Stay in Kasbah Bab Ourika: Day 1

Surrounded by the red Ourika Valley mountains, neighboring Berber villages, lush landscapes and the snow-capped Atlas mountains lies Kasbah Bab Ourika. Dine beneath unpolluted night skies, bask in the breathtaking 360 degree view while reading a book, or indulge in a spa treatment. Kasbah Bab Ourika is the ultimate romantic and genuine Moroccan escape. 

Confused by the small and dusty road that tightly wrapped its way around the Ourika Valleys mountains, Pat and I were not sure we were going the right direction towards Kasbah Bab Ourika (like most of our trip..we were a bit concerned about the lead up!) But as we made our way through the narrow road, we finally caught a glimpse of the Kasbah perched on top of the mountain. Kasbah Bab Ourika - a perfect way to end our 10 day trip in Morocco!

Hidden at the foot of the Atlas mountains, on the outskirts of Marrakech, and in the middle of the Berber villages lies this grand oasis. With only 26 rooms, it is an intimate stay. Patrick and I made our way up the narrow hill and wizzed our dirty little Clio around to the parking lot. We were greeted by two bell hops who took our luggage and brought them to our rooms as we checked in. The courtyard entrance set the scene for the Kasbah, open spaces, earthy tones, a modern yet traditional vibe and a lot of tranquility. We had arrived at the Kasbah at 2PM and had drived all the way from the Ounila Valley. We were starving to say the least, so decided to have lunch before going up to our room. As we made our way to the outdoor dining space, we were awe struck by the beauty of the red Ourika Valley mountains that stood beneath us. I had never seen such a beautiful mountainous view. We ordered a carbonara and a mojito as we commenced the relaxing part of our vacation. https://youtu.be/O2J9Sn6Y-30 After lunch, we proceeded up to our Deluxe Suite. We had booked through i-escape, so were lucky enough to receive a complementary bottle of wine in our room. The room was similar to the structure of the Ourika Valley Riad we had stayed in - perfect for both the summer and winter months. It felt like the genuine side of Moroccan life. Earthy tones surrounded the room, simple and antique furniture, a quaint fireplace (for those cold nights), romantic rose petals spread all over the bed and bathroom, and a beautiful terrace with a 180 degree view. The highlight of our room had to be the outdoor shower. I am not kidding - our shower was on the balcony overlooking the entire Ourika Valley and it's beautiful mountains. It may sound strange, but no one can see you and bathing under that rain shower with the sun setting in front of you is a one-of-a-kind experience. We were VERY pleased with our room. We were hoping the weather would be a bit nicer the day we arrived, but it was cloudy and misty (and a bit chilly since we were in the mountains, surprising for being May!) Rather than head to the pool, we decided to grab our books and head for the gardens. Choosing a place to sit was super difficult. There were so many quaint spots throughout the garden with amazing views. We opted for a small canopy in front of the fountains. Tranquility at it's finest - with the occasional frog croaking. https://youtu.be/uvvLoJHbcAM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC9XHFU1n3A&feature=youtu.be Following our relaxing read, we headed up to our bedroom for a quick snooze. As I previously mentioned, the weather was pretty cold our first day so I decided to take advantage of our huge bathtub and soak in a bath with eucalyptus oils while reading a quick book. We descended to the dining courtyard around 8PM to enjoy dinner. The cuisine is contemporary - a nice change up from the Moroccan cuisine we had been eating the 7 days prior. From salmon, beef, and pasta, you really can choose from a variety of meals cooked for you with fresh ingredients. The Kasbah even includes a cosy-bar lounge area, open all day, were you can sit and enjoy a nice scotch following your dinner. The wine we had with dinner allowed our bodies to relax and unwind leaving us feeling tired from our 7 days of exploration. We headed up to bed quite early, but not without stopping by the reception first and booking an appointment for a 6PM massage the next day. To read more about my stay in Kasbah Bab Ourika and its many amenities we took advantage of read on at Stay in Kasbah Bab Ourika - Day 2!

• Kasbah Bab Ourika, Ourika valley, Tnine Ourika, Morocco; +212 661-634234; Kasbahbabourika.com

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Kasbah Bab Ourika. All opinions remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. Get insider travel tips and luxury fashion and lifestyle content on the world’s most exceptional destinations and products directly to your inbox. Don’t miss out–sign up for Svadore in the drop down tab on the right hand side of the homepage. Follow Svadore on Instagram: @Svadore Follow Svadore on Pinterest: Svadore