As the economic capital of Morocco, Casablanca is a must-see when visiting the country. Every year, it attracts many visitors looking to discover Moroccan life. However, with its many districts offering both cultural immersion and lively nightlife, it can be difficult to decide where to stay in Casablanca.
To help you find the best place to stay in Casablanca and make the most of your stay, we’re going to introduce you to its different areas, with their advantages and disadvantages. We’ll look at the different areas, detailing their location, points of interest, budget and our accommodation recommendations.
Things you need to know
Before going into detail on each area to help you decide where to stay in Casablanca, here are some key things you need to know about the city. This’ll give you a better idea of the city.
Our favorite places to stay
If you’re in a hurry, here are our top places to stay in Casablanca:
- $ This accommodation is ideally located in the centre and offers excellent value for money,
- $$ This 5-star hotel, located between the old Medina and the centre and still accessible,
- $$$ This luxury establishment, located in the upmarket and dynamic district of Casablanca.
Map of different areas to stay in Casablanca
Here’s a map which includes our picks of hotels and flats. You can also use this map to pinpoint the different areas we’ll cover in this guide.
We’ve used the following colour code: green for budget hotels, blue for mid-range hotels and red for luxury hotels.
Essentials to stay in Casablanca
Areas where to stay in Casablanca
Before going into a description of the places to look for when choosing accommodation in Casablanca, here are the essentials to know, from a tourist point of view.
The historic centre: accommodation at the heart of Casablanca's bustling life
With its architecture combining art deco, art nouveau and Moorish style, this district offers an atmosphere that combines the modern and the traditional. It is located around Place Mohammed V. With its pedestrianised streets and major attractions, it is ideal for those looking to stay in the heart of Casablanca life.
Its main points of interest include
- Place Mohammed V: built in 1920, it is home to a number of important monuments and buildings, mainly administrative, such as the French Consulate and the Palais de Justice. With its central fountain, it offers a pleasant setting for strolling around and discovering local life.
- The Arab League Park, the largest in Casablanca, is an ideal place for a leisurely stroll among the palm trees and ficus. Perfect for a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.
- Notre Dame de Lourdes and Sacré-Coeur churches, the two most imposing. They attract visitors with their grandeur and unusual architecture. However, it is no longer possible to visit the interior of Sacré-Coeur.
It offers a wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets. Quite dynamic and with a large number of points of interest, it is ideal for those wishing to stay in the heart of Casablanca.
Accommodation recommendations
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Right in the centre, this accommodation offers several studios and flats at very good value for money. It's the perfect place to stay in Casablanca on a budget.
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Close to Place Mohammed V, it offers a range of colourful rooms and suites. With an affordable price range, it is ideal for visitors on a budget looking for accommodation in Casablanca.
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Casa Diamond offers comfortable and spacious rooms close to the Parc de la Ligue Arabe. Ideal for a pleasant stay in the middle of Casablanca.
Old Medina: staying authentic
Surely the most authentic area of Casablanca, theAncienne Medina is a vestige of the pre-colonial period. Like a quaint little village in the middle of the bustling city, this area is rich in local culture and history. It's an ideal area for travellers looking to stay in Casablanca and soak up the past.
Popular sites and monuments include:
- the Hassan-II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world. Located by the ocean, it is one of the few religious sites in Morocco open to non-Muslims.
- the old medina: surrounded by ramparts, it contains numerous markets, souks and traditional restaurants. It is home to the Ould el-Hamra Mosque.
As the Old Medina is quite old, there are not many hotels here. Most of the accommodation in this district is on the outskirts. There are several options for affordable accommodation.
Our selection of accommodation in the Old Medina
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Just a stone's throw from the Hassan II mosque, this apartment hotel has several suites and studios offering excellent value for money. Its location makes it ideal for a stay in a typical Casablanca setting.
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Located on the edge of the Old Medina, this accommodation offers a range of comfortable rooms and suites. You can stay here for good value for money.
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This 5-star accommodation offers a wide range of spacious rooms between the Old Medina and the centre. With its swimming pool, it is perfect for those looking to stay in comfort.
Anfa & Aïn Diab: stay in the chic districts
Bordering the coast and the beaches of Aïn Diab and Lalla Meryem, the districts ofAnfa andAïn Diab represent the upmarket and dynamic part of Casablanca. There are many restaurants, bars and clubs, as well as luxurious hotels and palaces. These are ideal areas for those looking for a dynamic zone with a certain standard of living and comfort.
What's more, the area boasts a number of important points of interest, including the El Hank lighthouse. At 55 metres high, it is the highest lighthouse in Morocco. It is open to visitors and offers animpressive panoramic view of the surrounding area.
