Les Orientales in Tangier, Morocco

Back in Tangier on the blog today,

with a tantalising view of this beautiful home in the medina that is available via La Conciergerie Moderne.
There are so many different options and sites to choose from when looking for accomodation when you are planning a trip - and where you stay can make or break a holiday. La Conciergerie Moderne is a small Tangier based company that I have used and happily recommend - plus they have some beautiful properties on their list!
A place like this could indeed make my holiday - what do you think?

Les Orientales has been named after the collection of poems by Victor Hugo of the same name, and is full of attention to detail and designer vignettes.

 

It is interesting - having just come back from Marrakech - how the different environments impact on the design and architecture of the homes and riads.

 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms - room for everyone!

The perfect place to spend a leisurely evening or two -  sitting on this terrace watching the sun sink over the mediterranean  . . .

So if you fancy sipping a little tea in tangier this summer click across and
find more information HERE

x

ALL IMAGES VIA laconciergerie.com

the FACTORY in Assilah

Tucked away down one of the side alleys (there aren't that many alleys in Assilah, so not hard to find!!) is a relative newcomer to the medina - the FACTORY opened its doors in April this year and has become a welcome diversion to the usual medina fare, as owner and curator Guillaume makes it his business to source beautifully crafted items for his boutique. 

His aim being to provide both Moroccans and visitors from further afield with something unique in his collection of jewellery and homeware. Choose froma display of dazzling rings for your fingers, beautiful ceramics, or the array of  colourful pashminas, perfect for those sunset moments.

The collection includes statement jewellery from India.

And Milan

 As well as some work by contemporary Moroccan designers

The items are all beautifully presented and packaged,
 {and you know how i feel about good packaging}

The white spaces are punctuated by bursts of colour, a welcome relief from the sensory overload of the medina

These jewel coloured hammocks are on my wish list!
If any of these items are on your wish list contact Guillaume  here: gumicside@gmail.com

or better still . . . 

come to the medina and see for yourself!
x

beyond the kasbah . . . Las Chicas

a concept store in Tangiers

Sometimes a girl just needs a little space . . .

a place to come up for air after navigating the twists and turns of the medina.

What better place to head for than Las Chicas - a concept store in Tangiers,where traditional craft meets contemporary design.

where

traditional textures transform into contemporary cushions

                           

and tarbouret stools get wound up with colour

while handcrafted lanterns tell a story

and vintage sits comfortably alongside contemporary 

oh yes . . .  did I mention that they do a great tea and cake as well?

And if you are wondering where to find it - walk out the main gate of the Kasbah, and instead of heading left down the hill to the medina, just walk on straight for a few metres, you cant miss it!

 I promise you, if you find yourself in Tangiers, these directions will make sense!

{ images via Las Chicas & tea-in-tangiers }

Las Chicas: Concept store qui réunit differents createurs de mode, design, bijoux, accessoires, déco...made in Morocco; ainsi qu'un salon de thé.

52 rue Kacem Guennoun, Porte de la Kasbah., 90000 Tanger, Morocco

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loose threads . . .

it is often the details,

 the small things that capture my attention in Morocco -

 like these spools of thread that line the shelves of the weavers souk in Tangiers

 until they get chosen and woven into the weft

deep in the medina . . .Dar JAND

In the spirit of intrepid blogging I tried a new place to rest my soul and sample some {more} mint tea on my last visit to Tangiers.

Nestled in the heart of the old medina of Tangiers  -another first for me as I normally stay in the Marchan district - Dar JAND is a really good place to discover medina life, as unlike a lot of other hotels and b&b's, it is very much part of, and integrated into the community.

 Having walked up the narrow medina road, trying desperately to make mental notes of where to turn left or right or not, as Andrew pointed out the various landmarks. After stopping en-route to chat to people, make routine greetings with neighbours, we reached the front door of Dar JAND. Typically the door gives no indication of what is beyond, and the unassuming exterior leads onto a rich and traditional moroccan interior, full of attention to detail not to mention more than a few home touches that make sure your stay is a good one.

But in my opinion - what really makes the difference here is that Janet and Andrew, the creators and owners of Dar JAND,  simply and genuinely want their guests to experience the Tangiers they love and have become part of . . . and it is worth the effort, because you walk out of there feeling like you have really spent time in the medina rather than having just passed through.

and, at the end of the day, move up to the roof terrace for a lovely view of Tangiers in the softening shadows - just sit and enjoy the view, and watch a ship go sailing by . . . 

for a wealth of practical information

on Tangiers visit Janet & Andrews blog

whitewashed

Every year the small port of Assilah plays host to a cultural festival, the most striking aspect of which {for me} is the painting of the medina walls. Their whitewashed surfaces provide a year long canvas to works  created by visiting artists. The week before the festival, as you walk through the medina in the mornings - en route to your morning cafe au lait perhaps? - you can follow the transformation from blank canvas to colourful completion . . .

 

and then they are whitewashed off again to clear the canvas for the next years artists

and the walls are filled with colour for yet another year

image by Mário Tomé  via AsilahInfo.com

Dar Malak {house of the angels}

been there

 I have learnt through hard - and and sometimes interesting - experience, that it is possible to make the most dire accommodation look charming and characterful on the internet.
Those pretty pictures neglect to mention that there is no plug in the bath and that you will have to roll up some underwear {yes, really . . . Palma} in order to wash, or that the hotels neighbours' son has recently acquired a set of drums {that wasn't so bad actually, he got more melodic each day}.

So . . . in an attempt to make your trip more pleasant I thought I would use these pages to pass on contacts and information about places I have visited and enjoyed staying in.

DAR MALAK

picture perfect view from the roof terrace

This is one of those places that the internet does do justice to, and our first trip to Assilah en famille was organised around this house. I saw this  view on the internet and I wanted to stay there,  read a little more about the town and location, and decided it was definitely a good option – and now this is the place we return to as often as we can!

I have stayed in this house alone, with my daughters, as well as with grandmothers and aunts in tow . . . it's lovely!

a royal wave from the roof terrace

If it is all about location –  then this is unquestionably the place for you. Sitting on the terrace you literally feel like you are floating out to sea – just writing about it makes me want to back there.

 It can be a little busy in mid summer as you overlook the krakia – a favourite spot for both locals and tourists to go for a little sunset promenade and people watching – but I also love that bit of bustle on your doorstep!

sunset on the krakia 

 In the evenings my daughters would dash out to the peanut and roasted seed vendor just outside the front door to get snacks for the cocktail hour and we would watch the sun set over the Atlantic while munching on almonds and pistachios. The only possible criticism is that it is a bit of a trek from the kitchen on the ground floor, to the terrace, but you make a plan . . . its worth it!

3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, plenty of living space downstairs plus the roof terrace

to book or read more about the house and Assilah go HERE

images: tea-in-tangiers & dar malak

                                            done that

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