Dar Beida, Essaouira, Morocco

Essaouira is Morocco’s most relaxed destination. A long sandy beach that’s too windy for sunbathers but a mecca for windsurfers, this sleepy fishing port attracts a crowd looking for an antidote to Marrakech’s mayhem. A mixture of hippies, surfers, couples and young families, Essaouira has so far avoided the package tourist. As in Marrakech, converted riads are mushrooming in the medina but those in Essaouira tend to be smaller and the internal patio can be narrow which means that each room’s windows are easily overlooked by fellow residents.

If privacy mixed with supercool style is more up your street then Dar Beida is the house for you. Rented only in exclusivity, it sleeps from 2 to 8 people, which means you’ll never be sharing your space with anyone you don’t choose to.

Dar Beida surprises and delights at every turn. Totally white, the unique décor mixes the retro style of the 60s and the best of old and modern Moroccan – as far away from 1001 nights as you can get. Shelves and cupboards are moulded in and out of the walls which themselves curve into the floors and ceilings, rooms flow into each other through original sandstone arches and wooden doors with driftwood handles.

Iconic pieces from the 60s and 70s can be found in every room – tables, chairs, lamps – salvaged by the canny interior designer owners and each has a story attached. The ‘tulip’ dining table was spotted at a café in rural Morocco whilst driving past one day and they persuaded the owner to sell it, leaving the bemused diners eating on their laps. The two salons have ingenious round fireplaces that roar out the heat – with Essaouira’s damp atmosphere you’ll appreciate them even in summer. Dar Beida’s courtyard is covered with a glass ceiling which keeps the house dust-free and the lower levels warmer. In summer, you can eat on the terrace’s stone table under the driftwood canopy, relax in the hammock or sunbathe, protected from the wind.

One bedroom has a wet room with a shower in the middle of it, two more bedrooms on the next floor up (one with a mezzanine bed) flank the bathroom with its huge tadelakt bath. The room on the roof has a wall of glass and a private terrace.

Dar Beida comes complete with a fully equipped kitchen, a library of books, games and cds, daily cleaning by the maid/cook who will deliver delicious feasts on request, a charming English speaking guardian who can recommend activities and restaurants, and two delightful cats: Ziggy and Blue (they live in the house but will be fed).

Dar Beida: probably the hippest place to stay in Morocco.