Front of property

Reviews of Dar Ayniwen Garden Hotel & Bird Zoo

5 out of 5
Dar Ayniwen Garden Hotel & Bird Zoo
Tafrata, Palmeraie de Marrakech, Marrakech

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 177 out of 190 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 11 out of 190 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 190 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 190 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 190 reviews" "

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Staff & service

10/10

Amenities

9.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Karen Suzanne

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely fantastic hotel. The managenent and staff went above and beyond to make our stay in Marakesh the best we could have wished for. We would highly recommend this hotel.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Zoe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Dar Ayniwen is a tranquil, refined paradise away from the hustle and bustle of central Marrakech. More like stepping inside a private home (which it once was), guests are treated to attentive but unobtrusive service in beautiful rooms furnished with antiques and Moroccan treasures. Food is utterly delicious. Days can be spent relaxing by the pool, exploring the beautiful gardens or taking in the sights of Marrakech (via the hotel’s shuttle). I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough - as a solo traveller I was thoroughly looked after and shall most definitely return.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful hotel
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dan

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This property is an absolute oasis. The staff are phenomenal and the food is absolutely amazing. Probably the freshest home cooked meal I had in Morocco.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful property and management. Can’t wait to stay there again!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The gardens are spectacular, and the resort-like service makes it feel like paradise.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Beautiful grounds well kept exotic birds very lovely heated private pool plus heated common pool. Breakfast was lovely fresh squeezed orAnge juice everything day. Dinner was delicious especially duck FYI dinner lunch cost extra
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Such a pleasure to stay here for almost a week. Our room/suite was the size of a flat with the most luxurious bathroom we've ever seen. Lovely heated pool and terrace, and absolutely beautiful gardens, an oasis of peace yet 15 minutes from the centre (subject to local traffic!). The staff couldn't do enough for us: transport, advice, bookings all taken care of. Special mention for the delicious cooking - it is more expensive than city centre restaurants but excellent value for the quality, everything prepared to order, organic / local for the most part. And they mix a mean cocktail! We loved it all and hope to return.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a lovely old property very quiet set in beautiful grounds with good food and friendly staff. They also offer an excellent and flexible shuttle service to the old town and restaurants.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
fabulous Bird zoo...amazing property, with free transportation to town and airport! Yeah..loved it.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The hotel is a few miles away from the medina but includes a free shuttle service which is very convenient. The rooms are very large although a bit dated and the grounds are beautiful and spacious. The hotel is popular with families and so not as romantic as the photos would suggest.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2019

8/10 Good

Louise

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
An oasis
A lovely oasis to chill out and relax by the pool which is set in a garden with wandering tortoises and the background chatter of many birds. The food at Dar Ayniwen was delicious and showed off the local cuisine perfectly.
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely place, so tranquil in stark contrast to the souk!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Barry

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful hotel and gardens
Beautiful hotel and gardens. Great owner/ manager. Food excellent. Rooms large and stylish, many with courtyards, more like suites. Only negative, bathrooms lacking separate shower, baths too large, water pressure low.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

kbk247, Doncaster

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing hotel
I can’t recommend this hotel enough, Stefan the owner is such a nice guy and really cares for his guests as does his staff ! The rooms are amazing and the gardens. Food is top notch aswell !
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

SJ

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Piece of heaven
A little piece of heaven 10 minutes from the centre of Marrakesh. The Dar Aiyen is set within beautiful grounds with many exotic birds. Our spacious suite was luxurious with beautiful balconies south and north facing. We were able to see the extensive grounds from each balcony, these were great places to relax 1st thing in the morning or last thing as the sun goes down. The staff are extremely helpful, the food was fantastic, nothing was to much trouble. The owner Stefano and General Manager Aziz were extremely attentive to our needs. This is a beautiful place to stay and I will certainly be going back. Thanks to everyone at the Dar Aiyen who made our stay so special.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 6 nights in May 2018

10/10 Excellent

suzie , london

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazingly perfect
Love this place ! Will be returning. Food lovely ! Breakfast delicious! Massage heavenly and service perfect ! Not a bad thing to say
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018

10/10 Excellent

claudie , london

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stunning hotel, great location
We are so happy to have discovered this place. Because it used to be the owners home, it feels so relaxed and homely here while still maintaining a five star service. Getting a free shuttle to and from the airport is a great touch. No worries about having to sort taxis and then there is a free shuttle to and from town, really amazing service. I highly recommend this hotel. The pool is lovely and the food is exceptional. We didn't want to leave!

