Essaouira is small, but choosing where to stay in Essaouira changes your whole experience of the town. Wake up in a medina riad and you step straight into the lanes, the smell of bread and the sound of gulls. Stay on the seafront and you have the beach at your door and a car park outside. Choose a guesthouse in the countryside and the town becomes a place you visit rather than a place you live.
Here is how to decide where to stay in Essaouira, area by area.
Where to stay in Essaouira at a glance
| Area | Style | Best for | Getting around |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medina | Riads and small guesthouses | Couples, first visits, atmosphere | On foot; cars stop at the gates |
| Beachfront | Modern hotels, apartments | Families, kitesurfers, drivers | Short walk along the beach to the medina |
| Diabat and the golf area | Resort hotels | Golf, pools, quiet | Taxi or car to town |
| Countryside | Eco-lodges and guesthouses | Peace, nature, longer stays | Car or driver needed |
| Sidi Kaouki and the coast | Surf houses, simple guesthouses | Surfers, kiters, escape | Car or driver needed |
Inside the medina: riads and guesthouses
For most first-time visitors, the medina is the answer. You are a few minutes' walk from the port, the ramparts and the restaurants, and a traditional riad — a house built around a central courtyard, often with a rooftop terrace — is part of the experience.
Within the walls, the atmosphere varies a little:
- Near the Skala and the port, the lanes are pretty and quieter in the evening, close to the sea walls and the sunset spots.
- Around the main streets, you are in the heart of the action, with shops and cafés at your door.
- Towards the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter in the north, streets are calmer and some houses are still being restored.
Two practical points: cars cannot enter the lanes, so you arrive at the nearest gate and a porter wheels your bags in on a cart; and old stone houses by the sea can feel damp and cool in winter, so check for heating if you travel between December and February. Our Essaouira medina walking guide will help you picture the neighbourhoods.
Along the beachfront
South of the medina, the long avenue facing the beach is lined with modern hotels and apartments. Rooms are more spacious, many hotels have a pool and parking, and you can be on the sand in two minutes. The medina is a pleasant walk along the seafront.
This is our usual recommendation for families with young children (no carrying strollers through lanes), for kitesurfers and windsurfers who want to be close to the schools, and for travellers with a rental car.
Diabat and the golf area
A few kilometres south, near the village of Diabat, a resort area with golf courses and large hotels offers space, pools and calm. It suits travellers who want a resort holiday with occasional trips into town. You will need a taxi or a car to reach the medina.
In the countryside
The hills around Essaouira hide guesthouses and eco-lodges among the argan trees, often with gardens, pools and home-cooked dinners. It is a wonderful choice for a week of slow travel, but you will depend on a car or a driver to reach town, beaches and restaurants. Our day trips from Essaouira show what the surrounding area has to offer.
Sidi Kaouki and the surf coast
Surfers and kiters who want waves outside the door often stay in Sidi Kaouki, half an hour south, or further down the coast. It is simple, windy and beautiful — see our Sidi Kaouki day trip guide before you commit.
Where to stay in Essaouira for your kind of trip
- Couples: a medina riad with a rooftop terrace near the Skala, for sunsets and evening walks on the ramparts.
- Families: a beachfront hotel with a pool, or a riad close to a gate with a family suite.
- Budget travellers: simple guesthouses and hostels inside the medina, close to the port grills.
- Kitesurfers and surfers: the beachfront, Sidi Kaouki or Moulay Bouzerktoun.
- Longer stays: an apartment in town or a countryside guesthouse, with a driver for day trips.
Booking tips
- Book early for June and the summer holidays. The Gnaoua festival and the Moroccan school holidays fill the town; see our guide to the best time to visit Essaouira.
- Ask how to find the riad. Good hosts send a meeting point at the nearest gate or arrange a porter.
- Check the rooftop. A sunny terrace makes a huge difference in a narrow lane.
- Travelling with lots of luggage? Choose a riad near a gate, or a beachfront hotel.
Getting to your accommodation
Our Marrakech to Essaouira transfer drops you at the medina gate nearest your riad, or at the door of a beachfront hotel, in about two and a half hours. Flying in? The Essaouira airport transfer takes around twenty minutes. Once you are settled, our Essaouira travel guide and our guide to where to eat in Essaouira will fill your days. Wherever you choose to stay in Essaouira, the ocean is never far away.
