Essaouira

With only five rooms but plenty of communal spaces, every inch of Dar Maya is designed to perfection, creating the boutique hotel Essaouira has been waiting for. — Fodor's

Stylized, elegant, and designed to perfection, Madada Mogador is perfectly poised just within the medina walls to ensure easy access and ocean views from most rooms. — Fodor's

Established long before riads became trendy, this is an upmarket riad made up of two old houses converted into a score of rooms and suites. — Rough Guide

Part of the Golf de Mogador development, this luxury resort offers a range of rooms and suites as well as 28 villas with private swimming pools. — Lonely Planet

Inspired by the rammed earth Kasbahs of the High Atlas, the Jardin des Douars occupies a ridge-top above the Ksob river. There are tadelakt-walled rooms, two heated pools and a spa. — The Telegraph

An unusually light and airy three-storey medina house that once belonged to a local imam (religious leader) and now houses eight colourful rooms topped by a terrace with a bird’s eye view over the medina. — The Telegraph

Hidden away from the rest of the world it’s delightfully laid-back with just enough whistles and bells to ensure you feel properly pampered - a haven from the rigours of modern-day life. — The Telegraph

Dar Adul, in Morocco, is an Essaouira hotel offering eclectic interiors, extravagantly decorated bedrooms and rooftop sunbathing with the best sea views in town, within walking distance of a sandy beach. — The Telegraph

Salut Maroc is a flamboyant hotel in the most colourful city in the country. Housed in an 18th-century former merchant's house with sensational ocean views. — The Telegraph

An architect-designed medina house in Essaouira’s historic Mellah with five impeccably finished bedrooms, swish contemporary bathrooms, a large loft-style living area and a cool, creative, sociable vibe. — The Telegraph

The Hotel Atlas provides beachfront five-star service with all the facilities you would expect from the Moroccon brand. — Fodor's

Turning its back on the modernist minimalism embraced by most boutique hotels, this riad near Bab Es Sebaa offers comfortable, good-sized rooms with a vaguely bling-ish decor. — Lonely Planet

Tight against the northern side of the medina walls, this riad sits over the water's edge, letting you have the raging sea all to yourself. — Fodor's

Boutique hotel flooded with light. Each of the rooms is decorated tastefully in slightly different styles. The terrace is large and sunny and features a Jacuzzi. — Fodor's

Hidden down a slightly scruffy dead-end street, this friendly B&B has neat and clean rooms surrounding a central courtyard. — Lonely Planet

This beautifully preserved 300-year-old riad is all ornate stucco, painted cedar wood and gleaming zellige with 10 lofty-ceilinged rooms decorated with antique furniture. — Lonely Planet

The closest to the medina of the city's two beachfront five-star hotels, the property has a location and facilities that are second to none. — Fodor's

Special touches include a Jacuzzi under palm trees on the patio, a reiki massage room, and tea kettles in all rooms. Baladin is a hit, particularly among single female travelers. — Fodor's