Before You Die: Hotel Des Iles by Graeme Harwood

From 1948, until the recent opening of The Sofitel, The Hotel des Iles ruled the roost. Sharing, at that epoch, the same architect/designer as La Mamounia in Marrakech, it was the automatic choice of stars like Orson Welles. In 1949 he spent 8 months here filming his award-winning ‘Othello’ often using Essaouira, particularly the ramparts, as his backdrop. Grateful, no doubt, the city put up a bust in the harbour garden to it most famous adopted son. So, if you’re an incurable movie buff, either have a drink in The Orson Welles Bar, replete with stills, letters and stars; or go the whole hog and stay in The Orson Welles Suite, authentically ossified in time. To ardent members of this admittedly niche market, Hotel des Iles will have appeal.

Otherwise, recommendation is a bit more tricky. The hotel is opposite the beachfront; it’s bang outside the walls of the medina; it’s minutes from top harbour restaurants like Chez Sam; it costs half the price of the 5 star Sofitel for a sea-facing double room of perfectly good size and 4 star facilities, even without a lift and air con, neither strictly necessary for a 2-storey hotel in The Windy City. And yet...

It does have an undeniable air of sadness about it. The former grandeur of The Hotel des Iles has faded into mediocrity, even shabbiness at times. Very dull package tour bungalows have been added around the swimming pool at the back. 80% of hotel business is now no longer with the stars but with mainly French, German and English tour groups on a Moroccan beach holiday deal. Weariness and resentment seems to ooze from the walls to the tune of ‘Once upon a time, celebrities filled my corridors, but now… ah, well… ’