mardi 21 février 2012

"DAR NAJAT KITCHEN"

One of the most magnificent meals I have ever had was here,from the Dar Najat kitchen! It was our first ever trip to Marrakech and we were not quite sure what to expect,and to be honest our expectations were not very high but we were blown away by the quality and presentation of the delicious feast we had for our evening meal.When I say 'we' I am talking about a mum and a 13 yr old girl,just to give you an idea how well the food travels through generations! The traditional tagine was a treat,the best we had the good fortune to taste on our short 7 day visit. Nowhere else came close in comparison, and we tried more than a few other places. We sat at a beautiful table with hand made mosaic tiles,beautiful lighting and with the most attentive and friendly staff and got spoiled rotten and loved it! All the food was so fresh,the vegetables were out of this world,being from the uk I thought organic veg was the best you can get but now...after tasting the veg from here and the wonderful way it is cooked and presented I am dissapointed in what we produce in the uk!!!
We also sampled the breakfast here,it sounds strange calling it a breakfast as it it more like a 4 course meal! magnificent Moroccan Orange juice is first served to not only cleanse the pallet but to get those gastric juices flowing and the appetite stimulated as you will be served with fresh warm pastries,pain au chocolat,croissants and coffee,you will love these and then lo and behold another course is brought to you....pancakes and eggs....so wonderfully cooked you just have to eat them and just when you thought you were going to burst the most fresh and succulent fruit is presented and it is very hard to resist.....thank goodness the riad has a lot of 'chill out' areas for you to relax and digest in! Thanks to all at Dar Najat for a culinary delight, when in Marrakech We will be eating there morning noon and night. Special thanks to the kitchen staff who let me watch and taught me the 'secrets' of the tagine Karin&Eleni Tinklas

jeudi 16 février 2012

TOP VALUE BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN THE HEART OF ESSAOUIRA

I have just returned from my fourth trip to Morocco, having stayed yet another time in Riad Bab Essaouira. This unique Riad is comfortable and clean and is conveniently situated in the centre of the medina. The rooms are on individual floors and include seating areas, separate bedroom and shower room.....like a small apartment. The roof terrace with comfortable sofas has views looking out across the whole of Essaouira....beautiful at night.
My stay included a huge breakfast of fresh orange juice, eggs, Morroccan style crepes, and a selection of croissants and coffee......all delicious! I was invited to join Oliver and Said and some other guests for a meal one evening. We had a great night and it was the best food that I have had during my stay in Morocco.
I am a single woman travelling alone, and Oliver and Said were very welcoming and made me feel totally relaxed and at ease in their company....and I love it there!!

mardi 14 février 2012

BEST OF ESSAOUIRA-RIAD BAB ESSAOUIRA

BEST OF MARRAKECH-BOUTIQUE RIAD DAR NAJAT
“Wonderful riad with attention to every detail without the commercial feeling.”
Wonderful riad with attention to every detail without the commercial feeling. The owner, frenchman Oliver resident in Morocco for 25 years, and his wonderful staff makes their riad the perfect oasis in between excursions in the charming and "exotic" but rather kaotic city. When we arrived, we were immediately shown to the rooftop, seated in the warming sun and served "breakfast" (even though 11.30 am) by the smiling staff. And the genuine hospitality lasted until we left our escort at the airport going home. They also arranged a one-day trip to the Atlas mountains with a very nice guide, including a visit to a Berber market (on Thursdays only!) making you feel 1000 years back in time (I really recommend not to miss this!) and a nice walk to the waterfalls.
And please note that Dar Najat has their own kitchen/resataurant, although you always have to book in advance. We had one dinner here and it really made me convinced that Morroccan cuisine is one of the absolute best in the world.
As long as you are not after a large, luxury hotel with multiple restaurants and a mega-gym, it it virtually impossible to be disappointed with this place! Thanks Oliver!

lundi 13 février 2012

RIAD MARRAKECH-BOUTIQUE RIAD DAR NAJAT 2012


RIAD MARRAKECH-BOUTIQUE RIAD DAR NAJAT 2012
Wonderful riad with attention to every detail without the commercial feeling. The owner, frenchman Oliver resident in Morocco for 25 years, and his wonderful staff makes their riad the perfect oasis in between excursions in the charming and "exotic" but rather kaotic city. When we arrived, we were immediately shown to the rooftop, seated in the warming sun and served "breakfast" (even though 11.30 am) by the smiling staff. And the genuine hospitality lasted until we left our escort at the airport going home. They also arranged a one-day trip to the Atlas mountains with a very nice guide, including a visit to a Berber market (on Thursdays only!) making you feel 1000 years back in time (I really recommend not to miss this!) and a nice walk to the waterfalls.
And please note that Dar Najat has their own kitchen/resataurant, although you always have to book in advance. We had one dinner here and it really made me convinced that Morroccan cuisine is one of the absolute best in the world.
As long as you are not after a large, luxury hotel with multiple restaurants and a mega-gym, it it virtually impossible to be disappointed with this place! Thanks Oliver!

TOP TABLE IN MARRAKECH-DAR NAJAT'S KITCHEN


TOP TABLE IN MARRAKECH-DAR NAJAT'S KITCHEN
“Traditional Moroccan food at its best”
The food we ate was perfect, the atmosphere was very romantic and the service was first class. If you are in Marrakech then you must try the food here, the food is described as traditional home cooking and that is how it was, just perfect. A great dining experience to be shared with the one you love.

vendredi 10 février 2012

luxury riads marrakech




luxury riads marrakech
“A place of irresistably laid back vibes, Highly Recommended.”

