3 Best Hotels in Ouarzazate, The Great Oasis Valleys

Set in the heart of the Palmery amid lush gardens (the owners planted 2,500 different plants), L'Ma Lodge is an exquisite escape from modern life. Rooms are simply decorated using local materials and infused with the owner's considerable sense of style to add the chic factor. There are no TVs or Wi-Fi in the rooms (there is Wi-Fi in the communal areas) as the owners wanted to create the feeling of a haven and place of rest. Adding to the sense of retreat, there is no car noise or pollution, and food is clean, organic, and mostly grown on-site. The lush gardens encourage lingering with hammocks, piles of cushions, and petanque areas around every corner. There are only seven rooms so book early and for a few days for the full effect.

Between Kelaâ M'Gouna and Boumalne du Dadès, this restored riverside kasbah is an ideal base for exploring both the Valley of Roses and the Dadès Gorge. Rooms are individually decorated with paintings, textiles, masks, and furniture collected by the owners during their years of traveling in West Africa; a Mongolian yurt and bewitching underground cave rooms (hacked from the rocky crags where nomads once lived) offer unique alternatives. Ample outdoor space, a pool, plus a broad range of games and activities give this spot family appeal.

Styling itself as a "maison de repos" (house of rest), this restored farmhouse casts such a spell over guests that many of them find it difficult to leave, staying on for days in its warm, lazy embrace. The laid-back feel disguises an incredible attention to detail; each room and suite was individually designed. All have heating/cooling systems, and suites have fireplaces as well. Extensive gardens, dotted with the odd hammock and Amazigh tent, offer unlimited distraction for younger visitors, while for adults doing nothing has rarely felt so good. The rate includes breakfast; delicious evening meals are also available.