Rebali Riads offers boutique self-catering accommodation with all the bells and whistles of a lovingly run hotel in a chilled-out beach town. It’s made up of one- to five-bedroom villas: the bigger of those have walled gardens and good sized pools; the smaller ones get shady terraces overlooking a communal pool.
Morocco aficionados and surf hounds discovered the charms of Sidi Kaouki several years ago. Now it’s becoming the darling of travellers in search of a laid-back, barefoot-in-the-sand bolthole that delivers classic seaside charms – gold sand beaches, romantic sunsets, abundant seafood, fresh air and exercise – with reliable weather.
Unless you’re on the roof terrace of your riad, you can’t quite see the Atlantic. But since it’s a mere two-minute walk away, you can stroll down to the shore of a morning, cup of tea in paw, and nobody bats an eyelid. Also within walking distance are a handful of local cafés (the nearest is three minutes’ away) and two great spots for a fish lunch or supper (Chez Abdou for boat-fresh octopus salads and La Mouette et les Dromadaires for simple fish grills and more inventive dishes too). If you want to explore the area and head into Essaouira (a 20-minute drive away), a hire car is essential. If you’re looking to party, this is not the place, unless it’s inside your riad.
This property is arranged as a kind of mews of one- to five-bedroom villas. The bigger of those have secluded walled gardens, good-sized pools, dining terraces and barbecue areas; the smaller ones get shady, intimate terraces overlooking a large communal pool. Each has been individually decorated using colourful handwoven throws from local weavers and funky local artworks.
The open-plan design means there is plenty of space for hanging out as a pack, but enough room for downtime too. You’ll find kitchens well stocked with essentials for making basic meals – you can even send someone to do your shopping for you – as well as classic cooking tools such as terracotta tagines. Spacious living areas come with open fireplaces so you can cosy up even when the wind and rain arrive, as they can in these parts.
Service is attentive and thoughtful; should you need anything, there’s always someone at reception to ask. There’s a library well stocked with board games, DVDs to borrow when you need to plug the kids in so you can sip wine in silence under the stars, and plenty of sports to engage in during the day ranging from tennis to horseback and camel rides along the beach (from MAD100/£8 per hour), to windsurfing and boogie boarding, mountain biking and trekking.
Rebali can also organise yoga classes (£25 per person), henna tattoos and stargazing. On site there’s a beautiful, tadelakt-lined hammam and spa (£40 for a scrub down; £40 for a 60-minute massage), hammocks dotted through the gardens and a huge dining table on one of the terraces should you wish to book the whole place out and fill it with everyone you’ve ever known. The internet isn’t terribly reliable, but that gives you all the more reason to dedicate your time here to completely switching off.
Rebali has 18 good-sized rooms spread across six villas and riads on several acres of grounds, in various configurations. Like the rest of the property they are subtle and airy, simply done with terracotta tiled floors and tadelakt bathrooms. Some come with balconies, others with terraces. All have large windows draped with crisp white cotton that you can throw open to deliciously cooling Atlantic winds for your afternoon siesta.
A hearty farmhouse breakfast of Moroccan breads, pancakes, eggs and coffee is served either on the main terrace or in your villa. This is also the time to book if you want to have a classic Berber lunch or dinner at the riad. The menu options range from grilled, locally caught fish, to chicken, preserved lemon and olive tagine.
Do sign up for a hands-on cooking class with their brilliant in-house chef Hassan who’ll discuss a menu with you – goats cheese briouats, sardines marinated in chermoula, smoky aubergine salads – before accompanying you to the markets in Essaouira to buy ingredients. Back at the riad, he’ll teach you how to make the dishes, before everyone tucks into the fruits of your labour. If you want to stock your own fridge with wine, you can either head off to Carrefour in Essaouira, request it as part of your shopping list, or visit organic winery Vall d’Argan, a 45 minute drive away.
Vehicles can get right to the door and in the villas there are a couple of ground-floor rooms and bathrooms. It’s also good for beach access and because Essaouira is flat, it’s a realistic option for wheelchair users.
Most of the rooms are spacious enough to add a single bed or cot (£30 supplement). It’s brilliant for an outdoorsy, beachside holiday with plenty of exotic twists that turn it into more of an adventure.
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