I travelled to Marrakech with my mum, Lynda and My sister, Vikki for my first venture abroad. We were warmly welcomed to Riad Dar Najat by Oliver the owner, who immediately made us feel comfortable in our surroundings, on arrival we were presented with breakfast, easily comparable to any sort of banquet, the food was authentic fresh and delicious consisting of warm breads, omelette, pancakes, fruit and a range of beverages from Mint tea to freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee. Meal times were immediately something to look forward to. In the evenings we were served Tagines of Chicken, Lamb, Beef Kofte all cooked beautifully and accompanied by exotic salads and vegetables.

I am not very travelled to put it mildly, and in other circumstances I think a place as culturally different as morocco could have been slightly daunting. However Oliver gave us excellent advice on were to go, what to do, and also importantly what to pay and when. He supplied us with maps, and also set us up with a very good guide when necessary.
The Riad was populated with a brilliant team of staff all of whom were friendly, extremely efficient and always willing to put themselves out to ensure we had a comfortable stay, even showing us around the Souks and markets to ensure we didn’t get lost. We were also provided with a pre paid mobile phone so we could contact the Riad if we had any trouble.

The Riad was organised with a meticulous attention to detail, the rooms were comfortable and beautifully decorated. They were also cleaned and restocked with fresh towels every day. The whole place radiated good vibes (Aided by Oliver’s superb music collecton). There was an irresistibly laid back atmosphere suited to young people and more mature travellers alike. For me, my time at the Riad was integral to my experience of Morocco. The Riad Dar Najat Comes highly recommended.

Oliver, we can’t thank you and your team enough for an amazing stay.

mardi 7 février 2012

Oliver's Riads-Riad Bab Essaouira & Riad Dar Najat

"AMAZING RIAD"
My boyfriend and I just spent 3 nights at this wonderful riad in Essaouira. The service was really great, Said helped us organise everything we wanted and showed us wonderful places to eat in Essaouira. The riad is in a great location in the centre of the medina and everything you want to see is within walking distance. The atmosphere at the Riad is very relaxed and laid back and you feel like you're staying in a good friend's home. We stayed in the owner's other Riad in Marrakech (Dar Najat) and LOVED it there too. The art work throughout all the Riad's is by a local artist and it's very unique and beautiful.

Overall, I would highly recommend staying here, we can't wait to return to the chilled out town of Essaouira and we'd definitely stay here again.

Oliver's Riads-Riad Bab Essaouira & Riad Dar Najat

“Beautiful hotel and awesome service”
We just left Bab Essaouira and were so happy with our stay we couldnnt wait till we got home to write a review. Definitely the best decor of any hotel we had in morocco. And the service was amazing. Very personal. Said picked us up at the bus and gave us a hug as we left three days later. It felt like we were leaving his home after a visit. Oliver was also very friendly and laid back. Great roof terrace and clean rooms. Nice sitting area with couches. There are only three rooms in the place and we had the place to ourselves for two nights.

They really made the end of our stay in morocco relaxing and fun.

vendredi 3 février 2012

BEST OF ESSAOUIRA-RIAD BAB ESSAOUIRA

BEST OF ESSAOUIRA-RIAD BAB ESSAOUIRA
“Don't miss this Riad!”
Top place to stay for "cool people" in Essaouira!
maybe the most amazing secret jewel in the medina.
I have just returned from my fourth trip to Morocco, having stayed yet another time in Riad Bab Essaouira. This unique Riad is comfortable and clean and is conveniently situated in the centre of the medina. The rooms are on individual floors and include seating areas, separate bedroom and shower room.....like a small apartment. The roof terrace with comfortable sofas has views looking out across the whole of Essaouira....beautiful at night.
My stay included a huge breakfast of fresh orange juice, eggs, Morroccan style crepes, and a selection of croissants and coffee......all delicious! I was invited to join Oliver and Said and some other guests for a meal one evening. We had a great night and it was the best food that I have had during my stay in Morocco.
I am a single woman travelling alone, and Oliver and Said were very welcoming and made me feel totally relaxed and at ease in their company....and I love it there!!

Oliver's Riads-Riad Bab Essaouira & Riad Dar Najat

“A place of irresistably laid back vibes, Highly Recommended.”
I travelled to Marrakech with my mum, Lynda and My sister, Vikki for my first venture abroad. We were warmly welcomed to Riad Dar Najat by Oliver the owner, who immediately made us feel comfortable in our surroundings, on arrival we were presented with breakfast, easily comparable to any sort of banquet, the food was authentic fresh and delicious consisting of warm breads, omelette, pancakes, fruit and a range of beverages from Mint tea to freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee. Meal times were immediately something to look forward to. In the evenings we were served Tagines of Chicken, Lamb, Beef Kofte all cooked beautifully and accompanied by exotic salads and vegetables.

I am not very travelled to put it mildly, and in other circumstances I think a place as culturally different as morocco could have been slightly daunting. However Oliver gave us excellent advice on were to go, what to do, and also importantly what to pay and when. He supplied us with maps, and also set us up with a very good guide when necessary.
The Riad was populated with a brilliant team of staff all of whom were friendly, extremely efficient and always willing to put themselves out to ensure we had a comfortable stay, even showing us around the Souks and markets to ensure we didn’t get lost. We were also provided with a pre paid mobile phone so we could contact the Riad if we had any trouble.

The Riad was organised with a meticulous attention to detail, the rooms were comfortable and beautifully decorated. They were also cleaned and restocked with fresh towels every day. The whole place radiated good vibes (Aided by Oliver’s superb music collecton). There was an irresistibly laid back atmosphere suited to young people and more mature travellers alike. For me, my time at the Riad was integral to my experience of Morocco. The Riad Dar Najat Comes highly recommended.

Oliver, we can’t thank you and your team enough for an amazing stay.