We had an absolutely wonderful time in Morocco! Its rich history and culture made all we heard and saw absolutely fascinating. And the weather was perfect! Our accommodations were varied and yet all wonderful in their own ways. Interestingly each of Andrea, Taylor and I had a different favorite accommodation but we all loved each of them. We loved staying in Riads vs hotels so really appreciate your recommendation to do that when we put the trip together.
Given the time we had, it worked really well to drive straight from the Casablanca airport to Marrakesh, so I suggest you keep that in mind for other itineraries. Also, as you had predicted, Fez was our favorite city, so saving it towards the end of the trip allowed us to end on the highest note. As Marrakesh has a more European feel, I was happy to start there and then proceed to more “indigenous” Morocco.
I’m saving the best for last, because the absolute highlight of our trip was Youssef! He was upbeat, enthusiastic, attentive, funny, so very knowledgeable, spoke excellent English, punctual (unlike we were
) and absolutely impeccable in every respect. He took all of our requests to heart and made every effort to accommodate us. So important to me, he was open and comfortable responding to questions about his family, his Muslim faith and Moroccan values and lifestyle. Having a window into current culture and society is for me the most interesting thing to learn when visiting a country for the first time. As much as we loved Morocco, we loved Youssef the most and miss him! In fact, I call him this morning just to connect.
Given our enthusiasm for Youssef, I was surprised to see in your trip materials your suggested tipping range for guides. While I can’t speak to normal tipping ranges for travellers from other countries, IMO US travellers on a five star trip would be very much inclined for excellent service to tip far more–more than twice–the upper range suggested in your materials. I strongly suggest you revise your suggested tipping ranges for guides.
Feel free to have potential clients considering a trip to Morocco contact me for a reference. I would recommend Morocco Tours with the highest level of enthusiasm.
George G. (November, 2024)