I have never stayed anywhere so soothing as Riad Baoussala. We stayed in the Sahara suite, which was not only huge, with its own sitting room, but beautifully furnished too. We were made to feel at home instantly by both Dominique and Leah. The dinners and breakfast served at the Riad were always delicious and varied. They have a board in the kitchen with that evening's menu on so you can decide if you'd like to eat there, or go into town as an alternative. The Riad is quite far from town, but Dominique and Leah always organised taxis there and back for us (or drove us in themselves if they were also heading into town). The town of Essaouira itself is beautiful and the food is great, so its well worth tearing yourself away from the Riad to visit.

The one and only negative I can think of is that the Riad is also home to some cats and dogs, which did show up at meal times, which is not ideal for everyone.

All in all, it is a wonderful place, I did not want to leave and I hope to return one day.

We stayed at Baoussala over Christmas 2012, and Dominique and her team made sure our stay was very special and memorable- their hospitality was exceptional. Baoussala is an outstanding oasis of calm, a wonderful place to spend a few days after the hustle of Marrakech. The Riad is beautifully designed, and our room was very nice. The pool area, the sun terraces and the living area were all so nice, and the food was the best we had in Morocco. It felt like a home away from home, and we would recommend to anyone, and hope to return.

We arrived here after the bustle of Marrakech and after 2 weeks in Morocco with the inevitable hassles. We had high expectations fat reading the reviews and were not disappointed. We stayed in the Marabout cottage which is beautiful. Our boys slept together in an enormous bed with a high domed roof (so big in fact that all 4 of us slept in it one night). We has a separated bedroom. The bathroom was large with a great shower and our living room had a fireplace with wood provided and fire built each evening. Dominique is an excellent hostess and ably assisted by Leah take care of your every need. Rawhide, Hassan and all the staff are first class. Our boys (10 and 11) loved the excellent pool and all the animals. Breakfast was excellent and served whenever you like. Essaouira is 9 km away and 100dh by taxi which of course will be arranged for you. We enjoyed meeting other people which is easy in the common room and around the pool.
Our whole stay here was delightful and we were sad to leave. Thanks so much Dominique and Leah.

What a magical few days we had at Baoussala. We arrived with high expectations (just look at all the reviews) but we were far from disappointed. We were instantly made to feel at home in this beautiful oasis of calm. Dominique and Leah and their team are incredibly kind and enthusiastic. It seemed that nothing was too much trouble. Rasheed, in particular, was really helpful and lifted our spirits each day when we saw him.
You could quite happily spend a few days at the Riad without feeling any desire to leave but should you want to explore there is plenty of information to hand about the local area. Dominique kindly took us to a wonderful local market where we were the only visitors not arriving by donkey. We also enjoyed our visits to the charming town of Essaouira where there are excellent (and surprisingly relaxing) shopping opportunities.
The weather was beautiful in early November. We started our mornings with yoga and Tai Chi on the roof watching the sunrise, then enjoyed the quiet pool before an excellent al fresco breakfast. You can have breakfast as late as you like. The house is beautifully designed and styled to feel elegant, comfortable and homely. It’s a friendly, sociable place but if at any time you want to be alone there are plenty of areas to sit and enjoy the gardens in silence. We loved the animals who wander around the Riad – especially the tortoises. One was as tiny as a matchbox! In the evenings you can retire to your cosy room and light a fire and it is completely silent at night.
We would highly recommend Baoussala to everyone - couples, families, friends and people travelling alone. It’s a very special place - ideal for a stress free holiday. Can’t wait to go back.