Stays in Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate is Morocco's desert gateway, a kasbah town built where the High Atlas drops into red desert. Best known for Atlas Film Studios and the nearby Ait Benhaddou kasbah, it pairs film-set backdrops with genuine pisé architecture and some of the country's best pool-first hotels.
Ouarzazate sits at the point where the High Atlas drops into red desert, a role that has made it Morocco's busiest film-set town and the last real stop before the Sahara routes toward Zagora and M'Hamid. Travelers staying here find a compact grid built around Avenue Mohammed V, the earthen towers of Kasbah Taourirt, and the walls of Atlas Film Studios, all within a short taxi ride of each other. Hotels range from film-crew favorites with panoramic terraces to quieter kasbah-style guesthouses near the Draa palm grove, most built around a pool that earns its keep against the desert heat. It suits families driving the kasbah route, couples pairing a night here with Ait Benhaddou, and film enthusiasts chasing old studio backlots.
Ouarzazate in numbers
KasbahsAmanar Hôtel & Spa Ouarzazate
Pool staysKenzi Azghor
KasbahsOZ Palace Ouarzazate & SPA
Pool staysDar Chamaa
KasbahsOscar Hotel by Atlas Studios
KasbahsLESCALE DE OUARZAZATE
KasbahsBerbère Palace
Kasbahskasbah yu palace
RiadsHotel Riad Amlal
Pool staysHotel La Perle du Sud
Family staysHotel Marmar
KasbahsHotel Rayyan l 'Escale
KasbahsRS Hôtel Karam Resort
KasbahsRose Valley Hotel
KasbahsHotel Warda
Pool staysIbis Ouarzazate Centre
KasbahsIAZAL Hotel Ouarzazate
Rooftop staysHotel Azoul
KasbahsHôtel Zaghro
KasbahsPergolas Tamakoucht
KasbahsHotel Bab Sahara
KasbahsHotel Atlas Ouarzazate
KasbahsHotel Des voyageur
Pool staysHotel Club Hanane
What to expect
- Kasbah Taourirt and the old pisé quarter
- Atlas Film Studios backlots on the edge of town
- Ait Benhaddou kasbah, roughly 30 km west
- Avenue Mohammed V for restaurants and the souk
- Dry desert climate, hottest from June to August
- Last comfortable stop before Sahara routes to Zagora
Local tips
- ✓Book a hotel with a pool if you land between June and August; Ouarzazate's desert heat makes an afternoon swim close to essential rather than a bonus.
- ✓Choose Avenue Mohammed V or the town centre if you want to walk to restaurants and the souk; kasbah-district guesthouses further out mean relying on taxis after dark.
- ✓Arrange a driver in town before heading to Ait Benhaddou or the Draa Valley; return taxis from the kasbah itself are scarce and cost more than a pre-booked trip.
- ✓Pack a warm layer even in July; desert nights around Ouarzazate drop sharply once the sun is down, especially on the Palm Grove side of town.
- ✓Ask at check-in whether the hammam runs daily or only on request; smaller guesthouses often heat it seasonally rather than year-round.
- ✓Fly into Ouarzazate Airport if you are skipping the Marrakech road entirely; it sits close enough to most hotels that transfers rarely run past twenty minutes.
Where to stay
Frequently asked
What neighborhood should I choose to stay in Ouarzazate?
Avenue Mohammed V and the town centre put restaurants, the souk and Kasbah Taourirt within walking distance, while hotels near the Palm Grove or the Atlas Studios side trade that convenience for quieter grounds and larger pools, better suited to travelers with a rental car.
What types of accommodation are available in Ouarzazate?
Ouarzazate mixes film-industry hotels built for cast and crew, mid-range family properties around the town centre, kasbah-style guesthouses with pisé walls, and a handful of riads near the old quarter, most organized around a swimming pool rather than a rooftop hammam alone.
When is the best time to visit Ouarzazate?
March to May and September to November bring warm days without the punishing summer heat, making them the easiest months for exploring Kasbah Taourirt or driving out to Ait Benhaddou; July and August are best spent by the hotel pool.
How far is Ouarzazate from Ait Benhaddou?
Ait Benhaddou sits roughly 30 kilometres from central Ouarzazate, a drive of about thirty to forty minutes depending on traffic through town, which makes it an easy half-day trip from almost any hotel base here.
Do hotels in Ouarzazate have swimming pools?
Most mid-range and upscale hotels in Ouarzazate are built around an outdoor pool, since the desert heat makes it close to a standard feature rather than a premium extra; some larger properties also run a heated indoor pool for cooler months.
Is Ouarzazate a good base for visiting the Sahara?
Ouarzazate works as the last comfortable overnight stop before desert routes toward Zagora and M'Hamid, with hotels here offering the kind of pool and hammam comfort that desert camps further south generally cannot match.