berber lodge, oumnass
an impeccably designed rustic retreat with all the essentials and nothing more (but in a good way.) hole up here for rest and relaxation to counter the chaos of neighboring marrakech.
in their words: The lodge is inspired by traditional Berber architecture. It was built on an old Olive Garden using local resources and craftsmen.The lodge is a love story between the owner and the village of Oumnass and it’s inhabitants. Romain Michel Meniere is a French-Swiss interior designer living in Morocco since 2002 [...] who opened his own place to discover the Berber culture, their customs, norms, craftsmanship and architecture.
location: morocco, oumnass (30 minutes outside marrakech.)
number of rooms: ten
guides on staff: no, but they can facilitate 3rd party activities
spa: on-site hammam and will arrange 3rd party masseuses
children allowed: yes, age 5+
apartment rooms: yes, a two bedroom family room is available
price point: $260-320/night
rate includes: breakfast
minimum stay: 2 nights
in my words: an impeccably designed rustic retreat with all the essentials and nothing more (but in a good way.) the restaurant is blissfully decision-free: they serve one local delicacy each meal. the character filled common areas are the highlight of this property: sip a drink at the peaceful bar, relax and gaze out the ornate windows of the sitting room, or lounge by the pool.
little luxury
a favorite little detail...
sipping a cocktail with book in hand in one of the excellent common areas: patio tables surrounded by olive trees, one of the two bar stools, or the upstairs living room looking out the ornate Berber window.
lost luggage
areas with room for improvement..
would've loved more interaction with the staff. often we had to poke our heads around to even find someone when we had questions, or to let them know we'd sat down for a meal.
the ideal day at berber lodge [ideal/perfect day in local language]
breakfast: head to breakfast on the terrace, my favorite part was the msemen, flaky moroccan bread, with honey and jam.
morning: lay by the pool
afternoon: enjoy a hammam and massage, then grab a book from the commual bookshelf and head to the bar for a happy hour cocktail or casablanca beer.
evening: enjoy an alfresco dinner among fellow guests at the restaurant. The same entrée is served for everyone, allowing you to focus your decision-making on the beverage list, including Moroccan wine and beer.
the next day:
If you aren't continuing on to another accommodation in the Atlas Mountains, make Berber Lodge your base for a day trip there. We booked ours via Moroccan Food Adventures, owned by MarocMama, and would highly recommend.
I overanalyzed the decision between beber lodge and...
kasbah du toubkal - perched in Imlil, an excellent atlas mountain location with a traditional experience and 14 rooms. would've added this if we had another night or two. (~$200/night)
olinto - slightly more luxurious version of berber lodge for 3-4x the price (~$1,000)
kasbah tamadot - the most luxurious option, finishing post-earthquake construction. owned by richard branson, enough said. (~$1,000)
berber family lodge - a berber family hospitality experience, if you don't mind the simplicity in exchange for the gorgeous terrace and view. (~$30)
