If you are searching for a true Moroccan paradise, then you will find it at Dar Ayniwen. With its spectacular labyrinthine gardens, unrivaled service and outstandingly delicious restaurant, staying here is a moment of sheer, unadulterated bliss.
Dar Ayniwen, formerly a private residence, maintains a guesthouse feel, inviting visitors to treat the villa as if it were their own. With only 8 vast suites – the more luxurious and secluded of which feature their own hot tubs – Dar Ayniwen oozes of exclusivity. However, it is in fact, an understated luxury that defines the residence.
The family home was converted into a ‘hotel’, to use the term loosely, only 14 years ago. The main building was transformed into the focal point of the establishment and retains its original features, as well as various ornaments and curios, creating an ambiance of inimitable intimacy. An extension of the villa saw the creation of guests’ suites, hidden by lush manicured gardens.
The suites are vast in size, each with their own living room, marbled bathroom and separate bedroom. Tiled floors are draped in fantastical carpets and ornate furnishings intersperse the spacious room, which can be heated by a grand, marble fireplace on cool nights. Beautiful Moroccan windows open out onto the communal gardens, with the perfume of fresh oranges wafting in.
The hallmark of Dar Ayinwen is ease and it is here that you escape the far-flung impossible-to-use high-tech devices that are now de rigueur in luxury establishments. Not to be outdone, however, suites are replete with a large, flat screen TV and iPod docking station.
The retreat sits on an extensive 5 acres of land, a large proportion of which is the hotel’s garden. Here you will find guests lolling about, reclining under palm trees, or baking under an azure sky and golden sun. A large symmetrical pool in front of the villa is the perfect refreshment from the sultry Moroccan sun. Alternatively, a small spa is on hand for the ultimate détente.
From solar panels to organic eggs or rabbit, green initiatives are readily embraced here making Dar Ayniwen a self-contained and self-sustained, idyllic world. Products from the garden are used as much as possible, such as the deliciously famous oranges and smooth olive oil, from olive groves.
The restaurant at Dar Ayinwen, using only the freshest of ingredients, is an absolute must when staying in Morocco. An a la carte menu (ordered in advance) features traditional Moroccan dishes from chouchouka to the traditional Harira soup.
Our small degustation consisted of:
-Chouchouka (Green and red peppers in tomato sauce): a tasty, slightly spiced dish.
– Zaalouk (Spiced Eggplant): a delicious, subtly spiced variation of eggplant; lightly fried meant this dish was irresistible.
– Maaticha Maasla (Sweet and sour tomatoes with sesame seeds): an interesting sauce with complex flavours – for the experimental.
– Hummus: with olive oil drizzled over it and soft spices sprinkled on top, dunking your Moroccan bread is unbelievably addictive. A must have.
– Carrots and zucchinis in a chermoula sauce: a lovely, smooth accompaniment to any mains. No overwhelming flavours, just a well-balanced vegetable dish.
– Pink Rock Shrimp Cocktail & Avocado with Orange Supremes: the piece de resistance. Avocados and shrimps were fresh and adorned with the addictive orange slices that Morocco is famed for. With sublte flavours of citrous fruits (lemon and orange) the dish was to die for and easily rivals any London/Michelin star equivalent. It is worth coming here just for this!
An extensive list of Moroccan wines is also available, with our neighbouring table proclaiming the rose “outstanding”. For the oenophiles, Dar Ayniwen fulfills all your needs, and beyond.
The impeccable service ensures that anything you wish for is instantaneously on hand. With 26 staff catering to 8 suites, it’s as if every guest has a personal butler.
Dar Ayniwen is not an assault on the senses, rather is caresses them and envelops you into a feeling of well-being and unconquerable happiness. The ultimate escape, from the madness of the medina of the cold streets of London, Dar Ayniwen is simply beyond luxury.
Dar Ayniwen
Tafrata – Palmeraie de Marrakech
40 000 – Marrakech – Morocco
Phone: (212) 524.32.96.84/86
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