We stayed at the Aqua Mirage Marrakech as a family of five during the October half term, celebrating our 40th birthdays. It certainly wasn’t the cheapest holiday we have ever booked, but for the amount that was included, the facilities available and the memories we made as a family, we were really pleased with our choice and I wanted to share our experience so people can see what they are getting for the price. There were a few small things we would change, but overall we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would love to return one day.
First Impressions – This Is a BIG Resort!
One of the first things you notice when you arrive at Aqua Mirage is just how big the hotel and its grounds are.
This isn’t a small hotel where you have one pool, one restaurant and a handful of rooms surrounding them. Aqua Mirage is a large resort with lots going on and plenty of space to explore. There are multiple pools, the water park, restaurants, bars, sports facilities, entertainment areas and children’s facilities, all spread across extensive grounds.
It can take a little while to get your bearings when you first arrive, but we actually really liked the size of the resort. It meant there was always somewhere different to go and something else to do.
Even though the hotel can obviously accommodate a lot of guests, there are enough facilities and different areas that you don’t necessarily feel as though everyone is crammed into one small space.
For families in particular, the size of the resort is a huge advantage. There is so much to keep everyone occupied that you could easily spend your entire holiday within the hotel grounds.
That being said if you have kids that like to wander off or you’re at the stage where the older kids can go off on their own just be mindful that this place is very big and you can get lost relatively easily, especially on those first few days.
Our Rooms – Fantastic for a Family of Five
Travelling as a family of five can sometimes make finding suitable accommodation difficult as we don’t want two separate rooms in different parts of a hotel. Our older two are also teenagers so likewise we also don’t want to be ramped in to one small room or have to have the boys, who are taller than me, struggling to sleep in small pull out beds for two weeks either. At the Aqua Mirage Marrakech we were pretty pleased with our family room arrangement.
We had two interconnecting bedrooms, with two double beds and a bathroom in each room.
This worked brilliantly for us as we could keep the connecting door open and still feel as though we were all staying together as a family, but everyone had much more space than we would have had trying to squeeze into one family room.
With four double beds between the two rooms, there was plenty of sleeping space, and having two separate rooms also gave us more room to spread out and relax.
The added bathroom was also a godsend when trying to get everyone ready too.
For larger families, we would definitely recommend looking into the interconnecting room option. It gave us the convenience and reassurance of being connected while still allowing everyone a little bit of their own space.
The Staff
One of the things that really stood out during our stay was how friendly the staff were.
From the people working around the restaurants and bars to the entertainment team and staff throughout the hotel, everyone we encountered was welcoming and friendly.
At a large resort, the attitude of the staff can make such a difference to the overall experience, and we felt that the team at Aqua Mirage worked hard to make sure guests were enjoying themselves.
We always felt comfortable asking questions or requesting something, and the atmosphere throughout the resort was generally very relaxed and welcoming.
A Genuinely Impressive All-Inclusive Offering
The all-inclusive package was another one of the highlights of the holiday.
There was so much choice at every mealtime that it would be incredibly difficult not to find something you liked.
At breakfast there was everything from cereal and toast to fresh fruit and yoghurt to a full cooked breakfast. There was also a great selection of pancakes with copious amounts of chocolate sauce, waffles and even doughnuts!
At lunch and inner the food ranged from traditional Moroccan dishes and tagines through to familiar family favourites such as pizza and chips, with almost everything you could imagine in between.
There were salads, seafood, meats, vegetables, breads, desserts and plenty of different options throughout the week. This was particularly useful when travelling as a family because everyone could choose something completely different.
Even with different tastes, nobody struggled to find something they wanted to eat.
There were also snacks available outside the main mealtimes, so you certainly aren’t going to go hungry.
The bars were well stocked too, and we found the overall all-inclusive package extremely generous.
One thing we particularly appreciated was that there didn’t seem to be lots of unexpected extras or hidden costs once we arrived.
