Contemporary riad near the beach. 10% off all bookings made in May

So often, you turn up in a place you’ve been bursting with excitement to see, with high expectations and it falls short somehow. Often in the small details or the care taken by the owner / manager. That kind of thing can really rattle and take the edge of your enjoyment.

This WAS NOT the case in Dar Lazuli. I do not know where to begin with the praise!

Firstly, Rachel (the owner) knew it was our honeymoon and had asked Latifa and Rachid to organise a bottle of wine to be in the apartment when we arrived. Which we thought was a lovely gesture. Secondly, the apartments are really beautiful and excellent value for money.

They have been restored with so much care to an impossibly gorgeous state! I started to dread leaving before we’d even unpacked!!

It’s a fabulous combination of Moroccan colours and style, with tasteful and quirky, arty notes and modern comforts (docking station for your ipod (not that we had one, but….), large fridge, excellent shower etc etc

We loved our stay in Calima apartment – the romantic, curtained mezzanine level with the bed, the huge bathroom, beautiful, colourful tiled kitchen and cosy, snug, lounge area around the fire place – it’s just wonderful.

Latifa and Rachid were there every day – Rachid regularly put fresh flowers in our apartment, Latifa cleaned and tidied really thoroughly. They answered questions we had, gave us tips and helped with anything we needed.

The night guardian was also as regular as clockwork, ensuring that everything felt safe and secure.

They are a wonderful team – Rachel, obviously has a great relationship with them and the trust and respect on both sides is clear.

In Dar Lazuli, you have the comfort of a high quality hotel, but tonnes more space and total freedom.

Essaouira has lots to see and do (we would have happily stayed longer!) but is a relaxing and relaxed environment.

Rachel makes sure that you are well prepared, the comms were excellent during the run up to our holiday.

Rachid, Latifa and the night-guardian work really hard and do an excellent job. It helps that they are such nice people, who obviously take pride in their work. There is nothing slap-dash, no corners are cut and the results speak for themselves.

I would recommend Dar Lazuli & Essaouira wholeheartedly and I really hope we’ll go back some day and explore a little more.

Some friends and I took 3 of the 4 apartments at Dar Lazuli. We were given a wonderfully warm welcome and had the most relaxing, carefree and comfortable stay we could have hoped for. The location is second to none - moments from the medina, souks and restaurants, and only a short walk to the beach. Don't be put off by "cat alley" on the approach. Once you're through the door, the whole riad is beautifully decorated, clean and quiet. Most Moroccan homes have a humble entrance, we learned - it avoids envy.

The rooms are great - each has its own distinct style - and each floor has a terrace. There's enough space that we never got in the way of the couple staying in Ghibli (I hope), and they certainly never got in ours. There's even a newly added roof terrace / sun trap with a sea view.

The owners are British and have gone to great pains to make travellers feel at home from home. From Egyptian cotton bed sheets to mini pots of Marmite in the very well-equipped kitchens, they've really thought of everything. The website is great too - really detailed local information and recommended excursions. The icing on the cake is the host couple: the incredibly discreet Latifa and the ever-smiling Rachid who keep the place clean, and are always available and happy to help or advise.

Aside from the calls to prayer you get everywhere in Morocco, we all enjoyed some of the best, undisturbed sleep we'd ever had in huge, hotel-style beds.

If you're looking for a reasonably priced, colourfully decorated home from home where you can self-cater or stumble 2 minutes to a tagine, I can't recommend Dar Lazuli highly enough.

Arriving in Dar Lazuli in Essaouria after spending 2 days in Marrakesh was a real soul soother. Dar Lazuli offered an amazing home for our little holiday in Morocco. Beautiful rooms, kitchen with everything you need and a shower where you want to pop in 3 times a day. It is a place which made me feel very special and made me forget about everything the outside world. Really amazing views from the top terrace to enjoy a glass of wine or a breakfast. Dar Lazuli is a treat, and the staff looking after us were always helpful, very kind and wonderful people, just wish i could speak french to be able to talk to them more. The location is perfect, in the medina, close to the beach, and all the shops. This is a place where i would like to return and maybe take someone special with me. Essaouria is a perfect holiday destination to refresh the mind, senses and the soul.