Sidi Ifni Hotel Suerte Loca: Avoid (Morocco)
FR

Translated into English.

Original post
MR
Hotel La suerte loca in Sidi Ifni. Move along quickly! LIAR AND DISHONEST. Not to mention the state of the rooms. That’ll come later.

I booked three nights on-site without a bathroom in room (No. 16). I had called the day before to check availability. The next day, they told me I couldn’t stay in that room on the third night but offered to move me to another room—even more run-down than this one—and without a bathroom. They claimed there had been a mistake and the room was already booked, which is completely false. I’ve been traveling for 20 years and can spot hoteliers’ tricks. The woman running the place checked all her online sites and her schedule before confirming the room was available. She was sure. Especially since they display the booking schedule in front of each room to avoid mistakes. So, a pure lie. For what reason?

For me, two options: either take the run-down room for cheaper without a bathroom or leave. Great customer service. I found another hotel, Safa, a bit further away, at the same price with breakfast—100 times more luxurious and comfortable than this place. Or just down on the beach, Hotel Aït Baamrane, same price or even negotiable, and still much more comfortable.

When I left in the morning, they barely said goodbye, not a word of apology, no gesture to make up for kicking me out. NOTHING, NADA!

The woman running the place, with her fake friendliness and hypocrisy, only cares about one thing: money.

Otherwise, the place could be great if it were properly maintained. Instead of repainting the balconies, they should replace the mattresses, which are completely wrecked. The only good thing about this hotel is its location above the sea.

Otherwise, Room No. 16 was recently repainted. Every time someone uses the water, there’s a huge noise from the pipes and vibrations. The walls are paper-thin (figuratively speaking)—when neighbors talked or coughed, it was like they were in the room with me.

I had to wait to check in because of cleaning, but once inside, the bedside tables and the table were filthy (see photo). In the bathroom, there’s a stale smell of old urine and sewage due to the worn-out toilet pipes (see photo), with minimal lighting. The showerhead is disgustingly dirty. The gray duvet is dirty and very old, as are the blankets, which are dusty and grimy. The Wi-Fi worked in the room the first day but not the next.

And finally, the worst part: the mattress is completely wrecked and sagging. The springs dig into your body. Horrible! Instead of repainting, they’d do better to change the mattresses.

As for meals, the prices are outrageous. This hotel relies on its old popularity, but it’s not worth 190 dirhams for this room. I’d say it’s barely worth over 100 dirhams. Since I’ve been in Morocco, I’ve stayed in palaces for 130 dirhams with breakfast.

So, my advice: don’t trust the reviews and avoid this place. You’ll find much better at the same price, as mentioned above.



GR Groschats Veteran ·
Hello,

Twenty years of traveling and a little mix-up like this gets you in such a state... Too bad. 😕

I read your post because I was expecting a total scam... and *poof*, as they say...

If I can give you a tip, you could leave a review on Google or Tripadvisor—or even through your booking platform like Booking.com, I imagine. The impact is way stronger than on forums for this kind of crime against humanity.

What I can’t wrap my head around is that with 20 years of travel (and such great judgment, as you mentioned), you didn’t find those supposedly 100-times-better, cheaper hotels right next to this "scam" on the first try... Didn’t you manage to look on the bright side? After all, instead of spending not one but *two* nights in a mediocre hotel, you could’ve stayed a *third* night—but hey, at least you *saved* that third night...

PS: I’ll offer you 100 € in cash—and trust me, I’ve got the face to back it up—if you share that list of palaces for 130 MAD a night with breakfast...
Qui écoute trop la météo, passe sa vie au bistrot !
MR Mrtaboo Regular ·
I’m not here to argue about it. You can’t even imagine—I don’t use Booking or any other platform. No paper or human guide, no travel agency, no car rental. I travel locally, etc. It doesn’t put me in any kind of state; I’m just pointing it out, nothing more. I never said anything about a big scam (you misread and misinterpreted). I just want to warn you that they’re dishonest and their hotel is in a filthy state. That’s all. The point of this forum is to share concrete info, and that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’ll do the same at the end of my trip—concrete info! I don’t have to justify my choices. If I stay in a shabby hotel for 3 nights, that’s my problem. I like to honor my commitments, and I expect the other side to do the same. That wasn’t the case here. That’s it. No need to nitpick like you’re trying to do. If you don’t like my post, that’s not my problem. I’m just stating the facts, nothing more. Okay for the list—it’ll come later, and you can keep your 100 €. I’m not used to trading my info for money. I share it for free, gladly. Hahaha. Take care.
MA Mathews Globetrotter ·
If I choose a shabby hotel for 3 nights, that’s my problem

yeah, I totally agree—though it’d be good to know how much you paid... if you book a place that costs just a handful of dirhams and a few babouches, you can’t exactly ask for the moon—or expect a 5-star palace like the Mamounia
LO Louvilunne Regular ·
Hi there,

I stayed at this hotel a few years ago. We were just passing through and only booked a room for one night, so we didn’t look too closely. It wasn’t a palace, but for the price and a room facing the sea, it worked for us.