Some activities, such as table tennis and golf, required a deposit, but this was returned when you finished and returned the equipment. We thought this was completely reasonable and very different from arriving at an “all-inclusive” hotel only to discover that lots of the activities you actually want to do cost extra.
It made it much easier to relax and enjoy the holiday without constantly wondering whether something was included.
The Water Park
For families, the water park is a huge selling point, and it didn’t disappoint.
We thought it was amazing.
There was a really good mixture of slides and water activities catering for different ages, so it wasn’t somewhere that only younger children or teenagers could enjoy.
Having a proper water park as part of the resort made a massive difference to the holiday. Instead of having to book a separate day trip to a water park, organise transport and pay additional entrance fees, we could simply enjoy it as part of our stay.
It also meant that we didn’t feel we had to spend every minute there. You could go and enjoy the slides for a while, head somewhere else for lunch or a swim, and then return another day.
That flexibility is one of the benefits of staying somewhere with so many facilities included.
The Pools – Including a Lovely Adults-Only Area
There are several pool areas around the resort, and naturally the main family pools can get busy.
Children are playing, people have balls and inflatables, families are enjoying themselves and there is generally plenty going on. That’s exactly what you would expect from a family resort and it creates a fun atmosphere.
However, it does mean the main pools aren’t necessarily ideal if you want to properly swim lengths.
There is also an adults-only pool, which was completely different.
This area was lovely, peaceful and very relaxed. If you wanted a quieter place to sit by the water away from the busier family pools, it was perfect.
However, it is worth knowing that they are very strict about the adults-only rule.
Our 16-year-old son came with me one day because we simply wanted to have a proper swim. We weren’t playing around or disturbing anyone; we genuinely just wanted to swim.
At the time, we were actually the only two people in the pool, with only another four people sunbathing nearby.
He was still asked to leave.
The other guests watching even said that they were completely happy for him to stay and swim, but the rule was enforced and he had to leave.
We understood that an adults-only area needs rules otherwise it wouldn’t remain adults only, but this was still a little disappointing given the circumstances. At 16, quietly swimming with a parent in an almost empty pool felt quite different from younger children playing in the water.
It was particularly frustrating because properly swimming in the other pools isn’t really possible when they are full of families having fun, playing ball games and using lilos.
It’s not something that ruined our holiday in any way, but it’s definitely worth knowing if you are travelling with older teenagers. If they’re under the hotel’s adult age limit, don’t assume they’ll be allowed into the adults-only pool even if it’s very quiet.
The Entertainment Team – Enthusiastic Without Being Pushy
We were really impressed with the entertainment team.
At some all-inclusive resorts, entertainment teams can be a little too enthusiastic and you can find yourself repeatedly being asked to join activities when all you want to do is relax. We didn’t find that here.
The team were brilliant at encouraging people who wanted to get involved and creating a fun atmosphere, but they also seemed very good at recognising the people who were happy simply sitting back and watching.
If you wanted to participate, there were opportunities to do so, but if you preferred to relax, you didn’t feel pressured. For us, that was the perfect balance. A holiday should allow you to do as much or as little as you want, and Aqua Mirage managed that really well.
As a family we joined in with water polo, golf, yoga, football and pool games.
The Additional Restaurants – Don’t Miss the Moroccan Evening
As well as the main restaurant, Aqua Mirage has two additional restaurants that were included during our stay but you do need to book them in advance. I would recommend you do this on the day you arrive as they get booked up very quickly.
Both restaurants were lovely and offered a nice change from the main buffet. Our favourite, however, was the Moroccan restaurant. We would highly recommend booking it.
The experience felt much more authentic and gave us the opportunity to enjoy Moroccan food and atmosphere in a slightly different setting.
When staying at a large all-inclusive resort, it can be very easy to stick to familiar foods every night, so having the opportunity to enjoy a more traditional Moroccan evening was something we really appreciated and of course if the kids don’t like it they can always go to the main restaurant later on if they’re still hungry.
Kids’ Club
We didn’t use the kids’ club very much as the boys are too old and our youngest was a bit young at 6 and preferred to stay with us, so we can’t give a detailed review from the perspective of children spending every day there, but it looked like a really useful facility and on the two occasions she did go she enjoyed it.
