We stayed for a week in August 2006 and enjoyed it a lot. The foods at breakfast, lunch and dinner, were excellent and all the staff was very kind and friendly to my three years old son. We also enjoyed the pool and beach in front of the hotel.
The room was spacious and completely clean. We love this hotel and want to stay again!

We have just returned from a 2 week stay at the Tikida Beach and have often used this website to help us either plan our holiday so felt that we should post a review to help others.

This was a 4* hotel that was very clean, well organised and able to cater well for the number of guests staying even in high season, however, please be aware and do not under-estimate the number of french tourists staying here, you are out numbered at least 10 to 1.

At first this was not a problem but in the evening it was sometimes difficult to enjoy yourself when everything was said in French and you could not easily strike up friendships or have as much of a laugh, as the majority of the hotels guests were French. My 13 year old daughter found it quite difficult but did make some friends in the end (although I know some of the younger 6 to 12 year olds found it very difficult).

Please remember that gentlemen must wear long trousers to dinner (we were not aware of this until we arrived). All of the restaurants are free and all inclusive except the Zanzibar (tapas bar) where drinks and snacks are quite expensive. This is one of the only resorts where we have had bottles of water given over free of charge at the bars, which was a big plus. We also found that if you tipped the waiter in the Cascade bar in the evening, that he then looked after you and made sure you had a drink everytime he passed. Please be aware that tipping is expected in Morocco and that you should tip your maid at least 100 dirham per week and a waiter either 10 % if eating out and about, or around 20 dirham (approx £1.40). The hotel will change most currency for you but it is probably easier to just bring sterling travellers cheques, the exchange rate when we left was £1 = 16 dirham. We were informed by a local that a very good Moroccan wage is £250 per month! so bear this in mind when tipping. The staff in the bar do not like you to go up to the bar to order drinks they prefer you to sit at a table and they will then come and serve you however, after waiting for some time it is usually the English guests who end up going up to the bar!.

The food was good and varied and we all always found something to eat, however, we did suffer with upset tummies, not sure if this was the salad and vegetables, as we all avoided ice and did as the reps advised and did not drink the bottled water cold (they advise you to drink this at room temperature). Most people seemed to suffer the same so make sure you pack Imodium or similar!

The weather can be overcast but usually 'burns off' by 10am however we had a couple of days where it stayed overcast but you could still feel the sun coming through and were still able to get sunburnt! Take insect repellent spray with you as there are a lot of annoying flies that buzz around you all day at the pool, however all other bugs are at a minimum, very few cockroaches, mosquitos and wasps.

We went into Agadir to do some shopping and tending to go to the Uniprix shop first (fixed prices) to gauge how much things should cost, then went haggling, as a rule try to pay half of whatever they say they want for something but start a bit lower than this and see how you get on! We used the orange petit taxis for a maximum of 3 passengers and NEVER paid more than 20 dirhams to go to the centre of Agadir, some drivers put the meter on and others don't, please be aware these are not always the most roadworthy or clean of vehicles!

We went on the day trip to Marrakesh which involved a 6am start, a 4 hour coach journey, a very long and tiring day and then a 4 hour coach journey back! You do alot of walking and it is around 10 degrees hotter in Marrkesh than in Agadir, make sure you wear comfortable clothes, take a drink and toilet paper with you! You will have an enjoyable day but be prepared for hassle in the main square from the snake charmers etc... We sat in one of the roof top cafes in the end and used our camera to 'zoom' into the square and hence not get the hassle and not have to pay for the priviledge of a photo, but we all really enjoyed the day and the experience. (this day trip cost around £50 a person)

The hotel offers a spa and beauty therapy/hairdressing centre which was well priced and attended, there is also a small shop on the complex which we found to be quite expensive. The golf course seemed to be popular with regular coaches taking guests out on a daily basis. There is also a very talented lady who sits in reception and carries out henna tattoos, these are well worth the money and are really, really good!

Before you pack them you are not allowed lilo's or balls in the pool, you are also not meant to reserve sun beds (although this does happen). Towels for around the pool are provided (via a card exchange system) so you do not need to pack your own.

