Hotel Parador

Hotel Parador is a four-star hotel on Place El Makhzen beside the Kasbah in Chefchaouen, with rates from about 410 MAD (around US$44) and a 7.8/10 score from 367 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. The hotel is a larger property than the town's riads, with an outdoor swimming pool, a children's pool and free WiFi in public areas, making it one of the few options with leisure facilities for families. Meals are served in the hotel and the Kasbah square is lined with cafes, so guests can choose between hotel dining and the tagine restaurants nearby. Service is closer to a traditional town hotel than a boutique riad, with a family-friendly focus, a location next to the main sights and space for groups and tour parties. Rates are listed from about 410 MAD/night (~$44), 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.