Tangier, Continental Hotel

We woke up to bites all over our bodies and found a bed bug in the bed. We captured the bug and brought him down to to the reception and the staff appeared completely unconcerned. They claimed the insect must have flown in the window at night (bed bugs don't fly). They then implied we brought the bug with us from home to avoid paying for our room. Completely appalling in my opinion. I would never stay there again and have had to throw out my luggage to prevent having an infestation in my home.

My trip to Tangier was based around a short tour of Gibraltar, Malaga, Tangier and Marrakech. I arrived in Gibraltar, travelling from Manchester, UK and stayed two nights at the awful Cannon (see my review of that hotel) before getting the ferry to Tangier.

I had no hotel booked but was fortunate enough to meet two British gents who live there. They suggested the Hotel Continental close to the port where the ferry docks.

For information, the exchange rate is in the region of 15 - 16 Dirhams to one English Pound or 10 Dirhams to one Euro. Do not buy on the black market as it is illegal and will get you in trouble with the authorities if discovered and in any case you may be cheated either by getting too little or getting counterfeit currency.

Taxi's are cheap but only if you get the small Peugot types which are metered and should cost no more than about 10D to go across town. Occasionally the driver will deliberately switch off the meter and overcharge but not by much.

The private taxi's are the cream coloured Mercedes which are unmetered and may charge about 80D for short journeys.

I got through the formalities of customs without incident and headed for a taxi at which point there was an argument as to which cab driver should pick me up. Anyway it was Mohammed who got the trade; I gave instructions to take me to the Coninental but he persuaded me to see another which I agreed to. It had a good perspective of Tangier but I just didn't like the place so we headed off to the Continental where I checked in. Beware, there is also a hotel called the Intercontinental which confuses some taxi drivers, tell them it is the "Continental in the Medina".

I was led to a small room on the top floor at the rear of the hotel which seemed ok. It had two beds, TV, bathroom/wc with shower attachment, power points and a panoramic view over the rooftops of the adjacent dwellings. I left my suitcase and things and went exploring until it turned dark, which was around 4:30 pm this being March. During the night it was quiet at first but then a wretched cockerel started calling every hour on the hour, luckilly I had my ear plugs. At 5 am the mosques open for business calling people to prayer. It was the same the following night. The front of the hotel faces the port which has a quiet but constant rumble throughout the night but the rooms are far superior. The rate was 390D per night. The hotel only deals in cash and not credit cards.

The hotel is reputed to have had guests such as David Malkovitch although since the port has expanded I should think no famous people stay here.

If you need a guide there is an amiable chap waiting at the gates to the hotel named Saeed, he speaks good English and can give a tour of the local area at whatever rate you deem appropriate.

If you are looking for Arab music, Rai in particular, you will find a music shop just outside the hotel compound. Turn left of the gates where there are a few shops on the right-hand side of the path, you can get some good modern popular CD's for 20D. There are also a few shops with fruit and juices so you don't have to go far.

Breakfast was coffee, croissant and bread roll with butter and jam, it was sufficient to get me through the morning. The food in the reastaurant on the ground floor is nothing special but still expensive. There are several places on the main road leading from the port which is visible from the hotel. Go out of the hotel, turn left, walk down to the first junction, turn left and your on the road, then turn fight and keep walking to the cafe's and restaurants.

If you need cash, there is no shortage of cash machines all over Morocco and for British people with Maestro cards, the commission isn't crippling. 1000 Dirhams will be equivalent to about 67GBP and the machines dispense a maximum of 2000D.

I decided to go to Marrakech for a few days so left my luggage at the Continental and packed just a few things. The journey is listed under the Hotel Tazi review if you are interested. On my return I was given a much smarter room at the front of the hotel, overlooking the port. It was much more comfortable than the room at the rear and did not cost any more than the 390D per night initially charged.

If you go at a quiet time of the year the rates are much lower and you can get a more superior room for little or no extra.