Detailed Review
Originally built as a family home, the seven suites of the Dar Ayniwen became too big after 20 years. In 2000, it was turned into a luxury Villa Hotel of the highest quality, and is run by the original owner and his son. The majestic old residence with its charming and peaceful garden stands proudly in the heart of the Marrakech palm grove, facing the snow-covered Atlas Mountains.
You will be delighted by all it has to offer, whether for a weekend; a formal lunch; or a candle-lit dinner on the veranda, by the pool or in one of the saloons. What a different way to discover Marrakech.
Described by its guests as a positive mirage and a place of everlasting wonder, the Dar Ayniwen Villa Hotel is there to fulfill your every wish. You can take your time to relax, enjoy the hammam (steam bath) or sauna, and sunbath by the palm-bordered swimming pool. You will also be able to taste the delights of Moroccan and international cuisine.
Independent Reviews
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"Lavish rooms and lush lawns"
Dar Ayniwen
By Joanna Monkhouse
Most of the guest houses in the Palmeraie arrived relatively recently but Dar Ayniwen has the advantage of having been around for nearly 25 years. Built as the owner’s family home, after 20 years a house with seven bedrooms became too big and three years ago it was turned into a luxury guest house, now run by his son. The 12 acre garden is well established, with orange and fig trees, bougainvillea and oleander, tall palms, a formal pond with lily pads, magnificient lawns (it’s not easy to keep that much grass green in Marrakech) and the focal point – a large pool with a fountain at the far end.
The house is decorated in an old-fashioned Moroccan style – Dar Ayniwen is certainly luxurious but more fussy and patterned than the simple stylishness of Jnane Tamsna, the modern Moroccan of Les Deux Tours or the minimal vastness of Ksar Char-Bagh. The ground floor has several salons, a dining room, pretty tiled corridors and hallways with a rose-filled fountain. Large televisions are conspicuously present both in the public rooms and in the bedrooms. The Galaxy suite on the first floor is the most impressive, with views of the pool and gardens on the three sides of the balcony. One room is located in a garden pavilion, with a pretty ensuite bedroom, small salon and dining room. The bathrooms are large and ornate featuring marble or tadelakt (traditional polished plaster) or occasionally tiles and attractive antique fittings. In one bathroom is a hamman steam bath, and there is a traditional hamman and resting room too for all guests. Massages can be arranged on request.
Service is high on the priorties at Dar Ayniwen. For seven rooms there are five cars available for transfers to the airport or the medina (included in the room rate). The lush gardens require seven gardeners’ diligence and the house employs a further thirteen. Chosen for Conde Nast’s 2002 hotlist, Dar Ayniwen is ideal for renting in its entirety for a special occasion and is a great location for a party, although rooms are also available individually.
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