Dar Rass El Maa

Dar Rass El Maa is a three-star riad on Rue Rass El Maa in Chefchaouen, with rates from about 640 MAD (around US$69) and a 9.0/10 score from 616 reviews on ma-hotels.net. The property is in the Ras El Maa area on the eastern side of Chefchaouen, close to the spring where the Oued Laou river begins and where local women still wash laundry in the open channels. The medina gate and Plaza Uta el-Hammam are roughly a ten-minute walk along a lane that climbs gently, and the trails towards the Spanish Mosque viewpoint and the Rif foothills start nearby. The setting is quieter than the central squares, with the sound of running water in the evening, and the stream-side cafes and grills make it easy to eat without climbing back into town. The riad has private rooms arranged around a traditional house, with the Ras El Maa spring and trailhead close to the doorstep. Breakfast is served at the riad, and the stream-side restaurants of Ras El Maa offer simple lunches and dinners within a short walk. Service is warm and low-key, and suits couples and hikers who want to start walking early and return to a quieter part of the town. Rates are listed from about 640 MAD/night (~$69), varying by season and room type. Within Chefchaouen's accommodation range this is a mid-range option, offering more comfort and service than the cheapest guesthouses without boutique pricing. Rates rise at weekends, in spring and autumn and during Moroccan school holidays, so booking ahead for those periods is sensible, and the property can usually be asked about breakfast times and late arrivals. Chefchaouen sits at roughly 600 metres in the Rif mountains, so evenings are cool for most of the year and winter can be wet, while summer days are warm and dry. The city is known for its blue-painted streets, wool weaving, goat cheese and local bread, and hiking in nearby Talassemtane National Park. The nearest commercial airports are at Tetouan and Tangier, with regular CTM and Supratours buses and shared grands taxis linking Chefchaouen to Tetouan, Tangier, Fes and Casablanca. Visitors planning a stay usually combine a few unhurried days of photography and walking with a day trip to the Akchour waterfalls.