. We had a room in block 1 which is the nearest block to the main building. There are no rooms attached to the main building and all rooms are a short walk through the gardens or the other side of the pool, the walk is fine but you do get soaked when is rains. There are no irons in the room and they cost a £40 deposit at reception, they dont however have ironing boards. The rooms are nice and they have water which can be replaced as often as you want a fridge. The TV has ITV and channel 5 if you are missing british TV. The pool area is huge with lods of different types of seating areas. The pool however is freezing and would be perfect if it was heated as in the winter it is a waste. There is an indoor heated pool and gym but is of no use if you want to sunbathe. The food was of good standard and hygeine standards were very high in the hotel. Some days there was limited choice but I always found something, you wont find an english breakfast if thats what you are expecting though. We ate at both the Itallian and Morrocan buffet restaurants which were not open everyday but the food was good. We had no complaints over the drinks and never had a queue at any of the bars. The entertainment team work very hard and they are very chatty and friendly, even there enthusiasm couldnt distract us from the shows which were a bit dismal. There were only 3 shows out of 7 nights, the rest of the nights there was guest participations ie games and karaoke and the nights that there were shows they were not good. I thought it was because the hotel was new but I was surprised to find out that the staff have all been moved together from agadir as a team and some have over 5 yrs experience. I didnt go on any of the trips as there wasnt alot of choice and you can see Marrakech by using the courtesy bus, you have to book the bus in advance and get a ticket otherwise you wont be able to travel. The bus runs 10-12 and 3-5pm, alot of people complained about the bus times but we booked a day in advance and didnt have a problem. Marrakech is a culture shock but thats what we go there for to see a differnent culture. I have a major phobia of snakes so avioded the square and I also dont like the way they treat the monkeys but apart from that a trip into Marrakesh is a must. I dont know whether I would try the food in the square as they have nowhere to store or wash anything but I suppose thats personal choice. We really enjoyed our week but we did want a relaxing break. The hotel is perfect for that and a short break but I wouldnt want to spend 2 weeks there as there isnt much to do.

We have just returned from a weekend at the Riu Tikida Palmeraie. We landed on New Years Day at about 10:30am and travelled with Thomson. As many people have on these reviews, we got a great deal with about £500 off the normal price due to the hotel having recently opened. Transfer took around 20 minutes and the rep Jackie gave us some useful information en route. Check in was fine but can take a while if you are at the end of the queue. Luggage was brought to the room by the staff after about 15 minutes of checking in. Unfortunately we hadn't got any DH at the airport as we didn't spot an ATM and the one at the hotel was broken so we had to change the sterling we had with us at reception. You need very little money in the hotel, just a bit of change for tipping but if you want to go out and about you will need a bit of cash. There is an ATM just were the shuttle bus drops you too. Accomodation is really nice and very clean. The rooms are fully tiled and have either a terrace or a balcony with table and chairs. There is a fridge and they leave you two bottles of water a day but you could get a bottle of wine from the bar and keep it in there to have a glass when you are getting ready to go out if you wanted to. I found it a bit chilly at night so I would take something warm to pop on after you have had a shower. Food - The food is all buffet based where there is quite a good range but the basics are the same every day. As the hotel isn't running at full capacity they seem to serve lunch in the Italian restaurant next to the pool. This is a nice spot where you can sit outside. The Italian restaurant isn't open at night and again, I think this is down to capacity so you have the choice of the main restaurant or the Moroccan one which you need to book. We booked by asking the lunchtime staff and they gave us a ticket for the evening when you can turn up any time between 19:00 - 21:00. The food is buffet style again and very nice, it is a more intimate setting. Pools, bars etc. The main pool area is very large with lots of sun loungers. There is a pool bar which is open all day and also a little bar where to can serve yourself pop and water. You get a voucher each for your towels and you can get those from reception. The indoor pool is a good size and warm. The gym is basic but good enough to keep your fitness regime ticking over while you are away ! The spa is open and looked nice and prices seemed reasonable. The bar had a large TV and lots of places to sit, it was a bit smokey for me but you can also sit around the main reception area so that's fine. We didn't bother with the entertainment as it isn't our thing but the team seemed like a friendly bunch. We went to the Medina on the courtesy bus Saturday night and got a taxi back, It cost 100DH which we haggled down from 150. As we were on holiday for a rest we only did this once but we would explore a bit further if we went back. On Sunday morning we booked a balloon trip with Ceil d'Afrique and it was truly gorgeous, when I get chance I will do a proper review of it but I would recommend it and we were back on our sun beds by half eleven! The hotel is not in an area where you can wander off to shops or do much exploring but we knew that before we left and the shuttle bus is regular enough. We were really lucky with the weather and had a brilliant time, the hotel is new so obviously there are teething problems, the gardens aren't established etc but that is why it was such a bargain. We would definitly go again for some winter sun that is not too far away and you can completely relax - it seems especially lovely now we are home and up to our knees in snow !

