Four-star One MICHELIN Key Ksob valley, outside Essaouira, Essaouira
Le Jardin des Douars
Earth-walled houses, two heated pools and a hammam on two hectares of garden above the Ksob river, fifteen minutes inland from the Essaouira ramparts.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- MICHELIN
- One Key
- Rooms
- 19 rooms, 6 suites and private villas
- Grounds
- About two hectares of gardens
- From the airport
- About 15 minutes from Essaouira-Mogador
The hotel
A village of earth houses in the valley.
The hotel takes its name from the douar, the Berber hamlet. Its rooms sit in low terracotta houses, built in earth and straw in the manner of a ksar, the walled villages of southern Morocco. They climb a ridge above the Oued Ksob, a valley the river has cut over thousands of years, sheltered by cypress and palm from the trade wind that blows along this coast in summer.
Between the houses run gardens of olive, argan, palm and bougainvillea, about two hectares in all. Floors are bejmat terracotta, and rooms have no television or telephone unless you ask. In August 2026 Time Out placed it eighth in its list of the world's most beautiful hotels, the highest of any in Africa. Essaouira's medina and beaches are about a quarter of an hour away by car.
- Two pools An infinity pool for adults, tiled in red and green zellige, and a family pool further down among the olive and argan trees. Both are heated.
- Hammam and spa Black-soap scrubs, argan oil and hot-stone massage in a candlelit hammam.
- Club des Douars Padel, yoga, Pilates and breathwork classes at the club next door.
Rooms & suites
Rooms, suites and villas with their own pool.
Nineteen rooms and six suites in the main village, and seven villas in the grounds. Villa Palma is due to open in January 2027.
- Rooms Pacha Room On two floors in the gardens, with a king-size bed, a sunken bath, a corner fireplace and a private terrace.
- Two levels Mogador Suite A double bedroom, a second room with three single beds, a sitting room and two roof terraces. It suits a family.
- Villas Private villas Seven named houses, among them Basmah, Jasmin and Saada, for families and groups who want their own pool and cook.
Dining
Two tables, one for adults.
Restaurants as described by the hotel and the MICHELIN Guide. Shown for information.
- Le Ksar Moroccan and French Breakfast and lunch on the terrace over the valley, with a Sunday barbecue
- La Table des Douars Moroccan and French Adults only, with an open kitchen, served in the evening
- The bar Cocktails A candlelit terrace
Recognition
Recognition.
- One MICHELIN Key Current selection
- Time Out, the world's most beautiful hotels No. 8 of 33, August 2026
Good to know
Before you go.
- Arrival Check-in from 3 pm, check-out by noon.
- Children All ages are welcome, with a family pool and a kids' menu. The pools and ponds are unfenced and the grounds have many steps, so small children need watching.
- Season The hotel usually closes for two or three weeks between January and February.
Getting there
Flying to Essaouira.
Essaouira-Mogador airport is about ten kilometres away, roughly fifteen minutes by car, and takes both airline flights and private jets. Marrakech Menara, with far more flights, is about 177 kilometres inland: allow two to two and a half hours by road, our estimate.
- Lisbon 1 h 25
- Madrid 1 h 50
- Geneva 3 h 10
- Paris 3 h 15
- London 3 h 25
Questions
What guests ask first.
- How many MICHELIN Keys does Le Jardin des Douars have?
- One. The hotel holds one MICHELIN Key in the current selection.
- How far is Le Jardin des Douars from Essaouira?
- About fifteen minutes by car from the medina and the beach, in the Ksob valley inland from the town.
- Is Le Jardin des Douars suitable for children?
- Yes. It has a family pool, family suites and villas and a children's menu, while the infinity pool and La Table des Douars are kept for adults.
- Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to Essaouira?
- Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to Essaouira, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.
Also in Essaouira
Other hotels worth the trip.
- Heure Bleue Palais A Relais & Châteaux house of thirty-three rooms set into the medina walls, with a MICHELIN Key and a heated pool on the roof.
- Le Médina Essaouira Thalassa Sea & Spa, MGallery On the sand two minutes from the old town, with a new spa and hammam in place of the former thalassotherapy centre.
Staying at Le Jardin des Douars?
Book the room, then the flight.
Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to Essaouira, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.