Lonely Planet Review
With its frothy plasterwork, painted woodwork and zellij (ceramic) tiling, Dar al Kounouz has retained its traditional roots. Once the stable of the king's palace, it took two years to transform the structure into a decorative feast. The result is a riad (town house) that really feels like a stylish Moroccan home.
Manager Michel Arno takes pride in the beautiful workmanship and is a real stickler for detail - think coffee served in a thermos and ice cubes made from mineral water. It is this attention to minutiae that makes any stay at Dar al Kounouz such a pleasure, that and the wonderfully friendly and unpretentious service offered by brothers Mohammed and Adil, who effectively run the house. There are six modest-sized rooms enchantingly decorated and well-equipped with air-con, a phone and a safe. Cannelle and Lapiz on the gallery are two of the sweetest rooms, although Ivoire, with its four-poster bed, is the grandest place to sleep. But the real treasure at Dar al Kounouz is the flower-draped roof terrace overlooking the royal guesthouse, Dar el Bacha. Screened by large trees and the crenellated walls of the palace, it is an oasis of calm in a helter-skelter city.
Review by author
Paula Hardy