Hôtel Kasbah Ouzina — Hotel in Caïdat de Taouz

Wow what a location, golden red sculptured sand dunes are the backdrop for this traditional Kasbah hotel, surrounded by rocky outcrops and mountain ranges, acacia trees, tamarisk, pampas grass and a fossil strewn desert. Accessibility is with locally experienced drivers and 4x4´s along the old Paris Dakar Rally tracks that crisscross this remote semi-arid region of around 300 kilometers between Zagora and Merzouga in the Moroccan Sahara. The landscape is surprisingly diverse and starkly beautiful, interspersed with rugged mountains, wind carved dunes, dramatic black desert, soft golden sands and scattered vegetation. A few villages survive in this harsh environment and the village of Ouzina is one of them. The oldest remaining village, it has around 20 small dwellings with animal shelters built of local stone, adobe, local vegetation and palms.The hotel is built using traditional methods and materials and is sympathetic to its surroundings, water, as in all desert regions, is treated with respect and often turned off at night, electricity the same. Solar power is used by many people in these areas. Internet is not available and phone coverage erratic, making it the ideal location for a relaxing retreat from life´s daily demands. Airy rooms are tastefully decorated with artisan rugs, sabra silk bedcovers and wall paintings, bathrooms with beautiful locally crafted fossil sinks. I stayed for here for a couple of nights in November and really enjoyed its peacefulness and...

The kasbah Ouzina is a clean, affordable, excellent riad in the sahara desert. The staff is amazing! ||Our family, including our 3 children, young adults ages 17-25, spent a magical time in the desert with Brahim as our host. He greeted us with a friendly smile, expertly wielded his way through the shifting sands by jeep, and brought us to 5 camels waiting patiently as the sun started to set. Our camel ride entry was truly magical: we began to sink into the rhythm of the desert from the riad, the vast expanse, and the magical light reflecting on the dunes. A private camp site, if one can call such luxury a campsite, was waiting. Beautiful rugs led the way to our tents, complete with beds, showers and bathrooms, and to the dining table, laden with food. After skateboarding, rolling down the hills, and taking pictures of sunset, we were ushered to a feast, complete with musicians and a dancer. We danced and ate, as Brahim told us to make ourselves comfortable and at home. We hiked the dunes by moonlight, sang by the roaring fire, and ushered with shooting stars. We couldn't have been more grateful for such a wonderful family experience that truly captured the hearts of...

We had 2 superb nights in this Kasbah and were amazed by the hospitality of the staff there.||It is always challenging to maintain the riad in the middle of the desert, but the team is very experienced, and the friendliness of Ibrahim was beyond our expectations.||A Jeep drive in early morning and dune bashing were excellent, the food and the hospitality were truly 5-star. ||We are very happy to come back, and definitely for at least 2 nights, as this allows to truly enjoy the desert ambience.||||Thank you to all the staff for making our stay...