La Sultana Oualidia

A lavish spa hideaway at the edge of Oualidia’s mesmerising lagoon - perfect for romantic and luxurious seclusion

The small fishing village of Oualidia and its beautiful lagoon has recently become a popular destination for wealthy Moroccans. Few visitors come outside of the mad summer months yet this is a perfect place to kick back at any time of year, to fish or sail on the placid lagoon, to walk and birdwatch in the salt-water marshes, and to feast on the best seafood of the Atlantic coast.

A good distance from the village, with outer walls almost lapped by the tidal waters, this newly-opened spa hotel offers guests an exclusive and pampered beachside experience. La Sultana’s most remarkable features are its decked infinity pool - ringed with jacuzzis, loungers and daybeds - whose waters seem to merge with those of the lagoon, and an exotic, terraced garden which leads up to 11 drop-dead gorgeous rooms. The thatched roof of the beachside restaurant and spa give it a distinct South-Sea-island look; the dressed stone walling of the suites, spa and restaurant are simply spectacular, and a high staff-to-guest ratio means you get treated like a pacha throughout your stay.

Highs

• The isolated position of the hotel, just yards from the lagoon, is stunning
• A romantic Arabian Nights feel, heightened by the palm trees and subtle lighting of the gardens at night
• An unusual sunken restaurant and bar, accessed by way of a spiral staircase, with windows giving on to the lagoon
• Beautifully styled rooms and suites, and some have retractable roofs for star gazing!
• All kinds of massages and beauty treatments on offer
• A beautiful garden planted with cactii, tall palms, euphorbias, and colourful daisies, geraniums, oleander, bougainvillea and datura

Lows

• La Sultana is by no means cheap. But you get a whole lot of comfort for your dirhams
• It's a bit of an ivory tower - a walled luxury complex next to a poor fishing village
• Service is mostly top-notch but there are some areas to be ironed out as you may expect in a brand-new establishment
• You’re a good 20-minute walk from the village and nearest restaurants