Where to Stay in Casablanca: Best Areas and Hotels
Where to stay in Casablanca: downtown near the trains, Gauthier and Maarif for restaurants, or Ain Diab on the Corniche, with the best-rated hotels in each area.
Casablanca is Morocco’s biggest city and its business capital, and where you stay changes your experience completely. The downtown streets are full of Art Deco buildings and close to the trains, Maarif and Gauthier have the best cafés and restaurants, and the Corniche in Ain Diab puts you by the ocean, a short ride from the Hassan II Mosque. This guide explains each area and the best-rated hotels in every budget.
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Where to stay in Casablanca at a glance
- For a short stay or trains: downtown, near Casa Port and Casa Voyageurs stations
- For restaurants, shopping and nightlife: Gauthier and Maarif
- For the ocean and resort hotels: Ain Diab and the Corniche
- How long: 1 to 2 nights
Where to stay: the areas
Downtown (Centre-ville). Around Place Mohammed V and Boulevard Mohammed V, the city centre is full of Art Deco architecture and close to the old medina, the port and Casa Port station, from which trains run to Rabat and the airport. Hotels here are practical and good value.
Gauthier and Maarif. These lively neighbourhoods west of the centre have the best choice of cafés, restaurants, boutiques and bars, and many of the city’s modern hotels and apart-hotels.
Ain Diab and the Corniche. Along the ocean west of the Hassan II Mosque, the Corniche has beach clubs, seafront restaurants and the city’s resort-style hotels. It is the best area for a relaxing stay, but you will need taxis to reach the centre.
Downtown hotels
Hotel de Paris
Budget · City centre · very popular
A central hotel just steps from the heart of downtown, with more than 4,000 reviews and king rooms at a good price.
Kaan Casablanca
Mid-range · City centre · top rated
One of the best-rated hotels in the city, about 600 metres from the centre, with more than 2,000 excellent reviews and great value for money.
Hôtel Central
Budget · Edge of the old medina
A simple, inexpensive hotel at the edge of the old medina, close to the port and Casa Port station.
Gauthier and Maarif hotels
Idou Anfa Hôtel & Spa
Mid-range · Gauthier · spa
A hotel with a spa in the Gauthier district, with nearly 2,000 excellent reviews and deluxe rooms.
Suite Loc Suite & Spa
Mid-range · Gauthier · spa
A well-reviewed hotel with a spa in Gauthier, close to the area’s restaurants, with breakfast available.
StayHere Casablanca – Maarif Lifestyle Suites
Mid-range · Maarif · studios with kitchens
Modern studios with kitchens in the heart of Maarif, with more than 2,000 reviews. A good choice for longer stays.
Exe Casablanca
Mid-range · Anfa · sustainability certified
A modern, sustainability-certified hotel in the Anfa district, with more than a thousand very good reviews.
Ain Diab and Corniche hotels
Hôtel Club Val d’Anfa
Mid-range · Ocean views · very popular
A popular hotel on the Corniche with ocean-view rooms and nearly 2,500 reviews.
Ocean Park Hotel, Premium Suites & Wellness
Mid-range · Ain Diab · studios and wellness
Studios with kitchens and wellness facilities in Ain Diab, close to the beach clubs of the Corniche.
Villa Blanca Urban Hotel
Mid-range · Ain Diab · boutique
A boutique hotel in Ain Diab, close to the seafront restaurants and the beach.
Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca
Luxury · On the Corniche · top rated
The city’s top luxury address on the ocean in Ain Diab, rated wonderful by guests, with an excellent location score.
Getting there and around
Mohammed V International Airport is about 30 kilometres south of the city, linked to the centre by train in about 40 minutes, or book a fixed-price transfer with Kiwitaxi. Compare flights on Aviasales. Casa Voyageurs station is the main hub for the Al Boraq high-speed train to Rabat and Tangier and for trains to Marrakech and Fes. In the city, use the tram, red petits taxis or ride-hailing apps. Book a guided tour of the Hassan II Mosque or a day trip to Rabat on GetYourGuide, and stay connected with a Morocco eSIM from Airalo.
Do it like a Moroccan: local tips
- Visit the mosque on a guided tour. The Hassan II Mosque is one of the few in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors, on guided tours outside prayer times.
- Book near your next train. If you arrive late or leave early by train, downtown is the most practical base.
- Walk the Corniche at sunset. The seafront promenade is where Casablancans go for a stroll, a juice and the sunset.
- Check traffic times. Rush hours are busy; allow extra time for taxis to the station or airport.
Plan your visit with our Casablanca travel guide, the Casablanca Marathon guide and the Rabat travel guide.
Going by train? Read our Morocco train guide for Al Boraq and ONCF routes, prices and tips.
Cover photo: Oussama RAHIB on Unsplash
Questions and tips
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