Just so you know, locals often use Booking.com to make reservations. And I’d love to hear about your palace recommendations for 130 MAD with breakfast included! It’s just not possible. You’ve got to consider the costs for the owners—there’s no way they can cover expenses at that price, especially with breakfast.
MR Mrtaboo Regular ·
Hi everyone. I hope this message will be read by all to avoid any ambiguity.

First, I’d like to clarify that I didn’t post my message in the scam section—it was moved by the moderator.

Second, I never book through online sites like Booking.com or Airbnb. I always go directly, which usually means I get a much better price—sometimes several euros cheaper than booking online. I travel solo.

Once I’m there, it’s almost always possible to negotiate the price, especially since I always mention that I’ll probably stay for several nights. (I’m a great negotiator—20 years of traveling has taught me well.) On the spot, I can also choose the room that suits me best.

And right now, we’re in the off-season in Morocco (November, December, outside school holidays), so prices are lower.

When I say “palace,” it’s the term that fits compared to the Hôtel Suerte Loca. These aren’t Sheratons or Hiltons. They’re modern hotels with good bedding, a clean and modern room and bathroom, etc.

For example: I’m still in Sidi Ifni at the Hôtel Safa, paying 200 dirhams with breakfast. Without breakfast, it would’ve been even cheaper. The room is spacious, with double-glazed windows, a very comfortable bed (king-size), bright with a small balcony. There’s a large modern bathroom with soap, etc. The housekeeper cleans every day. It’s very quiet, just a short walk from the center and 7 minutes from the seaside. So yes, compared to the Hôtel Suerte Loca (Sidi Ifni), which charged me the same price for a shabby room with no breakfast, this is a palace. On Booking.com, the Hôtel Safa is listed between 320 and 350 dirhams depending on the day. So right off the bat, I saved 120 dirhams!

For hotels around 130 dirhams, or even 140, from what I remember, like in Tinghir—"Dar al Médina" at 130 D with breakfast and unforgettable staff. Similar places with pools in Taliouine or Tafraoute. I’ll share more details later when I post a full review.

Last little tip in Essaouira: an apartment for 150 dirhams per night.

Hope this was clear enough. Happy travels to all!
LO Louvilunne Regular ·
Thank you for your reply, and I’ll try to respond while staying friendly, since you were kind as well. I’ll avoid using a sarcastic or unfriendly tone—I admit I’ve done that in the past. I’ll try to discuss this intelligently, even if we don’t necessarily agree. It’s completely normal that it’s cheaper to book directly than through Airbnb or Booking. I also rent my modest rooms for less directly because Booking takes an 18% commission and Airbnb 15%. What shocks me, I admit, is the idea of negotiating a room price. But why? Why negotiate, and don’t you think that by doing so, you’re ultimately hurting these accommodations that already charge very, very low prices? I understand wanting to travel on a budget, but why automatically try to negotiate the price of a room? Especially at these rates—I find it just inappropriate. The price a host asks is generally to be at least a little profitable. To make a living. If everyone negotiated to pay as little as possible, all the small hotels, hostels, etc., wouldn’t survive. Margins are already razor-thin. The result would be the closure of all these small, affordable hostels and great deals. I rent my rooms for 200 MAD, which is already cheap. After Booking’s commission, I’m left with 160 MAD. Not counting cleaning, water, electricity, the wood we provide for the fireplace when it’s cold, laundry for sheets and towels, etc. Recurring damages. Taxes to pay. Nowadays, when someone tries to “negotiate” (and in the past, to be nice, to welcome travelers with little money, I’ve accepted much lower rates or even not been paid at all because they had no money), I refuse. Because renting my apartments or rooms for 100 MAD a night basically means spending 2 hours cleaning, waiting for guests, carrying their luggage, blocking my day—for what? 100 MAD? I’d rather refuse in that case. Then there’s modern bathrooms, renovations, furnishings, etc. They need to be built. That costs money! I refuse to underpay the craftsmen who build our rooms. I’ll continue to pay them very well.

