This handsome nineteenth-century building has an open-air patio lushly planted with banana trees and bamboo. All 35 accommodations give onto the central patio, as does the bar, the hammam, the library, and the restaurant. A large pool occupies a rooftop terrace with stunning views over Essaouira. Rooms are done in three distinct stylesAfrican, English, and Portuguesewith dark-stained furniture; black, white, and gray Napoleon III floor tiles; and double beds with quality cottons. The multilingual Moroccan staff and charming Senegalese doorman delight in doting on guests.
When to go: September and October, when the summer crowds have dispersed and the sea is still warm enough to swim in.
Which room to book: Among the standard doubles, those on the second floor receive the most sunlight