Azalai Beach Cottage

Location: Essaouira & the Southern Coast | Morocco

Price guide: £££££ Less than £100 per person per night

Decorated in nautical themes with handmade driftwood furnishings and ancient artefacts, the Azalia Beach Cottage is a charming seaside hotel set on the white sand beaches of Morocco’s wild coast. Impeccably designed to help recharge your batteries, you can stroll along the beach, swim in the pool, relax in the spa and indulge in exquisite seafood all the while enjoy stunning views of the ocean.

Perfect forA complete scenery shift – the hotel is a great for couples and families who have spent a few days in the dry sands of the Sahara.

In the know

Secluded location on an almost deserted white sandy beach
Bright colour schemes and handmade driftwood furniture
Perfect for a coastal retreat – make sure to try out the spa
Constant views of the sea

Recommended for...

Chic Design
Setting & Views
Beach
Romantic

Hotel Overview

Sense of place

Azalai Beach Cottage sits in a quiet spot a few kilometres from the charming resort town of Oualidia. The town itself is quiet enough, but the hotel sits around 25 minutes’ drive down the coast, facing the Atlantic Ocean, making it impossibly peaceful and secluded.

Rooms at Azalai Beach Cottage

There are nine rooms, each inspired by an author who wrote about the sea. They are dominantly cream or white with a few splashes of colour and have private terraces with a hammock that overlooks the water. The suites, slightly larger than the Decouverte and Voyages rooms, have corner fireplaces and are suitable for up to four people, which makes them great for small families, while the bungalows are the grandest of the rooms and have baths – best suited to honeymooners.

For a special occasion, opt for the Ernest Hemingway Suite, which takes its style from the writer’s home in Key West, Florida.

Food & drink

Next to the pool is a shaded beach hut offering a range of sumptuous shellfish dishes; making the most of the hotel’s seafront location, the menu features the freshest catches of the day and changes accordingly. The beach hut is only open at lunchtimes. There are several top-quality seafood restaurants lining the beach near the hotel.

Facilities

The hotel has a lovely outdoor pool, situated between the villa and the beach, which is shaded by thatched parasols and is a beautiful place to cool off in the hot afternoons. When it’s time to retreat into the shade, there’s a cosy lounge and a small library, and also a small boutique where you can pick up a souvenir of your stay.

Activities at Azalai Beach Cottage

Oualidia, a short drive up the coast from the hotel, is an increasingly popular beach resort without the crowds of Essaouira. This is where those in the know come to relax on unspoilt, golden sands and take in the peaceful atmosphere. On the water, boat trips and fishing trips are great ways to explore the adjacent lagoon, while windsurfing is also a popular activity on this stretch of Morocco’s coastline.