had a great holiday everything was just fantastic about this hotel stayed for 11 nights and couldnt moan about anything meet tim and theresa there and would just like to say thanks

A super new hotel with huge rooms (beds very comfortable), a choice of restaurants and bars, and friendly, helpful staff. The gardens have only just been landscaped, so need time to mature, but will be beautiful. Enormous outdoor pool with plenty of sunbeds, loungers and daybeds (but very cold in winter). Large indoor pool (heated). The free shuttle bus into the city centre ran very efficiently. Free use of computers in internet room. Guestrooms are situated some distance from the public areas which could be difficult for guests with limited mobility, but the paths are wheelchair-friendly. An umbrella would be useful in case of rain. A good hotel to choose if you want to spend your time relaxing, sightseeing, or both!

we,myself (42) & my wife(33)stayed for xmas 09,newly opened or rushed to be opened for xmas? Being a builder from the northeast of england the hotel has been finshed in a rush i heard of toilets falling off walls, handrails which were hanging off ,tiles which had sharp edges & a leek through one bedroom ceiling.Most rooms had obviously been finished in a hurry so they could open as there was pain/plaster on the new wooden door frames& tiles, alot of the tiles in the rooms had large cracks and chips out of them makin them look years old not weeks old. The swimming pool was only built in seven weeks & the wrong tiles have been placed around the edge makin it slippy as you step in& the pool bottom was very slippy (children were running and sliding into the pool as far as they could). The service of all the staff working at the hotel was some of the best i have seen i any hotel iv stayed at. The food in the main Restaurant was mainly the same every day and night,.The moroccain was slightly better but the italian was almost the same food as the main resterant and it dose give that impression in the review but they are infact also buffet.The alcoholic drinks weren't up to much, Larger wasnt bad but if your a big drinker this is not the place for you. The hotel when it is up and running and they iron out its problems will be quite a nice place to say but should be ala carte for the two other restarants or you are just eating the same food over and over. The area in which the hotel was built is miles from any where theres nothing to see out side ,There is a courtesy bus which takes you into town and a taxi which is 80 dr [keep your hand on your wallet] We took a trip which is [fantasia] a night of 1001 nights i enjoyed that very much (but was not very well planned as are coach was the first to arrive so it took 2 hours for our meal as u have to wait for all the coaches from other hotels etc to arrive and go through the tour part as u do) arabian horses and camels good food but rap up, very cold on a night. I would recommend this hotel but maybe in another 6/12 month when they have finished and sorted out all the small faults, but in high summer, In Winter its a long City break without the thrills of the city & i would recomend u take some warm clothing for an evening . This was our 1st christmas away & if we had not met some very nice people while there, it would have been a very long break away. Two other hotels (who also went on the fantasia trip) had told us about their hotels festivities for christmas, which where far better than our "gala meal" (buffet again, but verry nice) but we do understand they had just opend. All in all this is a nice hotel, the staff are top notch and in 6/12 month it could be very good.

no matter how good the hotel is ,thedrinks food and service and the reps excellent,be warned you are entering a third world country and i was very sick after just 24hours in this hotel, and i really mean ill,marrachech is really just a city break. Thompsons should warn everyone outside western europe the sanitation and hygiene is minimal with flies on food,they are promoting more holidays outside euro zone and there is a price to pay.

This newly opened hotel has all the ingredients to be very successful. The staff in particular are fantastic, a real treat to be served by them, and to watch them in action. The outdoor pool is lovely, the food is very good, with a good range to match all palates. There has been extensive use of beige and brown inside and outside the hotel, and it would benefit from just the odd splash of colour to lighten it a bit. Thats the only gripe really. A couple of tips - get cash at the airport, as the cashpoint in the hotel didn't work all the time we were there. Don't book the trips, especially the Atlas mountain, one is poor value and expensive at 750 dir pp. Instead, book a taxi for 4 hours, and you can stop as little or as much as you'd like and go where you want - for 400 / 500dir per taxi. You'll encounter poverty and begging children in the mountains. Don't let it put you off. Bring pens, sweets and oranges, its appreciated as much. Haggle in the souks - its brilliant. Also the stall holders like pens as a gift. The driving is mad! Cars, lorries horses, mopeds and donkeys jostle for the same space and there is no lane or junction discipline. Like the wacky races, great to watch, not good to drive in! Would def go back to Marrakech, its a magical place, especially at sunset. Pity the courtesy bus ends early, so go, and get a taxi back - make sure you negotiate the price before getting in. Should be around 100 dir max

