On Morocco's south Atlantic coast you face a defining accommodation choice that colours the entire holiday: a modern beach resort, or a traditional riad. The resort model is concentrated in Agadir and the newer Taghazout Bay development — large seafront hotels, often all-inclusive, with pools, spas, kids' clubs, multiple restaurants and direct beach access. It is comfort by design: you can spend a week without arranging much at all. The riad is a different animal — a traditional courtyard house, usually with only a handful of rooms set around a central patio open to the sky, tucked inside the walls of a medina town such as Essaouira, Taroudant or Tiznit. Riads trade pools and buffets for character: zellige tilework, carved cedar, a rooftop terrace, breakfast cooked to order and hosts who know their town. Neither is better in the abstract; they suit different trips, and many travellers do both within one south-coast itinerary.
Option A
Beach resort (Agadir / Taghazout Bay)
Seafront hotels with pools, full board and everything in one place
Best for
Families, first-timers, sun-and-pool holidays, travellers wanting predictability
Option B
Riad / dar (Essaouira, Taroudant, Tiznit)
Intimate courtyard houses inside a medina — character, calm and local flavour
Best for
Couples, culture seekers, slow travellers, those wanting authenticity