Dar Diaf Cheraga

Prepare yourself for an evening in the Seraglio. Great maghrebian flavour to this exotic independent hotel. Well worth the trip to Cheraga to escape the western industrial mainstream chains.

This is out of the way to say the least but I was there for five days and had no complaints. It is a somewhat rustic and antiquated place with staff who try hard and were always accommodating. If you are walking around town it is a bit out of the way - about twenty minutes walk to get down to the Casbah. Walking back to the hotel at the end of the day is an uphill haul though! If you are looking to be immersed in the local scene this place is ideal. Head west a short way and you are in the middle of stalls, a community that loiters around the mosque, and roadside shops and workshops. The rooms were spacious though overheated - air circulation was bit of a challenge, though not as much as the bath/shower combination. It was neither bath or shower so a daily scrub was a problem solving/intelligence test.

Delayed flight meant we got in late..very kindly set us up a plate of veggies, cheese and meat with a basket of fresh bread. On our return a week later it was holiday weekend, and they cooked meals for us even though we were only one of two or three couples staying over. Waiters are accomodating and generous. Our room each time was quite comfortable. They even moved the wifi router so that it would work better in our room! We'd certainly stay again.