Where you go when you want to truly disconnect
A very Special hotel 30 minutes outside Essaouira, Morocco.
I left the hotel a couple days ago and I already feel homesick. Which is a bit strange to say, as I have yet to be homesick for California, although I am for Florence. I felt so good there. Relaxed, but also inspired. I didn’t zone out, I tuned in to the even littler stuff than I usually do and it did me wonders. It’s the type of hotel I want to both scream from the rooftops and keep to myself. The former wins, this is my job after all.
This was a place that wasn’t a loud call from my gut, but a consistent feeling of “I’ll like it there.” So, I rearranged my whole itinerary to make a stay possible.
In some ways, it’s not my usual hotel to go out of my way for. It’s not maximalist, there are no lights, and it’s not old. But those are three things that I would not change – it’s damn close to perfect as it is.
Villa Laba is located in a Berber village a 30-minute drive down the coast from Essaouira, on the hill above the laidback kite surfing town of Sidi Kaouiki. Spoiler: I didn’t leave the hotel once.
I almost don’t know how to describe the hotel, as words and images definitely don’t do it justice. It’s a place with a feeling, above all else. A lingering, warm one that will stay with me. And it’s a definitively Special Piece of Earth.
Originally, I had not prioritized it because I knew I wouldn’t want to leave the hotel, and I felt like I had to be out and about on this trip as much as possible. Fortunately, my instincts kicked in and I realized that I am perfectly entitled to experience this country however I so choose. And I chose to spend three nights leaning in to true rest and relaxation, as I hadn’t actually gotten to do that since far before the big move. I couldn’t be more glad I did.
One of the reasons I saw such a bright green light for the hotel and decided to rearrange my itinerary for it is that the room I had my eye on since initial discovery was available for my dates. We all know that, in many cases, the room will be a driving factor. Room number one.
I can’t say why I was so drawn to it, but, at risk of sounding very where I’m from – the energy was good. Good red and white striped headboard, good light, good bed orientation (I do care about this), good view, good terrace.
Everything I thought was going to be good was truly great. I loved that damn room. Yes, I was right about all of my above preconceived notions, but also, the ceiling was perfectly high, the wood-carved details so subtle and special, the bathroom so well-thought out, and above all – the bed. A downright great hotel bed, which I say very few and far between. Its direct rivals are the Ritz Paris, Hotel Eden, Punta Tragara of the world and my list. Down comforter and pillows, to be sure. Perfectly crisp but soft sheets. Some sort of featherbed or something similar. It was firm but plush and coastal but cozy. 10/10, no notes for my tastes. Rare!
And then there’s the whole no lights, no Wi-Fi thing. That was the thing that piqued my curiosity the most about the hotel and also the thing that made me fall in love with it most deeply (after the people).
When I say no lights I mean no lights. When I say no Wi-Fi I mean except for in the library.
This means that just as the sun sets, a ritual of lighting the candles begin. On the terrace, in the living room/restaurant, in the halls, and in your room and bathroom. It’s magical. I’m almost inspired to adopt something similar at home, wherever that is. To me, it signaled the transition from day to night, a slowing down that we so often miss in the modern era. It’s also visually stunning, and is quite the way to ensure a fantastic night’s sleep.
If you noticed in my last post that there were many grammar mistakes (apologies!), that’s because it was mostly written on my phone. It turns out my editing chops are not at the level when handheld. Besides that, I couldn’t have been more thrilled to not have WiFi. I’m not someone that walks into any restaurant or bar or beach club and asks for the password. My parents think I’m addicted to my phone, and my career would show signs of agreement, but in reality I care less about the internet than others.
As for the no TV, that’s always a major plus in my book. They’re an eyesore, I barely use it at home, and can only really remember twice in my life when I’ve actually used one in a room – once on a sick day at Claridge’s in London, once when I was spending Christmas Eve solo because my mom had COVID, at the Four Seasons Embarcadero in San Francisco. No TV, no problem.
If these things don’t sound enticing to you, this isn’t your place. It’s very easy to self-select, and the people who this sounds great to – this is your oasis.
