Heure Bleue Palais : Relais & Chateaux

I enjoyed a five-night stay here at the beginning of January. The hotel was quiet so management immediately offered a free upgrade to a superior room. It was superb, spacious with decent sized bathroom and a separate toilet. The bed was comfy, there was also a desk, wifi and a big flat-screen TV. It is a riad so the room was quite dark. The staff were wonderful, incredibly helpful and efficient - especially the maids and the guy on the roof terrace, which is excellent. I spent at least a part of every afternoon up there, enjoying the sun by the small heated pool. It was oddly calm even on the windiest days. The Google description mentions an English-style pub: there is a bar but it is more like a gentleman's club, with a roaring fire and deep leather armchairs and sofas to sink into, also I've never been to an English boozer with a grand piano. Heure Bleue is minutes away from everything you might want to visit or do in Essaouira.

The hotel was clean and in a good location - very walkable. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. The restaurant had an amazing dinner, one of the best on our trip. And breakfast was lovely, lots of options. My reasons for giving 4 stars are based on personal preferences (and comparison to another incredible hotel we stayed at on the same trip). The room decor was a bit dark and not somewhere we'd want to hang out. It felt more like a place to leave your things and then go out into town and return when you're ready to sleep. The A/C is actually a mild cooling system. The hotel puts a comforter on the bed with no flat sheet, so if you get hot at night from the comforter and remove it, you don't have anything light to cover yourself with. We asked for one and patiently described what we were seeking, and the man at the front desk kindly asked someone from housekeeping to bring some options to our room (one was a blanket, and one was a flat sheet). If you are like us and desire a flat sheet, you'll need to ask for one (and probably describe it). We did experience some street noise, so we took the couch pillows and placed them in the window alcoves, which did the trick.

Overall, we had a poor experience that did not match what I have come to expect from a Relais and Chateaux property or from a 5 star hotel at this price point. The staff is courteous and friendly, but the rooms need much better soundproofing. We left a day early because we could not get peaceful rest even with earplugs. Here is a more detailed breakdown of the issues we had: - When we first got into our room #3, we were overwhelmed by a strong artificial air freshener fragrance that was masking a moldy smell. We found the drapes had mold on them. - After we settled in, a band started playing in the courtyard and we could hear them very loudly in our room. It’s great that there’s live music but it makes poor sense when the rooms have such thin windows and face the courtyard. There’s no way to escape it if you want to nap or sleep early. - We had a terrible night of sleep and were awoken early by sounds of people walking, footsteps in the stairs, luggage rolling by, people having breakfast. - We decided to leave a day early for another hotel.

While certainly not the newest property I've stayed in (the rooms could do with a refresh), the staff was certainly welcoming, warm, and ensured that we had everything we needed. The location is excellent - right on the edge of the medina and a few minutes' walk from the beach. I booked a hammam experience at the spa as well and that was excellent.

An absolutely stunning building, with a restful and cool central courtyard filled with mature planting. I'll admit - we upgraded to a Premier Suite, and it was gorgeous; a huge bedroom, separate lounge area, bath, shower, etc. etc...plenty of space, which was great as we were spending a whole week here. Service was faultless; the staff couldn't do enough for us. The breakfast buffet was excellent, with both cold and hot food available. The pool, terrace and bar on the roof level was a really nice touch. We ate up there one lunchtime, and the food was really good. The location on the edge of the Medina meant that access to the souk, restaurants and shops, the port and the ramparts was all in easy walking distance, and access to the beach promenade was only a few minutes walk away.

Superior service. Nice well appointed rooms with good shower and bathroom facilities. Restaurant definitely a cut above standard hotel restaurant. Rooftop terrace and pool nice. Would be happy to come back again.

Beautiful hotel located in the Medina. Lovely restaurant with excellent food. Comfortable beds, spacious bathrooms and friendly staff.

Beautiful hotel, hospitable staff, lovely rooms and excellent amenities. Really enjoyed this hotel from the moment we walked in the doors. The staff were very friendly and attentive. The room was really spacious with a lovely bathroom and quirky features. The breakfast was excellent with a great selection and the restaurant at night was also nice. Will definitely be back!