Dar El Paco

Very welcoming experience, we were looked after by amazing ladies who made our stay very special. Room was cute and well kept. Location was perfect making it close to transfers and Medina

It was cosy, spotless and the staff eere really hospitable

we loved our accomodation, staff are amazing and very helpful and the breakfast is superb !!

Super duper lovely Riad and rooms. Amazing breakfast. Great location.

Excellent location at the heart of the Madina. The staff were very warm and very helpful with good advices and suggestions. Our room (blue azur) was very clean and very cozy. The breakfast was generous. Overall, it was a great experience with an affordable price!

Lovely room, well decorated and comfy bed. Check-in was easy and friendly. Breakfast was tasty. Lovely Dar in the middle of the Medina.

Everything

Liked everything about this dar, the location, the hosts, the breakfast, and the room. Everything was great.

Excellent coffee

It’s authentic Moroccan vibe. Each room is different and each one is beautifully decorated.

Soukaina, riad Dar El Paco and city itself made Essaouira one of our most enjoyable and memorable experience of our Moroccan tour in May 2022. Soukaina was the perfect host and a super nice person, very open, friendly and quickly answering to all our questions. The riad is well positioned, nice and clean. We enjoy a lot staying at Dar El Paco and meeting such a nice person. I highly recommend them. Thank you, Soukaina and Dar El Paco, and good luck!

This Riad was perfect for our 3 night stay. The terrace is a really nice place to chill during the day and the room was perfect for what we needed. Wafaa was extremely kind and welcoming giving us great restaurant recommendations. The breakfast was very nice and varied each morning slightly which was nice. The Riad definitely made our stay in Essaouira much more enjoyable!

Lovely french couple who took over 4 months ago. Beautiful place all refurbished with small but cosy rooms, great Wi-Fi, delicious breakfast in the centre of the Medina. The terrace is awesome with a chill out sofa. Really good price. Many thanks for the experience. We will be back!!!

We arrived in Essaouira on a Supratours bus from Marrakech and had been sent (upon booking) a map with directions to the Riad which was extremely useful. It’s a short, flat 10mins walk from the bus station. The Riad is located in an alleyway off a main street and once you get your bearings it is easy to find.

We were greeted with huge smiles and a warm welcome which was really nice. Reception is open until 7pm but there are emergency phone numbers and a phone left in reception in case you need to use it. We had to let the Riad know what time we were arriving in advance. It’s also worth noting that payment for you room is in cash.

You have two keys – one to your room and one to the front door to come and go as you please. The location of this Riad was excellent – right in the heart of the medina and a short walk to the port area and to the beach. Lots of restaurants close by. The staff were very helpful at providing a map, marking out restaurant recommendations (and one’s to avoid) and places of interest.

Breakfast was served in the common area from 8:30am – 10:30am and was delicious on both mornings that we stayed – omelette, breads, pancakes, honey, jams, yoghurt, plus a hot drink and freshly squeezed orange juice. The lady who served it was a lovely, polite lady.

The room we stayed in was called the ‘Sahara’ - it took a few attempts at trying to lock it successfully but once we knew how to do it it was easy. The room was adequate in size for our needs, the bed was comfortable and bathroom functional. It was a little bit dark and stuffy, so we slept with the window open which helped. I would take some ear plugs as you can hear the noise. Towels were provided daily and the room/bathroom was very clean. WiFi was ok.
I was delighted at the welcoming and friendly feel this Riad had. They were so helpful printing off our boarding passes which I really appreciated. The service was excellent!! The location is perfect. For those on a budget or just looking for some great Moroccan hospitality – look no further, this was a great place to stay!

Me and my girlfriend spent 4 nights at Riad Dar El Paco (Sahara room) and we absolutely enjoyed our time in this lovely location!.
All the staff was very kind, welcoming, professional, and they gave us a lot of useful information for travelling to Marrakech, riding camels and finding delicious restaurant in Essaouira.
We also loved the central location of the hotel in the Medina, perfect for walking around and buying souvenirs in the local market, and their breakfast was delicious!
Highly reccomended!

