The coolest place to hang out in Sefrou.

BEHIND THE BLUE DOOR

Just thirty kilometres or so from Fez is the small town of Sefrou and up until now the places to stay. Thankfully a wonderful little place has opened up which should provide for the best place to chill out for a few days away from the bustle of the Fez Medina. At this time of the year the air in Sefrou is fresh and bracing - a real tonic and so we went to explore the first real guest house in Sefrou.

Rustic charm

It is also an ideal place from which to explore the surrounding countryside and villages. The town of Sefrou is itself worth spending some time in and you will discover local handcrafts that are rarely seen in Fez.

The coolest bedroom in summer - the cave.

The place is called Dar Attamani and it is situated inside the walls of the small medina - only a very short walk from the gates. There is no problem finding Dar Attamani as everyone knows it and is happy to point you in the right direction.

A lounge where you can really stretch out.

Don't expect the kind of renovation you see in the dars and riads of Fez or Marrakesh - this is done in a homely country style that gives the house a warm and inviting atmosphere - comfortable and relaxing


Yet that is not to say it is without style - far from it. The decor is smart, interesting and varied. While in winter some of the rooms may feel a little on the dark side, it is easy to imagine the house as being wonderfully cool in the heat of summer.


What I particularly liked about the house is that every room is different and around every corner is something new. Despite the first impression that it is a small house, I continually found new and interesting spaces - including a marvelous toilet! (pictured below)



The various objects scattered around the house are an eclectic collection that is always pleasing to the eye and included everything from rustic implements to the coolest light fitting I have seen in Morocco.

One of the fabulous lamps

It is always instructive to read the comments in the guest book and although Dar Attamani has only recently opened, it is obviously filling a gap in the market. One of the most telling comments was from a Dutch family who explained that they had "escaped from a local hotel", which had been described as the "best in Sefrou" - they had been less than impressed and thankful to find a restful, clean and welcoming place such as Dar Attamani.


The Terrace

Once the day has cooled down, or indeed, for breakfast, the terrace is a great place to enjoy the fresh air of Sefrou. Decorated in bold colours - yellow walls and blue furniture - it is stunning and the view worth taking in.

The spectacular golden walls of the terrace

The mosque as seen from the terrace

Yassine will welcome you

The host at Dar Attamani is the very friendly and efficient Yassine. He provides what can only be described as a "home away from home".

You will find Dar Attamani on the web can email them directly at darattamani@voila.fr


Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news