After my initial arrival in Marrakech and some time getting acclimated to the exciting country of Morocco, I realized that it was time for the obligatory visit to the desert and camel ride. I took a bus over the breathtaking High Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate, and spent three days exploring the film industry there and in the historic walled ksar of Aït Ben Haddou (Lawerence of Arabia and Gladiator, for example).
Hotel Marmar provided a very comfortable and place to stay, and a good base for my exploration. The location is excellent, just a few blocks from the Supratours Bus Office and the main taxi stand for both Grand and Petit Taxis.
I also enjoyed grilled kabobs at locals joint of El Bahja (and made a cat very full and happy). Another night I feasted on Chevreau M’Kalli, soupe glacée aux concmbres and tarte citron at Le Relais de Saint-Exupery, and investigated the memorabilia of the author of The Little Prince, including a photograph of the author with his Caudron Simoun, a 1930’s French four-seat touring monoplane, at the Ouarzazate Airport.
Hotel Marmar is extremely clean, comfortable and has a great location, just on the edge of the town centre so it is easy to walk everywhere yet still quiet and peaceful for a great nights sleep. The hotel is quite new and facilities are all in excellent condition, the shower hot and powerful, beds and bedding fresh and comfortable, rooms surprising large. The included breakfast is served in the cafe downstairs that belongs to the hotel, freshly squeezed orange juice, yogurt, cheese, jam, croissants or pain au chocolate, fresh bread and probably the best coffee I had in Morocco were an enjoyable treat. The cafe is busy with locals relaxing most of the day so you know it is good and very reasonably priced, I much prefer this than being in a tourist only environment. We checked a couple of other hotels nearby and we couldn’t find anything as nice as Hotel Marmar, it was also about half the price of the other places too! The receptionist Fatima was always very friendly and gave great advice about nearby places to eat and day trips. Mint tea was available all the time. We were lucky enough to meet the hotel manager who was a very kind, genuine, modest man. He is a local with plenty of good advice and who even gave us some very special treats, extremely generous. We had a wonderful stay!
