After arriving in Rabat, I caught a petit taxi to the medina area. Be sure to negotiate the fare before getting in the taxi, or have your taxi driver turn on the meter. Rather than getting a hotel room, I booked a room at a Rabat riad in the medina. Riads are private residences that have been converted into lodgings, and typically provide a more authentic Moroccan stay. From the outside, they don’t look like anything spectacular. But once inside, you will marvel at mosaic tile work, courtyard fountains, and ornate arches of restored palatial residences. The medina is a car free area, so the taxi dropped me at the gate nearest to my riad. My taxi driver offered to take me, by foot, to the door of my riad. But I declined, citing a map a brought with me. And I did not want to pay an additional fee for the guided direction. He told me how many lefts and rights I should take and said “one wrong turn and woo!”
I wheeled my bag down the first street, as residents of the area watched my progress. One right and two lefts later, I realized I had missed a street somewhere. Fortunately, I did not go to far off track, and I was able to find my desired alleyway. I also noticed I had picked up two frustrated tourists also wheeling bags, probably hoping we were going to the same place. As I went to ring the bell, they must have realized we weren’t going to the same place, and leaned against the wall, sighing. As I was ushered in, I could hear the riad attendant giving directions to the two outside. Hopefully they made it to where they needed to go. A lot of the streets do not have tiled street signs on the walls, denoting the street you are on. So, it can be difficult to orient yourself once you’ve made a wrong turn.
After checking in, I was welcomed with mint tea and a tray of cookies. The tea ceremony, where the tea is poured at least a foot above the glass, adds a fun bit of flourish and drama.
I was happy to see the mint tea return with breakfast the next morning. After the first, foot high pour, the tea pot was left in the center of the table for self service. Upon finishing my first cup, I reached for the tea pot, then quickly withdrew my hand. It felt like molten lava! More than just a pretty, shiny tea pot, the pewter pot held onto its heat a remarkably long time. Which would explain the hand mitt draped over the handle…
In addition to the close proximity to attractions in Rabat, my riad in the medina had a delightful charm I would not have found at a larger hotel. A cozy, two level room, it was decorated with lanterns, exposed wooden ceilings, narrow, spiral staircase, and colorful glass windows. Unlike traditional medina houses, with windows only inside the home, looking out to the courtyard, the riad also had a few windows to the medina alley outside.
I was also surprised to find that the check out time for the riad was very flexible. After dinner, on my last night, one of the front desk attendants came by to ask me “What time would you like to check out tomorrow?” I stared, confused, back at him. “What is the latest time I can check out?” He laughed and said “What ever time you like.” I hesitantly responded, “Noon?” To which he responded “No problem!” How exciting, I wouldn’t have to rush to pack and get out in the morning!