Where to Stay in Essaouira: Best Riads and Hotels
Where to stay in Essaouira: the best riads inside the medina, beachfront hotels with sea views and countryside retreats with pools, for every budget.
Essaouira is small, breezy and easy to love. Its walled medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a maze of whitewashed lanes and blue shutters, and the long sandy beach is just outside the ramparts. Choose a riad inside the walls for atmosphere, a hotel along the beach for sea views and space, or a countryside retreat with a pool just outside town. Here is where to stay in Essaouira, with the best-reviewed places in every budget.
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Where to stay in Essaouira at a glance
- For atmosphere and first visits: the Medina and the Kasbah quarter near the Skala
- For sea views, pools and parking: the beachfront along Avenue Mohammed V
- For peace and a pool: the countryside around Ghazoua
- How long: 2 to 3 nights
The Medina: riads inside the ramparts
The medina is compact and car-free, so everything is within a 10-minute walk: the harbour, the ramparts of the Skala de la Ville, the souks and the beach. The Kasbah quarter near the Skala has the most sea views; the streets around the main avenue are livelier. Riads here are often tall and narrow, with rooftop terraces where you can watch the gulls and the sunset.
Hostel La Smala
Budget · On the Skala · sea views
A popular hostel and guest house on Rue Skala with private rooms with sea views, a restaurant, a bar and a sunny terrace. Thousands of reviews make it the go-to budget choice.
Riad Bianca Essaouira
Great value · Medina · terrace and bar
A relaxed guest house with a sun terrace, a lounge with a fireplace, a bar and fast Wi-Fi. A comfortable, affordable base in the medina.
Riad Dar Sebta
Mid-range · Medina · great breakfast
A well-run riad on Rue Sebta with rooms around a central courtyard, a lounge, a terrace and a breakfast guests love.
Villa Garance
Mid-range · Eco-friendly riad · sea-view terrace
An environmentally friendly riad inside the ramparts, a five-minute walk from the beach, mixing Arab, Berber and Jewish influences, with individually decorated rooms and a terrace with sea views.
Riad Malaïka
Mid-range · Steps from the beach
A riad in the heart of the medina, just steps from the beach, with spacious rooms in traditional oriental décor, a terrace and beauty treatments.
Le Palazzo
Upscale · Kasbah quarter · spa
A stylish hotel in the Kasbah quarter with a spa, sun terrace, restaurant and bar, and rooms with balconies overlooking the town.
Mama Lova Hôtel & Spa
Upscale · Medina · restaurant and spa
A boutique riad-hotel with a spa, a terrace and a popular restaurant serving Moroccan, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. Rooms have balconies and soundproofing.
The beachfront: sea views and space
South of the medina, the long sandy bay is lined by Avenue Mohammed V and its hotels. Stay here for sea views, pools, parking and easy access to the beach, kitesurf schools and the promenade. The medina is a short walk along the seafront.
Hotel Côte Océan Mogador
Mid-range · Beachfront · spa
A beachfront hotel on Avenue Mohammed V with sea-view rooms with balconies, a spa, a fitness centre, a bar and free parking. Family friendly, with indoor and outdoor play areas.
Cruiser Mogador Essaouira
Mid-range · Near the beach · pool
Suites with sea or pool views, a year-round outdoor pool and a rooftop café-restaurant with views over the bay, about two minutes’ walk from the beach.
Outside town: countryside calm
A few kilometres inland, among argan trees and olive groves, guest houses and small resorts offer pools, gardens and total quiet. You will need a car, a taxi or the hotel shuttle to reach the medina.
Dar Etto Riad & Spa
Mid-range · Ghazoua · pool and spa
A countryside riad about 8 kilometres from the medina, with a pool, a spa, a restaurant with a terrace and rooms in Moroccan décor, some with garden-view balconies.
Getting there and around
Essaouira is about 2.5 to 3 hours by road from Marrakech, with frequent Supratours and CTM buses. Essaouira-Mogador Airport, about 15 kilometres away, has some flights from Europe; book a fixed-price transfer with Kiwitaxi. The medina is car-free: taxis drop you at the gates, and porters with handcarts carry your bags to your riad. To explore the coast, compare rental cars on DiscoverCars, and book activities such as kitesurfing, horse riding on the beach and cooking classes on GetYourGuide.
Do it like a Moroccan: local tips
- Pack a windbreaker. Essaouira is famously windy, which keeps it cool in summer and perfect for kitesurfing.
- Choose your fish at the port. Pick the day’s catch at the stalls near the harbour and have it grilled on the spot.
- Book ahead for festivals. Rooms fill up fast during the Gnaoua World Music Festival.
- Ask for a terrace room. Medina riads can be dark on the lower floors; rooms near the roof get the most light.
Plan your visit with our Essaouira travel guide and the best day trips from Marrakech.
Cover photo: rigel on Unsplash
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