Darsal
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About the home
Darsal is a beautiful, carefully restored Riad in a tradional style, offering peace and tranquility in the heart of the vibrant, exciting old medina just a few minutes walk to centre of the medina, beach and port . Whether relaxing in the tranquil 2nd floor salon with traditional moroccan sitting room, or soaking up the sunshine on the roof terrace with sea views, this is the perfect base from which you can explore the wonders on offer in this 18th century fishing village, or relax after a day on the beach. On arrival you will be met by Fouad, who is available throughout your stay and also our friendly maid Aieda. Fouad will give you a tour of the town and can arrange other activites and excursions.
| Size: | Sleeps up to 8, 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|
| Nearest beach: | Essaouira, 500m |
| Will consider: | Corporate lets Hen and stag parties House swaps Long lets Short breaks |
| Access: | Car not necessary |
| Family friendly? | Suitable for children of all ages Unsuitable for people with restricted mobility |
| Notes: | May take pets - please enquire Smokers welcome Self-catering |
Facilities
| Luxuries: | Log fire, DVD player, Staffed Property, Sea view |
|---|---|
| General: | TV, CD player, Safe, Satellite TV, Wi-fi available |
| Standard: | Kettle, Iron, Hair dryer |
| Utilities: | Clothes dryer, Cooker, Microwave, Fridge, Freezer, Washing machine |
| Rooms: | 3 Bedrooms, 3 bathrooms of which 3 en suites |
| Furniture: | Sofabeds (2), Double beds (3), Cots (1), Dining seating for 8, Lounge seating for 10 |
| Other: | Linen and towels provided |
| Outdoors: | Balcony / Terrace |
Further details indoors:
The riad is spacious and beautifully renovated in a tradional style, a lovely atmosphere for a relaxing holiday. The Riad has 3 floors and a roof terrace.
GROUND FLOOR Entrance hall and beautiful peaceful central courtyard with fountain surrounded by salon with log fire and seating area, dining area and kitchen. Separate Laundry room.
FIRST FLOOR Large tranquil bedroom with double bed and french windows overlooking the courtyard and spacious en suite.Second bedroom with double bed and mezzanine bed suitable for 2 children as the bed has low headroom. The room has windows overlooking the street and lovely en suite bathroom.
SECOND FLOOR Large spacious salon with log fire and arches to cosy Moroccan salon, and ajacent kitchen. There are two sofa in the Moroccan sitting area that can be made up as beds. All linen provided.
TERRACE The terrace room has delightful sunny double bedroom with en suite. A private roof terrace with sunbeds and patio table and chairs, ideal for soaking up the sun, relaxing with a glass of wine or al fresco dining.There is a further roof top terrace with sea views.
Further details outdoors:
The terrace is sunny and secluded, a lovely haven from which you can see the roof tops of Essaouira and from the upper terrace the sea. There is an ipod docking station and we also have a pay as you go mobile phone and internet modem.
Further details
Our agents Fouad or Noureddine will meet you on your arrival in Essaouira and take you and your luggage to the riad. He is available to assit you during your stay, and can arrange a tour of the medina, and advise you on other activies available.Also Aieda our friendly maid will come in daily, she can also provide a wonderful moroccan breakfast, and evening meal, this can be paid for locally when you require them. If you wish she can also take you shopping in the souks, or to the hamman.
Conditions
There is a refundable breakage deposit of £50 to be paid with your final payment. This will be returned to you one week after your stay is completed.Please ensure you have travel insure.
The Marrakech / Essaouira / Essaouira Region region
Essaouira is a charming ancient medina (walled town), with a 3 mile beach, portuguese ramparts and small picturesque working fishing port and bustling medina.
There are no cars allowed inside the medina and it has a very relaxed hassle free atmosphere. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and was the town were Jimi Hendrix used to hang out and where scenes were filmed from Ridley Scott's 'The Kingdome of Heaven'.
The climate is temperate and rarely gets above mid 30's.
The Essaouira / Ancient Medina area
Essaouira has many mysterious and interesting streets in the old medina to explore. You will find souks selling crafts, clothes and spices and many craft shops selling an abundance or colourful traditional items.The restaurants offer a variety of moroccan, French and Italian cuisine, the busy little port with it's blue fishing boats bringing in the daily catch and the historic ramparts overlooking the sea. It has a long sandy beach, and there are many activities available in the area, wind surfing and tuition, walking, cycling, quad bikes, camel and horse riding, body boarding and wind buggy, swimming pools use in local hotels (there is a daily charge),or visit the hamman.
Car hire is available if you wish to explorer further.
How to get there
Click map icons for more information
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| Nearest Travel Links | |
| Airport: | Marrakech: 180 km |
| Railway: | Marrakech: 180 km |
| Ferry: | Tangier: 800 km |
Fly to Marrakech or Agadir. We can arrange a taxi to meet you at the airport, or take a bus to Essaouira.
Flights avaiblable from EASYJET, Ryanair, Thompsonfly, etc.
A Taxi can be arranged from either Marrakech approx 21/2 hrs Cost 60 euros, approx £40. And from Agadir approx 3hrs cost 80 euros.