So, what did I do for three nights plus two half days? A lot of nothing. Reading! I tried for the fifth time to get into A New Earth, to no success – I’m giving up. But I did read some very good advanced reader copies of upcoming book releases, which I’ll share about soon. I wrote on my phone, a good deal. I slept a lot, and the kind of sleep that reminds you why it’s one of the most important things in life. I sat by the pool and swam and did all the above. But mostly, I sat on the terrace, staring out at the sea, and cherished mealtimes. It was my favorite activity.
They can arrange all sorts of actual activities, and if I had one more day I would have wanted to go down to the beach at Sidi Kaouki and have a meal at La Mouette et les Dromadaires.
Meals are a main event at Villa Laba, and I had some that I’ll really truly never forget. The chef, Abderrahim, has one of those talents with food where he can make something so simple so spectacular. He also had quite the large task of figuring out how to feed me around my trillion allergies, and did so with such grace and finesse – I felt not only so safe, but so respected, and so, so well-fed.
The hotel is owned and imagined by a husband-wife duo, Thomas Fourtané, a French architect, and Swedish Filippa Knutsson, formerly the designer of the lovely fashion brand Filippa K. I was fortunate to have Thomas in residence during my stay, and was so honored to be invited to have dinner with him and his son and his three friends from Paris. It was my first night, and it was the most wonderful introduction to my stay.
Before dinner, Thomas and I chatted about my career, politics, Corsica (where he lives), hotels, and all the things in between. Then dinner was served and we all sat at the long table inside, with candle light illuminating us. I was not allergic to anything served, which Thomas so kindly kept getting silently up to make sure, but realized that Chef Abderrahim had a list of all my damn allergies on the fridge. I should note, I did not tell them I was a hotel writer ahead of time. This was a gesture completely out of not wanting me to dine alone on my first night. True kindness and hospitality!
After dinner, I retreated to my twinkling room feeling so much internal peace and also excitement for Gen Z of Europe – his son and friends are all college-aged and were so interesting, so polite, so cool. I really felt like I found a new hotel that I would spend months waiting to return to. And then again, and again. I want to bring my friends – it’s great for most situations – a couple’s trip (the rest of the guests fit into this bracket), a friend’s trip, and a solo trip like myself.
I just finished watching this season of The White Lotus (meh) and couldn’t help but think of the common goal with “wellness” destinations is not actually to encourage detachment but to create a mini schedule of activities that makes your ego feel better about yourself. Villa Laba is exactly the opposite. Every guest is invite to exist exactly as they’d like. There is no pressure to wake up early or do activities or for anything, really. They will whip up a meal when you’re hungry, they will have a fantastic conversation with you when you want, and they will leave you to be otherwise.
Something Thomas mentioned that first night was that he designed the hotel to encourage guest interaction, and I found that very much the case. Because the primary terrace has such a presence, and sees such a spectacle at sunset every night, it really invites people to linger there. Lingering promotes curiosity, curiosity provokes connection. The other guests were German and French and Dutch, all truly lovely.
He also underscored the big impact of small details. The water is served in a beautiful carafe-like jug, with rosemary. Why have I never thought of this before? It’s delightful! There is exactly one plug in the room, mine was in the closet, with a wicker basket hanging beneath it to put your computer or phone or whatever needs charging to rest. They are not trying to punish you by disconnecting, and the design of everything is intuitive. Something I don’t usually mention is pool chairs, as the vast majority of the time I find them underwhelming. Uncomfortable or an eyesore. Not here – they’re beautiful and adorned with actually thick covers to while away the day.
Now all about the staff. A hotel family, really. Nawel is the boss and is the most cool, warm, hospitable, and well-dressed person for the job. She is the ring-leader that makes the magic and she made me feel beyond special, as she does everyone else. She’s always one step ahead but doesn’t let you know it, and she’s the keeper of the best opinions and taste. Many could learn a lot from her!
Her right-hand is Shayma, which I hope I’m spelling correctly – equally bright and warm and incredibly eager to please.
And then there are Rachid and Ahmed, the two people you interact with most and deliver the most wonderful food and drinks and light the candles and make the stay.
