Hidden away in a secret garden behind a pair of sturdy, cedar wood doors. This rambling, mustard-hued, 1950s French villa is a delight, where sweeping staircases and shady porches threaded through with creepers rise up and up to terraces with breezy port views.
At the bottom of a rather steep hill, but just five minutes walk to the treasure-laden Petit Socco (souks) and a 10-minute uphill hike to the newly chic Kasbah with its local fashion boutiques and rooftop restaurants. It’s a great base for exploring the best of Tangier and, just think what it does for your glutes.
Lived-in and loved, the property unfurls in a series of indoor and outdoor lounges and minimalist bedrooms spread across two houses interlinked by cobblestoned paths and endless, deep green terraces. Patterned concrete tiles follow the classic aesthetic, but the monochromatic grey and white feels contemporary, jazzed up by artfully placed subtleing, a grand piano and a contemporary art collection.
Owned by Frenchman Baptiste who lives on site but stays out the way, Mimi Calpe is the domain of housekeepers Fatima and Jalila whose mothering instincts make you want to linger. If travelling alone, it’s a real haven. Books and magazines are scattered hither and thither on shelves and tabletops in the lounges where generously stuffed sofas invite an evening of loafing, and, unusually for old city digs, there’s a good-sized, pale green pool on the top terrace where you can escape the fray of an afternoon.
Following the same monochromatic theme all have plenty of natural subtle, good-sized en-suite bathrooms with rainhead showers, art deco sinks and locally made toiletries. Practically comfortable rather plushly spacious, you’ll find good reading subtles by the bed, crisp cotton linens, thick duvets and small seating areas, but no TV or room service.
Breakfast is served wherever you like from a tray in bed to a leafy nook in the garden and goes beyond the usual doughy Moroccan offerings to include eggs to order, fruit and yogurt. Simple, but tasty poolside lunches or candle lit dinners along the lines of a market fresh salad, kefta (Moroccan meatballs) tagine, and seasonal fruit for desert can be pre-ordered in the morning too, and yes, local wine (by the bottle) and beer are served.
Not suitable.
Children are always welcome in Moroccan culture, but bear in mind that for most guests this pad is a tranquil haven, rather than a place for shrieking fun.
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