Best hotels and hostels in Dadès Valley

Top ChoiceLodging in Skoura

This gorgeous lodge has seven spacious, light-filled rooms and suites, decorated with antiques, elegant furnishings and artwork from Morocco and beyond. There's a tree-filled garden – the organic fruits feature in jams and juices, and you can swing in hammocks, swim in the heated pool, play a few rounds of pétanque or arrange a massage. There's also a kids' play area.

Lodging in Tinerhir

North of town, Lahcen and Mouna's restored kasbah is a find amid Tinerhir's bleak hotel scene. Three simple rooms decked out in bold colours sit around an internal courtyard while terrace tables look out over a dense patch of palmeraie (palm grove). The food here is made with flair and features a bounty of fresh produce sourced from local farms.

Top ChoiceLodging in Dadès Gorge

At this chic retreat, 11 light-filled rooms and two, two-bedroom apartments are notched right into the gorge wall, with contemporary Moroccan decor, plant-filled terraces and a poolside sun deck. A rosy gorge sunset is the prelude to a drink at the bar and spectacular six-course dinners (Dh250) where Mediterranean cuisine meets seasonal Moroccan produce beside the snug wood-burning stove.

Top ChoiceLodging in Todra Gorge

Get back to nature in romantically lit cave rooms dug right into the hillside and finished in moulded tadelakt (waterproof plaster), or rock-walled, solar-powered tower rooms surveying the Petit Gorge. After self-guided treks and climbs (Dh300 per hour) arranged by the multilingual owner, relax on the panoramic terrace or help harvest vegetables in the organic garden for dinner.

Top ChoiceLodging in Todra Gorge

Just inside the palmeraie (palm grove), this delightful guesthouse has a series of pretty terraces draped with flowering vines and attractive rooms set with Berber carpets, vintage travel posters and original artwork. Rachid and Doreen give a warm welcome, and this is a great base for exploring the palmeraie – ask to take Jack the donkey for a stroll.

Lodging in Skoura

An oasis within an oasis, 4 acres of organic gardens and a working farm make a bucolic setting for rammed-earth bungalows, with produce used to prepare delicious dinners (around €16). After visits to local artisans or kasbah tours, unwind with a steamy hammam or chilled white wine by the pool. They sell their own first-pressed olive oil and conserves too.

Top ChoiceLodging in Skoura

Low-key, high-romance, Skoura style: this garden guesthouse offers eight intimate rooms and three spacious suites, all with nooks carved from rammed-earth walls, decorative rugs and original art. Explore the palm grove by bike, nap beside the pool, then dine (€21) under the stars surrounded by twinkling candles or in front of the open fire in the cosy salon.

Top ChoiceLodging in Tinejdad

Seasonal meals of garden-grown pumpkin soup and beef tajines with dates (Dh80 to Dh100) are served in the walled garden, a regular stop for 19th-century Aït Merghad nomads. There are 10 colourful en-suite rooms. Excellent maps of the palmeraie (palm grove) enable self-guided wanders.The labyrinthine ksar (fortified village) is still inhabited so it's like spending the night in a living museum.

Lodging in Dadès Gorge

Staying at this painstakingly restored cliffside bolthole is like being in the home of a friend with excellent taste: original artwork on the walls, antique furniture and a grand piano in the well-stocked library. Outside, there's a swimming pool, sun-filled patios and flower-filled terraces.

Lodging in Todra Gorge

In the village of Aït Baha Tizgui, about 800m before the gorge, Hotel Valentine rolls out the welcome mat with thoughtful service and remarkably budget-friendly rooms. Accommodation is on the small side, and only two of the eight rooms have views, but you can head up to the roof terrace for a splendid panorama over the village, palmeraie (palm grove) and chiselled mountains beyond.

Lodging in Dadès Gorge

Book early for one of the four 'seasonal' rooms at Youssef Azrarag's welcoming guesthouse, where Amazigh (Berber) hospitality, vintage French furniture and bright local decor blend seamlessly. All the rooms overlook the lovely patio garden where numerous varieties of mountain mint and verveine perfume the air. After tough treks, collapse on Moroccan cushions in the large open-plan kitchen.

Top ChoiceLodging in Todra Gorge

Located 17km past the gorge in the village of Tamtetoucht, Auberge Amazigh has just four cosy rooms, each with traditional pisé (rammed-earth walls) carved with Amazigh (Berber) motifs and sporting mosquito nets and colourful throws, all topped with a pretty roof terrace. Hamid and his family make hospitable hosts, serving up moreish meals and plenty of local knowledge.

Lodging in Todra Gorge

Riads have arrived in Todra at this warm, artsy five-storey guesthouse that’s all Middle Atlas rugs, sparkly handiras (Moroccan wedding blankets) and colourful abstract paintings. Fall asleep to the sounds of the river rushing past. All 10 rooms have en suites and fine views over the valley; four have balconies. There's also a roof terrace with 360-degree views.

Top ChoiceLodging in Kalaat M'Gouna

This striking clifftop perch is a maze of terraces and salons, with nine simple rooms, most of which are en suite, three with air-con. There's music after dinner and generous breakfasts on the terrace come with stunning views over the lush valley. Hiking excursions are also available. It's 2km northwest of Kalaat M'Gouna; minivans pass en route to Tourbiste village (Dh10).

Lodging in Skoura

Eight cosy rooms decorated with local touches sit around a flower-filled garden and swimming pool, with views of Jebel M'Goun from the vine-draped terraces. Mornings slip by with walks in the palmeraie (palm grove), while afternoons are best spent in the royal purple hammam before a traditional homecooked dinner. Follow green triangle markers from the main road.

Top ChoiceLodging in Boumalne Dades

This family-run guesthouse gets full marks for its spacious traditional rooms, complete with pisé (rammed-earth walls), beamed ceilings and juniper wood doors, along with the warm welcome of the owner Moha, who can give you lots of tips on exploring the region. Dinner, made with organic produce, costs Dh130 extra. Follow signs leading north off Ave Mohammed V.

Lodging in Skoura

An 18th-century kasbah has been given a stylish makeover that remains true to its desert roots, complete with original palm-beam ceilings, moody low-lit passageways and water-conserving cactus gardens. The three tower rooms are the sweetest deals, with shared bathrooms and oasis views; ask for one with a fireplace. It’s located on the N10, 2km west of Skoura.

Lodging in Boumalne Dades

Morocco meets sub-Saharan Africa at this 1970s convention centre turned hotel, atop a hill, north of the centre. The 106 guest rooms have balconies with Tuareg chairs, plush beds with thick duvets and mud-cloth bedspreads. Expect all the mod cons, plus a hammam (Dh100), bar, pool table and a panoramic terrace swimming pool with a hot tub on the side.

Lodging in Kalaat M'Gouna

At the tranquil Kasbah Iswan you'll soon start to feel as at home as the storks that nest on the turrets. Nights are filled with friendly conversation and delicious plates of couscous, while days can be relaxing in the flower-filled courtyard or hiking through spectacular scenery. It's 7km north of Kalaat M'Gouna, in the small village of Tazroute.

Lodging in Todra Gorge

Run by a Japanese expat named Noriko, this surprising spot on the main road in Aït Baha Tizgui has six simple rooms (including a five-bed dorm) painted in muted colours, plus a great open terrace. It's an easy 700m walk to the gorge, and probably the only spot in the Atlas mountains where you'll find miso soup on the menu.