Just the other day my husband and I were reminiscing about the good times we had while visiting Morocco this past January. We did so much during our 10-day trip, so much so that [almost] we forgot about Dar Chamaa. Dar Chamaa is this beautiful Kasbah-style riad located in Ouarzazate. There is where we spent one night during our trek back to Marrakech.
Our stay at Dar Chamaa wasn’t supposed to happen. You see, we were supposed to head to Fes after leaving the desert, but I’d come down with a cold of sorts, and wasn’t up to making an over 10-hour drive to get there.
Our driver was accommodating and rearranged our plans. He wouldn’t tell us where we were headed, but reassured us that “It’s a beautiful place.” He claimed this place would be even better than the Ksar where we stayed in Skoura. We were a bit skeptical because that place was just breathtaking so you can understand why we needed to ‘see it to believe it.’
Built with traditional Moroccan textiles like mud and wood, Dar Chamaa looked like a typical Moroccan Kasbah that is until we entered. We were welcomed by a beautiful, open-air, three-story foyer with clear views straight through to the courtyard where the pool and garden are located.
After being greeted by the kind staff, we were led to private seating in the courtyard where we enjoyed Moroccan Mint Tea as we waited for our room to get ready.
Once we finished our tea, we were led up to our room. It was a spacious triple, air conditioned/heated room with a private balcony facing the courtyard. Although a bit modern, the room still maintained traditional Moroccan décor with the rug, curtains and bed linens.
The room had no television or phone, but Dar Chamaa is equipped with wifi, which allowed us to FaceTime and Whatsapp our family, especially our daughter, to update them on our trip.
The bathroom is also spacious. It has a large vanity area, toilet and walk-in shower with a rain showerhead. The shower was large enough for the both of us to shower together without issues. After the long drive from the desert, it felt good to shower and relax right before we headed to dinner.
Dinner was a delicious pre-fixe meal consisting of pumpkin soup and pizza as appetizers, and baked chicken with yellow rice and string beans as the entrée. For dessert, we were served Moroccan pastries and a molten chocolate cake with Moroccan Mint Tea, of course. Breakfast was also provided, and included with our stay.
After a 5-hour long drive from the desert with stops along the way we were grateful for our one night at Dar Chamaa, and were happy our driver chose for us this riad. Dar Chamaa is a great location with beautiful views of the landscape shaped by mountains and palm groves that’s great for ambience and romance. It’s 10-minutes outside of the city of Ouarzazate where Atlas Studios and shows like Game of Thrones were filmed. Next time you’re visiting Morocco, and heading to the desert be sure to stop here to rest. You won’t regret it.
Dar Chamaa is a 20-room, three-star riad that is located the palm groves of Ouarzazate at Tajdar B-P 701, Ouarzazate 45000, Morocco. Prices range from $69 – $82 per night. Check TripAdvisor for reviews and additional photos and information on this riad.
Have you visited Ouarzazate during a trip to Morocco?