Marrakesh and isolation aren't two concepts that usually sit side-by-side, which makes Bab Ourika, only 35 minutes from the city's airport, an all the more special point of seclusion. Crouching low on the edge of a high mountain with one eye on the white caps of the Atlas Mountains and another on the lush valley below, this hotel is about as far from the exotic madness of the medina as it gets here. Fabulously free of try-hard opulence, Bab Ourika pares its design back to stylish essentials. Built in Berber style with rust-red earth rammed to become floors and walls, the 15 rooms are decorated with a spare, simple beauty that relies on warm, textured neutrals and soft lighting. Each has its own private terrace, all of which frees your mind up to focus on the stillness of the epic view. Meals are also prepared traditionally (with international options) and can be served in the colonnade-edged restaurant or around the grounds where you will find an outdoor pool with a mountain backdrop.
The way the building is designed to impact on its environment as little as possible with solar panels heating the water and underfloor heating. The epic view you get from each room. The nearby Berber markets on a Monday.