When we arrived we were offered room 261 which I was aware from previous reports was in a noisy part of the hotel (above the bar and nightclub) so I refused the room before seeing it and asked for a quiet room, however another family at our welcome meeting said they had this room and could not sleep they spoke to the rep and were moved the next day, but be aware that this is a noisy block of apartments in general.

To sum up this was a clean and well run hotel however there was not enough entertainment for the whole family and they were not geared up for British travellers, as a result we would not go back to this hotel. If you have any questions or queries please feel free to email me.

We were a party of 8 from 50 years to 8 years. The first impressions was quite pleasant and the hotel looked good and nicely laid out - however after 3 days I felt like I had been laid out.

My room was damp and the air con broken. After 4 attempts to fix it I was told it could not happen but this was not as bad as the smell of sewage that came from the toilet. Our clothes were damp and started to smell after 3 days. We were eventually moved on the 4th day. This room was lovely and dry and not at all damp, the toilet however did still smell.

The food looked great with a good choice but at times was severely undercooked and the flies in the fish restaurant were a health hazard. The Italian Restaurant which served bar snacks, pizzas, pasta etc, was relatively safe to eat from.

The 'swim up' bar, described in all places where this hotel is advertised, was none existent and when asked the rep said it was not mentioned anywhere ?? The plastic glasses at the beach bar were smelly and often had to be returned as they were dirty. On day one, in the main bar, the beer had 'floaters' and remained undrinkable even after a change of barrel. The shorts were safer to drink but the mixers were nearly always flat.

The staff could be incredibly rude with the exception of a few who were wonderful. The receptionist would only help if you were parting with money and became mute if you had a problem. The manager in the restaurant favoured the French tourists, as did many of the staff. The staff in the hotel shop were rude and would communicate by typing in the amount of money they wanted into the calculator while carrying on talking with other people and not looking at you. The do not cater for English tourists with only approx 3 newspapers delivered while French newspapers were in abundance.

All the children at the Kids Club were French so it was difficult for smaller children to paricipate but the activities for the older kidse.g.Archery were very good.

My partner ended up on anti-biotics and everyone had some form of Gastric problem over the course of the 2 weeks. The rep was good enough to mention the Dr on more than one occassion during the Welcome Meeting, we got to know why !

The beach activities were good for the teenagers although evening entertainment for anyone was a bit tedious.

I do not think that I will be returning to this hoteland was dissapointed as the Riu Hotels, I thought, were of a high standard. The 4 star rating needs to be urgently reviewed

What a great hotel for a week of sun.

This was our honeymoon and we arrived at the hotel late evening feeling quite tired, check-in process was quick and efficiant to ensure we could get back down to the restuarant for dinner (even at the end of the retaurant time still plenty of food and still nice and hot!)

We spent the majoity of the week on sunbeds round the pool area. The sunbeds were cleaned every day as was the area around the pool and the pool itself.

The food was great. Available at various locations all day. All meals hada great mix of local food and the standard chips, pizza, pasta, so there was something for everyone. Some dishes are served every night and I think more than a week may get repatative.
Drinks: wine good, beer ok, spirit and mixers VERY strong. Cocktails were a good option.

There were always sport activities available in the day, the Animation Team worked hard to recruit and there were always a few takers. The team did an even better job in the evening. Always a few action songs for the kids and then some form of traditional Moroccan entertainment varying from snake chamers to acrobats!

The bedroom was spacious and very, very clean. The tiled floors were moped everyday including the balcony, they also moped the corridors too. From when we got up till at least 6:00pm there was always someone cleaning somewhere!

The only thing that could prove difficult staying in this area of Morocco is the need to speak French, although most staff could speak some English an atempt at speaking French is very welcomed even more so outside of the hotel!

We made one trip on this holiday and this was to the Medina, i would highly recomend this as it was haggle free shopping in beautiful surroundings.

We had a great time and would definately consider using the Riu chain of hotels again and also consider returning to Morocco

We have just returned from a week at the Riu Tikida Beach Hotel ('We' being my wife my almost 2 year old baby boy and me) and I feel it my duty to make this the first review you see (not the one below!).