10/10 Excellent

Sam, M

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect telaxation
As soon as we arrived we were given a guided tour of the beautiful house, mint tea and pastries were served to us on the veranda whilst we settled in, and nothing could have made us feel more relaxed. This was the theme for the whole week as we relaxed in the peaceful and beautiful gardens, ate the delicious treats cooked up by the chef and swam in the cool swimming pool. There were always staff on hand to recommend day trips out to Marrakech, which is only 10 minutes away in the free transport the hotel provides, and they will come and collect you when you are ready to return. We couldn't have asked for better service! We will definitely be coming back!

10/10 Excellent

Vicky, Leeds

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A perfect getaway
Dar Ayniwen is just fantastic - every aspect of your stay is given special consideration from the airport pick up, super efficient service, beautiful food and the house and gardens themselves are spectacular.

10/10 Excellent

Gabriel &Faith, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous hotel, very quiet and clean
My husband and I spent 4 nights 29th April- 3rd May celebrating our anniversary at this beautiful hotel and we were not disappointed. The staff were great and helpful. Breakfast was basic but otherwise food is great. Loved the free airport transfares and transport provision into Marrakech on hourly basis. My husband and I went out everyday to enjoy the busyness of Marrakech and enjoyed coming back to this lovely and quiet hotel.
Lunch upon arrival
Night view of the hotel

10/10 Excellent

Lee, Doncaster UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Garden of Eden
All I can say, you must visit this place it is a paradise garden the ultimate of relaxation fantastic place to unwind
Response from Aziz on May 20, 2016
Dear Lee, Thank you so much for your comment, we hope to welcome you again in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Douglas, Rowayton, Connecticut

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great as always
Dar Ayniwen was great as always. This is our third year staying at Dar Ayniwen. It is a wonderful experience on beautiful grounds and just a short trip to the Medina. Our daughter loves the aviaries and the pool, the food is outstanding, and the environment is relaxing. Stefan and Aziz are always extremely helpful. One of the most important aspects of Dar Ayniwen is that the ready transportation into central Marrakech. This means that you can be in the heart of the bustling Souk and in a very short time be back in the calm of Dar Ayniwen. We highly recommend it!
Dear Douglas family, Thank you for your comment. It was a pleasure to welcome for your third visit to Marrakech. Hope to see you again next time.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A real gem
Gorgeous boutique hotel, decorated with Moroccan antiques and lovely silks. Service absolutely excellent - could not wish for more pleasant and attentive staff. Dinner in the 'tent' - magical - and delicious food.
Response from Aziz on May 20, 2016
Thank you for taking time to write us this comment. It is highly appreciated by all the team. See you next time.

10/10 Excellent

Ryan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Oasis in Marrakesh
Really friendly staff. Great grounds. Premium rooms. Fantastic dinners in a premium tent (w/ fireplace). My wife was pleasantly surprised that I took here there. A great place to relax after the craziness of Marrakesh.
Dear Ryan, Thank you so much for your comment. Your words will be shared with all the team. It is your happiness that fuels our. Best regards

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful boutique hotel.
A beautiful small personal hotel. An idyllic getaway and escape from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech.

8/10 Good

john, yeovil

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
the wonderful Dar Ayniwen
an oasis of calm in the palmerie, 10 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech. We just had to ask for a car to take and collect us from the centre. excellent. Aziz could not do enough for us. A wonderful stay. Lovely food and a fabulous room(bamboo) Will definitely stay again

10/10 Excellent

Glo, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic weekend at this hotel 5th - 8th Feb.
This is a gem of a place .. At first we were unsure of whether this was going to be OK the journey in looked a little odd.. But we were not dissappointed . A paradise behind a plain wooden door on the outskirts of the city. Staff were lovely the grounds gorgeous. Our room was amazing La Rotonde the pool house has a private garden and pool away from the main house, a beautiful suite with the lush smell of orange blossom oil. Transport on tap to the city and good food to order eaten where you wanted in the grounds. The warmest outdoor pool we've ever had it steamed in the morning sun. I can't say enough it was wonderful Already planning to go back.
La Rotonde bedroom
Entrance hall chandelier
Antiques
Beautiful grounds 5 acres to enjoy

