\his lounge review will be short and sweet, and not to put too fine a point on it, but hopefully your stay here will be as well.
Bottom line up front: this lounge has little to recommend it, but it’s not like the rest of the terminal is super glam either.
Fortunately, our connection was short.
To be fair to the Casablanca airport, there may be a better domestic lounge situation somewhere else in the airport. There was really no communication, but after following the signs for connections and going through a perfunctory security screening I think we may have ended up in some kind of transit purgatory?
We were given this form on our flight from Dulles to Casablanca, for example, but it wasn’t collected until we cleared immigration in Marrakech:
(As a side note, you’ll all be shocked, shocked, to hear that no questions were ever asked about these forms, and arriving passengers were sorted into two queues of “looks vaguely Asian” or “probably not Asian.”)
Anyway. After making a sharp turn down a hallway that looked like an active construction zone, we u-turned into something signed as the Royal Air Marcoc lounge.
The lounge attendant grumpily took our boarding passes, then wordlessly handed them back. We just assumed that meant we were welcome to enter the lounge.
Other than the hospital sick-room lighting, the lounge was fine. Seating was plentiful (outlets were not), and while some pieces may have seen better days, everything was clean and comfortable.
Adding to the construction vibes, the lounge overlooked an atrium with what I think was meant to be a fountain?
Refreshments in the lounge consisted of sweet mint tea:
A “coffee” machine (I would be hard-pressed to describe any of the horrors dispensed by this contraption as “coffee”):
And a…let’s call it an assortment of wrapped breads:
The lounge attendant spent most of the time we were in the lounge watching YouTube music videos on the computer in the “business center,” which was, at least, fabulously entertaining.
The washrooms were…present, though lacked soap or hand towels. Also at least one, if not both, of the toilets were audibly running the entire time we were in the lounge.
Boarding was delayed, though not announced as such, and the flight ultimately left on time anyway.
As unfriendly as the lounge agent had been, the ground staff more than made up for it, jumping up and shouting “BUSINESS!!” when they saw our boarding passes, and making a big production of driving us to the plane in a private van (with awesome pop music blasting).
So yeah, that is the lounge and transit experience in Casablanca. Nothing really went wrong, it was easy, I would do it again. But no reason to plan a particularly long layover here, as amenities were quite spartan.
Really poor experience at the lounge. The staff at the bar were extremely rude. The worst service I received in Morocco. The food was rather bad.
I booked a trip with this airline for 9/1/2020 from Monrovia, Liberia to Boston. The airline canceled my trip a month early. Never got a refund. When I called them, I was told to contact my travel agent. To this date, my travel agent still has my refund request as "processing". I will book any trip with this airline again and I would discourage anyone who tries to.
Is it dangerous for a woman to be going out alone at night I like to experience the nightlife I would be by myself what do you think about this I'm 65, use to traveling alone and like to smoke the hubbly bubblys of the country
I spent the entire Summer in Azemmour, Morocco in 2018.
I also entered the country at the airport at Casablanca! I had no problem with any of the staff. In fact, I found them to be extremely polite and they went out of their way to make sure I was well taken care of and stayed with me until I met my friends outside!
I love Morocco! The people are so warm and...
I spent the entire Summer in Azemmour, Morocco in 2018.
I also entered the country at the airport at Casablanca! I had no problem with any of the staff. In fact, I found them to be extremely polite and they went out of their way to make sure I was well taken care of and stayed with me until I met my friends outside!
I love Morocco! The people are so warm and friendly! They showed me their beautiful country, prepared incredible meals for me, helped me shop, took me to the wonderful sites in Rabat, and we swam in the beautiful Atlantic Ocean! I would highly recommend visiting the country of Morocco!
Amazing architecture, gardens, the healthiest olive oil in the world, the sweetest organic fruit and
vegetables, olives, lamb and chicken! I flew by myself from Los Angeles, California without any problems and I am in my seventies!
I have traveled around the world and I love learning about foreign culture, language, and the amazing cuisine because I am a professional chef for over fifty years!
If you have the chance to travel be grateful and positive because many people will never have that opportunity in their lifetime! I plan to return to Morocco the first opportunity I am able and the travel bans are lifted. I also went to the Alhambra in Granada, Spain! The most incredible Moorish art and architecture! Put that trip on your travel list! Not to be missed in your lifetime! Enjoy your life and be happy!!! Sorry your visit was not what you expected!!! ✈️♥️
I was in Morocco all last year on business--before that, in the Gulf: the public facilities are generally built to look beautiful for the King's walkthrough; afterwards, management and maintenance are haphazard, especially so with CMN. Its PriorityPass lounge is obscure I have quite dingy. And CMN's transit passenger routes are forever changing. CMN's rail connection was a great idea, but is now treated as a very poor cousin to the automobile. Still and all,...
