La Sultana Oualidia

A stone house above the lagoon

La Sultana Oualidia sits on a hillside on the edge of the lagoon, between salt marshes, market gardens and oyster beds; its address is, fittingly, oyster bed no. 3, Bled Gaïla. The lagoon stretches for 12 km and is part of a wetland protected under the Ramsar Convention (the international treaty on wetlands).

The house is built of carved stone and designed as a family home: objects found in the souks, designer collections, contemporary paintings. In the rooms, oleander-wood ceilings sit with stone and tadelakt walls (a smooth lime plaster), painted wooden furniture and aged marble floors. Around it, a botanical garden of prickly pears, palms, agaves, euphorbias, cacti, yuccas and aloes falls away in terraces. The hotel says it is 100% self-sufficient in water through a natural cycle, and its organic kitchen garden supplies the restaurants' vegetables.

The hotel tells a local legend: the Dutchman Jan Janszoon van Haarlem, captured by corsairs and converted to Islam under the name Mourad Rais, is said to have sailed as a corsair from Salé before being made governor of the fortress of Oualidia in the 17th century. One of the house restaurants is called The Jan Janz.

Eating the lagoon

The table is the reason for many stays here. The cooking puts the fish, shellfish and catch of Oualidia first — oysters, spiny lobster, spider crab — with vegetables from the garden and Moroccan heritage produce: saffron from Taliouine, salt from Zerradoune, cumin from Alnif, argan from the Souss. Times are local:

• La Table de La Sultana, fine Moroccan cooking and French inspirations, on two seasonal menus: dinner nightly from 7 to 10 pm, for hotel guests only;
• The Jan Janz, under a thatched pavilion facing the lagoon, cocktails with Moroccan spices and Far Eastern dishes to share (ceviche, gyoza, maki): 4 to 11 pm, for hotel guests only;
• La Table de La Plage, at lunch, noon to 3.30 pm: sea perch in a salt crust, lobster, oysters, bouillabaisse and grilled meat; outside guests should book early;
• the oyster bar, by the water, for lagoon oysters with a glass of Moroccan white wine at sunset.

The cellar holds more than 3,000 bottles and nearly 250 labels, mainly Moroccan and French wines, including a house cuvée, "Méharée – Réserve La Sultana", made with Domaine des 3 Cavaliers. The house asks for smart dress at dinner.

For a special evening: dinner under a Berber tent on the beach, or a four-course seafood barbecue at the end of the 20 m private jetty, with spiny lobster, crayfish, spider crab and sea bass.

A spa vaulted like a cathedral

The spa is built entirely of stone, under vaults open to the sky. It brings together a heated indoor pool, a jacuzzi, hammams, a relaxation area and a gym. Treatments follow Moroccan rituals with organic oils and scents of rose, almond, lemon and orange blossom; facials use the Darphin range. Outside guests must book well ahead.

The lagoon, as activities

The concierge arranges outings: kayaking and a guided birdwatching safari on the lagoon, a fishing-boat crossing to the oyster beds, a picnic on a secluded beach, a sunset cruise, surfing (the lagoon takes the swell through a narrow inlet), paddleboarding, surf-casting or boat fishing, cycling along the peninsula to the salt marshes, horse riding, yoga on the beach or in the garden, and padel. The village's weekly market is worth a visit too.

Sabaro suggests keeping one early morning for the birds: the lagoon is one of the best viewing points on this coast, especially in winter.

Which room to choose

All 12 rooms and suites have a private terrace with a seawater jacuzzi. Every guest is given a phone to reach their butler at any time. The house rule is simple: the higher the room, the better the sea view.

• The Panorama room and suite look over the countryside and the garden;
• the Lagoon suite looks over the nature reserve;
• the Treehouse suite, set in a tree facing the lagoon, has a panoramic view;
• the Ocean suite, on the top floor, has an entrance hall, a lounge with a terrace and outdoor bath, and a bedroom facing the lagoon.

For a honeymoon, the Treehouse or the Ocean suite; for a first stay, a Lagoon suite is enough to have the water in front of you.

Sabaro's view

Who it suits: couples, honeymooners, lovers of nature, birds and seafood.

Strengths: just twelve rooms, all with a seawater jacuzzi; the table, the cellar and the oyster bar; the stone spa; a Tripadvisor score of 4.8/5 from more than 870 reviews.

Good to know: rates are high; several restaurants are for hotel guests only; in overcast weather the outdoor pool and the beach lose their appeal; the website does not state a policy on children; in August, Oualidia fills with Moroccan holidaymakers.