La Pommeraie d'Ifrane

The bed was comfortable and the room itself was nice, but the toilet lid had brown splashes and the shower drained poorly. I booked a week ahead, yet the staff seemed not to be expecting me. I may have been the only guest that evening, or one of just a few; breakfast and dinner were slow while I was the only person eating, though a group arrived for breakfast the next morning. The place is a bit far from town. If staff can’t arrange a taxi, you may have to wait by the roadside and flag one down. The main reason I left early was much more serious. One staff member asked me for sex twice. He was pleasant when I said no, but an employee should never ask a guest that. I was staying alone as a woman and felt very uncomfortable, so I found another place the next day. I paid a little extra to cancel early and said I was leaving “to meet a friend,” since I think it’s safer to say you know someone in whatever city you’re visiting, even when traveling alone. I also mentioned the incident in a Booking review and sent the owner a message a few days ago. The owner lives in Fes and wasn’t there. I called him with the staff member beside me, and I wasn’t sure how to explain what had happened. He took a week to reply to my earlier question about the best way to get there, and I haven’t had a response about this issue. That makes me feel he cares more about the money than the business. He should tell staff when guests are expected and make sure they treat them respectfully. The staff were otherwise friendly and helpful, maybe too friendly. I came to Morocco to study, and Moroccan friends I made later were appalled when I told them what I’d been asked. They said it was especially unacceptable given that some places won’t even let an unmarried couple stay together. So this isn’t just an unusual request, it’s unacceptable in Moroccan culture too. I hope it doesn’t happen again. Haram. I wouldn’t recommend this for women traveling alone, especially in the off season.