Renting a villa or riad in Marrakech: how it works, from request to departure

In short

• No online payment: you send a request, we check availability and you receive a quote within 24 hours.
• Confirmation: on receipt of the deposit stated on the quote, usually 30% by bank transfer. Balance as per the quote.
• Prices: set in dirhams, seasonal, end-of-stay cleaning fee extra, any tourist tax stated on the quote.
• Security deposit: requested for some villas, returned after the check-out inspection.
• Staff: most villas and riads include a housekeeper, cleaning and breakfast. Chef, driver and concierge as options.

Renting a whole house in Marrakech is nothing like booking a hotel room. Here, in order, is what happens when you book with us, and the Moroccan rules you need to know.

1. The request

From the property page, the "request a booking" button opens a form: dates, number of adults and children, concierge options, contact details, free message. You see a live estimate in euros, dollars or dirhams. You pay nothing at this stage and commit to nothing. Remember to state the children's ages, special needs (cot, reduced mobility, diet) and your approximate arrival time.

2. The quote, within 24 hours

An advisor checks the property's real availability, including on the other platforms where it is listed, and sends you a detailed quote: nights per season, cleaning fee, chosen options, tourist tax where applicable, security deposit amount, the property's own cancellation terms, payment terms. The quote is in dirhams with the indicative equivalent in euros or dollars at the day's rate. It is valid for 72 hours, long enough to hold the property for you.

3. Confirmation

The booking is firm on receipt of the deposit, usually 30% of the total, by bank transfer (SEPA from Europe, or international). We confirm in writing with the rental contract, which restates the quote and the house rules. The balance is paid as per the quote: most often by transfer 30 days before arrival, or on site in dirhams on arrival for late bookings. No card payment on the site, no booking fee.

4. Before arrival

A week before, you receive the arrival sheet: exact address, meeting point (for the Medina, the gate where the porter waits), the property manager's WhatsApp number, agreed arrival time, list of what is provided. This is the time to book the airport transfer, the chef and excursions, which we add to the quote.

5. Arrival

Check-in usually from 3 pm, check-out before 11 am, with flexibility depending on neighbouring bookings. A manager welcomes you, tours the house, explains the pool, heating, Wi-Fi and staff hours. The contract is signed on site and the security deposit left, if planned. You will need every traveller's passport: Moroccan law requires hosts to register travellers with the police, like a hotel.

6. During the stay

Your advisor remains reachable on WhatsApp for bookings, questions and the unexpected. House staff have their hours, stated on the sheet: daily cleaning in the morning, breakfast served, cook in the evening on request. Tips for staff are at your discretion: 50 to 100 MAD a day for the whole staff is customary, handed over at the end of the stay.

7. Departure

Check-out inspection with the manager, return of the security deposit on site or by transfer within 7 days, less any damage noted jointly. The return transfer waits for you at the agreed time.

What the price includes

• Always: exclusive use of the property, bed and bath linen, Wi-Fi, water, electricity, air conditioning and heating, pool and garden maintenance, welcome.
• In most villas and riads: housekeeper, daily cleaning, breakfast. Check the "service" section of each listing.
• Extra: the end-of-stay cleaning fee (350 to 2,500 MAD depending on the property, stated on the listing), tourist tax where the municipality applies it, groceries for your meals, chef, driver, excursions, pool heating in some properties in winter.

Rules to know

• Occupancy: the maximum number of guests on the listing is contractual, house staff excluded. It protects the property and your neighbours, and conditions the insurance.
• Parties and events: weddings, birthdays with DJ and receptions must be declared at request. Some villas accept them with a surcharge; the Medina forbids them after 11 pm.
• Moroccan couples: Moroccan law requires Moroccan couples, or couples where one member is Moroccan, to show a marriage certificate to share a room. It does not apply to foreign couples.
• Pets: accepted in some villas, never in riads. Ask.
• Children: welcome everywhere, cot and high chair on request. See our Marrakech with kids guide.
• Alcohol: allowed in private accommodation, sold in Carrefour supermarkets and Guéliz wine shops, not in the Medina.
• Smoking: forbidden inside most properties, allowed on terraces and in gardens.

Cancellation

Terms appear on each quote. Absent property-specific terms: deposit 100% refundable more than 60 days before arrival, non-refundable below, balance due under 30 days. We recommend cancellation insurance, often included with premium bank cards. If we cancel or the property becomes unavailable, full refund or rehousing in an equivalent property, at your choice.

Why book with us rather than on a platform

An advisor who knows every address and tells you which suits your party. A price in dirhams with no platform commission or service fee. A clear quote before any commitment. A contact on site during the stay who organises chef, transfers and excursions. And the same property, often at the same price or cheaper than on platforms that take 15 to 20% in fees. For owners, the list my property page explains how we work.