Facing the Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier appeals to aesthetes and frequent travelers with its old neighborhoods full of architectural gems with dazzling panoramas of the Mediterranean.
On the fringes of the modern city bordering the bay, this is where the artistic soul of the city of the Strait pulses.
White houses clinging to the Kasbah hill, vintage residences in the Marshan district, or opulent Arab-Andalusian palaces rolling out cascades of terraces, here are ten addresses to immerse yourself in the authentic atmosphere of a dreamlike city.
Villa Augustine, the most colorful
This arty address is designer Willem Smit’s favorite.
Press photo
This arty address is designer Willem Smit’s favorite.
Having come to spend a weekend in Tangier, he left...with the keys to this beautiful 4-bedroom residence in the Marshan district!
We find there his taste for bold colors, raw materials (marble, terrazzo) and a purity highlighting furniture and objects.
As in any good family home, meals (Moroccan cuisine with a “twist”) are served at the communal table, which may displease independent spirits.
Others will appreciate the mix, with a predominantly English-speaking population.
Which room to book?
One of the three bedrooms upstairs rather than on the ground floor, less intimate, and preferably the one with a sea view.
We like:
the two-level terrace overlooking the Mediterranean, the photographic prints on the walls.
At what price ?
From €225 for a double room including dinner on arrival, breakfast, drinks and snacks.
Dinner €30.
Villa Augustine
, 7 avenue Mohammed Tazi, Marshan.
Saba's House, the most pop
The Mick Jagger signature room.
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This is an address that fully plays the Tangier legend card!
In the heart of La Kasbah, the owner of this boutique-hotel riad has designed six rooms and suites in homage to emblematic personalities with a backdrop of Art Deco inspiration.
Electric guitar and calligraphed score on the wall for the Mick Jagger bedroom, golden tones and 1930s lines for the royal suite Barbara Hutton, American billionaire renowned for the extravagant parties given in the neighboring house...Each is unique with one thing in common, the luxury of 'a neat universe.
Paved in black and white, the large terrace completes the trip: we have a hearty and tasty breakfast facing the Rock of Gibraltar!
We like:
the cozy lounge with fireplace and library and the hammam (to be reserved 4 hours early), the Moroccan art collection.
The elevator.
Which room to book?
Preferably on the 2nd floor for more light, Mick Jagger signature room (20m2) or Deluxe Ibn Battuta room (25m2) very chic with its red tones.
At what price ?
From €250 for a signature room, breakfast included, €300 for a Deluxe room, €350 for a suite.
Saba's House
, Riad Dar Saba 61 rue Cheikh Mohammed Ben Seddik Place Amrah.
The House of Tangier, the most musical
Nestled in a garden a stone's throw from the Grand Socco, this is an intimate place.
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A century-old palm tree, orange trees and an immense rubber ficus watching over a small emerald green swimming pool... Nestled in a garden a stone's throw from the Grand Socco, this is an intimate place, whose owners, Jeff Beaulieu and Alex Henry Foster, from the Canadian group The Long Shadows are committed to preserving the timeless spirit.
With their furniture, paintings and antique objects, the 5 rooms and 3 comfortable suites evoke a guest house with old-fashioned charm.
The large, warm living/dining room invites you to snuggle up near the fireplace in winter, and the large roof terrace with views of the city and the bay adapts to your desires, breakfast, dinner, or relaxation!
We like:
the small hammam and the warm and professional welcome.
Which room to book?
One of the two suites on the 2nd floor with terrace and in summer, the 3rd suite on the ground floor with direct access to the garden and swimming pool.
At what price ?
From €85 for a double room, €170 for a suite (30 m2 to 40m2), breakfast included (for direct reservations).
La Maison de Tanger
, 9 rue Al Mabarrah.
Dar Nour, the most artistic
Each room has its inspiration, from Berber traditions to Tangier in the 1950s. Press photo
In Arabic,
nour
means light, a name that perfectly suits this essential guest house for those who dream of living Tangier like a Tangier resident: Philippe and Jean-Olivier, the hosts, are always ready to share their address book.
In the summer, the immense multi-level rooftop, divine for a hearty breakfast, comes alive for tea or an aperitif.
Over time, this maze of stairs and small bohemian lounges full of antique objects and furniture has expanded to reach 14 rooms, mini-suites and comfortable suites (including five with terrace), each with its own inspiration, Berber traditions in Tangier 1950s.
We like:
the personalized welcome and the tasty cuisine.
Breathtaking views of the city and the sea.
Which room to book?
For more space, a mini-suite or a suite with a terrace like La Kahena or Nour, obviously bathed in light
At what price ?
From €75 for a double room, breakfast included, €95 for a mini-suite and €145 for a suite.
Dar Nour
, 20 rue Gourna.
Kasbah, Tangier.
The Tangerina, the most vintage
La Tangerina appeals to travelers looking for a charming stopover with good value for money.
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Facing the ramparts of La Kasbah on the sea side, La Tangerina appeals to travelers looking for a charming stopover with good value for money.
Around a patio/skylight, ten sober rooms and suites in a vintage style evoking colonial Tangier, extend up to the large panoramic terrace.
An ideal promontory for breakfast and tea with homemade pastries: the owners, Jürgen and Farida, attach as much care to the cuisine (Moroccan table d'hôtes in the evening) as to the welcome.
The ultimate vintage touch, the original hammam with its beautiful traditional decor between zellige-paved walls and dome.
We like:
the retro radios (in working order), the advice for visits.
Which room to book?
