Heure Bleue Palais is the most polished hotel inside the Essaouira medina and the one to book if you want a riad with real hotel comforts. It is a Relais & Châteaux member with 33 rooms and suites, set in a historic house a few minutes' walk from the harbor, the ramparts and the main square. On the roof there is a pool, a sun deck and a terrace restaurant with views across the white walls of the old town.
Essaouira is Morocco at a slower pace. The Atlantic wind keeps summer temperatures mild, the medina is easy to walk and the fish comes straight off the boats. Heure Bleue fits that mood. The patio is quiet, the English Lounge has a fireplace for windy evenings and the black marble hammam is a good place to spend a late afternoon.
It suits couples who want a calm coastal stop after Marrakech, with good food, a pool and a little ceremony. It is not a beach resort: the town beach is wind-blown and you come here for the medina, the ramparts and long lunches. Prices are moderate for a hotel of this standard.
Highlights at a glance
- Relais & Châteaux riad inside the medina
- Rooftop pool and terrace restaurant
- Black marble hammam
- English Lounge bar with a fireplace
- Walking distance to the harbor and ramparts
Why Couples Love Heure Bleue Palais
It gives you a proper hotel in a town of small guesthouses. Most riads in Essaouira are simple and charming, with a handful of rooms and no pool. Heure Bleue has a rooftop pool, a spa, a restaurant with a serious chef and a bar that feels like a private club, while still being a short walk from everything in the old town.
The atmosphere is grown-up and quiet. Breakfast is served in the patio, where light falls through the arches onto the tiles. In the afternoon you can swim on the roof and look out over the medina toward the sea. In the evening, the English Lounge lights its fire, which is welcome when the trade wind blows in off the Atlantic. Many couples come for two nights and stay for three.
Rooms and Suites to Book
There are 33 rooms and suites across five categories, all decorated in a mix of Moroccan and colonial styles.
- Classic and Deluxe rooms are comfortable and well equipped and fine if you plan to be out most of the day.
- Suites are the honeymoon pick. They run to about 60 square meters on the second floor, with a lounge area, Arab-Portuguese inspired decor and marble bathrooms with both a tub and a walk-in shower.
- Premium Suites add more space for couples who expect to spend time in the room.
As in most riads, the best views are from the roof terrace rather than from the rooms, so ask about outlook if it matters to you. Rooms have climate control and central heating, which matters in winter when Essaouira nights can be cold and damp.
Food, Drink and the Spa
The main restaurant, the Salon Oriental, serves a nightly menu by chef Ahmed Handour that takes classic Moroccan cooking in a modern direction. Book at least one dinner here. SAMA, on the roof terrace between the sun deck and the pool, serves lighter food at lunch with an emphasis on seafood.
The English Lounge is the hotel's bar, done in dark wood, leather and rugs around a fireplace. From early evening the kitchen sends out kemia, small Moroccan plates of seafood and market produce, which pair well with a glass of Moroccan wine.
The spa is small, with a black marble hammam and two treatment rooms. The Sultan Ritual combines a hammam, an exfoliation, a rhassoul clay wrap and an argan oil massage over about 90 minutes.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
Essaouira is a town for wandering. Walk the Skala de la Ville ramparts at sunset, when the light turns the walls gold and the cannons point out at the waves. Visit the harbor in the morning to watch the blue boats come in, then pick a fish to be grilled at the stalls by the port.
Browse the thuya wood workshops under the ramparts and the galleries in the medina. Stop at an argan oil cooperative on the road toward Marrakech to see the oil pressed by hand.
The beach is long but windy, so it suits walks more than sunbathing. Kitesurfers and windsurfers love it. South of town, Sidi Kaouki is good for a horse or camel ride along the sand. One of you can take a surf lesson while the other explores the medina.
Getting There
Essaouira Mogador Airport (ESU) is about 25 minutes from town, with limited flights, mostly from Europe. Most couples fly into Marrakech Menara (RAK) and drive about 2.5 to 3 hours west, often stopping at an argan cooperative along the way. The hotel can arrange a private transfer, or your Morocco tour operator can include it.
Cars cannot enter most of the medina. Ask the hotel to meet you at the nearest drop-off point and walk you in with your bags.
Pack layers. The trade wind can make Essaouira feel cool even in summer and evenings are often fresh. A windproof jacket is useful for both of you. In the medina, modest dress for both partners is respectful and draws less attention, though Essaouira is more relaxed than Marrakech.
Is It Worth It?
Yes, for couples who want comfort and some occasion in Essaouira. Heure Bleue offers things few riads in town can match: a rooftop pool, a proper restaurant, a hammam and a bar with a fire. Rates are moderate for a Relais & Châteaux property.
Book elsewhere if you want a beach resort. The pool is on a roof in the medina, not by the sea and the town beach is often too windy for lounging. Couples who want more intimacy might prefer one of the small guesthouses along the ramparts, which cost less and sometimes face the ocean. Those who want space and quiet can look south toward Diabat or Sidi Kaouki. For a polished two or three nights in the old town, Heure Bleue is the safe and stylish choice.
Insider tips
- Book a Suite for the extra space and the marble bathroom with a tub.
- Reserve dinner in the Salon Oriental for your first night.
- Walk the Skala ramparts at sunset, then come back for kemia in the English Lounge.
- Bring a windproof layer; the Atlantic breeze is constant.
