Where to Stay in Tiznit
From riads where breakfast arrives on silver trays to rooftops where backpackers share mint tea under stars, Tiznit offers beds for every budget and style. Here's the honest truth about where to lay your head.
Accommodation Overview
Tiznit isn't Marrakech - you won't find international chains or infinity pools. What you'll find instead: family-run riads where owners remember your coffee preference, budget hotels where character compensates for missing amenities, and homestays where you're guest not customer.
Quick Price Guide (Per Night)
- Budget: 100-250 MAD (dorms, basic rooms)
- Mid-range: 300-600 MAD (comfortable hotels, simple riads)
- Upper-mid: 700-1000 MAD (quality riads, best hotels)
- Luxury: 1200+ MAD (when available, which is rare)
Peak Season (July-August, December): Prices increase 20-30%, availability tight
Low Season (November, February-March): Discounts common, negotiate freely
Medina Riads & Guesthouses Traditional Choice
Stay within the ancient walls for maximum atmosphere
Riad Janoub
Location: Heart of medina, near Source Bleue
Contact: +212 528 60 XX XX
The benchmark Tiznit riad experience. Eight rooms around courtyard with orange trees. Owner Ahmed speaks four languages, knows everyone, arranges everything. Breakfast is overwhelming - msemen, amlou, fresh fruit, eggs any style.
Pros:
- Central location
- Gorgeous traditional architecture
- Exceptional breakfast
- Owner is walking encyclopedia
- Rooftop views spectacular
Cons:
- No parking nearby
- Rooms small (authentic but small)
- Sound carries in courtyard
- Complicated to find first time
Insider tip: Room 7 has best morning light, Room 3 coolest in summer
Dar Aicha
Location: Near Grand Mosque
Aicha inherited this house from her grandmother and converted three rooms for guests. More homestay than hotel. She cooks dinner on request (80 MAD) - best home cooking you'll find. Her daughter translates if needed.
Pros:
- Authentic family atmosphere
- Incredible home-cooked meals
- Very quiet area
- Flexible check-in/out
Cons:
- Only 3 rooms
- Shared bathroom for 2 rooms
- No credit cards
- Limited English
Maison Berbere
Location: Eastern medina
Converted merchant house popular with younger travelers. Communal terraces encourage mingling. Kitchen available for guest use. Owner's son leads informal city tours (tips only).
Pros:
- Great price for location
- Social atmosphere
- Kitchen access saves money
- Informal tour guide
Cons:
- Can be noisy
- Basic amenities
- Hot water temperamental
- Mattresses firm (floor-style)
New Town Hotels Modern Comfort
Outside the walls - easier parking, modern amenities, less atmosphere
Hotel Tiznit
Location: Avenue Hassan II, near bus station
The city's attempt at a proper hotel. Pool (seasonal), restaurant (overpriced), bar (discreet). Popular with tour groups and business travelers. Reliable if uninspiring.
Pros:
- Pool refreshing in summer
- Secure parking
- 24-hour reception
- Credit cards accepted
- Walking distance to transport
Cons:
- Zero character
- 15-minute walk to medina
- Tour groups can dominate
- Restaurant mediocre
Hotel Essaada
Location: Behind post office
Solid two-star option. Clean, functional, fair prices. Owner Hassan worked in French hotels, maintains standards. Good base for families - large rooms, helpful staff.
Pros:
- Spacious family rooms
- Very clean
- Fair prices year-round
- Owner very helpful
Cons:
- Boring location
- No restaurant
- Decor dated
- Street can be noisy
Budget Accommodation Under 250 MAD
For those counting dirhams
Auberge Aksim (Backpacker Classic)
Location: Near Bab Aglou
Tiznit's backpacker institution. Dorms (80 MAD), private rooms (150 MAD), roof mattresses (50 MAD). Kitchen use included. Owner Omar is legend - knows every bus schedule, cheapest everything.
Pros:
- Cheapest bed in town
- Great travel information
- Kitchen saves fortune
- Social atmosphere
Cons:
- Very basic
- Can be party central
- Hygiene variable
- No privacy
Hotel Atlas
Location: Avenue Mohammed V
No frills but clean and central. Popular with Moroccan travelers. Rooms tiny but beds comfortable. Shared bathrooms spotless. Reception doubles as travel agency.
