Welcome to Dar Afram
Staying in a Riad is the perfect way to experience the true spirit of Morocco.
Riad Dar Afram, located in the heart of Essaouira's ancient Medina, is a beautifully renovated traditional Riad that retains its classic Moroccan charm. The former garden has been transformed into a moroccan salon and music area, where guests can relax and enjoy impromptu performances by local artists.
The Riad offers free Wi-Fi, five ensuite rooms, and breakfast, with optional dinners featuring Moroccan delicacies. Guests can also book a traditional private hammam. Two rooftop terraces provide stunning 360° views of the sea and city, ideal for enjoying the sunset.
Newsflash
* Dar Afram
(0524 78 56 57; www.darafram.com; 10 Rue Sidi Magdoul; s/d from DH 150/300, tr DH 500; WIFI) This extremly friendly guesthouse has simple, spotless en-suite rooms with a funky vibe.
The Aussie-Moroccan owners are musicians and an impromptu session often follows the evening meals shared around a communal table.
Deservedly popular!
Abdellatif and Tarik, the Moroccan-Australian owners, have kept the classic Moroccan style of this laid-back riad, with stained-glass windows, painted wooden ceilings and colourful kilim rugs. The six rooms have en suite bathrooms and are spacious enough to hold extra beds for families or groups of friends, while the patio garden has been converted into a convivial lounge area. Essaouira is one of Morocco's most musical towns, from exuberant Gnaoua rhythms to a gypsy and flamenco festival in October. Musicians gravitate to this riad, and it's not unusual for impromptu all-night jam sessions to break out in the candlelit Moorish salon or on the roof terrace post-barbecue.
• Doubles from €27 B&B, +212 524 785 657, darafram.com