We stayed only one night here, and were greeted by Giovanni and Lara (hosts) with big smiles. Giovanni was very helpful in getting us oriented to Essaouria and showed us the important places to go. The room we stayed in was the taureg on the third floor and it was very clean and nicely decorated. No issues with hot water, although the seat toilet needs to be fixed. There is a nice terrace at the top of the building as well. Upon leaving, my partner was feeling ill and Lara promptly offered us to have a late checkout. The most welcoming hosts, perfect location to see everything in Essaouria, and a very nice place to stay.

I booked this riad on a B&B basis on booking.com for a week. It is slightly hidden away in an alley but Essaouira is full of them and it's easy to find your way once you've been there for a while. I had been in touch with the hosts multiple times before we arrived and each time, they answered my questions quickly to alleviate any concerns. Giovanni, Asma and Wafaa especially were perfect hosts; extremely friendly, full of information and guidance when needed. We were treated like close friends.

Upon arrival, someone was sent to collect us from Bab Sbaa. We were not told that we had to pay this person for bringing our luggage to the riad. It was not much (20 MAD) but just something to be aware of. Giovanni and Asma helped us with checking in and provided information regarding local places to see, places to eat etc with maps. It was my third visit to Essaouira but it was helpful for others.

I had booked two rooms on booking.com (Touareg and Bleu Azur) and the guest name for the second room was provided. The room under my name was booked specifically because I liked the look of it, but this was given to my mother instead! It was a tiny sacrifice, but may cause a bigger issue for others. I would recommend staff to give specific rooms to the names provided to prevent any issues from occuring.

Our room was on the third floor, which was fine. There is no lift, but it is unusual for riads to have them as they are quite old buildings. The owners of the riad are around during work hours but do not stay, so we were given keys to our room as well as the front door to enter and leave whenever we like. Rooms were basic but clean, ours was a bit on the small side. Unfortunately, our room had a lot of moisture in the air for some reason, so our bed sheets and pillows seemed damp throughout the night. This wasn't very comfortable but we left our windows open during the day for the rest of the week and this seemed to dry them out when we got back in the evening. This might be something staff can look into.

Being February, our room was also quite cold throughout the week and there is no heating system as far as I know, but Wafaa kindly provided an electric heater which we used for the remainder of our stay. While there is a shower holder, it is way too high to shower without holding it in your hand and it takes a while to get the right temperature of water. The toilet is wobbly when sat on, most likely due to the floor being uneven.

Breakfast was good (usually a pain au chocolat, pancake, yoghurt and bread with honey and jam, and choice of mint tea or coffee) and we had the option to switch it up with eggs when we got bored of the same thing, which was really helpful. WiFi was also very good and a few boardgames were provided in the communal area.

Touareg, the room offered to my mother and brother, was directly under mine. My partner and I were told that their toilet made a noise every time we flushed our toilet upstairs and my husband's dodgy tummy could be smelled in their bathroom after he'd been! Not very pleasant but possibly due to the sewage system, so that's something else staff could look into to prevent other guests from dealing with the same thing. Being an old building, it was also not soundproof and we could often hear others talking and giggling in their own rooms, which doesn't leave much privacy unless you're really quiet.

There is no bath but that's on me for not double checking with them and no TV in the room so we couldn't really relax after a long day of exploring. Soap is provided in the bathroom but you'll need to take toiletries. Rooms are cleaned daily. This riad is perfect for those who are travelling to multiple places in Morocco and need to stop for a few nights or those who are used to travelling basic on a tight budget. The location is great and hosts will treat you like family. Unfortunately for me, my room wasn't as comfortable as it could have been and the slight inconveniences were those that I don't want to deal with on holiday, so it's just my personal preference that would stop me from returning here.

Had a wonderful stay here with my husband and 3 children. Breakfast was superb. Rooms were extremely comfortable and clean and lovely. Riad was centrally located - near restaurants, crepes stands, the port. You can hear the prayer call early in the morning, but that's part of the charm. Most of all, the owners were so hospitable, helpful, friendly, inviting - they made us feel completely at home.