8/10 Good

Suhan, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
You cannot fail to be impressed by the hotel. It is a very large house that has been converted into a 5* 8 room hotel. The building and grounds are lovely. The service is very friendly and I can see why so many people love this place. Whether this suits you or not will depend on your expectations of a boutique 5* hotel. The easiest way to explain my opinion is with pros and cons. Pros: Beautiful place Friendly service Free shuttle to town - we loved our driver, Hasan (we could only speak to him in our limited French) but he was a very happy chappy. The manager, Aziz, was very helpful Our room was spacious with a huge balcony Cons: Breakfast was basic and uninspiring. It was the same every day and full of wheat. We have stayed in boutique hotels around the world and maybe have high expectations. It was like a b&b breakfast. You have the option of paying for extras. We did not use the spa but it was very small. You have to go through the treatment room to get to the hammam (very difficult with all the lights off). Expedia implied that we would have access to a hot tub but this is only some rooms. The waiting staff's English is not always that good but they speak French. If you are up late night or early morning, all the lights are off and there is no one around. The place is very desolate. We were woken up early morning a few nights by some strange noise in the pipes. If you want lunch or dinner, you will need to book this in the morning. Room service not 24 hours

10/10 Excellent

Nancy, Texas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awesome!
Unfortunately, we were delayed getting there, so missed our first night and day there. This place is a jewel - beautiful setting, and I was not aware of the wonderful bird sanctuary in the back until the last morning. Highly recommend. Dinner prices seemed high.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing oasis outside of Marrakech
This was the most unique vacation experience I could imagine. The house, the art, the gardens, pool, aviaries and the staff are amazing! It's a place that is a destination in and of itself, but there's also the amazing Marrakech medina or further flung areas. Loved everything about Riad Ayniwen.

10/10 Excellent

amazing stay, london

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Home away from home
This has to be the most refreshing break I've had in Marrakech ever Staff are superb, very organised and treat you like royalty I will be returning again and by far recommend this as one of the best places to stay overall Thank you Stephen and Aziz for a memorable stay in this magical place where Africa meets Arabia

8/10 Good

alex, d

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Romantic Hide-away in the Palmeraie
This hotel offers romance and tranquillity. Wonderful garden and very nice welcoming staff .

10/10 Excellent

Amr, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Resort
Friendly and helpful staff, loved the stay, there, stayed in both the Tiwaline II and the Rotonde for a whole week split between them, their car services are great and free so you don't need to worry about how you will go to town for site seeing.

10/10 Excellent

Mark , London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing hotel, unbelievable 5* experience.
Staff were friendly and very accommodating. Free shuttle service was brilliant and took us everywhere we wanted and picked us up at the times we wanted. French-Moroccon colonialesque decor was beautiful and general comfort was luxurious. Breakfasts were delicious. Hotel gardens were beautiful and romantic. It was the perfect honeymoon

10/10 Excellent

Piet, Weymouth, Dorset

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Secret hide-away.
We had a fantastic time from start to finish. The owner/manager and staff were extremely helpful.

10/10 Excellent

Francisco, Washington

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
BEST. SERVICE. EVER
This is one of the most extraordinary hotels I've ever stayed in in my life. With only eight rooms, and yet all of the amenities of a five star Moroccan resort (a spa with massages and a steam room, a pool, fish ponds, aviaries, very large grounds), the hotel was the perfect mixture of ultimate luxury in an intimate setting. The staff, especially the manager Aziz, were incredibly gracious and professional. The food was incredible, with a fresh menu that changes every day, and the staff were more than willing to accommodate any special requests I made of them and even prepare dishes that weren't on the menu! The aura of the hotel is extremely relaxing and I came back to the US feeling rejuvenated. Finally, the hotel is located in the Palmeraie area, rather than the Medina (15 minutes away), but there are private drivers (free and included in your hotel stay) that will take you anywhere you wish and pick you up at the time of your choice. After the hustle and bustle of the souks and the medina, there was nothing better than returning to this oasis for a glass of wine overlooking the extensive grounds as the palm trees swayed in the dusk breeze. Absolutely awesome.