Firstly, we made huge savings by booking directly with RIU and arranging flights ourselves rather than booking though Thomson - well worth looking into! We arrived in Marrakech on Christmas Day and first impressions of the hotel were very good indeed, the reception area was spacious and clean and as we didn't arrive in a Thomson group, check-in took a matter of minutes. We had to make our own way to our allocated room, 4113 and our cases followed shortly after with the porter. By time we'd got to the room and unpacked, it was just about time for our evening meal and we weren't disappointed with the selection of food available. We came to learn though, that the food was virtually the same every evening with little or no variation so it became a little boring towards the end of our stay. Our final night the was New Year's Eve and we had pre-booked for the special Gala meal the hotel had put on. This was the only food option available that evening and if you liked your fish, then you wouldn't be disappointed, but as a family we don't really eat fish, so we were left disappointed as there was very little non-fish options for us. The weather during our stay was generally good, windy on Boxing Day and New Year's Eve but bright, sunny and hot on all other days. Even though we didn't book through Thomson, Jackie, the Thomson rep was more then happy to answer any questions we had and we even booked a 4x4 trip into the Atlas mountains through her. If you do decide to go on this trip, the food you are offered isn't fantastic, so do what we did and make yourselves some sandwiches during breakfast in the hotel and take these with you. If you take some pens on this trip, the young children at the Berber village you stop at along the way will love you forever! Back to the hotel now. As it is a brand new hotel, the gardens are still a little bare and unestablished, but this is to be expected. Whilst we were there, workmen were still making finishing touches to the pathways around the hotel, putting a top layer on - again, this is to be expected in a brand new build, but something you should be aware of. The entertainment team consisted of around 10 people and they were around about the hotel from 9.30am every morning with activities to see you though the day. The evening entertainment took place in the showroom opposite the main restaurant and although it wasn't fantastic, it kept the kids amused for an hour or so. We had a couple of minor problems with our room, the safe didn't work and the shower was hanging off the wall. These didn't get rectified despite numerous phone calls to reception about them. The only way the problems were sorted was when I wrote a note and personally handed it to the hotel reception. The cleaning in the room was a bit hit and miss, some days it was good, others it was bad. There were four of us in the room and one day we were left with three towels - again, calls to reception came and went with nothing being done. I ended up getting another towel by going and finding a chambermaid myself about 3 hours later. In short, we had a great holiday but the hotel isn't quite the finished article yet, both around the hotel and some of the staff need training more.

We stayed in this hotel from 18th Dec until 28th Dec 2009. I must say that this was the best hotel I have ever stayed in and the reason for this are the staff that work in this place, they can not do enough for the guests. Even though they were still putting the final touches to the hotel while we were there this did not affect us in the slightest. Our group consisted of Myself, my wife, my 3yr old son, my 1yr old son, my dad 71yr old and mum(she has a stroke and sometimes struggles to walk). Every one of my family thought that the hotel was great. The only slight downsides are that the hotel is quite a few kms away from the centre of Marrakech although there is a free hotel bus service which operates every hour or so until around 6pm. But in Marrakech alot of the atmosphere happens at night/evening and then you have to use the taxis and they almost always try to overcharge you. The MASSIVE outdoor pool was not heated and because we went in December nobody actually used it - they do have an indoor heated pool which is an alternative. The broadband is only available in the hotel lobby and not in the rooms its free of charge to use in the lobby - it would have been great if it was avaiilable from the rooms themselves - even for an extra charge. The laundry/dry-cleaning services are very expensive so go into town for that if you are staying long. Please note that these critisims are insignificant compared with the upsides of this fantastic hotel. The food is fantastic, they have a few restaurants with lots of choice - with regard to food you just got to save yourself from yourself because of the really high quality and choice of food on offer. The rooms are all set out on the compound as double storey, one upstairs and one downstairs and sometimes can be quite far away from the restaurants but it is a nice walk and not too demanding, my mother who is disabled did not struggle at all and I am sure that if she did then the really accomodating staff would have found her a room closer to the area that would have been requested. We booked days out through a company called 'Authentic Morocco' which is a company based in the UK and run by a lovely lady called Liz, her trips were tailor made and offered us great advice and saved us lots of money as the travel agent offered the same trips from the hotel and they were much more expensive for our party. For children this hotel is great they operate a kids club but only take children from 4yr old - although my boys used the facilities under our own supervision, all the staff were great with the kids they played and entertained them endlessly and we really appreciated that. If I ever return to Marrakech I will stay here again for sure. Don't pay more than 100 dirhams to/from the centre and hotel in Grand taxi/Merc (and even less in a petit taxi), brush up on your French or better still Arabic, practise your bargaining skills, whatever price the shop keepers offer you half it, then half it again and negotiate upwards - never negotiate downwards - they will ask for 'your price' give them a price which is ridiculousley low and haggle - have fun and smile while doing this and enjoy it!!!! Do NOT visit the shop-keepers uncles/fathers/family carpet/leather/tagine factory - trust me!!!!! Overall, Moroccans are great people.