This was the first holiday we've had as a family and we wanted to make it as easy and relaxing as possible given that having a toddler is quite hectic. It was for this reason that we chose this hotel. All-inclusive sounded great and the photos looked fantastic. We were most certainly not disappointed.

The hotel is great. Every aspect of our holiday went perfectly. The room was ideal, spacious and extremely clean (the maids were amazing and towels are replaced regularly if you desire). The cot that was provided for us looked clean enough to be brand new! The pool was big and safe and there was never any race for the sun loungers (although chucking a towel or two to reserve some when you go down for breakfast is advisable- but you most certainly don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to get one!).

The food was top notch. I love my food and the enjoyment of my holiday rests largely upon my culinary experience. I am not a Brit who goes to other countries and cultures just to eat pie and chips in the nearest 'English-style-pub-thing'. I expect to experience authentic, quality food and cooking from the country I'm in- in this case Morocco. I can honestly say that the Tikida Beach did not disappoint. The buffet selection was huge offering proper Moroccan cooking as well as salads, soups and a range of other hot food. We never had any problems feeding my toddler from the buffet (We took a few jars of food for him in case but they never got opened!). We did not experience stomach upsets etc. at any point.

The service throughout the hotel was excellent. As a British family we were definitely a minority- there were far more French people than anyone else but we NEVER felt any kind of prejudice or favouritism AT ALL! It was helpful that we knew basic French as it helped ease things but you could easily get what you needed if you didn't. I never felt the need to tip. Personally I don't think it's expected at all in the hotel (although if you want your cases trolleyed for you at the airport you should tip).

The beach was lovely! The private beach was a dream with plenty of sun loungers to go round and the sea water was lovely and warm. We were not hassled at all on the beach (It helps having a Police Beach Patrol Station right next to the hotel!).

Although my little boy was too young to attend the kid's club we were welcome to use the mini pool and little playground. Both were exquisitely clean (The mini pool's water was changed twice in our week there) and were loved by my son. See my pics!

The evening entertainment was good. We weren't up too late because we had our little boy but we did make it a point to see the traditional dancing and the snake charmer on the Moroccan themed evening and were well entertained. I think that anyone looking for cracking evening entertainment might be a bit disappointed but the hotel does have it's own nightclub. I can't tell you about that because we never went but Ibiza it ain't!!

We took one excursion to a little walled town called Taroudant (with our travel company). Marrakesh is a bit too far away (8 hours round trip) if you've got a toddler. We had a great time, picked up some nice presents for friends and family and experienced a bit of culture. We even saw those crazy tree climbing goats!

Overall our stay was perfect. The fact that we were one of only a handful of Brits was a bonus for us. The French certainly have class, know how to look after their children and considerate of those around them. My baby boy went from being afraid of the pool to swimming like a fish (albeit a fish with armbands!) and we had a thoroughly relaxing time!

Stayed here with my mum for 2 weeks in May 2006. We were looking forward to the trip after having nothing but positive experiences with all the Thomsons holidays we have been on in the past. How wrong we were!

On our first night we were given room 206. The room was clean but the mirror in the bedroom was broken and looked like it had been for some time. We could hear all the music from the bar area which we didn't mind as we thought that by 11pm - midnight the music would die down. Unfortunately we didn't realise our room was directly above the hotel's nightclub - the music didn't stop until 3am. However once the nightclub closed, staff were bottling up/moving crates/cleaning directly underneath our balcony until 6am. At 7am the security staff on the front of the hotel had there coffee break and made noisy conversation for the rest of the morning. It is obvious that nobody should be put in that section of the hotel and that it should be converted into something more appropriate. We were given a different room but it took a lot of work from our rep to achieve this as the recpetion staff didn't seem interested or concerned that we hadn't slept in over 30 hours at this point.

