Caroline is bowled over by the scenery at Kasbah Bab Ourika…

Our last three nights in Morocco were spent in the Atlas Mountains at the Kasbah Bab Ourika. To say that scenery is stunning is a bit of a travel cliche but in this case it is not a word of exaggeration. At every corner the strange landscape became more and more impressive and the camera went into overdrive.

The Kasbah looks old but had not long been open when we visited. It is built from rammed earth using traditional Berber techniques and blends in to the landscape perfectly. They are very proud of their eco credentials and are in fact able to boast that they are the most eco-friendly building in Morocco.

Kasbah Bab Ourika

The rooms are furnished in a rustic fashion and in the chillier months I think I would have found them too spartan to be cosy. Some, but by no means all, have fireplaces. Rooms all have private terraces although we barely used ours, preferring to relax by the pool or in some of the many tranquil spots in the garden. The outstanding feature though has to be the view from every part of the hotel, especially the sunsets.

View from our bathroom at the Kasbah

Meals were all taken in the gardens – this was Sept and temperatures were still very comfortable even in the evening. Candlelight at dinner made for a very romantic setting. The food was reasonably priced and the menu included Mediterranean and Moroccan dishes.

Private terrace with amazing view

We chose to chill during our stay at Bab Ourika but there were other more energetic guests who went hiking, trekking with mules, rafting, canoeing and cycling. Marrakech is only 45 minutes away so it would also be feasible to stay at the Kasbah and use it as a base for sight-seeing in the capital. Having said that, the last part of the journey is along an extremely bumpy track so it’s not as practical a proposition as it sounds.