Preferably a room with a sea view like 8, a duplex senior suite with a mezzanine bed, or 10, a senior suite with a panoramic terrace.
At what price ?
From €65 for a double room with patio or ramparts view, €85 for a junior suite and €100 for a senior suite.
La Tangerina, 19 riad Sultan, Kasbah.
Fairmont Tazi Palace Tangier, the most opulent
Photo tour of the Fairmont Tazi Palace
Access the slideshow (10)
Nestled on the heights of the city, it is the most spectacular address in Tangier!
At the start, an old palace from the 1920s, unfinished and never inhabited, and on arrival, an opulent hotel incorporating the codes of Arab-Andalusian architecture, with its cascade of white buildings topped with green tiles.
A true urban resort, it has 133 rooms and suites decorated subtly combining modern comfort and local touches (zellige patterns embroidered on the headboards, chiseled copper lighting) against a blue background, a 2,500m2 spa with yoga studio and 7 bars and restaurants.
The gastronomic offer signed by Australian chef Chris Blake is one of the strong points, with the Parisa (Persian specialties) and the Crudo (Mediterranean).
We like:
the Rose Room, a cozy tea room with views of the hills, the S-Lounge by Buddha Bar by the pool in season, the exclusive experiences.
Which room to book?
A Signature room with private garden to enjoy the sweetness of Tangier.
At what price ?
From €250 for a Deluxe room, €300 for a Deluxe panoramic view room, €280 for a Signature room with private garden.
Fairmont Tazi Palace Tangier
, Jamaa Mokrae Boubana district, Q4JX+PMW, Tangier 90000, Morocco.
Read the exclusive tour of the hotel by
Le Figaro
.
Villa Mabrouka, the most luxuriant
Facing the blue mirror of the Mediterranean, it is one of the most beautiful gardens in Tangier!
Press photo
Facing the blue mirror of the Mediterranean, it is one of the most beautiful gardens in Tangier!
Since the purchase of this former property of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé by the designer Jasper Conran, more than 6,500 additional shrubs, plants and trees have been planted, in order to recreate an abundant oasis in the Riviera spirit - large swimming pool dug into the rock and palm fronds against the azure sky.
All in an intimate spirit: the residence with modernist lines has 12 rooms in a refined register mixing genres, Murano chandeliers and Mauritanian mats, black and white marble floors and zelliges.
We like:
the roof terrace and its café with sea view, the three pavilions for a private romantic dinner.
At what price ?
From €450 per night in a double room, with breakfast.
Villa Mabrouka,
1 Sidi Bouknadel, Tangier 90000, Morocco.
North Pinus, the most panoramic
A true promontory on the Mediterranean, the multi-level terrace is a must.
Press photo
“The camel doesn't care” or even “the Spaniard's room”… It's all the offbeat spirit of Tangier that permeates this former palace of Pasha de la Kasbah (17th century) composed of 4 spacious suites (40m2 at 46m2), a double bedroom and an apartment with 2 bedrooms and 2 terraces.
Designed by Anne Igou who brought the Grand Hôtel Nord-Pinus back to life in Arles, the eclectic decor pays homage to the cosmopolitanism of the city of the Detroit, combining colored stained glass, zelliges and dark wood floors.
A true promontory on the Mediterranean, the multi-level terrace is a must.
We like:
the cozy lounge facing the sea if the climate does not allow the terrace.
Which room to book?
One of three suites with sea view, such as the Deluxe suite (40m2) with private terrace.
At what price ?
From €250 for a patio view room, €320 for a Deluxe sea view suite with terrace.
Breakfast included.
Hôtel Nord Pinus Tangier, 11 riad Sultan Kasbah 90030, Tangier.
Mimi Calpe, the most Riviera
The buildings of Mimi Calpe have been restored with great taste.
PHILIPPE DOIGNON
It is one of those residences where history can be read at every step.
Starting with its name: this beautiful building built in 1860 was named Villa Mimi Calpé in homage to the wife of the owner, a notable Tangier resident.
Buried in a large garden adjoining the Jewish cemetery, a stone's throw from the beach, the Riviera-style buildings have been restored with great taste and the constant concern to remain faithful to the past.
Old-fashioned bathtubs and showers, black and white tiling, pitch pine furniture... The 4 rooms and 2 suites (2 bedrooms) are elegantly sober.
We like:
the swimming pool (15 mx 3m), the family home atmosphere.
Which room to book?
The Casita room (23m2) with terrace for more privacy and for families the garden suite (56m2) with terrace.
At what price ?
From €130 per night for 2 including breakfast.
Villa Calpe
, 71 rue de la Plage.
Lalla Soulika, the most feminine
A stone's throw from the Kasbah, this building is a vibrant tribute to the craftsmanship of northern Morocco.
Press photo
A stone's throw from the Kasbah, this early 20th century building is a vibrant tribute to the craftsmanship of northern Morocco and to a 19th century Jewish heroine, Lalla Soulika.
Sheltered by its crenellated façade, eight suites unfold, as opulent in their dimensions (70m2 to 120m2) as in their comfort and their design drawing on the colors and patterns of the region.
For meals, you can hire a private chef, order snacks or enjoy the in-house restaurants, the nearest is 300 meters away!
We like:
the personalized welcome, the rooftop with a view.
Which room to book?
The Mershan suite, delightful with its blue, red and white hues, inspired by traditional clothing
At what price ?
From €250 for the Deluxe suite, breakfast included.
Lalla Soulika, 22 rue Ben Aliem, Tangier 9000.