Morocco has a staggering array of boutique accommodation options and one of the winners for style, character and romance is the converted Kasbah. Kasbahs are fortified buildings that often date back centuries and are reminders of Morocco’s turbulent past. Most are located in the southern half of the country, and some have been transformed into hidden gems where guests can stay, buried deep in palm oases and behind nondescript mud walls. Nowhere is the magic of Morocco so beautifully expressed as in its Kasbahs and its characteristic villages. 

Don’t expect to find crumbling interiors to these buildings, as many have been renovated and decorated to a very high standard of design and good-taste. Kasbahs come in different shapes and sizes and to suit different budgets – from excellent value, friendly mid-range places to some of the most exclusive hideaways on the planet. 

The excitement of a Kasbah stay stretches beyond its walls. Often the journey to the front door is charged with excitement as you’ll often have to head off-road, deep into date palm groves and distinctive “African” terrain to access your accommodation. Once there you are often surrounded by bird song, offered luxuriant gardens and pool facilities, and treated to a level of hospitality that has been Morocco’s trademark since the beginning of time.

Using a combination of locally-sourced materials, great local artisanship, and often the owner’s keen eye, the ambience created within a Kasbah is particularly warm and welcoming. Doors of cedar, roof beams of tamarisk, walls made of a special smooth plaster called Tadelakht, local rugs and soft atmospheric lighting complete the scene. Romantic, convivial and highly special.