During the 12 days of my first visit to Morocco, I resisted countless scams, fell victim to a couple of them, and generally learned how to get by on a minimal budget. Here are my tips for traveling to Marrakech on a budget.
Please note that credit cards are very rarely accepted in Morocco, and ATMs can be scarce. Make sure you withdraw some money from an ATM at the airport when you arrive. As usual, the quality varies just as widely as the price.
Then again, some of the cheaper hostels are actually quite nice. Most places will be expecting you to pay the city tax in cash when you leave. For my first five days, I stayed at the Dream Kasbah β one of the cheapest options in town.
I waited half an hour for their hour reception to open up for me when they knew I was arriving late, and another 45 minutes to get change after paying for my room. The breakfast was served so late I never had a chance to eat it, the rooms were noisy, busy and dirty with minimal security, the location was far from the main attractions in town, and I had to walk 15 minutes just to visit an ATM to pay for my room.
Simply put, you get what you pay for. My second hostel was the complete opposite. Located just a couple minutes from the main square of Marrakech, Bed Square is a newer hostel with only a couple dozen beds including private rooms. The whole hostel is beautifully decorated, and the staff is so friendly and helpful.
