The Riad Dar Adrar in Imlil is about two hours south from Marrakash in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. I stayed at Riad Dar Adrar on the mountain side, overlooking the valley and surrounding hills of Imlil for one night. I booked the room on Booking.com for EUR23, which was about 270 dirham.
Staying on the mountainside in Imlil meant that I had to park the car up in the “city” center where the son of the owner of Riad Dar Adrar came to pick me up. He walked to the car park to find me and then we had to walk up a steep hill to reach Riad Dar Adrar. The walk took about 15 minutes.
If you have a lot of luggage Riad Dar Adrar is probably not the best place to pick but if you tell them in advance that you have a lot of luggage they will bring a donkey and pack all your bags on it for you.
Staying In Imlil
Staying in Imlil is kind of like stepping back in time – the roads end here and if you want to go further uphill you will need to hike or take a donkey for your luggage. It was quite fascinating but fortunately I only had a small rucksack so it was no big deal for me.
They served dinner at the Dar Adrar when I arrived at around 8PM after which I went downstairs and crashed out sleeping. I was sleeping like a log until 8AM when I had breakfast on the terrace, overlooking the valley and the surrounding snow-capped mountains.
Tip: Arrive during the day so you can see where you are walking and take in the beautiful scenery!
Finding Riad Dar Adrar in Imlil
Just park your car up in one of the car parks and call the hotel number which you will find on Booking.com or below here at the end of this article. The owner of Dar Adrar Lodge speaks fluent English and he will explain to wait in the car park. Alternatively, tell him you will wait by the shop and he will come and pick you up in 10-15 minutes.
Entering The Riad
The climb up to the hotel is a bit strenuous especially if you are not used to climbing hills and you’ve been breathing in the fumes in Marrakesh all week! I came in the dark so we had to use two torches to light the path up. Otherwise there is nothing to fear, everyone gets around the same way and nobody is going to attack you!
First Impressions
I was a bit annoyed as it was not explained on Booking.com that I would have to walk to Dar Adrar Lodge – especially that it rained all day and the path was a bit muddy. Anyhow, I just went with the flow and I really enjoyed it in the end.
The Lobby Area
The lobby area in the Dar Adrar Lodge has many windows and the views are pretty spectacular in the daylight. In the evenings the owners set fire in the wood burner that has a glass front, so you can see the logs burning away slowly while you are eating your traditional Moroccan tagine!
This is exactly what I did – I ordered the meatball tagine and then had a bit of soup as well. They also served French fries and some salad so I was completely stuffed by the end of the dinner.
Checking In
The check-in took place at the dinner table: the owner brought out the registration forms which I filled out after dinner. It took about five minutes then I went down to my room to sleep.
The Public Areas
The public areas were clean but there was no lift. I did not mind this at all as there were only a few flights of steps and I had almost no luggage.
Inside the Room
Inside the room at Dar Adrar Lodge was a double bed, a couple of bedside cabinets with a plug on each side of the bed and a coat hanger. I thought the light was a bit dim at the beginning but it was an energy saving bulb and there were two more lights above the bedside cabinets which made the room sufficiently bright.
The Bed At Riad Dar Adrar
The bed was very comfortable and there were some extra blankets and an electric heater. It was pretty cold outside, minus 3 degrees Celsius so I put on some extra layers of blankets before I fell asleep. The entire place was so quiet I could have heard a pin drop! No need to say I slept like a log!
Wifi in the Room
There was wifi in Dar Adrar Lodge – believe it or not – but I did not try it as I had internet on my phone and I was too tired.
The Bathroom
The bathroom at Dar Adrar Lodge was simple but very clean. It had a toilet, a sink and mirror plus a shower. I did not try the shower as I was too cold to undress but I am sure it would have been nice and warm. Try it for yourself when you visit!
Breakfast At Riad Dar Adrar
I had breakfast on the terrace which was overlooking the valley and the surrounding snow capped mountains! It was absolutely stunning sitting there in the sun, listening to the birds and just soaking in the heat in this middle-of-nowhere place!
The eggs were very tasty and the landlady made some fresh bread for us all in the morning so I was completely stuffed when I left.
Overall Impressions
I really enjoyed my stay and I would come back again, especially the breakfast and dinner and the stunning views over the High Atlas Mountains.
Address: Dar Adrar – Imlil, 42152, Morocco
Telephone: +212 668-760165