BLACK MOLD IN ROOM, DO NOT BOOK
This was the worst experience of my life. I made a reservation on Booking.com for Riad Bellamane Marrakech from January 21-25, 2024, which turned out to be a health hazard. The hotel and Booking.com has completely failed to resolve the issue, taking no responsibility for their customers' health, despite several messages and calls to their support team.
The room we booked at Riad Bellamane Marrakech had visible black mold growing on the bathroom wall, posing a serious health hazard. The smell was so strong it permeated the other rooms. Additionally, the room's features did not match the provided images, and the property failed to meet its advertised standards.
Due to the alarming mold issue, I reached out to Booking.com the morning after our first night, as staying there was not an option. Where there's mold in one room, there's likely mold throughout the building. Booking.com appeared to take the matter seriously and said they would contact the hotel immediately, assuring us that a full refund would be possible.
Before leaving the hotel that morning, we spoke with the hostess about the hazardous black mold and our health concerns. We informed her that we could not risk our health and, after speaking with Booking.com who fully supported our decision, we would be departing. We mentioned that Booking.com had sent an email to the hotel requesting a full refund, and she assured us that the owner of the hotel had already replied to their message and that it was now an issue between the riad and Booking.com. We left believing the matter had been resolved.
This unfortunate start to my boyfriend's birthday completely ruined our day, and we missed our first pre-paid reservations while dealing with this disastrous situation. Moreover, we had to pay for a last-minute hotel booking, which became an additional expense.
When I logged into Booking.com the next day to check on the situation, I found that the hotel had falsely marked our reservation as "cancelled due to no-show" — despite our having spent one night in that horrible room — and charged us the full booking amount.
I suspect the hotel marked it as a no-show specifically to prevent me from leaving a review on Booking.com, which is deeply concerning. How many other guests have stayed in that moldy, dangerous room with no way to warn future visitors?
Since returning home, I've sent multiple messages to Booking.com and made several phone calls, only to be kept on hold for long periods with no understanding of our situation. Booking.com claims they haven't received a response from the riad and cannot resolve the issue until they do.
Riad Bellamane Marrakech remains listed on Booking.com. For your health and safety, I strongly advise against booking this accommodation. It is completely unacceptable to rent out a room that poses health risks.