RIAD DAR EL PACO -- 7

BEST PLACE TO STAY IN ESSAOURIA MOROCCO

Dar El Paco provides guided tours of the souk, just 150 feet away. Local activities also include horse or camel riding and kitesurfing.

This is our guests' favorite part of Essaouira, according to independent reviews.

This property also has one of the top-rated locations in Essaouira! Guests are happier about it compared to other properties in the area.

Couples in particular like the location – they rated it 9.7 for a two-person trip.

This property is also rated for the best value in Essaouira!

Guests are getting more for their money when compared to other properties in this city.

-Booking.com

https://www.facebook.com/riaddarelpaco/

RIAD DAR EL PACO -- 6

BEST PLACE TO STAY IN ESSAOURIA MOROCCO

Located in central Essaouira, this traditional Moroccan bed and breakfast is 1,000 feet from the beach. 

It offers individually decorated rooms with free Wi-Fi and mint tea upon arrival.

Each room overlooks the medina and features a shower. 

Dar El Paco also provides a living room area.

Breakfast is served daily.

You can relax on the rooftop terrace and admire a panoramic view of the medina and sea.

-Booking.com

https://www.facebook.com/riaddarelpaco/

RIAD DAR EL PACO -- 5

BEST PLACE TO STAY IN ESSAOURIA MOROCCO

We will be there to answer all your questions, recommend you placed to visit, restaurants to eat and of course, tell you some general information about the city and culture.

We are happy to guide and assist you during your stay. 

El paco has an agreement with the kite surfing schools, riding schools and hammam. Storage are also available.

Shuttle service to and from Marrakech and Essaouira Airport can be arranged at an extra charge

To ensure you a better service we would kindly ask you to communicate us the arrival time in Essaouria by e mail or what’s up, the day before or the same day of arrival.

Benvenuti!

https://www.facebook.com/riaddarelpaco/

RIAD DAR EL PACO -- 4

BEST PLACE TO STAY IN ESSAOURIA MOROCCO

Guests may also relax on the terrace and admire a panoramic view of the Medina and sea. 

Book a hammam and a massage in the spa at the side of our house.

You will be greeted by us Giovanni & Lara, the owner of the house, we are Italian and we speak French, Spanish and English.

With us the gentle lady Wafaa who is fluent French, English and Italian.

The house is perfectly secure, you will be free to take your room key and the main door key with you just like being at home.

--Dar El Paco Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/riaddarelpaco/

RIAD DAR EL PACO -- 3

BEST PLACE TO STAY IN ESSAOURIA MOROCCO

Riad Dar el Paco is a small peaceful house in the heart of the Medina. Close to the souk, but on a quiet little side-street in the Mellah. 

Everything is in walking distance and everything is possible.

El Paco offers 5 comfortable rooms individually decorated with private bath, shower and hairdryer. 

In 4 rooms we can accommodate 3 people (with a small extra charge).

A Moroccan breakfast is served every morning and lunch and dinner are available on request in a typical restaurant near the Riad.

--Dar El Paco Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/riaddarelpaco/

RIAD DAR EL PACO -- 2

BEST PLACE TO STAY IN ESSAOURIA MOROCCO

I ran into Dar El Paco’s owners in the souk and mentioned I was looking for the perfect gift for my wife. 

They walked me around the corner to an English-speaking atelier who spent a ton of time finding a great, Moroccan-made present.

When I was concerned that I was getting a little disoriented as far as walking from the Medina to the bus station for the coach back to Marrakech, they again walked me to my destination.

Perfect Place, perfect people.

https://www.facebook.com/riaddarelpaco/

RIAD DAR EL PACO -- 1

I loved staying at Dar el Paco in Essaouira, Morocco.

In the heart of the Medina, it features an amazing location at an astoundingly great price.

The room was beautiful, the night was quiet, the bed was super comfy and the space very well-designed for serious travelers.

The great hosts served a sumptuous breakfast (included) and had great recommendations for restaurants – including fresh grilled fish as Chez Ahmed, where they walked me to while orienting me with Essaouria’s countless charms.

https://www.facebook.com/riaddarelpaco/

HOTEL IBIS COPACABANA POSTO 2 -- RIO DE JANEIRO - 6

RESPONSIVE STAFF 

About the only negative I read in online reviews of the Ibis Copa Posto 2 were about a front desk perceived as aloof and lacking in English skills.

I found the opposite. 

Granted, the first person I talked to started giving off that “I know some English, but you are talking to fast, with too much slang and not enough context for me to keep up with” look. 

Quickly and politely they summoned a co-worker with English skills darn near as good as a native speakers.

Problem solved, warmly. 

I asked for an extra towel and flat sheet right at the front desk and they tossed them to me with a smile in a moment. 

I get up to my room and cannot find the converter I know I packed to give my phone charger access to power.

I go to the lobby. 

No problem, they hand my 3 converter plugs. 

Then I realize I forgot pack a step down transformer for my razor. 

Wow, I’m going to kill a couple hours hunting for one on the street and pay a big price for something I may not bring back home, I thought.

I sheepishly return to the same front desk crew and explain my situation.

Seconds later, a sturdy transformer is handed over to me to sign out for the duration of my stay – no cost at all. 

This is far above and beyond the amenities one would expect from a budget-minded property.

http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-6497-ibis-copacabana-posto-2/index.shtml

HOTEL IBIS COPACABANA POSTO 2 -- RIO DE JANEIRO - 5

QUIET SETTINGS 

When I checked in, my only request was a quiet room. 

The friendly front desk staffer asked if I wanted a higher floor, a lower or street or rear-facing room. 

The room that is the most tranquil, I answered each time. 

The person said I would be on the first (first one above ground floor lobby) floor.

I asked about street noises.

“This is the quietest street in Copa” the person said. 

He was not BSing.

Being on the first floor, I could be down one level and on the streets in no time. 

I heard a little bit of delivery truck sounds, but adjusted to it the first day. 

A two night guest on my eastern wall had the TV up a bit loud a bit late, but a white noise app on the phone masked that annoyance in no time.

I’m also big on privacy. 

Once I configure my pillow, extra bed sheet, luggage, belongings – I really don’t want anybody messing with it.

Ibis is probably the first hotel of the hundreds I’ve stayed with that actually respected the “do not make up room” sign for as long as I had it up. 

No maids knocking during nap town. 

No panicked call from the front desk twisting my arm for a housekeeping visit. 

The maids replenished the things I needed when I asked them for supplies in the hallway.

HOTEL IBIS COPACABANA POSTO 2 -- RIO DE JANEIRO - 4

EFFICIENT ROOM

I chuckled a bit when my online booking called my room an apartment. More like a smallish cruise ship cabin.

But a perfect one.

A desk by the window.

A big bed. 

A shower with endless hot water. 

A big sink for shaving, laying out all the toiletries, etc.

A nice dorm-sized fridge.

Came in handy for storing sodas, bottled water, snacks and lots of pastries bought in the neighborhood for the next day’s breakfast. 

The safe was huge and easy to use.

I fit my camera, passport, hidden stash of backup cash and large laptop in with room to spare.

Even when I splurged on jewelry for my wife, the items fit in the safe along with the aforementioned articles.