Riad La Santa

Riad La Santa is a mid-range guest house in the old town (medina) of Chefchaouen. Guests rate it 9.2 out of 10 on ma-hotels.net (2026), with nightly rates from about 860 MAD (roughly US$92). 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. The old medina, founded in 1471 as a fortress town and later expanded by Andalusian refugees, is known for lanes washed in shades of blue and white. Its central square, Plaza Uta el-Hammam, holds the red-walled kasbah and the Great Mosque with its octagonal minaret, and the Ras el-Maa spring and stream on the eastern edge of the medina are a short walk away. Cars and taxis cannot enter the medina lanes, so luggage is carried by hand or by porters from the nearest gate, and many lanes climb in steps. Accommodation follows the traditional riad format, with rooms arranged around interior spaces. Visitors should confirm room types, rooftop access and heating with the property. Breakfast is the standard meal at riads and generally includes Moroccan bread, pancakes, jam, eggs and tea, while evening meals can be found in the medina around Plaza Uta el-Hammam. 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.