You can also visit the Morocco Mall. One of the biggest shopping centres in Africa, it brings together more than 600 major brands in one place. It also boasts an aquarium and an ice rink, making it a must for shopping fans.
The La Corniche sub-district is also a must. Lively both during the day and in the evening, with its many restaurants and clubs, it's an ideal area for travellers looking for a dynamic nightlife.
Offering luxury hotels, the Anfa and Aïn Diab areas are ideal for those looking to stay in the heart of the action while still maintaining a certain level of comfort.
Hotels where to stay in Anfa and Aïn Diab
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Just a stone's throw from the Aïn Diab beach, this accommodation offers a host of suites to choose from during your stay in Casablanca. With access to a swimming pool, a pleasant stay is guaranteed.
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Between Anfa and Maarif, this 5-star hotel offers a range of luxurious rooms and suites. With its swimming pool, it combines comfort and proximity to everything.
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Located by the sea, this top-of-the-range 5-star accommodationis ideal for those looking for the ultimate in comfort when staying in Casablanca.
Gauthier: the best compromise for staying in Casablanca
Situated in the heart of Casablanca's bustling city centre, between the city centre and Maarif, Gauthier is a slightly quieter area than its surroundings, but still quite lively. It's an area perfectly suited to travellers who want a quiet place to stay while still being able to go to the livelier areas in the surrounding area.
Gauthier is best known for its gastronomy and the Villa des Arts de Casablanca. This is an exhibition venue that regularly hosts collections of contemporary works. There are many restaurants and art galleries to be found in its streets, which feature art deco architecture similar to that of the centre.
Although it is a residential area, it offers a wide range ofvalue-for-money accommodation. It is ideally suited to visitors looking for an affordable place to stay , located in the heart of Casablanca's major landmarks.
Our good addresses in Gauthier
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Located in the heart of Gauthier, this accommodation offers affordable accommodation. With its excellent value for money, it is perfectly suited to visitors looking for a place to stay in Casablanca on a budget.
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This accommodation offers a range of comfortable and affordable rooms in the middle of Casablanca's main districts. It is ideally located close to the most popular points of interest.
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The hotel offers spacious and comfortable suites. Located in the heart of the city, it is perfectly suited to accommodation in the heart of Casablanca.
Maarif: housing in working-class neighbourhoods
Ideally located for visiting the different areas of the city, Maarif is a fairly residential and upmarket district. Considered one of the safest areas of Casablanca and packed with restaurants, bars, clubs and shops, it is considered trendy. It is therefore perfect for visitors looking to stay in a lively area.
Open to its surroundings, its proximity to the districts of Anfa and the centre, and in particular the Habous district, with its souks and Royal Palace, make it a dynamic area. What's more, Maarif is a very busy shopping area, where you can stroll along the main thoroughfares or go to the Twin Center for a spot of shopping or simply window-shopping. The Twin Center is a commercial complex made up of two towers containing shops, offices and hotels.
Being a fairly residential area, Maarif has only a limited amount of accommodation. However, the average price per night is lower than in the surrounding areas, such as Anfa. It's a perfect place for travellers who want to stay in the hustle and bustle of Casablanca for less.
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In the southern part of Maarif, this accommodation offers several types of comfortable rooms at low prices. Offering good value for money, it is ideal for those looking for a place to stay on a smaller budget.
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Located in the north of the city, this establishment offers a number of modern and spacious rooms and suites. Thanks to its proximity to the centre, you can stay in a peaceful setting yet still be close to the hustle and bustle of the city.
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Located in the Old Maarif, this aparthotel offers affordable accommodation such as studios and flats. Ideal for couples and groups looking for a place to stay in Casablanca.
Summary
Casablanca is fairly spread out, but most of its points of interest are grouped together in a single central area. Within this area, there are several sectors which, depending on your budget, length of stay and/or preferences, would be difficult to choose when deciding where to stay in Casablanca.
- for authenticity, theOld Medina area is recommended. With its souks and markets, it’s the ideal place to stay and discover the city’s past.
- For a central area within a reasonable price bracket, you can turn to the Centre-Ville, Maarif or Gauthier. They offer a view of life in Casablanca and are close to the city’s various landmarks and monuments.
- Finally, for more luxury and comfort, Anfa and Aïn Diab are perfectly suited. Staying here means you’ll be right in the heart of Casablanca’s lively upmarket districts, with plenty of restaurants, bars and clubs to choose from.
Casablanca attracts visitors with its history and architecture. With its many points of interest, it has what it takes to appeal to all types of traveller, whether for an extended weekend or as part of a longer stay in Morocco.