Kasbah Bab Ourika

While the views at Bab Ourika are absolutely breathtaking — offering sweeping vistas of the mountains, meticulously maintained gardens, and expansive open spaces — the guest experience, unfortunately, does not match the scenery. I’ve had the privilege of traveling to Morocco multiple times and have always been impressed by the high standard of hospitality, but Bab Ourika is a glaring exception. Sadly, the biggest issue here is not the location or views, but the disgraceful management, which completely undermines the potential of the place. Here’s a breakdown of my experience: • Extremely Slow Service: Waiting 50 minutes for a bottle of water, 60 minutes for lunch, and 90 minutes for dinner (with a group of five) is simply unacceptable at any level. • Poor Communication: Despite contacting the hotel via the two WhatsApp numbers provided for directions, I was sent incorrect coordinates that took us to the wrong side of the valley. After that, they stopped responding altogether. We relied on the kindness of the locals in the area to find our way, arriving 1.5 hours later than expected. • Coercive and Unprofessional Management: The manager, Ingrid, was unavailable despite my requests to speak to her, and when I did finally manage to speak with her, I was met with well practiced excuses like “it’s busy” or “did you not see the signs?” or “we were 10 staff down” — but no empathy, care, or interest in resolving the issues. She demonstrated a complete lack of professionalism and responsibility for the situation. In fact, when we raised concerns about the delays, she was hostile and personally offensive. She only really engaged at the end, when we disputed charges on the bill and she came with aggression, shouting, even threatening to call the police telling us how ‘powerful’ the hotel was. Her behaviour was nothing short of coercive. • Poor Maintenance: The rooms and hotel furniture were outdated and in dire need of repairs (see photos). • Chasing Staff: The service was incredibly slow, and I found myself chasing down staff just to place a simple order. At £450 per night (MAD 28,000 for two rooms over three nights), you should expect more than what we received—what we encountered here resembled a two-star motel. I’ve stayed at hotels an hour away that provide exceptional service and comfort for MAD 1000 a night. Had we not prepaid, I would have checked out after the first night. To their credit, the (very pleasant) assistant manager did step in to address some of our concerns. The service did improve somewhat in the final days, though remained chaotic. However, despite requests (both verbally and through the hotel’s ‘guest portal’) to speak with Ingrid directly, she remained completely evasive, opting to communicate through her staff. It was only when we disputed items on the bill that she finally showed up—but her response was far from professional. It’s clear that the hotel is prioritising profit over guest experience by catering to one-nigh

If you’re looking for a luxury experience, head elsewhere as this overpriced hotel is nothing like what it appears to be from travel mags or its website. After driving for kilometers on an unlit, unpaved road with no signage, past mounds of garbage and construction, you will arrive at a hotel that is poorly maintained and years out of date. Shabby, but not chic. It is quickly apparent that there is no real management. The rooms show no attention to detail and need upgrading, especially the bathrooms. Sometimes no hot water. The Wi-Fi is unreliable at best and was unavailable in our room, but there was plenty of noise from trucks on the big road across the valley. The dining room is drab, the food bland (think English) and the menu unchanging. You'd go out to eat, except you’re in the middle of nowhere on that long, dark, rutted road. Breakfast is a disappointment, with nothing fresh. Scrambled eggs in a chaffing dish at these prices? The service is terrible as the staff appears entirely untrained and they can be rude. The spa is miniscule and the ladies there have no idea what they are doing. Last but not least, as many prior reviews have noted, the owner prowls about looking for company, drinks heavily and, like his hotel, is charmless to say the least.

Loved all around world because it is so special, this place is the real deal. It is perched on top of a hill, surrounded by beautiful hikes, or shorter walks to the village. Spending some time sitting on the terrace, watching the view of amazing blue river running through the valley from the hills would be enough, but this small boutique hotel also has a Morroccan hospitality, lovely food and drinks and a real authentic atmosphere. Walk around the garden where they grow all their own veg. Do yoga with a beautiful view. Rooms are full of character, gardens are something from a movie and the pool area is amazing. The spa is very special. No wonder it is such a favourite with celebrities, and luxury travel writers. If you like large, marble, impersonal 5 star resorts where every room is the space and the restaurant feels like the Ritz, this is not for you. Go to one of the many huge chain hotels. This is for people who go the extra mile for the real deal and like a luxury experience, where staff are local and well trained in hospitality. Great place to spend a few nights and see the real Morocco.