A rustic guesthouse seamlessly integrated into a remote, traditional Berber village in the High Atlas Mountains. Superlative walking from the doorstep, mesmerising views from roof terraces, good home cooking and immensely cosy bedrooms – some without electricity and lit at night by candles and oil lamps.
The hotel is in Tamatert, which at 1,920m is one of the highest villages in the Atlas Mountains. You can drive to the edge of the village, but there is no vehicular access into it – your luggage will be transported by Douar Samra’s donkey. With dirt tracks, pisé (mud-walled) dwellings and the sounds of cockerels crowing and donkeys bellowing, Tamatert is a step back in time. Superb walking beckons, into the fertile valley below and up into the mountains. Imlil, a larger, more contemporaryised village that serves as the area’s main trekking base, is reachable on foot in 30 minutes. Marrakesh is a 90-minute drive away.
Built out of local materials, Douar Samra merges into the village. The focal point is its lounge/dining room, which has rough-hewn mud walls, low beamed ceilings woven with reeds, colourful rugs and sequined cushions, and in the evening is lit by candles and oil lamps set in niches. When it’s warm, you’ll spend much of the time sitting out on the roof terraces, taking in views over the village, down the lush valley beyond a walnut grove and of the craggy mountains rising up all around. Further terraces are dotted around the delightful garden, which is bedecked with hollyhocks and has a large and productive fruit, vegetable and herb area.
Douar Samra is the loving creation of Jacqueline Brandt, a Swiss woman who lives on the property and is followed everywhere by her shitsu dogs. When I stayed, Jacqueline was immensely welcoming, chatting over cups of mint tea, fussing about our needs and discussing walking options. Her local staff can be somewhat set in their ways, but try very hard to please. Qualified mountain guides can be arranged for day-long trips or two-day treks up to the summit of Mount Toubkal, the highest peak. There is a cave-like hammam; you need to give a day’s notice for it to be set up.
The eight bedrooms couldn’t be more snug. In the cold winter months, fires are lit in them and you’re given hot water bottles. Most feature thick, colourful bedspreads, straw-matted floors, eucalyptus-beamed ceilings and paintings of local mountain scenes on walls. Compact showers have tadelakt walls (Moroccan-styled polished plaster) and are screened behind rugs hung on poles (as are the loos). The four rooms in the main building don’t have electricity, but are kitted out with candles and lanterns. The others, which do have electricity, are in buildings in the garden; one is a treehouse on stilts that has more of a Scandinavian than Moroccan feel. Some rooms also have a secluded terrace, among them Kouss.
The food is simple, wholesome and tasty Moroccan fare. Breakfast comprised a basket of fruit from the garden, home-baked flat bread, little pots of jams and yogurts, pancakes, coffee and hot chocolate. Our set dinner started with a carrot and bean salad, was followed by goat and pea tagine, and finished with home-made strawberry and apricot sorbets. Mint tea is available for free any time, and you can also order beer and wine. You’re encouraged to eat communally, and when it’s warm you can dine out on the roof terrace.
Not suitable.
Staying in the village is an eye-opening experience for children. Several rooms have extra beds, so are ideal for families. Children aged under seven stay for free, and those under 12 get 30 per cent off adult rates. Jacqueline can arrange walks in the mountains accompanied by a mule for smaller children to ride on.
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