I’ve been to many, many cool hotels over the years. For me, half the fun of traveling is the hotel. I’d rather not travel if the only option is a cheesy, cookie-cutter, chain hotel.  When I’m planning a trip, I spend hours combing travel websites, looking at hotel photos, and reading reviews. I fell upon this gem on Mr. and Mrs. Smith and it was love at first sight. My experience there definitely did not disappoint. The Fellah Hotel, located a little outside of the city center, is like a little bohemian hideaway in the desert. The hotel staff, mostly locals, make you feel like family and are incredibly accommodating. I split my time in Marrakech between two hotels, because I knew once I arrived at the Fellah, I wanted to relax on the grounds rather than running off to explore other parts of the city. There are plenty of day trips and excursions, but staying at the hotel is an easy option as well, as the hotel has a library, a gym where you can take boxing lessons, a spa, and a center where you can learn to cook. I mostly enjoyed my time lounging by the pool with a good book in hand. It was truly a unique and enjoyable experience.

Just a few photos from my trip to Marrakech. I’m dying to go back to Morocco and explore more of Marrakech and also travel to other cities. It is a beautiful country! I was hesitant to travel there alone, having never been to Africa or a Muslim country before, and while there were moments when I felt overwhelmed, and a little out of my comfort zone, I don’t for a second regret going. As a female, there are aspects of travel that men likely take for granted. I never ate a meal outside of my hotel, for instance, because I wasn’t sure if it was culturally acceptable for someone like myself to get dressed up and sit alone at a restaurant. I could have eaten in the medina, but I did attract a lot of unwanted male attention that made me slightly uncomfortable. But I also met many incredible locals, inside and outside of the medina, who were most welcoming. I had an amazing driver, of Berber heritage, who gave me a brilliant history of Morocco. One of the things he emphasized was how even though there were Berbers and Arabs living in one place, and most of the people (but not all) are Muslim, they are very proud of the fact that Morocco is a very peaceful country and they can all live in harmony. Almost every person I spoke to was very eager to make me feel welcome, which was incredible. Also, there isn’t any industry in Marrakech, so the people are welcoming to tourists and hoping to grow the tourism industry. So if you are looking for a trip that is a little off the beaten path, and want a taste of Northern Africa, I would highly recommend Marrakech.