Palazzo Desdemona

We came in looking for lunch on a rooftop, and the menu posted at street level looked good and fairly priced. We wanted fish, just not a fresh whole fish, and asked to go up to the terrace. The seating up there is nice, and the glass windbreaks keep the wind off. We found the sun arrangement a bit awkward: it was either full sun or full shade, with no in-between. The menu is fairly short but has good choices. We both ordered the fish burger with avocado, and it was tasty. The fries were cut very thin and cooked really well. I also enjoyed trying some Moroccan lagers. Service was very good, with the waiters warm, friendly, and helpful, as is common in Morocco. Getting to the roof takes some effort. The stairs are steep, narrow, and uneven, and feel like a long climb. There is mostly a handrail, though the black strip on the wall above it made things a little confusing. The signs give you an idea of the climb, and the third landing from the top even says “22 steps”! The views up top make it worthwhile. It isn't cheap, but I thought it was very nice and good value.

The junior suite was lovely, and we enjoyed every minute there. The owner and hotel were so nice, and the food was great, so despite getting annoyed at first, I gave it five stars. If you visit Essaouira, stay here. You really should have dinner at the in-house restaurant fish bar. The setting is lovely and the food is insanely good. Try the St Jacobs clams. And if the owner sees this, I'd love to know where you got the plates used in the fish bar! One small snag: I booked through booking.com, but couldn't reserve the junior suite for two adults and two small children. The site said the suite had one double bed and two single beds, so I booked it for two. When we arrived, we were charged 80 euros per night for the kids to sleep in the beds that were already there. That made me angry at first.

The rooms are nice and the breakfast is good, with very supportive staff. From the rooftop restaurant there's a nice view, and the hotel is close to both the dock where fish and seafood are landed and the souk. One thing to know is that every room involves stairs, so it won't suit anyone who has trouble with them.

This place feels magical, and Mohammed and the rest of the team were wonderful. I already feel like I have a little home away from home, and I'm sure I'll return. Fatima, I'm so grateful for your kind heart. You really went the extra mile to make things work for me, and I'll never forget it. Keep that energy in life, I'm sure good things are coming your way. ♥️