Dar Ayniwen Garden Hotel & Bird Zoo

“My favourite place.”

4 perfect nights. Our 6th visit and won’t be our last. Poured with rain on the first day but turned out to be a blessing. Spent the day in the main room with the fire lit playing cards and dominoes and let the house cast its spell on us as usual. Beautiful room and food, and wonderful staff. Sun ca… more

4 perfect nights. Our 6th visit and won’t be our last. Poured with rain on the first day but turned out to be a blessing. Spent the day in the main room with the fire lit playing cards and dominoes and let the house cast its spell on us as usual. Beautiful room and food, and wonderful staff. Sun came out for us for the rest of the stay, but now I know that the magic is Dar Ayniwen - not just the weather. Thanks again.

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“Paradise in the Palmeraie”

I am a little reluctant to write this as I would love to keep this exquisite place to myself… But equally, Dar Ayniwen thoroughly deserves a glowing review. The property is located in the Palmeraie, a palm grove to the east of Marrakech, dotted with boutique hotels and gated private homes. Upon a… more

I am a little reluctant to write this as I would love to keep this exquisite place to myself… But equally, Dar Ayniwen thoroughly deserves a glowing review. The property is located in the Palmeraie, a palm grove to the east of Marrakech, dotted with boutique hotels and gated private homes. Upon arrival, after a short drive from the airport, I was warmly welcomed by manager Aziz and, fresh mint tea in hand, I was taken on a tour of the hotel’s beautiful gardens. I say ‘hotel’ - in fact staying at Dar Ayniwen feels more like being an honoured guest in a private home (which it once was.) An upgrade to the beautiful Tiwaline 1 suite awaited me - and what a room! Adorned with antiques and featuring a separate living room, a domed marble bathroom with walk-in shower and a supremely comfortable bed, it was truly a home from home. On the ground floor, at the side of the main house, Tiwaline 1 opens to a shady riad style garden complete with tortoises and a very vocal Siamese cat! My 2 night stay was intended as a quiet period of relaxation prior to the arrival of a relative in Marrakech for some more energetic leisure pursuits. And it couldn’t have been more perfect. A comfortable sun lounger was placed in the spot of my choosing on the expansive lawn near the (heated but still refreshing) pool for an afternoon of much needed sun. (26 degrees was an absolute joy after cold, grey late January England!) When I brought a soft drink from the fridge in my room, a glass was delivered with a little table. This is just one example of how the (superb) staff strike just the right balance - attentive but unobtrusive. And as a solo traveller and first time visitor to Morocco, I felt thoroughly looked after. Meals are taken in a charming, cosy tent with an open fire. (There’s a terrace for balmier evenings). Breakfast is a tasty combination of fruit, pastries and Moroccan pancakes, brought to your table. Dinner - ordered in advance to ensure the freshest ingredients can be sourced on the day - was honestly the best food I have eaten in a hotel. The beef tagine was utterly sublime. On my first evening I was welcomed into the tent by owner Stéphane. Merci/shukran Stéphane for sharing your family home with your guests! For a treat I had booked a spa treatment, but Amina, the hotel’s beautician, was unwell on the day I had booked, so the hotel arranged a transfer for me to and from a local hammam and spa about 10 minutes away, which I found via google. (I hope Amina is much better now.) After two blissful nights cocooned in this peaceful paradise, I left Dar Ayniwen feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on whatever Marrakech had to offer! Thank you to Stéphane, Aziz, Ismael, Rashid and everyone who works so hard to make Dar Ayniwen such a welcoming place. They have truly nailed 5 star service in a boutique setting. I shall most certainly return!

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“Relaxing paradise”

This hotel is absolutely breathtaking. It exceeded our expectations for a peaceful getaway. The entire hotel is surrounded by gardens that you can explore, a beautiful pool and main house but to be honest for us the highlight was the staff and the chef!!! The food here was incredible!! If you’re lo… more

This hotel is absolutely breathtaking. It exceeded our expectations for a peaceful getaway. The entire hotel is surrounded by gardens that you can explore, a beautiful pool and main house but to be honest for us the highlight was the staff and the chef!!! The food here was incredible!! If you’re looking for a more private getaway right outside of the city this is the place. There were also drivers available to be arranged at all times to go into the city or anywhere which was perfect for us. Aziz also made sure to give us all the best recommendations!!! Thank you again for such an incredible stay!

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“A stylish oasis”

The hotel is a lovely green oasis in an area of sandy soil and palm trees north of Marrakesh, with most rooms in small buildings around the grounds. We were upgraded to a suite (Tiwalin 1) which was very spacious and stylishly furnished. Breakfast was served by the pool, and it was very good if a… more

The hotel is a lovely green oasis in an area of sandy soil and palm trees north of Marrakesh, with most rooms in small buildings around the grounds. We were upgraded to a suite (Tiwalin 1) which was very spacious and stylishly furnished. Breakfast was served by the pool, and it was very good if a little unvarying - the yoghurt was delicious. Whether the hotel is right for you or not depends on how you you want to spend your time. It would be perfect for days in the sun by the pool, but we wanted to do sightseeing and this meant hiring taxis each day, which the hotel manager Aziz was very happy to arrange for us. We had already stayed for 3 nights in a riad and wanted a change to some fresh air and green space. We hadn't realised on booking that it was quite so far out of town, but it certainly gave us the relaxing outdoor space we were looking for. We had a delicious dinner of fish/prawns on the second evening. The problem was that the small number of diners made the atmosphere a bit awkward, and we didn't return on nights 3 and 4. Overall a it was a luxurious and characterful hotel, with smiling and attentive staff, which we would be happy to recommend.

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