There is also a good bus service from Marrakech 'Supratours' 60 dirhams (approx £4) or the CTM bus service from Agadir.
Activities near Essaouira
Tennis in town
Watersports
Horse Riding
Golf less than 15 mins walk
Fishing
Rural / countryside retreats
Beach or lakeside relaxation
A winter sun break
Good nightlife
Cycling holidays
Reviews
 06 Dec 2011 |
Just coming back from our 4th stay in DARSAL house . It was like coming home to friends again. Fouad, the housekeeper and Aida the maid, already were waiting for us. We are a couple from Germany,... more |
25 Nov 2011 |
Darsal is excellently located to give visitors an authentic taste of Essaouira. During our four visits to the riad, by engaging with Fouad, the local house guide, and Aieda, the maid, we've managed to experience and enjoy so much of local life. Fouad is very helpful. Arrivals and departures are always efficiently managed. He is a store of information and an hour in his company hearing his tales is fascinating. Aieda is a marvellous cook. Her beef tagine is a particular favourite of ours. The communal life of the medina, where things are shared, is perfectly demonstrated by Aieda and her interaction with us as guests. For us, getting involved with her and her young family has added greatly to the enjoyment of the holiday over and above the usual holiday activities. A visit to the hammam used by the locals, with her, is a real eye-opener. We shall never forget being taken by her to the sheep souk in preparation for Eid. However, if her brand of Moroccan hospitality does not appeal, then ask Fouad to explain your needs to her. The accomodation is simple, faithfully restored in Essaouiran fashion. The bedrooms are comfortable with very good en-suite facilities. Sitting in front of the log fire in the main salon on a chilly evening after the heat of the day is a treat. |
29 Jul 2011 |
Very nice place in the old medina... easy to find & good location. The owner & manager are very kind & helpful, but the so-called "daily maid" is a bit of a mystery... she appeared every... more |
Guestbook for Darsal
Dear Sally Thank you for the use of your riad, we had a lovely time there. We all loved the riad - especially the children. Aieda was so friendly and helpful, and Fouad saved the day when our taxi to take us to Marrakech from Essouaria (booked through our Marrakech riad) did not arrive (they had forgotten to book it) - he found us something to take all 6 of us within 5 minutes of our asking for his help. Claire April 2011
"We loved the riad, which had been beautifully restored and was full of lovely features/details and had lots of character. It was in a really central, convenient position and all the local neighbours were very friendly. The maid can provide breakfast and evening meals - these are really good value and delicious . We went in December, and the weather was lovely - blue skies everyday, although a little cool at night, but no problem as there was heating. We preferred Essouria to Marrakech, as it is more relaxed and laid-back. Much less hassle for shopping etc. I have already recommended it to friends, and would definitely consider staying there again."Our stay at Darsal exceeded my expectations in every way - as did everything about beautiful Morocco! The riad is gorgeous and really well decorated. Bathrooms are great - no problems with hot water like in most other places I stayed in Morocco. Aeida was lovely and cooked us a beautiful tagine and breakfast every morning. We had such a great stay, Essaouira is an awesome little town. Would love to come back one day. Erin March 2008 We had a wonderful time in your generous and beautiful house, which feels more like a home than a holiday rental. We loved the abundance of pottery, the magical lighting, the perfect proportions, the roof terrace in the morning and the log fires in the evening. Noureddine, Faoud and Aouida took care that we got everything we wanted or needed. George March 08 We stayed at your riad for 4 days from 4 March and had a lovely time. Fouad is brilliant. He came out with us to the Argon oil cooperative in the taxi. He got the pastille from the neighbour and really looked after us. A really nice chap. We loved the seagulls and the port in particular. A lovely place to stay. Chris March 08."A beautiful Riad in the enchanting fishing port town of Essaouira. Having a property manager and maid available to assist guests staying at Darsal made it that much more enjoyable. The beach is wonderful with the softest sand. The Riad came equipped with children's books, games, sand toys and a soccer ball and all were thoroughly enjoyed by our children. The riad is centrally located amongst the local homes within the medina which gives it a very authentic feel. While the exterior is very plain and simple, the interior is beautifully renovated and decorated. The roof top terrace with a breezy, bright bedroom was my favourite! A wonderful vacation home overall." Mellisa Feb 2008On behalf of my wife Maria, our children and myself, I would like to say how much we enjoyed our all too short stay at your wonderful Riad Darsal last week. The house is wonderful and all went to plan re Noureddine and Aida etc. We all had a great time. We went camel riding on the coast in brilliant sunshine the day after. All in all a great break! Burgess Nov 07"This is a wonderful property, ideally located to give you a real experience of an African/Arabic coastal town. It is decorated and presented very tastefully with loads of space (there were six in our party) and all in-home entertainment is on hand. The locals are also very friendly and helpful. We met a French couple who own a Riad nearby and were around when the renovations were being carried out on this property, they suggested that this really is one of the best Riads in the area. All you would