Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Palmeraie & Outskirts
When the medina seems a bit much, villas in the Palmeraie let you chill out in a palm oas-
is. Once your blood pressure dips and you begin to miss the madness of Marrakesh, it's
only a 30-minute drive back to the heart of the action. A taxi into town is the easiest way,
but is rather costly (Dh150 to DH250) since you often have to pay for the driver's round-
trip to fetch you.
Riad Bledna
MAISON D'HÔTE
€€
( 0661 18 20 90;
www.riadbledna.com
; Km 19 Rte de Ouarzazate; d incl breakfast Dh680; )
Welcome home to the garden villa of the Moroccan-British Nour family, who pamper vis-
itors like favourite house guests, urging them to relax by the filtered pool, enjoy more
quail and apricot tajine, and sip more fresh-squeezed juice (made with organic fruit from
their 4-acre gardens). Daily transit to/from the medina are included in the rates, and your
hosts can arrange airport pick-ups, babysitting, desert trips, mountain eco-excursions and
hands-on Moroccan craft workshops.
You'll find it 19km east of Marrakesh, signposted off the Rte de Ouarzazate. From the
turn-off it's a further 2.5km to the house.
Casa Taos
( 0661 20 04 14;
www.casataos.net
;
Km 8 Rte de Souihla; incl breakfast d Dh1595-2035, ste
Dh1815-2585; )
As if taking its cue from the blue pool and rosy apricots in the
orchard, Casa Taos comes in an uplifting palette of colours, blending indoor and outdoor
space seamlessly thanks to award-winning architect Abderrahim Charaï. Rooms sport nat-
ural finishes in
tadelakt,
terracotta, cedar and
talaouh
(a mix of clay, lime and straw) and
overlook 3 hectares of biodynamic garden that mirror their symphony of colours in minty
and sage greens, vibrant lemon, pomegranate red and dusky pink.
Lunch and pool formulas are also possible with advanced booking (Dh300 to Dh450).
The house is located in Souihla, 9km northwest of Marrakesh.
MAISON D'HÔTE
€€€
Jnane Tamsna
( 0524 32 94 23;
www.jnanetamsna.com
;
Douar Abiad, Palmeraie; d incl breakfast from Dh2800-3300,
ste from Dh4000; )
Sustainability meets style at Meryanne Loum-Martin's oasis
of water-conserving plants, filtered pools, all-organic cuisine, fair-trade design gallery
(
www.inspired-by-marrakech.com
)
and cultural excursions organised by her English eth-
RESORT
€€€
