In short
On a first visit, stay in the medina: you can walk everywhere and riads usually have a roof terrace. Choose the seafront if you want a pool or parking, and the countryside or Sidi Kaouki for quiet, with a car.
Essaouira is small, and that is a blessing: wherever you sleep, you are never far from anything. But the area changes the whole stay. A room in the medina means the call to prayer, the gulls and breakfast on a roof. A hotel on the seafront means a pool, parking and the beach across the road.
Here is how to choose, area by area, with the places we would recommend to a friend. Check prices and availability live: we give no scores and no stars, only what we know.
At a glance
| Area | Who it suits | Strengths | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medina | First visits, couples, travellers on foot | Walk everywhere, riads with roof terraces | No cars, few pools |
| Seafront | Families, travellers with a car | Pools, parking, beach | Less charm, 10 to 15 min on foot to the medina |
| Diabat | Golf, a quiet stay | Big hotels, space | Taxi needed to get to town |
| Countryside | Rest, honeymoons | Gardens, pools, silence | A car is essential |
| Sidi Kaouki | Surfers | Waves at the bottom of the garden | 25 km away, few services |
The medina, to live in the town
This is what we choose for almost everyone on a first visit. From the medina you walk everywhere: the port, the ramparts, the souks, the beach ten minutes away. Most places to stay are riads, traditional houses built around a courtyard, often with a roof terrace for breakfast. Choosing one has a whole guide of its own: riads in Essaouira.
Three things to know before you book:
- The medina is car-free. Taxis stop at the gates. A porter with a handcart takes your bags to the riad for a few dozen dirhams.
- Riads are cool in winter. Thick walls keep them cool in summer, but from December to February, ask whether the rooms are heated.
- Pools are rare. A few places have a plunge pool on the roof; most have none.
The medina has three moods. The port and Skala side has ocean views but more wind. The kasbah side, around Place Moulay Hassan, is the most polished and central. The mellah, the old Jewish quarter to the north, is quieter and cheaper, with some streets still being restored.
Hotel · Medina
L'Heure Bleue Palais
High-endPool
A grand restored mansion inside the medina walls, with a rooftop pool. The classic splurge.
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Hotel · Medina
Madada Mogador
High-end
A small boutique hotel on the port side of the medina, with a terrace over the bay.
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Riad · Medina
Riad Mimouna
Mid-range
Built into the sea walls of the medina: you fall asleep to the Atlantic.
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Riad · Medina
Villa Maroc
Mid-range
A warren of terraces and small courtyards a minute from the port, just inside the walls.
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Riad · Medina
Riad Al Madina
Mid-range
A large, historic riad in the middle of the medina, with a courtyard café.
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The seafront, for a pool and the beach
Along Avenue Mohammed V, facing the bay, is the line of hotels with pools. It is the right choice with children or a car: park outside, cross the road to the beach, and walk to the medina in 10 to 15 minutes along the promenade.
You lose the charm of the alleys, and the afternoon wind blows hard along the seafront in summer. But for a family, the pool often outweighs everything else.
Hotel · Seafront
Hôtel Des Iles
Mid-range
A 1948 landmark at the gates of the old town, facing the sea and the port.
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Hotel · Seafront
Le Médina Essaouira Thalassa Sea & Spa – MGallery
High-endPool
A big seafront hotel with a thalasso spa and pool, a short walk from the medina. Easy with children.
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Hotel · Seafront
Atlas Essaouira Riad Resort
Mid-rangePool
A five-star beachfront resort with two pools and a spa, about ten minutes on foot from the medina.
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We earn a small commission on some bookings. It never changes your price.
Diabat and the golf, for space
South of the Oued Ksob, around the village of Diabat, are the big resort hotels and the Mogador golf course. Spacious rooms, pools and quiet: very comfortable, but the medina is a taxi ride away and you live a little apart from the town.
Hotel · Diabat
Hotel Le Golf D'Essaouira & Spa
High-endPool
Villas and suites on the Gary Player golf course south of the river, with two pools and a spa. A taxi from town.
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We earn a small commission on some bookings. It never changes your price.
The countryside, to do nothing
In the argan hills behind town, towards Ghazoua, small hotels set in gardens offer pools, spas and silence. Perfect for a honeymoon or a few days of rest, as long as you have a car or are happy to take taxis into town.
Hotel · Countryside
Le Jardin des Douars
High-endPool
A garden hotel in the hills behind town, with pools and a spa. For doing nothing, not for the medina.
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Hotel · Countryside
Domaine de l'Arganeraie
Mid-rangePool
A countryside hotel among argan trees with a big pool, a short drive from town.
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We earn a small commission on some bookings. It never changes your price.
Sidi Kaouki, for surfers
25 km south, Sidi Kaouki is a long beach, a few guesthouses and some surfers' cafés. You stay there to be in the water at sunrise. Beyond surfing there is little to do in the evening, which is exactly the point.
When to book
- Gnaoua festival (June): book several months ahead; prices can triple.
- August, Easter and Christmas to New Year: a few weeks ahead, especially for hotels with pools.
- The rest of the year: you can often book the day before, especially midweek.
Pick a free-cancellation rate where you can: here, the wind and the weather often decide the plan.
Common questions
What is the best area to stay in Essaouira?
The medina, on a first visit: everything is walkable, from the port to the beach, and it is where the town lives. The seafront is more practical with a car or children, thanks to the hotels with pools.
Riad or hotel in Essaouira?
A riad for charm and a medina location, with a handful of rooms around a courtyard. A hotel for a pool, parking and more services, usually on the seafront or in the countryside.
Are there riads with a pool in Essaouira?
Only a few, because the medina is so dense: some have a small plunge pool on the roof or in the courtyard. If a pool matters, look at the seafront or countryside hotels instead.
Can you park near the medina?
Yes, in the guarded car parks outside the walls, near the port and Bab Marrakech, for a few dozen dirhams a day. A porter with a handcart then takes your bags to the riad.
When should I book accommodation in Essaouira?
Several months ahead for the Gnaoua festival in June, and a few weeks ahead for August, Easter and Christmas to New Year. The rest of the year you can often book the day before.
