Hotel of the Week – Dar Azawad
For many Europeans, the desert is something hard to imagine – of course you’ve seen the movies and the pictures, yet still it’s hard to conjure up the atmosphere; the smells, the heat, the sheer vastness of it all. Visiting the Sahara is an experience everyone should have, which is why this week we explore a Moroccan riad located on the edge of the desert, with a choice of accommodation including authentic mud huts.
Hotel: Dar Azawad
Region: Zagora, Beyond Atlas
Address: Douar Ouled Driss BP16, M’hamid, Zagora
Rating: ***
Dar Azawad is a rural Moroccan riad that offers a variety of guest rooms, from authentic tented mud huts to standard hotel rooms and luxurious, spacious suites. Located in Zagora on the edge of the Sahara Desert, there’s something for everyone who wants to experience a desert journey.
The tented huts have to be seen to be appreciated. Made of camel hair and mud, they are brightly furnished and provide a real ‘back-to-basics’ nomadic stay, with shared wash rooms and no air conditioning. If you’re looking for a genuine desert-living experience, these are the perfect choice.
Made of camel hair and mud, the tented huts provide a real ‘back-to-basics’ nomadic stay – the genuine desert-living experience”
However, if you want a more traditional Moroccan riad stay, both the standard rooms and the suites are decorated in a nomadic, colourful fashion, combining Western comforts of en-suite showers and air conditioning with traditional embellishments such as Tadlekt lime tiling.
Because of its desert edge location, Dar Azawad is perfect for travellers who wish to explore the Sahara. For a truly authentic experience, we’d recommend a camel trek, though if camels don’t tickle your fancy there are also jeep tours available.
Although it’s rural, the location is bursting with other attractions. Just ten minutes walk from the riad is a fortified mud hamlet, known as a ksar. A short drive away are M’hamid, Zagora and Tagounite, where you will find souks selling hand-made crafts, while within the hotel itself there is a small boutique from which you can purchase traditional fabrics, rugs and wood carvings.
The restaurant at Dar Azawad is perfect for a romantic dinner for two, tastefully lit by candles and lanterns that provide an intimate feel. Meals can also be served outside at poolside pavilions. Dar Azawad’s chef trained in France and has worked in Saudi Arabian hotels, meaning that there’s a sumptuous mix of cuisine available.
Vegetarians will be well catered for in Dar Azawad, and other dietary requirements can be met too”
Generally, breakfast and dinner are included in the price and lunch is available for a small additional charge. Vegetarians will be well catered for in Dar Azawad and other dietary requirements can be met too.
When you’re not out exploring the desert on a camel or visiting the nearby towns for a shopping trip, there is ample space to relax at Dar Azawad. Unlike some other hotels, the swimming pool is of a good size, meaning you can enjoy a proper swim if you wish. There are also sunbeds and seated areas around the pool to soak up the glorious weather. For those of a fairer complexion and anyone wanting to spend time out of the sun, there is a shaded seating area beneath the trellis, and there’s also a sitting room full of books and magazines inside the riad.
The swimming pool is of a good size and there are sunbeds and seated areas around the pool, plus shaded seating areas beneath the trellis and a sitting room full of books inside the riad”
There’s also a hammam and spa, complete with massage, hair and nail salon, aromatherapy and Jacuzzi – guaranteed to leave you feeling refreshed, relaxed and ready for your next adventure.
If you want to try something a little different, the hotel can also arrange a range of overnight camps in the desert. A driver, jeep and tent are provided. Quad biking is also popular for some younger travellers.
Morocco Gateway can offer you special discounts on Dar Azawad, as well as other Morocco hotels and riads. To book your stay at Dar Azawad and experience the breathtaking Sahara Desert for yourself, click this link.
