Douar Samra

Bottom line, we’d definitely stay here again. The location is amazing, at the top of a long valley looking down on Imlil and almost up on Toubkal (it’s round the corner of the valley). The village is friendly and safe. (The kids don’t like it when you refuse the dirhams - we had a banana skin lobbed at us! - but everyone else is really friendly.) The host, Jacqueline, is present and extremely welcoming. The hotel is an amazing construction, with lots of little nooks and crannies. The rooms are really quirky but fun and pretty comfortable. Any time from April on you’ll be outside and the terrace is lovely. The food is included and really good - traditional Moroccan cuisine. You can get wine. All the meals are communal which after a little British adjustment we found really fun - we met an eclectic nice set of people. It’s a great base for walking (we used a guide, which was good, but I’d recommend heading uphill away from the carpet shops around Imlil which is where you’ll inevitably end up otherwise) and has the huge advantage of not being in Imlil, which can be very crowded with tourists.

Little things could make this an even better experience. The staff are well-meaning but the service culture definitely hasn’t penetrated this far into Morocco. There was a tendency for staff to hang over us while eating and then clear away as quickly as possible. That was a shame - the communal eating room is comfy and it would have been nice to feel we were welcome to stay, chat and lounge (in fact to be encouraged to do that). There’s also an attached roof terrace we could have been encouraged to make more of. It didn’t feel unwelcoming or unfriendly, just a little rushed. (Incidentally there are some bad reviews focused on Omar specifically. They’re probably unjust - we found him and others friendly, just a bit amateur and not really as focused on the guests as you’d normally find at a hotel.) I wouldn’t want to lose the homegrown feel - this is a fun, local hotel. But a little more forethought about how guests will want to pass their time, individually and collectively, would make a big difference.

Overall, a beautiful place, clean, and the dinner was very good.

Communication was surprisingly poor given the high ratings. For example, no one came to meet us on the road to help with luggage despite many calls. Also, as others have observed, there was a palpable sense of being rushed during dinner. In addition, we were charged for water during dinner, which is not a big deal, but a courtesy heads up should have been extended. Finally, anyone with mobility issues, please book elsewhere.

Charming place with a really friendly staff and delicious food. The dinners were some of the best I've had in Morocco. And I loved having my own private patio with visiting cats a view of the sweet donkey who has a pen on the property.

I had one of the rooms without electricity and, while it was a lovely and cozy, I wish it had been made clearer that it didn't have electricity before I booked it.

Amazing views. Best food we have had so far in Morocco. Accommodation was very rustic- no electricity in rooms but did have WiFi and place to charge phones in the kitchen area. Open fire in room in evening. Staff very nice (although English not great, so communication not that easy) and very helpful. Shower a bit basic but enough hot water.

Amazing location to explore the Atlas Mountains. Friendly and helpful staff. Comfortable rooms. Shared meals with other guests - good quality food. They also organised walking guides too.