It ran daily and there appeared to be different activities taking place, including arts and crafts, games and karaoke.
One thing we particularly liked was that the main kids’ club area was indoors but also had access to an outside space. If you visit when the weather is particularly hot, this could be a huge advantage. Children can have a break from being out in the sun while still having activities to keep them entertained.
The staff also take the children around different parts of the hotel for activities, so they aren’t simply kept in one room all day, however we didn’t use this so not sure how it works with kids being able to leave by themselves or not.
Halloween at Aqua Mirage – They Really Go for It!
We visited during October half-term, which meant we were at Aqua Mirage around Halloween.
If you’re visiting at this time of year, you are in for a treat because the hotel really embraces Halloween. There were decorations everywhere and the whole resort seemed to get involved.
They dedicated an entire day to Halloween activities, including games where children could win sweets, followed by an evening show filled with Halloween-themed entertainment.
It wasn’t just the entertainment team getting involved either. The bars created spooky cocktails and even the restaurant joined in with themed food. We loved the effort that had gone into it. It transformed what could have just been another day of the holiday into something memorable and different, and there was a real sense of occasion around the resort.
For families visiting during October half-term, it’s definitely an added bonus. However it is worth noting that they celebrate Halloween on the 30th October, this wasn’t an issue for us but a few families arrived late on the 30th and some on the 31st and they were really upset to be missing out as they had assumed it would be on the 31st like in the UK. As they don’t actually celebrate Halloween in Marrakech I would say check direct with the hotel as presumably the celebrations could be anytime around the 31st deending on their plans, staffing and other factors.
Location – Something You Need to Consider
One thing we would definitely point out before booking Aqua Mirage is its location. The resort is slightly out of the way. For many people, that won’t be a problem at all because there is so much available within the hotel itself. Between the pools, water park, activities, entertainment, restaurants, bars and children’s facilities, you could quite easily spend your entire holiday on-site.
If that’s the type of holiday you’re looking for, the location probably won’t bother you.
However, if you like walking out of your hotel every evening and having a selection of shops, bars and restaurants on your doorstep, this probably isn’t the right location for you.
There was really only one local shop that we could comfortably walk to, called Sponge Bobs.
We also encountered some stray dogs while walking outside the resort. They didn’t actually cause us any problems, but personally they did make me nervous, so that’s something to be aware of if you’re planning to walk around the surrounding area.
If you want to explore further afield, realistically you are going to need a taxi or a booked excursion.
Visiting Marrakech Old Town – Something Everyone Should Do
Half way through the holiday we took a taxi into the old town, and this is something we would recommend to anyone visiting Aqua Mirage As enjoyable as the hotel is, staying exclusively within an all-inclusive resort doesn’t necessarily give you a real sense of the destination you’re visiting. Going into Marrakech allowed us to experience a completely different side of the holiday.
It gave us a better feel for the city, the atmosphere and the local way of life.
It was busier and very different from the relaxed environment of the hotel, but that was exactly why we wanted to experience it.
For us, the ideal holiday was having both: the comfort and facilities of Aqua Mirage combined with opportunities to get outside the resort and experience Marrakech itself.
Even if you only leave the hotel once during your stay, we would recommend making that trip into the city and experiencing the markets.
Camel Riding and Quad Biking – A Highlight of the Holiday
One of the best decisions we made was booking a camel ride and quad bike excursion. It was absolutely amazing and all 3 kids loved it. The whole experience was made incredibly easy with door-to-door service, which is particularly useful when you’re staying at a resort outside the centre.
We were picked up and looked after throughout the experience, and everyone was so friendly.
Both the camel riding and quad biking gave us something completely different from our days relaxing around the resort and made the holiday feel much more like a trip to Morocco rather than simply a week at an all-inclusive hotel.
If you are staying at Aqua Mirage Marrakech, we would definitely recommend looking into excursions rather than spending the entire holiday inside the resort.