Alternative Accommodations
Apartment Rentals
Price: 200-400 MAD/night (weekly discounts)
Several medina houses available for weekly/monthly rental. No Airbnb presence yet, arrange through local contacts:
- Ask at Cyber Atlas - they know available properties
- Riad Janoub's owner manages several apartments
- Facebook group "Tiznit Rentals" (French/Arabic)
Pros: Kitchen, privacy, local neighborhood experience
Cons: Minimum stay usually week, no services, language barrier
Beach Camping (Aglou)
Price: 50-100 MAD/night
Distance: 14km from Tiznit
Two official campgrounds at Aglou beach:
- Camping Aglou Plage: Basic but beachfront
- Camping Municipal: Better facilities, further from beach
Wild camping tolerated in certain areas - ask locals. Bring everything - facilities minimal.
Homestays
Price: 150-300 MAD including meals
Not officially organized but possible through connections. Women's cooperative arranges homestays for those learning crafts. Ask at tourist office (when open) or through your accommodation.
What to expect: Family life immersion, amazing food, basic comfort, language challenges
Booking Strategy
When to Book
Must Book Ahead:
- Timizart Festival (July): Book 2 months ahead or accept camping
- August: European Moroccans visit family, everything full
- Religious holidays: Eid especially problematic
- New Year: Surprisingly busy
Can Wing It:
- November-February (except holidays)
- April-May
- September-October
Booking Channels
- Direct: Always cheapest, practice your French
- Booking.com: Some properties, adds 15-18% commission
- WhatsApp: Increasingly common, send message in French
- Walk-in: Works off-season, risky in summer
Where to Stay: By Area
Medina (Inside Walls)
Best for: Atmosphere seekers, culture lovers, photographers
Drawbacks: No parking, maze-like streets, early morning call to prayer
Verdict: Stay here for authentic experience
New Town
Best for: Families, drivers, modern comfort seekers
Drawbacks: Sterile, requires transport to attractions
Verdict: Practical but boring
Beach Areas (Aglou/Mirleft)
Best for: Beach lovers, surfers, escapists
Drawbacks: Far from Tiznit sights, limited dining
Verdict: Different holiday entirely
Special Considerations
For Families
Recommended: Hotel Essaada (spacious), Riad Janoub (cultural), beach camping (adventure)
Note: Most places accommodate extra beds for children
For Solo Female Travelers
Recommended: Riad Janoub (secure, central), Dar Aicha (family atmosphere)
Avoid: Isolated new town hotels, camping alone
For Digital Nomads
Best: Apartment rental with dedicated workspace
Wi-Fi Reality: Decent in most hotels, terrible in traditional riads
Co-working: Doesn't exist, but Café Atlas tolerates laptop workers
Accessibility
Limited Options: Hotel Tiznit has elevator, ground floor rooms
Challenges: Medina streets impossible for wheelchairs
Best bet: New town hotels, call ahead to discuss needs
The Perfect Stay
The best accommodation in Tiznit isn't the most expensive or the most photogenic. It's the one where the owner remembers your name, where breakfast conversations become travel memories, where you feel less like a customer and more like a temporarily adopted family member.
Tiznit doesn't do luxury well - even expensive places have quirks. But it excels at hospitality. Choose your accommodation based on the experience you want: medina magic despite inconveniences, modern comfort without character, or budget basics with stories to tell.
Whatever you choose, adjust expectations. Hot water might be theoretical, Wi-Fi definitely is, and that rooster next door doesn't respect your hangover. But you'll sleep well knowing you're in a place that hasn't sold its soul to tourism, where your host genuinely cares if you enjoyed the mint tea, where the call to prayer at dawn feels less like interruption and more like invitation to witness a city waking up the same way it has for centuries.
Final Accommodation Wisdom: Book the first night only if unsure. Tiznit is small enough to scout alternatives once you arrive. That perfect riad might not have a website, that family guesthouse might not be in guides. Sometimes the best accommodation finds you, usually through someone's cousin who knows someone with a beautiful room they occasionally rent to nice people. Be nice people.