I was in Morocco all last year on business--before that, in the Gulf: the public facilities are generally built to look beautiful for the King's walkthrough; afterwards, management and maintenance are haphazard, especially so with CMN. Its PriorityPass lounge is obscure I have quite dingy. And CMN's transit passenger routes are forever changing. CMN's rail connection was a great idea, but is now treated as a very poor cousin to the automobile. Still and all, I hope to return soon!
@Tiffany
Thanks for removing the disgusting Luis comments about one whole nation like Morocco. We can complain about a lounge, say coffee in Royal Air Maroc Lounge is “bad / disgusting” but posting comments full of hatred about Morocco as a nation: that far too much!
@Luis
We all know where u r from. you really didn’t hear the irony in my voice when I said “your country Spain”?? You really think we don’t...
@Tiffany
Thanks for removing the disgusting Luis comments about one whole nation like Morocco. We can complain about a lounge, say coffee in Royal Air Maroc Lounge is “bad / disgusting” but posting comments full of hatred about Morocco as a nation: that far too much!
@Luis
We all know where u r from. you really didn’t hear the irony in my voice when I said “your country Spain”?? You really think we don’t know where u r from? Relax. Get yourself a nice job and go and stay in Mamounia Hotel in Marrakech for a while: there you will see what a world class service is.
Haha they erased my post for telling the truth about Morocco because of a couple woke snowflakes that KNOW what I said is TRUE
So racist diatribes are okay in respect of Morocco? Does that extend to all countries, or what/where is the line? This is thin ice...
I'm just here to say that I'm not Luis from Spain
Tiffany's travel observations and her writing style rock! We need more Tiffany reviews.
Come o
You allow Luis s post
Full of controversy while you don't post mine
Moderator you are racist as well
Luis
Spain was under control of morros for centuries
Go cry I Alhambra
@ Daas -- We didn't receive a prior comment from you.
Where is my answer to racist Luis
"you’ll all be shocked, shocked"
I see what you did there, Tiffany :-)
@ Boco -- ;)
@Luis
Interesting that you criticize Moroccans for staying illegally in “your” country while “your country” - which is Spain - robs MY COUNTRY which is Germany for all the subsidiaries they can get for just being part of EU. Please bring some order into economy of Spain and leave Morocco in peace. It’s a beautiful country just as is Spain. Thanks God Spain in not your country and all Moroccans are very welcome there.
...@Luis
Interesting that you criticize Moroccans for staying illegally in “your” country while “your country” - which is Spain - robs MY COUNTRY which is Germany for all the subsidiaries they can get for just being part of EU. Please bring some order into economy of Spain and leave Morocco in peace. It’s a beautiful country just as is Spain. Thanks God Spain in not your country and all Moroccans are very welcome there.
@Josh @the nice Paul
I totally agree guys! I have been as German there several times: superb country! Of course there are some shady ppl approaching you, but I also saw shady ppl in Tel Aviv and Berlin too. Thanks God that ppl like Luis are minority and we all welcome Moroccans in Europe just as Moroccans welcome us in their country. Germans have also a dark part of their history and I never heard anyone saying “death to Germans”. I really do think that Luis dreamt of it....
Well, considering what Germany did to the rest of Europe in the 40s…
Having spent a few months in Morocco, I can say that it is one of the worst places in the world for scams and hassles. It is a safe bet that anyone who approaches you speaking English will have some ulterior motive. However, the scammers and touts are a small minority of Moroccans. Most others are extremely warm, welcoming and generous.
I tend to doubt the story about their reactions to hearing you speak...
Having spent a few months in Morocco, I can say that it is one of the worst places in the world for scams and hassles. It is a safe bet that anyone who approaches you speaking English will have some ulterior motive. However, the scammers and touts are a small minority of Moroccans. Most others are extremely warm, welcoming and generous.
I tend to doubt the story about their reactions to hearing you speak Hebrew. In my time there, I'd occasionally slip into Hebrew instead of French or Arabic and there was never any reaction. Most people in Morocco wouldn't have any idea what Hebrew sounds like. And, aside from the touts and scammers who may get angry if they can't get any money out of you, most people would never say anything offensive to a visitor.
