Short stay: Le Jardin des Douars, Essaouira, Morocco /

Le Jardin des Douars is the traditional Moroccan Kasbah stylishly reimagined high above Essaouira on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. Purpose-built, less than two decades ago, to provide indulgent 21st-century luxury, Le Jardin des Douars recalls the architecture of a sun-baked mud kasbah.

And the name? In Arabic, a douar is a small village, sometimes of just one or two houses. On this hilltop, Douarais, terracotta houses, dot the verdant gardens. On the outside, Le Jardin des Douars pays homage to the light terracotta architecture of Morocco’s inland fortifications, while the interior runs through Morocco’s classy book of design.

This hotel with 19 rooms, 6 suites and 6 villas offers a peaceful retreat. Tall palms and needle-thin cypresses provide shelter from the trade winds of the Atlantic Ocean.

In summer, those winds save Essaouira from Morocco’s boiling temperatures. “We have two seasons”, our guide Abdul confides. “Windy and non-windy.” From September to April there is no wind, making Essaouira a destination with 320 days of sunshine a year.

The welcome

A driver awaits us after we have quickly completed the formalities at the small airport of Essaouira. Quiet, almost empty country roads take us within 15 minutes to the lantern-lit driveway of Le Jardin. After checking in, the receptionist leads us through the gardens to our room.

The room

Our Pasha Room, named after honored leaders in Ottoman times, is one of four rooms in a secluded house in the gardens. In the morning, the sun graces the backyard with lounge chairs, table and chairs. By mid-afternoon, the sun warms the sheltered outdoor benches in the alcove. Discreet air conditioning/heating is available if required.

A fireplace with bellows, brush and logs is more decorative than necessary, taking its place among the desert sand colored walls. On two sides, tall fortress thin windows, one of which is framed with bougainvillea, let in light. On a third wall, a glass door opens onto the patio. Sultan size, the bed is more than big. Hidden from view by the bed, a desk runs behind it, in case you need to work. No television or radio, but willpower is strong on much of the two hectares of the campsite. Furniture is dark and worn, at once archaic but lavishly fit for a sultan. A large cupboard houses the coffee maker, kettle, fridge and minibar. For larger groups, Le Jardin has six private pool villas, some of which can accommodate up to 14 people. Housekeepers provide daily services including meal preparation.

The bathroom

The bathroom is larger than some hotel rooms and has a separate shower, his and hers sinks and a lovely sunken bath. With wardrobe and drawers in the bathroom, it also serves as a dressing room.

Eco-friendly toiletries in glass bottles are replenished daily by housekeeping. Berber-style hooded robes await you, perfect for drying off after a dip in the pool.

Services

Entering the restaurant is like walking through the courtyards, pillars and pools of the Alhambra in Granada.

Guests graze from the breakfast buffet while looking out over the argan-studded valley of the Oued Ksob. Waiters quickly learn customers’ preferences for coffee and tea. Eggs, pancakes and French toast are cooked to order.

Lunch can be taken in the restaurant or from the finger food menu by the pool. Light and citric, the catch of the day fish ceviche is a highlight. In the evenings, the menus are inspired by both Moroccan and French cuisine.

A three-course menu of the day uses local seasonal produce, perhaps a zucchini soup, followed by a lamb and fruit tagine, with a fruit crumble to finish.

Not only does the spa offer a range of relaxing massages, but it also features a dark grotto of a hammam that recalls the Ottomans’ love for deep cleansing rituals.

A black soap scrub precedes an exfoliating scrub.

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Rent

South of Casablanca, north of Agadir and west of Marrakesh, many guests come to Le Jardin for a few days of rest and pampering during their grand Moroccan tour. You can book a shuttle to Essaouira: 15 minutes to the beach, 18 minutes to the port and medina.

The airy alleys, designed by a French architect, are straight Champs-Elysse rather than a Marrakech maze. To escape into the hills, the hotel offers walking ecotours and quad biking. Nor is it far from one of Morocco’s finest golf courses, 18 holes designed by Gary Player, along a spectacular coastline.

On the edge of the medina, L’Atelier, a former almond warehouse, offers a cooking class where guests cook their own lunch – perhaps a tagine or pastilla.

While lunch simmers, the culinary students visit spice merchant Mohammed to learn how Moroccans buy and use spices.

Essaouira’s wide, windswept beach is a place for camel or horse riding, kite surfing and surfing.

Other nice keys

Late in the afternoon, by the pool, waiters bring free mint tea and cake.

Sun hats can be served at the poolside bar. On Friday evenings there is live entertainment around the restaurant and terrace. Children were delighted with the visit of Youssef the wizard.

Spread over two hectares, Le Jardin is suitable for both families and adults. Down a few terraces is a family pool out of earshot of adults relaxing by their own jade zellige tiled pool.

Al fresco tables on the expansive restaurant terrace accommodate families for lunch and dinner. While there is a small and intimate adult restaurant for couples.

Costs

Bed and breakfast costs around £140 per room. Villas start from £530 per villa per night.

The final verdict

“No news, no blues, no formal shoes,” is the hotel’s credo. Surrounded by lively gardens with bougainvillea, cypresses, daisies, ferns, palms and plumbago, Le Jardin des Douars has a relaxed oasis feel.

Yet it’s a deceptive tranquility, for some guests Le Jardin is the peaceful base for adrenaline-fueled activities such as horse riding, quad biking or kite surfing.

Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by Le Jardin des Douars.