10/10 Excellent

elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful hotel with gorgeous gardens, very calm
Totally relaxing experience, and all our needs were effortlessly catered for.

10/10 Excellent

Becky, England

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely little hotel just outside of the city
Had a wonderful time in Morocco, a large portion of which was down to the hotel! The staff were so welcoming and the hotel was so generous. The food was delicious and the facilities were available whenever we asked for them. The hotel is set out in such a way that you feel like you're on a completely private holiday. Plus the bird were beautiful! I've recommended this hotel to all my friends as a great and amazingly priced getaway.

10/10 Excellent

Andrew, Yelverton, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic traditional hotel in the Palmeraie area
We had a four night break 9th to 13th March. Met be the owner on arrival and given a guided tour. As a bonus we found that our room had been upgraded and consisted of a living room, bedroom and very large bathroom with a vaulted ceiling. Outside we had a courtyard and hot tub. Very comfortable and traditionally decorated. The hotel staff are excellent. Very keen and eager to help. French is the second language but English is widely spoken and we had no issues. Aziz at reception is very helpful in suggesting places to see and visit. The food at the hotel is very good, particularly the traditional Moroccan fare. We had a cooking lesson one afternoon and saw our evening meal being prepared (and given the recipe) The hotel is in a quiet area aprox 20 mins from the old city. A free minibus service is provided running all day and well into the evening. As we were on a short break we split our time between sightseeing and shopping in the city and relaxing by the pool. Weather was in the high 20s every day. All in all a fantastic, relaxing holiday

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
An amazing hotel. Everything you could wish for and more.

10/10 Excellent

Steve & Krishna, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Oasis of tranquillity in crazy Marrakesh!
We couldn't have been better looked after from beginning to end of our short 4 day break. Although we landed early our transfer bus and driver (from Dar Ayniwen) were there waiting for us, ready to whisk us through the busy, crazy streets of Marrakesh and onward through a number of dusty, bumpy side roads, until we finally ended up at the huge wooden gated entrance to Dar Ayniwen. Once inside, we were presented with a vision of complete tranquillity. Beautifully kept gardens with tall palm trees swaying in the breeze, sparkling swimming pool, and the sound of tropical birds in the background. The small, but perfectly formed and ornately decorated Dar Ayniwen hotel nestled in the middle of all this tranquillity, and after a brief tour by the excellent manager, Aziz, we were shown to our rose-petal adorned room! A very, very good beginning indeed, and things got even better! Particular high points included the wonderful breakfasts and the superb evening meals served in the romantic tented restaurant, the brilliant attentive (but never intrusive) staff, the oh-so relaxing massage and traditional hamam in the hotel spa, and the convenience and efficiency of the shuttle service which was always ready to take you to the destination of your choice (within reason!) and never late when picking you up. Altogether an excellent short holiday. We definitely would like to go again some day, and would absolutely recommend it to others.

10/10 Excellent

simon, capetown

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel
Fantastic hotel. Can't wait to come back

10/10 Excellent

debs, St Helens,Merseyside

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This hotel is amazing,we didn't want to come home!
This is the first time we have been to Marrakech & we had the best time! I cannot praise this hotel enough-the staff were outstanding & the attention to detail in looking after all the guests was 110% spot on! The Morroccan people are so warm & friendly & always polite-although it can be a little overwhelming when you first go to the Medina & they approach you-be firm but respectful & polite! They are happy to point you in the right direction should you lose your way & we found them very welcoming to visitors, either in the shops, markets, or in the streets-they also like to banter with tourists! The leather is an excellent buy-as are the scarves-always haggle-it is expected!! You will get some real bargains in the medina & there are also designer shops in the European quarter if that's what you prefer-take a trip there by horse & carriage-agree the price before you get in though! Evening entertainment in the medina includes real snake charmers, acrobats & traditional Morrocan bands-you can also get a Henna tattoo from one of the Berber women! Visit the Jardin majorelle & the Yves Saint Laurent memorian & museum-it is beautiful & very colourful! Loads to so & see in Morrocco-you will be spoiled for choice!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A beautiful hotel, very elegant and peaceful
A wonderful surprise at the end of our journey. We were greeted by friendly staff who took such good care of us throughout our stay. The food was superb and presented beautifully. Sumptuous room overlooking the gardens.