DARRESORTINNSleeping & Eating
Dar Sidi Bounou $
( 0524 84 63 30; www.darsidibounou.com; per person incl full board in tent/hut/r
Dh330/420/540) A desert dream: dunes in the backyard, sand hammams, Saharawi music jam
sessions, mechoui (whole roast lamb) feasts on starry-tiled terraces. Retreat to Berber tents
and mudbrick huts that sleep six to eight, sleep on the roof under meteor showers, or curl up
between crisp cotton sheets in main-house guestrooms. Instead of the usual sandy pool, Dar
Sidi Bounou offers desert immersion experiences: landscape-painting expeditions by
dromedary, belly-dancing classes, even authentic Saharan weddings. Reserve ahead; cash or
travellers cheques only. It’s 4km beyond Ouled Driss.
Dar Azawad $$$
( 0524 84 87 30; www.darazawad.com; Douar Ouled Driss; d incl half-board Dh1600-1800,
ste Dh2200-2500; ) Adventurous souls craving creature comforts, look no further.
Designer bungalows set in organic gardens feature sleek tadelakt walls, lofty palm-beam
ceilings and en-suite bathrooms with local, organic skincare products. Suites have bonus
amenities: fireplaces, king-sized beds, Nespresso machines, iPod docks, hidden flat-screen
TVs and Jacuzzi tubs. Go luxury ‘glamping’ in the dunes (from Dh1350 per person) or enjoy a
hammam, manicure-pedicure and exfoliating scrub with Sahara sand and argan oil. Meals range
from tasty herb-marinated turkey kebabs to elaborate traditional couscous – learn how it’s done
in on-site cooking classes – and there’s a well-stocked bar, boutique, and filtered swimming
pool.
Kasbah Sahara Services $$
( 0524 84 80 33; www.hotelmhamid.com; per person incl half-board tent/d/ste
Dh200/300/350) When siroccos blow through town, retreat to air-conditioned, candy-coloured
rooms with en-suite bathrooms, Berber tent with sinks and shared bathroom, or a family suite
with tataoui ceilings and tadelakt bathroom. Menus include oasis-fresh salad, kebabs and chips
(Dh80); learn a few Saharawi recipes at on-site cooking classes. It’s 300m on the right after
you enter M’Hamid.
Getting There & Away
Daily Supratours buses head to Marrakesh (Dh180, eight hours) via Zagora (Dh20), Agdz
(Dh40) and Ouarzazate (Dh60). Daily afternoon CTM bus runs to Zagora (Dh25, two hours),
Ouar-zazate (Dh60, six hours), Marrakesh (Dh155, six hours) and Casablanca (Dh220, 15
hours).
MAGIC CARPET RIDE: FOUM ZGUID TO ANZAL
On this two-hour drive, you’ll find carpets to delight feet, enchant guests, and remind you of sipping tea with Morocco’s talented