Kasbah Bab Ourika

A hill with no path

Bab Ourika means "the gateway to Ourika". The kasbah crowns a hilltop where the valley opens out, above the river, the fields and the groves of olive, orange and lemon trees, with snowy peaks behind. The sun moves round it all day, until sunset.

The project belongs to Stephen Skinner, an English lawyer living in Morocco, who designed the layout and the division of spaces. At first no path led up the hill: one had to be cut and an entrance created; the first building had no electricity, and pack animals carried the water. The hotel has been open since 2008.

The kasbah is built mainly of pisé, the rammed earth of Berber houses, so that it blends into the rock. The thick walls keep it cool in summer and warm in winter. The interiors, by the Portuguese designer Beatriz Maximo, mix Moroccan rugs, old objects, Art Deco pieces and 1950s furniture.

What keeps the hill running

The house describes itself as one of the most eco-friendly buildings in Morocco. Solar panels heat the buildings and the water, the hotel generates its own electricity, heat pumps regulate the temperature, and grey water is recycled to irrigate the gardens. According to the hotel, 93% of the team comes from neighbouring villages.

The organic kitchen gardens supply the kitchen, topped up from the valley's markets. The menu, advised by the Moroccan chef Zakia AitBoulahcen, who has worked in New York, Paris, Brussels and Dubai, changes with the seasons and mixes Moroccan dishes with Mediterranean cooking. Meals are taken in the gardens, under the arcades of the restaurant or in your room; a light lunch is served by the pool, surrounded by orange trees. The restaurant also welcomes non-residents for lunch and dinner.

Three buildings, three ways to stay

The 42 rooms are split between the main building (15), the gardens (16) and the Retreat (11). Each is decorated differently.

• For a couple, the Deluxe has Atlas views, often with a balcony or terrace. The three suites with a heated private pool are the house's real luxury: the Panoramic Pool Suite looks over the valley and the Atlas, the Garden Pool Suite is tucked among palm and olive trees.
• For a family, the Family Suites sleep four around a shared bathroom; the Two Bedroom Pool Suite adds a sitting room and a private pool.
• For a large family, the private five-bedroom villa with four bathrooms, a sliding glass roof, an open kitchen and a black infinity pool is rented whole or by the room.
• For a group, the Retreat, opened in autumn 2020 on three levels just below the kitchen gardens, at the edge of the national park, can be taken privately for up to 25 people: weddings, yoga or painting retreats, family gatherings.

Days in the valley

The Beldi Spa, set in a garden, offers hammam, massages and facials using plants from the nearby valleys; the gym hosts aerobics, yoga and Pilates with trainers. Outside, English-speaking mountain guides lead easy walks and picnics prepared by the chef, routes through Berber villages and longer treks to the salt mines in the national park. At the kasbah: mint tea ceremony, cooking classes and henna sessions.

Sabaro's view

For whom: couples who want a private pool facing the Atlas; families and groups, thanks to the villa and the Retreat; travellers at the end of a trip who want the mountains 45 minutes from the airport.

Strengths: the hilltop setting, with the valley all around; an earth-built house that produces its own energy and feeds its own table; accommodation for two or for twenty-five.

Good to know: room sizes are not published; the Family Suites share a bathroom; excursions and the spa are booked separately.