Hotel Souika

Hotel Souika is a budget hotel on Rue Al Kadi in the Souika quarter of Chefchaouen, in the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. The Souika neighbourhood lies close to the heart of the medina, and guests can walk to Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the Kasbah, the Grand Mosque and the craft shops in a few minutes along narrow, blue-washed lanes. The bus station is about a kilometre away, and taxis reach the nearby roads, although the last stretch is usually on foot. The property is a modest, traditional town hotel with a simple, local character, and its attraction is affordability and position rather than facilities. Rooms are Singles and Doubles, with WiFi available, and breakfast can be arranged on request, typically with Moroccan bread, olive oil, jam, cheese, eggs and mint tea. There is no pool, spa or restaurant listed, so lunch and dinner are found at nearby cafés and small restaurants serving tagines, couscous, grilled dishes and fresh orange juice. The service is informal and personal, with staff able to give directions, suggest hiking routes to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint and arrange taxis to the Akchour waterfalls or Talassemtane National Park. Rates of about 200 MAD in low season and 350 MAD in high season place the hotel among the cheapest options in town, appealing to backpackers, solo travellers and visitors on a tight budget. Because the building is older, heating and soundproofing may be basic, so winter visitors should check the room and request extra blankets. Rooms are limited, and booking is advisable in spring, autumn and during Moroccan holidays when the town fills up. The hotel suits travellers who spend most of the day outdoors and need only a clean, safe place to sleep.