Dar Zman

Dar Zman is a bed and breakfast on Avenue Hassan II at Bab El Hammar, one of the entrances to Chefchaouen's old quarter, with nightly rates from about 330 MAD (around US$35) and a 7.6/10 guest score from 450 reviews on ma-hotels.net. The property is in the lower, more modern part of Chefchaouen, on the roads that run below the old walls rather than inside the medina lanes. This position suits arrivals by bus, taxi or private car, because vehicles can usually reach the front door, and the medina gates are a short walk or petit-taxi ride uphill. Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the Kasbah and the main craft shops are reachable on foot, though the return climb is steep, and the avenues nearby hold pharmacies, bakeries, grocery stores and money-changing facilities that are scarcer inside the old quarter. Accommodation follows the guesthouse model, with private rooms in a traditional-style building and a rooftop terrace listed among the amenities, where guests can look over the town's rooftops and the surrounding Rif hills. Free WiFi is available in public areas rather than necessarily in every room. Breakfast is included as the bed-and-breakfast name implies, typically Moroccan bread, olive oil, jam, eggs and mint tea or coffee; dinner is usually taken at the many small restaurants around Plaza Uta el-Hammam and along Avenue Hassan II. Service is informal and small-scale, suited to independent travellers, couples and backpackers who want a central base and local advice on hiking, bus times and craft shopping rather than formal concierge services. Rates are listed from about 330 MAD/night (~$35), varying by season and room type. Within Chefchaouen's accommodation range this is a budget option, so visitors should expect simple furnishings and basic facilities, with the money saved going towards meals, guided hikes and craft purchases. Cash dirhams are useful for small extras, and it is worth confirming in advance what is included in the nightly rate. 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.