Giovanni and Lara (hosts) made Dar El Paco a welcoming and homely place to be. The room was sufficient for our needs and the location was excellent. Breakfast was served each morning on the first floor and they accommodated a request for a change as breakfast is typically the same each day.

Given that we were travelling with a two year old, location and comfort are two important factors for us. The location was excellent, in the medina close to all the touristy places and close to good eateries. All the workers were friendly and ensured we had a fantastic stay in Essaouira.

Thank you Giovanni and Lara!

We booked one night here but ended up staying two. The room is lovely with plenty of hot water and comfy beds. The location is perfect in the medina. The hosts are the best part of this place, all very friendly and cant help you enough. Definitely stay here when staying in Essaouria, you wont regret it.

Dar el Paco is a magnificent Riad centrally located, owners are very helpful and they go out of their way to help you, Essaouira is a must visit location in Marocco. its just few hours away by buss from Marrakesh

Staff is amazing, cheerful and very helping. Rooms are sweet, nice and clean.
Only bad thing is no air conditioning.
It is easy to find in Medina and everything is near by. We found it with 5minuts

My daughter and I had two nights at this lovely riad. We arrived early but our room was ready for us and we were welcomed by our very friendly English speaking host who gave us lots of useful information and also tips on where to eat. We tried her recommendations and weren't disappointed. The seafood in Essaouira is wonderful and also very reasonably priced.
Our room was spotless and very nice and the riad is in a very good location in walking distance from everything.
The breakfast was very good- more than we could eat with delicious pancakes, yoghurt and fresh orange juice.
After we checked out we were offered the use of the riad facilities and were able to leave our bags as we weren't leaving Essaouira until 4 o clock.
If you are staying in Marrakech and decide to visit Essaouira as we did I would strongly recommend spending at least a couple of nights if you can as if you do a day trip from Marrakech you only get about 4 hours to see this gem of a place.
We will definitely return as we loved everything about the riad and Essaouira and two nights were nowhere near enough!

We stayed here for 9 nights and while it is directly next to a Mosque and the prayer call might wake you if you're a really light sleeper, we've had a wonderful stay here. The rooms are all a different colour but very much alike in comfort. The bathroom was really fantastic for Moroccan standards, we've never ran out of hot water and yes the water was hot! The breakfast was nearly the same every day but didn't bore; it was traditional moroccan pancakes with some bread and dairy and freshly squeezed orange juice. When/if we go back to Essaouira, we will stay here again.

Really nice riad! The owners Lara and Giovanni and all the staff are very kind and always available to give you all the good suggestions to discover the better places of Essaouira and to have a great time to spend there.
The rooms are comfortable, well decorated and the breakfast is very good. The riad is in the heart of medina but not too far from the hold walls of the city so it's easier to find it and great also for who has heavy luggages... Absolutely recommended!! I hope to come back soon.

Beautiful place with good location, nice staff, very good service and clean rooms with so tasty breakfast. I like it and im sure every time when i come to essaouira i choose dar el paco and im sure you will like it too.

Thank you Giovanni and Lara - we loved our stay. Riad El Paco has been fantastic. I love the location, the room and the service. I cannot fault Lara and Giovanni - such wonderful hosts! They helped us have a glorious time. We were there for just 4 days, and would easily go back just to stay here and see them again. Thank you for a wonderful stay. Please listen to their recommendations which were spot on. Highly recommend this Riad for your stay. And contact them directly Grazie

We had a great stay here. Lovely staff, beautiful room and a delicious breakfast. The riad is beautifully decorated and Wafaa was kind of enough to explain the medina to us as well as give us some recommendations for places to eat and things to see when we arrived, over some delicious mint tea! We stayed in the Toureg room for 4 nights which we absolutely loved, we only we wish we could have stayed for longer!

Not a lot to say but reiterate all previous positive comments.
Had an enjoyable stay with excellent hosts. Situated just inside Medina with easy access to beach and restaurants.
Should you have any walking difficulties, best to request a lower floor room. As with many Riads there are lots of stairs.