So much hate for an entire country in some of these comments. Such a shame: isn’t travel about exploring the world and experiencing difference? I found lots to love in Morocco (and, like others, highly recommend an Atlas trip. The mud architecture is extraordinary).
North Africa has long had strange arrivals procedures. For years you arrived at Tunis’ Carthage airport, cleared immigration, and went from there direct into the public concourse. Then you had to...
So much hate for an entire country in some of these comments. Such a shame: isn’t travel about exploring the world and experiencing difference? I found lots to love in Morocco (and, like others, highly recommend an Atlas trip. The mud architecture is extraordinary).
North Africa has long had strange arrivals procedures. For years you arrived at Tunis’ Carthage airport, cleared immigration, and went from there direct into the public concourse. Then you had to go *back* airside to collect your luggage from the carousels, and then go through Customs... Yes, because no smuggler would take their contraband on the plane in carryon, and hand it to their waiting chums in the concourse.
@Luis
Well, your views of Morocco and Moroccans are most likely a minority view...
"what I think was meant to be a fountain?"
Its kind of obvious that it is a fountain. Not a working one, but still.
So happy you didn’t mention face masks in this review- thank you!
Illegally*, sorry.
I've always found the immigration guys in Casablanca to be pretty funny. I mean that as a compliment.
Sure, Morocco can be a little disorderly, but the slightest sense of humor goes a long way. No shock that the lounge was lousy.
Almost about anything to do with RAM, CMN and Morocco is about the biggest mess I ever survived. There was a time I went there (for business) when paid for, Now even if someone pay me I will never again enter that crap country. Not one positive impression from the many times I had to go there. And the worst you fortunately didn't get through is declaring comercial goods at customs.
@keitherson - That's how our flight was, too (coming from DOH in our case). It was very odd. I kept thinking we missed something and accidentally circumvented immigration. Never did figure it out. I guess some "domestic" flights are only used for international transfers so they can keep it separate.
@Tiffany - that fountain wasn't working last fall either, shockingly. We couldn't access the lounge and instead went straight to the gate. There was one...
@keitherson - That's how our flight was, too (coming from DOH in our case). It was very odd. I kept thinking we missed something and accidentally circumvented immigration. Never did figure it out. I guess some "domestic" flights are only used for international transfers so they can keep it separate.
@Tiffany - that fountain wasn't working last fall either, shockingly. We couldn't access the lounge and instead went straight to the gate. There was one little food stand and we didn't have any money (they didn't take credit card and we would have had to leave security for an ATM apparently). Luckily our connection was relatively short, too.
The Priority Pass lounge in the main international terminal for departures seems similar to this one. Probably the least exciting PP lounge I've seen, but at least got a free snack and drink.
I was supposed to fly Royal Air Maroc April 18 from Cairo to Casablanca on my 7 week Africa trip that got cancelled by COVID. About a month before I left, Royal Air Maroc cancelled my flight and rebooked me for the next day. When I got in touch, I explained the next day would not work as I had a tour I was going on that I would miss if I arrived on April...
I was supposed to fly Royal Air Maroc April 18 from Cairo to Casablanca on my 7 week Africa trip that got cancelled by COVID. About a month before I left, Royal Air Maroc cancelled my flight and rebooked me for the next day. When I got in touch, I explained the next day would not work as I had a tour I was going on that I would miss if I arrived on April 19. They offered me a flight on April 17, but that interrupted my Egypt tour. They would not refund my money, even though they cancelled the flight, and would not offer me a flight on the day I needed. I was offered a flight voucher good for one year-which was useless as I would not be going back to Africa in the next year. When I complained that I was unhappy about this, they ended up not even giving me the voucher. I ended up doing a chargeback on the flight as the airline cancelled the flight, not me, and didn't even give me anything. I found dealing with the airline horrific and will do my best to avoid them at any cost.
Confused. Why did you clear immigration in Marrakech if the nonstop was to Casablanca?
Should you not have cleared immigration in Casablanca and then do a domestic transfer to Marrakech?
@ keitherson -- Confused is exactly correct. It doesn't make sense to me either, but as @ DENDAVE notes, that's just...apparently how it works?
On our Casablanca planned stop on the train from Marrakesh to Rabat, we visited the Hassan II mosque and Rick's Cafe. The mosque is quite a spectacle and worth seeing. Although touristy and built after the movie, we enjoyed lunch at Rick's Cafe. Worth doing once, if you have time and are into that kind of thing.