If we also offered breakfast at that price—and I mean a *real* good breakfast—do you know the cost of eggs? Olive oil? Amlou? Butter? I think I’m losing money on my breakfasts. A good brioche is full of butter and expensive to make. Homemade fresh cheese, msemen, jam, honey, Berber tajine, khlea—croissants too. What I’m trying to say is that I find it borderline shameful to negotiate the price of a room that’s already so low. As for the off-season—how can I put this? We’re *not* in the off-season! We’re fully booked every day. Lowering prices when you’re renting at 300 or 400 MAD, sure, but when you’re renting at 200 MAD—or like your palaces at 130 MAD—you can’t lower prices! Not unless you’re renting just to rent and making absolutely no profit. And what’s profit for? So a family can eat, so local craftsmen, masons, and your daily cleaner can eat. Otherwise, we’d just be hosts for guys like “I’ll crash at your place,” and it’d be pure charity. Unfortunately, if I accepted negotiating with every traveler like you, I’d be forced to close our hostel.
MR Mrtaboo Regular ·
I don’t get where your problem is. I’m not forcing the owner to lower their price—if they accept it, it means they’re still making a profit. That’s the game; negotiation is part of it. If the owner doesn’t lower the price, it’s up to me to decide whether to stay or look elsewhere. For your info, hotels outside tourist areas that aren’t used to having tourists are even cheaper. They range from 50 dirhams to 100 dirhams, and often they offer the same services—if not more—than some tourist hotels. Anyway, I’m not worried about owners—they’re definitely making a profit. Good luck with your hostel.
AO Aoreora1 Regular ·
Good evening, Well, no. Having been to Smara 12 or 13 years ago and arriving at night, ending up in a dodgy hotel for 50 or 100 MAD (I don’t remember), which wasn’t used to receiving tourists like you mentioned, the services weren’t the same as in a place costing 200 or 300 MAD. And certainly not better!

And I completely agree with the two previous commenters. I never haggle over accommodations, restaurant prices, or at the market.
MR Mrtaboo Regular ·
Hello. But no worries, you do as you please. Everyone’s free to make their own choices. And everyone has their own idea of travel and their own experience. I’ll say it again—local hotels are sometimes more comfortable than those aimed at tourists. I’m speaking from recent firsthand experience, right here in Morocco. All the best.
LO Louvilunne Regular ·
I don’t understand what your problem is. I’m not forcing the owner to lower their price—if they accept, it means they’re still making a profit. That’s how it works; negotiation is part of the game. If the owner doesn’t lower the price, it’s up to me to decide whether to stay or look elsewhere. For your info, hotels outside tourist areas that aren’t used to having tourists are even cheaper. They range from 50 dirhams to 100 dirhams, and often they offer the same services—if not more—than some tourist hotels. Anyway, I’m not worried about owners; they’re definitely making a profit. Good luck with your hostel.

Okay, I responded politely, and then you write: “I don’t understand what your problem is.” You’re not forcing the owner to lower their price, but if they don’t, you decide whether to stay or go elsewhere? Why? Why do you think it’s normal to try to lower the price at all costs? And that it’s normal to negotiate the price of a room? When you go to the butcher, do you negotiate the price of your steak? I don’t think so—if the butcher refuses to lower the price, do you go elsewhere? So why do you think it’s normal to negotiate when renting a room? Do you really think renting out a room doesn’t come with any costs for the owners? If a price is set, there’s a reason for it. Considering the services, of course. But setting a price that’s practically at a loss, like I do, and then having to deal with people who, despite the already low prices, still want to negotiate—it makes you feel like you’re not running a hostel anymore, almost like you’re doing social work. In Morocco, we just say “La Chouma” (shameful). What are “hotels outside tourists”? That phrase makes no sense. Hotels are tourist establishments that rely on tourism. “Hotels outside tourists” are hotels that, unfortunately, would have to close. Because a hotel without travelers is like a butcher shop without customers—keys under the door. Bye. And if you’re only talking about “foreign tourists,” because to you, there are hotels for locals and hotels for foreign tourists. You’re completely mistaken. There can be small hotels, like mine—I don’t have a hotel, just a small guesthouse—that welcome 50% foreign tourists and 50% Moroccan tourists. Because locals, as you call them, live here, so they don’t need to stay in a hotel. Those who come, whether foreign or Moroccan, are tourists. And yes, there are Moroccan tourists. The Moroccans who come here and rent from me are often much more respectful than foreign tourists. It would never occur to them to negotiate the price of a room or apartment. They’d never think, “Let’s look for a hotel without tourists”—that doesn’t make sense. They just want a clean, decent room or apartment at a fair price. It’s that simple. A hotel without tourists is an empty hotel. Thanks for your kind words about my hostel. We’ve been doing great for over 10 years. However, the years go by, and I’m in the middle of transforming the concept. To avoid travelers on a tight budget or cheapskates who negotiate like you do. By increasing the price by a few dirhams, I’ll manage. Plus, when I travel, I don’t try to pay as little as possible. If I want a bit of luxury—a nice room, a modern bathroom, a pool, a memorable breakfast—I pay for it! And I have no problem paying 2000 MAD per night if I feel like treating myself. If you just want to pay less, you accept the services that match the low price. Simple. Luxury for 130 MAD per night is pure exploitation, nothing else.
LO Louvilunne Regular ·
Hello. No worries, you do as you please. Everyone is free to make their own choices. And everyone has their own idea of travel and their own experience. I’ll say it again: local hotels are sometimes more comfortable than those aimed at tourists. I’m speaking from recent firsthand experience, right here in Morocco. All the best.

