A restored 19th-century riad built into the medina walls of Essaouira, where a courtyard of palms and a rooftop pool overlook the old fishing port and the Atlantic beyond.
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Overview
Post-Colonial Elegance
Built into the medina walls of Essaouira, Heure Bleue Palais restores a 200-year-old riad into an intimate 33-room hotel, one of the more exclusive addresses in this seaside town.
Rooms are centred around an impressive inner courtyard filled with palm trees and banana plants, candlelit at dinner for a genuinely magical setting away from the summer heat. Decor throughout leans dark and stately — African, Portuguese, colonial English and Oriental styles run through different rooms, with heavy carvings, rich fabrics and stained-glass windows recalling the building's 19th-century origins, when Essaouira had only recently changed its name from Mogador. A rooftop terrace with panoramic views over the port and old town holds the hotel's real showpiece: a large heated pool, alongside lounges, a cinema room and a colonial-style English bar.
A member of Relais & Châteaux. Heure Bleue Palais belongs to the prestigious Relais & Châteaux association, and its Moroccan cookery school is run by resident chef Ahmed Handour.
33
Rooms & Suites
200yr
Old Riad Restoration
1
Rooftop Pool & Terrace
2min
Walk to the Souks
Rooms
African, Oriental & Colonial English
Every room is individually styled, looking onto the peaceful inner courtyard, with three suite categories offering extra space for longer stays.
Oriental Suite — Deep Red Interiors
01
Classic & Deluxe RoomsAll rooms have dark wood shutters facing the courtyard, with flat-screen TVs, safes and air conditioning; Deluxe rooms suit guests wanting more space than the Classic category.
02
Suites with FireplacesSuites, Premium Suites and Family Suites add spacious lounge areas, with Premium Suites featuring an open fireplace separating bedroom from sitting room.
03
The Oriental SuitesDecorated in a sensuous deep red, the Oriental Suites are among the hotel's most distinctive accommodations.
04
Family SuitesTwo adjoining rooms and two bathrooms give Family Suites the space and privacy needed for a full family stay.
Experiences
Essaouira's Windswept Charm
The hotel's medina position puts Essaouira's souks, galleries and Atlantic beaches all within a short walk.
Culinary
Moroccan Cookery School
A hands-on cooking school run by resident chef Ahmed Handour, teaching the fundamentals of Moroccan cuisine.
Wellness
Hammam & Spa
A beautiful traditional hammam and spa offer treatments after a day exploring the medina's winding streets.
Evenings
Home Cinema
A small cinema screens movies nightly at 6pm, a cosy addition to the hotel's more traditional common areas.
Culture
Essaouira's Souks & Galleries
A two-minute walk brings guests to the colourful souks, art galleries and Essaouira's lively main square.
Leisure
The Rooftop Pool
A large heated pool on the roof terrace offers panoramic views over the port and old city walls.
Games
Billiards Room
A billiards room adds a relaxed, clubby option for guests looking to unwind indoors.
Dining
Candlelit Courtyard Dining
Meals move between the palm-filled courtyard, a colonial-style bar and an oriental tapas lounge, with fine Moroccan cuisine as the anchor.
01Salon Oriental, for fine Moroccan cuisine and wine dinners
02Kemia, for Oriental seafood tapas
03The English Lounge, for cocktails and afternoon tea
04Terrace Grill, poolside on the rooftop
The Courtyard — Candlelit Dinner
Location
Essaouira's Historic Medina
Heure Bleue Palais sits on a cobbled street within Essaouira's UNESCO-listed medina, a short walk from the port, souks and main square.
Within the old city walls, a two-minute walk from the souks and Essaouira's main square.
A five-minute walk to Souk Lagzhal and a ten-minute walk to Tagharte beach.
The Supratours bus terminal, the main link to Marrakech, is a five-minute walk away.
Essaouira's medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its ramparts and windswept Atlantic setting.
Drive
Essaouira is roughly a 2.5 to 3-hour drive from Marrakech.
Bus
Supratours coaches run regularly between Marrakech and Essaouira, a short walk from the hotel.
Fly
Essaouira-Mogador Airport offers limited connections, with Marrakech's airport the more common gateway.
Relais & Châteaux
A House Steeped in History
More a charming house than a conventional hotel, Heure Bleue Palais keeps its scale intentionally intimate at just 33 rooms and suites.