Above: Kasbah Tamadot beneath the Atlas Mountains in Asni, Morocco

Moroccan Countryside Retreats

Although the high-season crowds in Marrakech can be overwhelming, a drive through scenic and unspoiled countryside soon brings you to abandoned kasbahs (citadels) and crumbling mud-walled ksour (fortified villages; “ksar” is the singular) undiscovered by tourists. In the course of a week, we moved from Marrakech to the alpine grandeur of the High Atlas Mountains, continued to a palm-filled valley and concluded our trip in the sand sea of the Sahara. The journey through ever-changing landscapes had an epic, cinematic sweep to it.

Kasbah Tamadot

The exterior of Kasbah Tamadot in Asni, Morocco - Jonathan Cosh of Visual Eye

From Marrakech, our driver took us south across the Kik Plateau to the Asni valley, cutting through the foothills of the mountains. Around a bend in the road, we saw the distant crenellations of a castle: Kasbah Tamadot. On arrival, we passed through a garden courtyard to reception, where we were given cool, scented towels. Instead of checking in, however, we were taken to a patio overlooking a swimming pool backed by a line of cypress trees and Atlas peaks. There we reclined in armchairs, sipping welcome flutes of Moroccan sparkling wine. I had the feeling that our stay at Kasbah Tamadot would be all too short.

The main pool at Kasbah Tamadot in Asni, Morocco - Photo by Hideaway Report editor

This feeling was confirmed when we entered our Deluxe Suite, which had a strong sense of place. Pea-green walls, terra-cotta floors and a fuchsia velvet seating group were augmented by repurposed architectural elements, such as carved-wood arches with muqarnas (honeycomb coffers), doors inlaid with mother-of-pearl and a hand-painted geometric ceiling over the rose petal-topped king bed. The tub and separate shower were backed by red-and-white zellij tiles. The loungers on our patio afforded views of mountains, the valley and the attractive village of Tansrat.

Join Andrew Harper today to continue reading our exclusive content.