By the Best Mountain Hotels editorial team ·
Douar Samra is a magical little guesthouse in Tamatert, the highest village above Imlil, at almost 2,000 metres at the foot of the Toubkal Massif. Built in traditional Berber style and restored by a conservationist, it has just nine rooms, including two treehouses on stilts with wood-burning stoves, a beldi hammam and home-cooked Berber food, at a remarkably gentle price.
Douar Samra is a magical little guesthouse in Tamatert, the highest village above Imlil, at almost 2,000 metres at the foot of the Toubkal Massif. Built in traditional Berber style and restored by a conservationist, it has just nine rooms, including two treehouses on stilts with wood-burning stoves, a beldi hammam and home-cooked Berber food, at a remarkably gentle price.
Location: Tamatert, the High Atlas
The High Atlas is North Africa's highest mountain range, rising to 4,167 metres at Jebel Toubkal, and Imlil, about 75 kilometres from Marrakech, is the trailhead for Toubkal and the valleys around it.
Tamatert is a traditional Berber village above Imlil, almost 2,000 metres up, inside Toubkal National Park. The track from Imlil suits a 4x4, but the classic way to arrive is on foot, with a mule carrying your bags, a walk of about 20 minutes. Marrakech is about an hour and a half away.
Rooms at Douar Samra
There are nine rooms: four in the main house, three mini suites and two treehouses raised on eight-metre stilts, with wraparound balconies, wood-burning stoves and views over the mountains and the village. Rooms are rustic and cosy, with thick walls, fireplaces and Berber textiles.
Facilities at Douar Samra
Stays are half board, with Moroccan and Berber dishes cooked with produce from the organic garden, and picnics can be packed for hikes. There is a traditional beldi hammam and a steam room, and the trails to the surrounding villages and valleys, and the ascent of Toubkal, start from Imlil, just below.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is an evening in a treehouse, with the wood stove crackling and the lights of the village and the snowy peaks of the Toubkal Massif beyond the balcony.
By day, walk the mule paths between Berber villages, terraced fields and walnut groves.
Why Douar Samra is one of the best mountain hotels
Douar Samra earns its place for its character, its setting and its value. It is simple, warm and full of charm, and one of the most memorable places to stay in the Atlas.
For a walled kasbah beneath Toubkal, see Kasbah du Toubkal, and for luxury, Kasbah Tamadot.
When to go to Douar Samra
Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from September to November, are the best seasons for trekking, with mild days and clear skies. Summer is warm but cooler than Marrakech, and winter brings snow to the peaks and cold nights, when the stoves and hammam come into their own.
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Questions, answered
- Where is Douar Samra?
- Douar Samra is in Tamatert, a Berber village above Imlil in Toubkal National Park, about an hour and a half from Marrakech.
- Does Douar Samra have treehouses?
- Yes. Two of its nine rooms are treehouses raised on stilts, with wood-burning stoves.
- How do you get to Douar Samra?
- By 4x4 track from Imlil, or on foot, about 20 minutes, with a mule for your bags.
- Is Douar Samra affordable?
- Yes. Rooms start from around £72 a night, with half board available.
- Can you climb Toubkal from Douar Samra?
- Yes. Imlil, a 20-minute walk below the village, is the starting point for the ascent of Toubkal, usually with a local guide.
