Moroccan hotel Dar Ahlam joins SLH portfolio

Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) has welcomed Moroccan hotel Dar Ahlam into its collection of independently-owned hotels around the world.

Dar Ahlam is a 19th century kasbah that lies on the fringes of the Moroccan desert in Ouarzazate, Morocco. ‘Dar Ahlam’ translates to ‘House of Dreams’.

The hotel was built in 1920 and was once the Sultan’s hunting ground. The property underwent a complete renovation in 2002.

The hotel features just 14 rooms, all with views of the Atlas Mountains; each suite is individually designed with décor that changes with the seasons.

All rooms have en-suite bathrooms, fireplaces for cooler evenings and some have outdoor terraces or private swimming pools.

With no restaurant, each individual dining experience is created personally for guests and no experience is repeated twice.

Both inside and out, there are dozens of spots where private dinners can be organised by the team of 80 staff.

Experiences include an alfresco lunch in the garden, a picnic in Sidi Fla gorges and dinner in the Valley of the Roses.

Interestingly, there is also no menu at the hotel, instead meals are crafted from local ingredients sourced from the souk or grown in the hotel’s garden.

Moroccan chef, Mohamed El Mantouh, has been originally trained for Dar Ahlam by Pierre Hermé and Frederick Grasser-Hermé for the pastry side, as well as Thierry Alix for the cuisine side.

Small Luxury Hotels of the World vice president of development Daniel Luddington said: "Dar Ahlam perfectly encompasses all that SLH prides itself on – an extremely unique hotel in a stunning setting, genuine five-star personalised service and exceptional dining.”

Owner of Dar Ahlam Thierry Teyssier said: “My vision for Dar Ahlam was to create a place of unforgettable beauty, a slice of untouched nature, exclusive experiences, cuisine to savour, and the opportunity for guests to escape from the chaotic world to their own private sanctuary.”