Caravan Agafay by Our Habitas — Hotel in Marrakesh Prefecture

I will preface this by saying that the regional manager quickly addressed our complaints via email, and the guest relations manager did his best to hear our issues and promise future change. Despite a generous waiver of our F&B charges, I informed them I would be posting a review so other guests are not similarly disappointed (especially after reading other recent, similar reviews)

TLDR: Peaceful desert retreat soured by event disruptions, service lapses and food issues, overshadowing the resort's charm.

Nestled in the rolling desert hills, Caravan by Habitas has a private and exclusive feel. You can choose to relax by the pool or have an adrenaline filled afternoon on a quad bike - everything at your fingertips. The aesthetic is an elevated rustic vibe - minimalistic desert chic, Instagram ready.

I spent $1700 on 4 rooms for my family's 2 night stay in the basic Explorer Tents. While pricier than other options in the area, we chose to splurge on the familiar Habitas brand. The tents had a cozy, Bedouin feel with very comfortable beds and stunning views over the desert. It's worth noting that there was little to no in room Phone/WiFi signal, and the bathrooms were equipped with awkward camping toilets that weren't brilliant to use. We opted to use the public toilets in the resort.

Upon early check-in, we relaxed in the restaurant until our rooms were ready. Whilst eating lunch, we saw across the property a number of people dressed in white gathering near the pool closest to the guest accommodation. Loud music started to thump - the sounds of birdsong drowned out with the vibrations of celebration. A wedding party of perhaps 60-80 people rejoiced in the moment.

We then watched an entirely different group arrive. Also dressed in white. And by the bus load. They were directed to the seating next to another pool where all of the hotel guests were pushed to. A couple arrived on horseback, and the 60ish person crowd began to cheer. Another wedding!

The beautiful, sunny day that we envisioned relaxing in peace and isolation in the desert suddenly seemed very far away. More than once we saw hotel guests shooed off sun loungers to make way for wedding guests to sit. We were told by the bar that they were too busy to serve us while taking care of the party. Feeling suddenly underdressed, I didn't particularly feel comfortable lounging in my swimwear next to a formal luncheon. An awkward side-eye standoff between wedding guests and hotel guests ensued.

Several guests went to reception to complain. No one was notified there would be loud parties during our stay either after booking, or on arrival - in fact, they denied it. A staff member when asked if he was a manager replied 'Unfortunately, it looks like it’. He suggested as we had not formally checked in, we could find another hotel if we were unhappy with the situation.

He later admitted he wasn’t actually the manager and asked for another colleague to hear our complaints. He said that we should have been notified by email, and that we could sit in the restaurant or somewhere the parties hadn’t taken over - the same places we were struggling to get service or a seat.

We expressed that we did not want to be moved as we had prepaid, though we expected some kind of compensation. The management only approached us the next afternoon after a litany of complaints was sent to their regional management. They were kind and listened, but at this point we were so wound up by the hotel's response that it was the main topic of discussion for the rest of the night.

We were ready to put it behind us and enjoy the rest of our stay, however, five out of seven of our party had violently upset stomachs from the buffet dinner. Judging by the state of the public restrooms, we were not alone. We suspect that the understaffed kitchen operating in a hotel running at triple capacity was not able to maintain the freshness of the food being served. Even the next morning stone cold eggs and tea had to be sent back multiple times.

Overall, a letdown for the cost and expectations...

Nothing makes me more at ease in a stay somewhere, than when there is good, kind, and professional service. This place has some of the best service I've experienced in years. (Please forgive me if I misspell people's names).

The beginning with Souha was a wonderful experience. Such a kind, professional, and communicative/knowledgeable soul. I won't spoil it for others, but there's some details to this reception that's really special, and it takes someone really good who really cares to do it right, and Souha definitely is one such person. Clear, accurate, and incredibly helpful. Thank you!

I only saw Ayub shortly, but he was also incredibly kind and professional and helpful. Simple questions, simple answers. As easy as can be. Small mishap with the door, he solved it right away and made me feel comfortable while that was happening. Well done.