want to see and do is within a few minutes walk or drive. Aieda is lovely and her cooking has to be experienced – there are plenty of good places to eat however her cooking is so much better than anything you will get in a local restaurant. The Houseman, Noureddine, is a great guy, intelligent , witty and always on hand to sort anything you may need. All of the above made for a great holiday to the point I seriously didn’t want to leave. We will definitely be back in 2008." Ellingworth July 07Thank you, we all had a fantastic time in Essaouira- everyone was very friendly, we were really quite sad to leave. We really fell in love with the place, and intend to return Oct '08. Aeida is a wonderful person, she helped make our stay very special indeed. Your house is lovely, we particulary loved the terrace, and truly enjoyed our stay there. Once again, thank you very much. K Willaims August 07.The riad was lovely - loads of room to spread out and find some peace and who would of thought that behind the front door there would be such a haven of tranquillity right in the middle of the medina? Ayeda lived up to her reputation and cooked what were probably the best meals we had whilst in Morocco. Nourredine was very helpful in setting up the excursions and providing some local insights. We had a really good holiday and we shall certainly come back to Essaouira. Thanks once again for the use of your riad - we had a very memorable and enjoyable holiday and we would like to return one day. L Gill August 2007.Possibly the most beautiful riad in Essaouira. Jaw-dropping, in fact. Floor after floor of an Arabian Night dream, as one of my friends described it, decorated in warm traditional style but with all the comforts of modern life. And in a very central location too, we never had to walk more than a few minutes everywhere. The maid is lovely and such a good cook that I do recommend discerning holidaymakers to lunch/dine in as much as possible rather then go out to restaurants. Noureddine, the agent, speaks excellent English and offered really useful advise. Last but not least, I cannot stress enough how friendly and welcoming are the owners. Everybody made us feel at home and enjoy a wonderful time. By the end, so much we loved being there that we did not want to leave, but I am already planning to go back soon. So, book early or you’ll miss your chance to know how nice it is! Cosimo, London We had a lovely time in Essaouira, your Riad is beautiful and it was just the break we needed! I know you hear it all the time but your maid is a fabulous cook! I hope to stay again in the near future. J Saunders Feb 2007.I really loved the house and Nourdeddine. I will stay there again it was better than I thought it was going to be and I really loved the house. Thank you for everthing. C Bodendorfer Jan 2007.Kathy says: "I could not recommend this property highly enough - the photos currently on the site don't do it justice. We spent nine days there with our two children, so there was plenty of spare space. It's been beautifully restored, all amenities work properly and the maid is fab. Try her couscous. Even the beds were really comfortable! Attention to detail was spot-on, even the hairdryers were good quality (not that you'll use them - you'll wind down within an hour of arrival and not bother with all that!). Just go. Nov 2006We had a fantastic holiday, a really lovely Christmas - a truly greattime. We loved the house. Aieda was a real dream, a perfect treasure and we wanted to keepher. She provided the most wonderful food, was cheerful, friendly, funny,helpful, she really put herself out. The kids adored the beach. Great town, lovelypeople. Walker family December 2006'We had an absolutely great time in Essaouira, your house is stunning. Noureddine is a great guy and really helpful. We will definitely be going back if you'll have us, and we'll tell all our friends how great it is. Thanks again for a great week.' R Beatty Oct 06.
Rental prices
| Rental prices originally quoted in: British £ | Convert to: |
| Prices for group size 8 | ||||||
| Period | From | To | Weekly | Nightly rate | Minimum stay | |
| Weekday | Weekend | |||||
| Winter 2012 | 3 Jan 12 | 1 Apr 12 | £ 350 | 50 | 50 | 3 Nights |
| Spring 2012 | 1 Apr 12 | 1 Jul 12 | £ 450 | 64 | 64 | 3 Nights |
| Summer 2012 | 1 Jul 12 | 1 Sep 12 | £ 550 | 78 | 78 | 3 Nights |
| Autumn 2012 | 1 Sep 12 | 22 Dec 12 | £ 350 | 50 | 50 | 3 Nights |
| Christmas & New Year | 22 Dec 12 | 5 Jan 13 | £ 550 | 78 | 78 | 3 Nights |
| Winter 2013 | 5 Jan 13 | 1 Apr 13 | £ 350 | 50 | 50 | 3 Nights |
The property's weekend rates apply to: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.
** reductions for late bookings 2 weeks prior to arrival 10%**** reductions for stays over 1 week please contact us**
Meals can be provided on request from the maid.
Breakfast 25 dirhams per person per day.
Evening meal 65 dirhams per person per day.
Taxi from the airport is 60 euro's and holds 4 people.
Winter bookings - the first load of logs is included any further loads required are 100 dirhams approx £7.50 and is ordered and paid for with the house manager.
Note: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion. Non refundable 25% deposit of the total rental booking.
You should arrange your own cancellation and health insurance.
Breakages deposit £50. Minimum rental period 3 days.
Availability
See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here
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Contact the owner
* Required fields Please check the following errors: | 5 years listed You are contacting Sally Cartwright
Languages spoken    The owner is based in the United Kingdom and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2006. This riad has received 4 reviews from previous guests.  |
Holiday riads in Morocco (133)