Rachid is from the local village, which I love. He speaks very little English, so most of our communication was done in broken French and laughter. He has one of the most magical smiles and laughs I’ve ever encountered. The type that could turn around a day, not that you need that at Villa Laba. He has such a wonderful sense of humor, despite us not communicating all that much verbally, we communicated so much through the difficulty of that and by sharing a laugh. I will never forget his name, and it’s so lovely to hear all of the guests saying his name with such a reverence. He is the man.
The team as the whole also works so well together. With respect but also kinship, and they complement each other perfectly. The people really do make the place, and I’ve rarely met a better bunch than here.
I started every morning around 10:30, and headed to the same couch that I had designated my breakfast spot. The hero chef Abderrahim had made me a special nut-free granola, with perfect bites of chewy dates that I had with yogurt every day. They had a whole selection of breads and things of the sort, accompanied with a superb labneh, fresh jam, and local honey. My magic combination was to lather all three on a piece of bread, or a crepe, or whatever else was on offer that day. It was so simple and truly the perfect breakfast. I left each morning full enough to last me a long while.
Around 2 or 2:30pm, I’d head to a different couch and table on the terrace, for lunch. It was always a surprise, and it was always incredible. Day one it was grilled chicken, zucchini, and fennel. Day two it was one of the most incredible scramble-slash-omelettes I’ve ever had, I don’t have the faintest idea what was in it but it was so flavorful and something I’ll crave. It was served with grated carrots in some sort of dreamy vinegar, with a simple salad with the same. I posted on my Close Friends that it was one of the best lunches of my life. But then, the final lunch, might have taken the cake. Grilled turmeric chicken and the most memorable sauteed zucchini, carrots, and ginger that tasted nothing like what they were. So simple, so perfect, so easy to want to recreate as often as possible. Food is most definitely a way to one’s heart, and this was a direct shot.
Around 6pm every evening, I’d head out of my room freshly showered to watch the spectacle of the sunset. It illuminates the whole terrace to a golden hue, and casts the most wonderful shadow and light play that makes the nightly scene cinematic. I quickly fell into a ritual of ordering the incredible crostini and homemade olive tapenade, with two glasses of wine, and then a bowl of the soup of the day. My favorite was a creamy fennel concoction that I had never even considered as an option. I would read on my Kindle and chat with the staff and guests and stare out to the horizon, allowing my eyes to get starry.
Returning to my room every evening with seven lanterns lit with candles was an incomparable experience. They do have reading lights if you so choose, but I did not. The candles really did it for me. When it was time to go to bed, there is a snuffer bedside to make it easy to put them all out. They really did think of everything.
I’m already plotting my next trip, as looking forward to staying at Villa Laba could get me through any everyday annoyance or tedium.
I simply love this hotel.
As I’ve been writing this, I’ve realized a few things. I don’t care about fantastic service (although it was flawless here), I care about people. If I like you it doesn’t matter how good you are at your job. And then I realized this is a two-way street – no matter if nor what I pay. People either love me or really don’t, and that’s the way it’s been since preschool. My impression of a hotel definitely reflects how I connected with their humans.
The Logistical Details
The hotel can arrange a private transfer from Marrakech (90 eur), or Essaouira (30 eur). It’s easiest to fly into Essaouira, if you’re only going here. I came from Marrakech, and really loved the three-hour drive through the beautiful plains of Morocco.
There is a three-night minimum, and I’m so glad there is. It goes with the mission of the whole place – to slow down. I’d say you could stay for far, far more.
There is no air conditioning, but the hotel and area is very windy, which made this a non-issue for me.
You can do full or half-board, which I would recommend, as the food is so fantastic and you likely won’t want to leave.
The hotel is located on a small unpaved road, in the midst of a Berber village. If you’re renting a car, you sure as hell don’t need a fancy one.
Rooms 1 and 2 are most to my personal tastes, I chose #1.
Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for being the people who make this my job. Thank you for trusting me and for reading my words. You rock.
xx Your Penpal,
We can really feel your relaxed state and the vibe of the place with this wonderful piece of writing. Thank you
This sounds absolutely dreamy!! I stayed at Berber Lodge outside of Marrakech last Sept and they had a similar evening ritual of winding down with tons of candlelight — something I've definitely brought home with me. *magic*