Madada Mogador

Style

Refined Orientalist

Setting

Ocean-view ramparts

Standing vigil over Essaouira’s old-town ramparts, Moroccan guesthouse Madada Mogador has the easy, clean-lined chic of a cosy Parisian apartment. Downstairs, a central sand-hued salon leads to five tadelakt-surfaced bedrooms and, upstairs, two suites offer startling sea views. Take up residence in this laid-back little retreat, a haven of indulgent bathrooms with vast soaking tubs, breezy terraces and uninterrupted ocean vistas.

Facilities

Rooms

Nine rooms, including two ocean-view suites.

Checkout

Noon. Earliest check-in, 2pm.

More Details

Rates include Continental breakfast.

Also

Try your hand at tajines with a two-hour lesson in Moroccan cookery, taught in either French or English, and culminating in a two-course meal. The cookery classes are held in L'Atelier Madada, a former almond warehouse.

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pet Friendly

Room Service

At the Hotel

Library, treatment room, boutique, board games, WiFi, iPod dock, and the services of a cook, if required.

Our Favourite Rooms

Clues to Madada Mogador’s rich history linger on inside its walls, which once housed traders in the Jewish quarter. If you’re staying on a summer escapade with a lover, there’s no doubt the Madada room upstairs is the one to earmark with tadelakt and aged brass in the bathroom. Warm-red Sabra room has a bath in the room and club armchairs; Assala room has a wall-sized bedhead and big ivory tadelakt tub.

Spa

Madada Mogador's bijou treatment room faces the ocean; indulge in a relaxing massage or get yourself sandal-ready with a mani-pedi.

Packing Tips

Leave some space in your luggage for a stash of hand-loomed towels from the souk: they'll double as handy wraps on the windy beaches and stylish bathroom-brighteners at home.

Also

Smoking is allowed on the patio and terrace. The annual Gnawa Festival happens the last week of June every year, and the area around Madada Mogador can be quite busy and noisy.

Children

Children are warmly welcome, though the layout of the hotel doesn’t make it particularly suitable. Under-twos stay free and there is a cot available; extra beds cost €30 a night for over-twos.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

If you're just after nibbles from the tapas menu, nab the high table for two.

Dress Code

Whatever you like lounging in.

Hotel Restaurant

Right beneath the hotel in an old converted carob warehouse, La Table by Madada is an arched, bistro-style eatery with a menu that draws heavily from Essaoira's seafood-rich waters. The day's catch – octopus, spider crab, swordfish – takes centre stage in inventive dishes such as pastilla, gratin and carpaccio.

Hotel Bar

You can order drinks in the informal lobby or on the roof terrace. Try the local rosé, a blend of syrah and muscat grapes, or the home-made fruit cocktail.

Last Orders

La Table by Madada takes last orders at about 10.30pm.

Planes

Royal Air Maroc flies to Essaouira from Paris Orly, but most visitors arrive via Marrakech Menara Airport, easily reached on direct and budget flights from various hubs across Europe. One-way transfers from Marrakech cost about MAD 1000 and take two hours; staff can also arrange transfers from Essaouira and Casablanca.

Automobiles

You won’t need a car to get around Essaouira but if you’re planning to drive to the town you’ll find rental booths at both Marrakech and Essaouira airports. The journey from Marrakech along the N8 highway takes around two hours. Cars are not allowed into the walled town centre and must be left at the public car park by the harbour – a two-minute walk from the hotel.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Beachy, carefree Essaouira is a laid-back fishing port and surfers’ retreat. Walled in by impressive 18th-century ramparts, the car-free medina is a walker’s delight: head out on foot to experience its animated street life, bustling fish market and colourful souk. A stretch of golden sands along the windswept Atlantic coast, the city’s beach is an easy walk from the hotel, and offers plenty of waterspouts as well as camel and horse rides. Stop by Madada Mogador’s concierge desk for a rundown of the neighbourhood’s best sights and activities; staff will happily point you to the nearby hammam for indulgent treatments and aromatic steam baths, or arrange a candlelit dinner in a charming auberge.

Ida Ougourd’s Berber souk on Wednesdays and Had Draa’s Sunday market for farmers and breeders offer a glimpse of the region’s trading traditions. A charming cluster of 19th-century riads, Meskala Kasbah (+212 (0)666 233534) is now home to a farm producing artisan cheeses. Savour the table d’hôtes’ sampling platters and generous lunches, or try your hand at tadelakt or wood-painting in one of the workshops run by the kasbah. Explore Essaouira’s rivers and beaches on a quad bike with Palma Quad or head out of town on camel and horseback with Equi Evasion in the village of Diabat. For an eco-conscious Argan grove tour, try Ecotourism et Randonnées; trips culminate in a traditional Moroccan tea.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .