Hotel Dar 55 - Pool

Hotel Dar 55 sits on a one-hectare plot of palm and olive trees in the Palmeraie, at Bab Atlas, about fifteen minutes by taxi from the Medina. The property is built in traditional Berber style, recently renovated, with eleven rooms and suites furnished in antique Moroccan pieces, handwoven rugs, and artisanal details that lean toward warmth over polish. It operates as a small boutique guesthouse with the hospitality of a private home, which is exactly the register the Palmeraie does well when it avoids trying to be something grander. The pool is heated, set in a garden enclosed by palms and dense greenery, with sunbeds and shaded lounging areas arranged along its edges. At 1.60 metres at its deepest, it is built for soaking and cooling off rather than laps. The garden around it is compact and quiet, the kind of space where an afternoon passes without much effort. Day passes run from eleven until seven and include a traditional Moroccan lunch served poolside or on the terrace: briouates, kefta tagine, mixed grill, seasonal fruit, all prepared from local ingredients. The kitchen keeps to home-style Moroccan cooking with some international additions, and the portions lean generous. A small spa offers traditional hammam rituals, black soap scrubs, ghassoul clay wraps, and oil massages in a setting that stays intimate. The rooftop terrace, a pétanque court, and ping pong round out the amenities without overreaching. Dar 55 does not compete with the Palmeraie's large resorts. It sits in the quieter, more personal corner of the neighbourhood, where the scale is domestic, the staff know your name by lunch, and the pool belongs to whoever is staying.