What’s a "local hotel" versus a "tourist hotel"? Every hotel is for tourists—no hotel is for locals. If you’re local, you have a house. So no need for a hotel. If you’re Moroccan, a local in your own country, you’re still a tourist in your own region. Absurd.
AO Aoreora1 Regular ·
I can't wait to read their travel journal!
MR Mrtaboo Regular ·
Good evening. I’m not going to reply to your message. This discussion is getting pointless and isn’t helping other travelers. I just wanted to say that at this place, the women who run the Hôtel Suerte Loca aren’t trustworthy. And their hotel is really poor quality and isn’t worth the 190 dirhams they’re asking. That’s all—the discussion ends here, as far as I’m concerned. Anyway, good luck and take care.
CA Cambrousse Globetrotter ·
You know, I only stay in hotels that cost a few dirhams and 2 babouches 🙂 and except for one—which I won’t badmouth—I’ve always had a clean bed and a friendly welcome.
http://afriqueparciafriqueparla.blog4ever.com/ http://chacunsonmaroc.blog4ever.com/
CA Cambrousse Globetrotter ·
I’m signing up to share the list. 🙂

(In memory of a certain "hotel" in Nouakchott... in 2018 it had turned into a brothel, and by 2020, it was closed)

Hey olive 🙂
http://afriqueparciafriqueparla.blog4ever.com/ http://chacunsonmaroc.blog4ever.com/
CI Ciboulette47 Veteran ·
You'll "share" your good tips with Groschats... Well done... either way, it can't be bought...
"N'ayez pas peur de la vie. N'ayez jamais peur de l'aventure. Faites confiance au hasard, à la chance, à la destinée. Partez, allez conquérir d'autres espaces, d'autres espérances. Le reste vous sera donné de surcroît" Henry de Monfreid - trilogie de la Mer Rouge.
GR Groschats Veteran ·
Okay for the list, it’ll come later and I’ll let you keep your 100 €. I’m not used to dealing my info for money. I share it for free and with pleasure. Hahaha. Good luck.

I teased you because it wasn’t info—just frustration thrown out in revenge. A whole post for so little when you could’ve just mentioned it in your future report would’ve been enough, but what really got me was that last sentence, which seemed kinda pointless. I’m *really* waiting for that famous list of “palaces” at 130 MAD a night with breakfast… I’m genuinely curious how they make a profit on that kind of high-end service. Even at the budget end, it’s barely possible anymore… (I’m talking about hotel structures, not homestays). It’s important because these days, online, the line between info and misinfo is so thin…

So—info or misinfo?

When it comes to negotiating hostel prices, I don’t haggle if the price is fair, but I do when it’s ridiculous. Some hostels in areas where there aren’t any real ones—unknown to casual tourists—charge prices just because they heard that in Marrakech, people pay that much… It’s not stinginess or bad manners, just common sense… People who’d pay 500 MAD for a kilo of onions in the souks wouldn’t do it out of respect for the farmer’s hard work or because Mom raised them right, but because…
Qui écoute trop la météo, passe sa vie au bistrot !
MR Mrtaboo Regular ·
Good evening. I’ll clarify once again—I didn’t post in the scam section. The moderator moved my post. I just wanted to say this hotel isn’t trustworthy. Plus, the rooms are shabby and don’t justify the 190 dirhams they charge. After that, I went to Hôtel Safa—for the same price, I even got free breakfast. Check out the comparison in the photos. A palace next to the Hôtel Suerte Loca.
MA Mathews Globetrotter ·
@pour Cambrousse Good evening, I also found some excellent budget-friendly small hotels in Morocco. There are some in central Imlil that I really liked—simple but clean.
CA Cambrousse Globetrotter ·
Yes, Imlil is also one of the places I’ve been to—nice hotel. Half-board was super cheap, perfect, and the welcome was really great.
http://afriqueparciafriqueparla.blog4ever.com/ http://chacunsonmaroc.blog4ever.com/

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