Auberge Tangaro: A Boho-Chic Hideaway in Essaouira

Essaouira, a port city on Morocco’s Atlantic Coast, beckons like a siren’s call to free spirits. Artists seeking new muses, surfers hunting for windswept waves, and foreign retirees embarking on a second act all find their way here. (Among the most famous names who’ve traveled to Essaouira for inspiration are Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Cat Stevens.) “Africa’s Windy City” – as it’s been affectionately dubbed – feels a world away from its more hectic counterparts like Marrakech and Casablanca. In Essaouira’s medina, there are more cats and fishing boats than cars and you’re more likely to be woken up in the morning by seagulls than traffic.

Auberge Tangaro is a shabby-chic hideaway on the outskirts of town that can be reached in just a 10-minute drive from the medina. The hotel, which was established in 1915, stands on the ruins of a Roman factory for garum (a fermented fish sauce that was beloved by ancient Romans). But with its whitewashed buildings and blue painted windows and doors, Auberge Tangaro looks like it could just as easily be on a Greek island.

Current owner Younes Ottmani, an Essaouira native who spent his weekends at the hotel with his parents as a child, has lovingly redecorated the place in recent years and made it feel like a rustic bungalow with Moroccan and nautical influences. The dining hall boasts an abundance of candles and hanging lanterns, as well as long wooden tables, sorrel leather chairs, and a (slightly out-of-tune) mahogany piano. Meanwhile, the library has a record player, framed photos of Ottmani’s family and friends, and a large black-and-white portrait of Hendrix. Each of the hotel’s 19 rooms contains a fireplace and plenty of local textiles (linen blankets and handwoven rugs) to keep guests warm on chilly nights.

Staying here feels intimate but unpretentious; solo travelers can be as comfortable as couples and families with young children. Even dogs are welcome (a rarity in Morocco). At Auberge Tangaro, you are reminded of the importance of slowing down and enjoying life’s simple pleasures. Mornings are for fried eggs, fresh bread, and endless cups of mint tea on a terrace shrouded in swaying eucalyptus trees. Afternoons should be dedicated to frequent dips in the pool. And evenings are best spent savouring a glass of crisp white Moroccan wine under twinkling lights. This is a place to escape the bustle of conventional daily life; the only task is to bask in the little moments.

Words and Photos by Erika Hobart