Hisham was my waiter at the Oliver restaurant. Also very helpful and spot on with the options. Very attentive making sure I had everything I needed, along with just being kind overall.

There are a number of other people i met whose names I'm forgetting, but I think you get the point. There are wonderful people here, who know what they're doing, and seem to enjoy doing it. If you stay here, get to know them, because finding good people in this world is not always easy. This is equally true for management.

The food at Oliver restaurant was very good! Saffron Shrimp. Very delicious! An unexpected combination of flavors that went really well together in my opinion! Good balance.

The room is so nice! Beautiful inside, plenty of space (and I had what was probably the smallest one, so I can only imagine the others are much more spacious). Good decor, good materials. And a clever solution for the bed at night since the rooms can get quite cold in the desert. (This is a reminder to visitors. The desert gets cold at night. Don't underestimate this. That's why they have bonfires here).

The location itself is beautiful. The style, the vibe, the bonfires, the music. It all works really well together. Really lets you disconnect and relax and enjoy the moment. Beautiful.

Now, for some nitpicking and potential constructive criticism. The tents don't block any sound at all. On its own, this isn't really a problem. It does however become a problem when there are noises that can be rather loud happening at random hours of the night for prolonged periods of time. Yes, I'm mainly speaking of other guests here (yes, it's what you think it is). And I'm not the only person who noticed this. Now, I'm all for people having fun, but there should be some kind of thought put into how to handle this. Perhaps remind visitors that everyone can hear everything so courteous respect for others is advised? No idea. Good luck haha. Not an easy problem to solve.

One of the activities is stargazing. It's a bit odd that this is one, when there's guys walking around with flashlights so powerful that you can see it 500m-1km away. I get it, it's security, and that's needed. But maybe try not to shine it all over the place 1km away all night long? Takes away from the immersiveness of the nightscape enjoyment.

The bonfire. I loved this. Like really. I was there a lot of the time. But, i noticed one thing. The cushioned seats around the bonfire are actually just a bit too far from the bonfire to actually be warmed by it. Just worth mentioning. I know you can't fight physics. 1 idea is something we do in my country where it's also cold like this. Put blankets out near those cushioned seats for people to use when near the bonfires or really whenever sitting outside in the cold, this is more than enough to keep people cozy.

All in all, I love this place, and I will definitely come back for a much longer stay, and I hope I get to see all these wonderful people again. Have a wonderful start to the new year everyone! Thank you for making my vacation great. I appreciate you...

As people like to say: Unfortunately, it is not possible to give zero stars... We had been planning our wedding with Habitas Agafay (by then still named Terre des Etoiles) since July 2021. When we got their newsletter in June 2022 announcing that they would re-name and re-organize the camp, I already got nervous and checked with the event manager Zineb, whether this has any effect on our wedding in September 2022 or not. She reassured me that the renovations and construction works will be done by then. But 6 weeks before our actual wedding, Habitas Agafay cancelled on us!!! They offered to postpone our wedding (ridiculous offer as all of our family and friends booked flights and hotels months in advance!!) or to get a refund (it took weeks and months to finally get money back). I have to say, Zineb was really helpful, patient and kind throughout all of our communications during the year of planning the wedding and while we were trying to get our refund. I guess she just has to act on what her "bosses" tell her to and therefore also has to deal with the angry and disappointed guests. She also tried to give us names of other desert camps in order to find a new wedding location (6 weeks!!! before the event!!! high season for weddings!!! most of the camps booked up!!! July+August typically Moroccan locals themselves on vacation and not easy to reach!!!). We were lucky enough and found a perfectly organized, reliable and heart-warming event location in Alkamar Desert Camp (just by chance and through someone else's recommendation). The owners of Alkamar (with special thanks to Rachid) restored our believe in Moroccan hospitality. All employees at Alkamar have a heart of gold. Yes, it has more of a rustic charm, but with almost no time at hand, they made all our dreams come true! Go and enjoy Alkamar Camp, and forget about the "immersive experience" at...