Location
Zagora, Morocco

Set within an irrigated garden of date palms, tamarisk and flowering shrubs, this secluded desert lodge is built from thick local stone that holds the night’s cool into the heat of the day. A series of connected lounges and a small library form the central building, with arched doorways that open onto gravel paths, the pool and shaded seating beneath trees. The atmosphere is deliberate and spare. Inside the library, framed photographs and well-worn volumes by Paul Bowles, Odette du Puigaudeau and Antoine de Saint-Exupery pay homage to writers drawn to desert solitude.

Guest rooms are simple, tactile and precise: pale plaster walls, stone floors softened by handwoven rugs, a carved cedar headboard and a writing desk wrapped in stitched leather. Woven reed lamps cast loose shadows at night, while large windows and a private terrace open onto desert plants and quiet pathways. The bathroom includes a walk-in shower, brass fixtures and locally made argan oil toiletries.

Meals are served either in the garden or under the open-air dining pavilion. Dishes draw from the region’s traditional kitchens—slow-cooked tanjia with preserved lemon and cumin, or roasted vegetables from nearby farms. In the afternoon, guests are offered a chilled blend of almond and date milk with orange blossom water, a local delicacy.

The lodge is designed to be light on the land and use minimal resources. Thick stone walls reduce the need for cooling, water is carefully reused to support the garden, and most ingredients are sourced from nearby producers.