Hôtel Taroudant

Hotel Taroudant was one of the oldest hotels in Taroudant, Morocco. Unfortunately, Hotel Taroudant closed permanently in 2024. It is located directly across from Cafe Oasis on Place Assarag, inside the walls of this ancient town that is sometimes referred to as “Little Marrakech”. Taroudant is surrounded by very tall stone walls, although there are some areas in Taroudant that are located outside the walls. In 2022, I stayed at Hotel Taroudant because a friend and former neighbor in Tangier, the writer and composer Paul Bowles, had stayed there more than 50 years ago. He had some interesting stories about his stay. Opposite the hotel’s entrance, Café Oasis has good coffee and excellent WiFi. Hotel Taroudant does not have it's own WiFi. The hotel is inexpensive, so don't expect antique furniture, air conditioning, flat-screen satellite television, shampoo and soap. You must request toilet paper at the front desk. You will have a clean and plain room with minimal décor, a reasonably comfortable mattress with clean sheets, a blanket and a decent pillow. There were two wall sockets in my room for charging telephone and iPad and a small reading lamp. The overhead bedroom light fixture had one dim light bulb. The bathroom had a very tall ceiling, peeling paint, a flush toilet that constantly ran until you turned the water valve off, a sink with hot and cold water faucets (one was loose and needed a plumber to tighten it so it won't wobble) and a large shower with plastic curtain. The small electric hot water heater high up on a wall produced reliable, very hot water, but the sink lacked a rubber stopper. (I asked at the reception and the cleaning woman brought a stopper.) Above the sink was a mirror, but the old plastic light fixture did not work until I told the receptionist who promptly put in a new light bulb. There was one medium size white towel hanging on a plastic wall rack. My interior bedroom was upstairs, but as expected, the ancient air-conditioner didn’t work and there was no remote control. Outside my door there was a pleasant sunny sitting area with dusty plastic tables and chairs. This area overlooks the cool courtyard. During my stay I met several interesting guests: a Frenchman living in Chefchaouen who said he stays at Hotel Taroudant two times each year. Another guest was a Frenchman living in Spain, and then a married couple who told me they had ridden their bicycles all the way from South Africa. They said it had taken them an entire year to travel 12,000 kilometers to Taroudant. The receptionist can take five or more minutes to emerge, but once you check-in and show your passport or national identity card you are given your key and you can relax in your room. As you might guess, there is no porter here and no elevator. To get to my room, I walked through the old dining room and the inner courtyard with mature trees. Once I got to the stairs, I walked up 17 steps. There is no hand rail. My room didn't have a view of the street, but those rooms would certainly be noisy. It would have been great to have a mini-refrigerator to keep cold water, but you get what you pay for. Hotel Taroudant is fine for short or longer stays. The old television hanging on a wall had no remote. I managed to turn it on, but the sound was all static and the picture was so poor that I realized it was probably not connected to any satellite dish. You must go outside for coffee or tea in the morning, always leaving your room key at the front reception counter. No credit cards are accepted: you pay in Moroccan Dirhams cash. Best to pay Omar at the reception. Don’t worry if you cannot reach the Hotel Taroudant by telephone, since it is never full. Just show up. You can't make reservations on Booking.com. The room rates are on the wall: 160 Dirhams for one person and 200 Dirhams for two persons, tax included.

Past the heydeys but met our requirements

Central location. Classic old hotel with rather faded feel, but good clean room. Good value. No breakfast during Ramadan and a struggle to find a cafe open in the morning. Not good at answering the phone to make a booking,: keep trying!

Very good location on the central square of Taroudant, and near by the small and authentic market. Beautifull place with very charming garden where birds sing, but unfortunatelly no wifi ( available in the bar right in front).

In fact, the only redeeming feature is the location. If you absolutely have no other choice, go ahead... but you really have to be prepared. The hotel is neglected. The bed linens are stained. The bathrooms haven't been properly cleaned in a very long time. The paint on the bedroom walls is peeling off. 300 dirhams for a triple room is far too expensive for what you get. The gentleman at reception, however, is very kind and welcoming. It's a shame, as this place has great potential.

I was there and I liked the people around me.

This hotel is closed and no longer open to guests.

Recommended No Bar