Douar El Ghazoua, Essaouira, Morocco | (888) 240-0568
Rooms with fireplaces and charming traditional details
Breakfast included in room price
Heated outdoor pool
Free traditional hammam
French-Moroccan fusion restaurant on-site
Sprawling eucalyptus gardens, patio areas, and roofdeck for lounging
Massages and spa services available
Babysitting services, kids' menus, cots, and high chairs available
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Little in the surrounding area; car necessary
The Riad Baoussala is arguably the most upscale riad in the Essaouira, but its location a 15-minute drive outside the medina down a dirt road means renting a car is recommended. Its six suites outfitted in a combination of jewel tones and the warm hues of natural materials such as packed earth and untreated wood. The bohemian complex features a number of cozy nooks tucked into carved-rock common areas along with an ochre rooftop deck, all surrounded by eucalyptus gardens. The property is family-friendly, with kids' menus, stowaway cots available, and babysitting services. Advance notice must be given for dinner, which integrates plenty of fresh local produce and gets good feedback from guests. There's also a heated pool and a traditional hammam that can be used free of charge, and spa services are available for a fee.
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Scene
Homey, relaxing riad with packed earth floors, low-lying couches, and built-in seating
Open since the early 2000s, the hotel is still run by the original owner -- Dominique -- who built much of the infrastructure of the stone house from the ground up. The airy grounds here gain much from a casual division between outdoor and indoor; both sides of the building's brightly painted mud walls feature cozy seating, often carved into rock and furnished with bounties of pillows. Hotel guests are a mix of families and couples. Because Riad Baoussala is located outside of the medina, it has more common space and more features than riads located inside. The location is part of the appeal for many guests, and it is quieter and more peaceful. Those who do want to stay in the medina should consider the Riad Malaika.
Location
About five miles outside of Essaouira, on a dirt road, with little in walking distance
There is little apart from scrub brush hills immediately surrounding the property and it's not ideal for guests who prefer walking to driving; the last stretch of the road from Essaouira is closer to a dirt trail than a street. Some taxi drivers might be unwilling to drive down it, and renting a car is recommended -- though the hotel also provides chauffeured transport into the city in the mornings, and can call taxis or hire cars on guests' behalf. A drive to town takes about 15 minutes, as does a ride to the airport. The location isn't the most convenient for travelers who want to spend a lot of time sightseeing in the medina, but it's well-suited to those who are interested in exploring the Essaouira backcountry by vehicle.
Rooms
Relaxing suites with jewel tones and natural materials, all with fireplaces and low-lying lounge space
The riad's charming suites have lots of low-lying seating areas, while nooks and crannies carved into the stone walls create ergonomically satisfying spaces for storage and relaxing coves for sleeping. Dominant colors in rooms include azure and ochre, which reflect the sky and earth in the area, and the walls of rooms are filled with framed art and the occasional whimsical touch such as colored coverings on small window series carved into the wall. All rooms have a separate sitting areas; the Sahara, Blue, and Marabout Rooms have discrete living rooms. All units have fireplaces and shower/tub combos, except for the Hammam Room, which only has a walk-in shower.
Features
Heated outdoor pool, traditional hammam, included breakfast, prix-fixe dinners, and babysitting services
The riad has an outdoor pool that's heated throughout the year and sits adjacent to a covered seating area. Additional seating areas abound throughout the property, from the eucalyptus-filled garden to the ochre rooftop deck. An entirely pine-lined outbuilding serves as the intimate treatment room for the spa, and separate stone structure houses the black-stone hammam, which is free for guests to use. Breakfast is included in room rates, and a prix-fixe dinner is available (as long as the hotel is given notice by lunchtime), which can be modified for children. There's also an outdoor cinema with a small open-air amphitheater. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.
