# Riu Tikida Garden

An adults-only, all-inclusive hotel in the gardens of Marrakesh's Palmeraie, with four outdoor pools, an indoor pool heated in winter and rooms with direct pool access. For couples who want a stay with nothing to organise, between the pool and trips into town.

Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/hotels/riu-tikida-garden/

## A Palmeraie hotel taken over by RIU

The hotel was built in 1990 on the Circuit de la Palmeraie, the district of palm groves and gardens north of Marrakesh. The Spanish chain RIU Hotels & Resorts, founded in Mallorca in 1953, has run it since 2011 and fully renovated it in 2020-2021. It is adults-only and all-inclusive: meals, drinks and snacks are included in the price of the stay.

The grounds are flat and quiet, with palm trees around the pools. Marrakesh-Menara airport is 11 km away; there is a bank 300 m away and a pharmacy at 500 m. For the medina, the 24-hour reception orders taxis.

## An all-inclusive day

The day revolves around three restaurants and two bars, with set hours, in local time.

- **Morning**: the buffet at the main restaurant, from 7.30 to 10.30 am, with live cooking stations. Late risers get a continental breakfast at the Snack restaurant, from 10.30 am to noon.
- **Midday**: the Snack restaurant serves a buffet lunch from 12.30 to 3.30 pm, then afternoon snacks from 3 to 5 pm.
- **Evening**: two options. The main restaurant serves dinner from 6.30 to 9.30 pm, with show cooking, a dessert buffet and two themed nights a week. Culinarium, the à la carte restaurant, offers meat, fish, seafood and vegetarian dishes in two sittings, at 7 pm and 8.30 pm.
- **Bars**: the Lobby Bar, in the hall, and the Pool Bar, by the water in summer.

Between meals, the entertainment team runs poolside games, classes and sports competitions; in the evening, shows and live music.

## Pools, tennis and spa

The hotel has four outdoor pools, each with its own sun terrace, loungers, umbrellas and towels provided. A fifth pool, indoors, is in the spa area; it is heated in winter.

The spa offers a hammam, massages and beauty treatments. For sport, there are two clay tennis courts, a multi-sports court and a gym; the RIU Fit programme runs daily group classes in functional training for all levels. Sports shoes are required in the gym.

The hotel also has a medical service and a shop. It holds the Ecostars certification, a sustainability label for hotels: water saving, waste sorting, excursions run by local guides.

## Swim-Up or Junior Suite

All rooms have a shower and a hair dryer, and one pool-view room is fully adapted for guests with reduced mobility. Doubles come on the garden side or facing the pools; Swim-Up rooms have a terrace that opens straight into the pool, and Junior Suites offer almost twice the space.

Sabaro recommends a Swim-Up room for a spring or autumn stay, when life happens by the water, and a Junior Suite for a winter stay, when you spend more time indoors.

## Sabaro's view

**Who it suits**: adult couples and friends who want an all-inclusive stay in the sun, with occasional trips into the medina.

**Strengths**: adults only; four outdoor pools and an indoor pool heated in winter; Swim-Up rooms; an à la carte restaurant included in the package.

**Good to know**: entertainment and music set the pace by day and in the evening; the minimum guest age is confirmed at booking; the medina is a taxi ride away.

**Our advice**: Culinarium runs in two sittings, so choose your time on arrival. For the city, head out early in the morning and come back to the hotel for lunch.

## Frequently asked questions

### Are children allowed?

No, the hotel is adults-only. The minimum age is confirmed at booking.

### How far is the airport?

The hotel is 11 km from Marrakesh-Menara airport; hotel parking is free. Check-in from 3 pm, check-out by noon.

### Can you swim in winter?

Yes: the indoor pool in the spa area is heated in winter, in addition to the four outdoor pools.

### When is the best time to go?

Marrakesh can be visited all year. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most pleasant, for both the pool and the city; in summer, the day is spent by the water.