There is plenty to keep you entertained at the hotel, but getting out and experiencing something different added so much to our trip.
Is Aqua Mirage Good for Families?
Based on our experience as a family of five we two teenagers and a 6 year old, we think Aqua Mirage Marrakech is extremely well suited to families. There is simply so much to do.
The water park is an obvious highlight, but beyond that you have swimming pools, sports, entertainment, activities, the kids’ club and plenty of food and drink throughout the day.
Our interconnecting rooms also made travelling as a larger family much easier. What we particularly liked was that the resort worked for different ages. It wasn’t purely aimed at very young children. Older children, teenagers and adults could all find things to enjoy.
Equally, adults weren’t forgotten about. The quieter adults-only pool, a gym and a spa and the ability to sit back and enjoy the entertainment without being constantly encouraged to participate meant it was still possible to have relaxing moments.
Was Aqua Mirage Worth the Money?
This was a special holiday for us because we were celebrating our 40th birthdays, and we wanted somewhere that felt like a treat so we do appreciate it is more expensive than your average holiday. That being said we spoke with some people there that seemed to get a very good deal having booked nearly a year in advance.
For us, having experienced it, we think it was worth every penny. When you consider how much was included, it starts to make sense.
We weren’t constantly reaching for our wallets once we arrived, we booked a massage each and that was it the whole time we were onsite.
That makes a huge difference on a family holiday because lots of smaller additional costs can quickly add up.
The fact that activities requiring deposits returned the money afterwards was another positive. It genuinely felt as though the hotel wanted guests to use and enjoy the facilities rather than charging extra for everything.
A Few Things to Be Aware Of
No hotel is perfect, and there are a few things we think people should know before booking.
Firstly, Aqua Mirage Marrakech is a very large resort. We loved this because it meant lots of facilities and activities, but if you prefer small, intimate hotels then it may not be your style.
Secondly, the location means you can’t simply walk out of the hotel and have lots of shops and restaurants around you. You’ll need a taxi or organised excursion if you want to properly explore Marrakech.
The adults-only pool rule is also very strict. We completely understand why adults-only areas need to be protected, but it was disappointing.
Finally, while there is so much available at the hotel that you could stay there for the whole holiday, we really think you would be missing out if you did. Marrakech is an incredible place to experience, so make the effort to get out and see at least some of it.
Also they are very strict on arrival and departure times and if you arrive or leave before the stated times you will need to pay to be able to use the facilities which adds up when there are 5 of you. Apparently if you book with TUI this isn’t a thing but it was a shock for everyone checking in alongside us as most families were being charged around £100 and it wasn’t a great way to start the holiday, especially for those that hadn’t budgeted for it and who would also need to pay the same again on the last day if they had a late flight.
What Is Marrakech Weather Like in October Half-Term?
October half-term can sometimes feel like a bit of a gamble when booking a holiday, particularly if you’re hoping for plenty of time around the pool, but the weather for us was lovely We only had one morning that felt a little cool. Even then, it soon warmed up and didn’t cause us any problems.
For the rest of the holiday, we had the kind of weather we had hoped for: warm enough to enjoy the pools and water park without having the extreme heat you might experience during the height of summer. The evenings do get cooler though so take a little cardigan o thin jumper with you too.
Of course, weather can vary from year to year, but based on our experience we would happily visit Marrakech at this time of year again and expect to be able to sunbathe comfortably.
Final Verdict – Would We Return to Aqua Mirage?
Absolutely. We thoroughly enjoyed our family holiday at Aqua Mirage.
Visiting during October half-term worked brilliantly. The weather was lovely but not too hot, and the Halloween celebrations added an unexpected extra dimension to the holiday.
For families looking for a large all-inclusive resort with plenty of activities, an excellent water park, lots of food choices and enough entertainment to keep different ages happy, Aqua Mirage Marrakech has a huge amount to offer.
Would we go back?
Without a doubt.
We made some fantastic family memories in Marrakech and really hope we’ll be able to return to Aqua Mirage one day.
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