The hotel is very French dominated and I think the British holidaymakers seemed to get a raw deal. I'm not anti-French, in fact I'm very pro-European but it was clear that the French guests in the hotel got superior treatment. There is supposed to be waiter service for drinks in the buffet restaurant in the evening but I was told to get my own drinks. The head waiter never greeted any of the British holidaymakers but was quite happy to hug , shake hands with and have conversations with the other guests. Every Brit that we spoke to on this holiday had some terrible story to tell - from dirty sheets, excessive noise to rude staff. The food was very repetitive, not alway cooked properly and there were flies everywhere. There was only one bar open in the evening for All inclusive guests and it was difficult to get a seat. The entertainment never varied and was quite poor - overall this hotel and holiday was disappointing, over-priced and a complete waste of two weeks out of my life.

We've just returned after 10 days in Morocco, 7 of these were at the Tikida Beach.

After a 4 hour drive over the Atlas Mountains from Marrakech we were hoping for a relaxing week in a quality, friendly hotel, and we wasn't dissapointed.

Hotel
The hotel itself is very nice with low rise buildings instead of your typical high rise hotel block, we were lucky and had a great room with a sea view.
Room was always clean.
The Pool is a nice size and was always clean.

Food & Drink
The food was superb, 10 out of 10 every day.
There was so much to choose from, typical English, Italian, great salad selections and our favourite the Moroccan Tangine's.
If you like your food then you won't be dissapointed.
Bottles of water were available throughout the day from the bars.
Wine with your eveing meal was always encouraged.
Typical spirits at the bar aswell as normal soft drinks and cocktails.
No problem with the beer.
Drinks stopped at 12am.

Daytime Entertainment
We wasn't too interested in the daytime entertainment as we were happy to relax by the pool but there was pool aerobics every day, tennis courts, table tennis, french bowls, archery and a mini football pitch.

Evening Entertainment
Aswell as the resident singer every night the hotel tried to give you a taste of Morocco by bringing in various acts such as Snake charmers, Belly Dancers, Acrobats, etc.

Staff
We found the staff very friendly, a couple of bad individuals not enough to spoil the bunch.
It's true English is probably their weaker language but they try very hard and it's not a problem to communicate.
Brushing up on your French before you go would be handy but not necessary.
Reception are helpful and try to solve any problems.

General
The shop is fine for your souvenirs, didn't seem to be bad prices.
Camel excursion was great.
Archery good fun.
Mint Tea suprisingly pleasant.
Give the Morccan restaurant a go, have to book this but it's never full.

Having stayed at number of places around the world. We as a family were impressed with the Tikida Beach. Staff were very friendly and speak most languages so even if you don't speak French , Arabic or otherwise you will have no problems speaking in English. Could not fault the hotel in any way. Food great, Clean, facilities good, no reserving of sunbeds. Although tipping is mentioned in other reports we did not feel in any way that you had to, in fact I did not notice any difference in service if you tipped or not. It was good all the time. As a good tourist I even bartered with the local traders only to find the hotel shop was cheaper!! learn by my mistake.

If venturing to Marrakesh on an overnight be aware that the guides may take you to out of town 'factories' for gifts where prices are hiked to an extortionate degree so try and do your shopping amongst the traders in town. You'll still need to barter but at least they will whereas these out of town places give 'discount' but very little.

Although the orange cabs should be metered none will switch it on so agree a price beforehand. Keep plenty of 10 dirham coins for such an event and for bartering.

Hope that helps

Stoped hear 17/05/2006 for 1 week, check in ok porter took bags to room overlooking the pool and sea nice and clean, did not hold out his hand for tip. Had no problems with any of staff all pleasant and polite even used our 1st names in restaurant.
Food was great and hot you are in Morrocco try there food instead of burger and chips
Beach towels provided, no need to get up and put towles on sun beds as there seem to be 2 beds per person round pool and on beach.
Do take plenty sun cream as the light breezes burn you
The nightly entertanment was not very good but you cant have everything can you
P.S Learn to speak French

my family and i all thought this hotel was very good.i couldnt disagree more with the last view of the americans.
we had a sea view and this was a good size room and balcony for 2 adults and 2 kids (aged 11&9)
the staff were all exellent the hotel is clean andthe pool area never got overcrowded.
the food was good and there was plenty of choice,we are not lovers of all inclusive but this holiday made me think again.
we would definitely go back to morroco and this hotel