Puerta Azul

Puerta Azul is a four-star mid-range hotel on Avenue Maghreb Arabe in Chefchaouen. Guests rate it 9.2 out of 10 on ma-hotels.net (2026), with nightly rates from about 1,000 MAD (roughly US$107). Chefchaouen sits in the Rif mountains of northern Morocco, in the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, about two hours by road from Tangier and roughly an hour and a half from Tetouan. Properties outside the walled medina are reachable by road and taxi, which suits arrivals by bus or car, while the blue-washed medina, Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the red-walled kasbah and the Ras el-Maa spring remain a walk or short petit-taxi ride away. The town's CTM and private coach services run from the bus station in the lower town, and the old medina's founding in 1471 as a fortress town and later growth through Andalusian refugees explain its distinctive architecture. As a four-star hotel, it offers private rooms to a higher standard; visitors should confirm room categories, views and any terrace or restaurant facilities. Breakfast is typically served, and restaurants and cafes are found along the avenue and in the medina, a short taxi ride or walk away. Staff at Moroccan guest houses commonly help with airport and bus transfers, hiking arrangements in nearby Talassemtane National Park and the Akchour waterfalls, and local restaurant bookings. Rates vary with season and room type, and the highest demand falls in spring, early autumn and on Moroccan holidays; winters are cool and damp at this altitude of about 600 metres, so heating is worth confirming when booking. Visitors planning a stay can combine the town's main sights in a day or two: the kasbah museum and gardens on Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the viewpoint at the Spanish Mosque on the hill above the town, and the weekly produce and craft stalls near the medina gates. Longer trips often add a day hike in Talassemtane National Park or a drive to the Akchour waterfalls, and the property can usually advise on guides and shared taxis. Travellers should check current check-in times, payment methods and cancellation terms directly with the property, as these vary by booking channel.