Kashba Bab Ourika, Morocco

This unique boutique hotel, sitting majestically on a hilltop in the Ourika Valley, embodies the feeling of serenity and calm.

The eco-resort, which the British Stephen Skinner had built in 2009 in solitude, can be reached via stony slopes and through small Berber villages. The traditional Moroccan kasbahs (fortresses) of the region, with their thick mud walls, their many inner courtyards, terraces and hidden retreat areas, served as a model. 

From almost every corner of the spacious garden and from many of the rooms you have a fantastic view of the Atlas Mountains, the Ourika Valley and the adjacent national park. The interiors are furnished with hand-woven carpets, specially made armchairs and selected antique furniture. We love room No. 9 with it’s open air shower and an exclusive mountain.

Both breakfast and the dinner menu, which changes daily, are lovingly prepared with fresh ingredients from the Kasbah kitchen garden and offer contemporary cuisine with a Moroccan twist.

At the Kasbah Bab Ourika you can easily stay for a few days, if not a whole week, and spend the days on excursions to the surrounding Berber villages, visit the nearby Setti Fatma waterfalls or relax with a good book at the wonderful pool of the Kasbah.

It is worth leaving the idyll for some local shopping at the nearest village Tnine Ourika. Workshops, antique shops, clothing and grocery stores are lined up along the main street. Maison Berber is a particularly beautiful antique shop where you can find real treasures for a good price. 

Website: www.kasbahbabourika.com