La Tangerina (Maison d'hôtes)  La Tangerina is a 10-room riad-style hotel at 19, Riad Sultan in Tangier's kasbah. Painstakingly restored by owners Jürgen and Farida, there is an intimate dining room, a lounge, a hammam and a wonderful rooftop terrace ideal for relaxing, sunning, or merely enjoying the views of the ocean and Spain in the distance.  All of La Tangerina's unique rooms are furnished in an eclectic mixture of European colonial and traditional Moroccan styles, and each room has its own bath. Breakfasts are included, free WiFi Internet service is provided, and the riad is heated during the winter months. View a slideshow of photographs taken at La Tangerina in Tangier on Flickr.com. [English, French, Spanish and German]

Dar Nour (Chambres d'hôtes à Tanger)  Dar Nour is a guest house (bed-and-breakfast) in Tangier, located at 20 rue Gourna in the ancient kasbah. It provides comfortable and modern indoor living areas and the ten unique bedroom suites have plenty of hot water. There is a private rooftop terrace for sunning or merely relaxing and enjoying the views.  [in English and French]

Rif & Spa  This oceanfront hotel is located on Avenue Mohammed VI (formerly Avenue d'España) with its majestic palm trees and promenade, and a wide range of beach restaurants, shops and discothèques. The Rif & Spa hotel is air-conditioned and provides a good restaurant, conference facilities with wireless Internet (Wi-Fi), a bar, spa and swimming pool. The Rif & Spa is ideal for those wanting to enjoy Tangier's large, crescent-shaped beach.

El Minzah Hôtel  Since 1930, the Minzah hotel has been, and remains, the preeminent luxury establishment in central Tangier, Morocco. Conveniently located near the Place de France, it boasts several fine restaurants, a piano bar and a fitness and wellness center. There is a large inner courtyard, and the hotel's swimming pool is set in beautiful flowering gardens and palms. El Minzah provides Old World charm and comfort―a haven of tranquility in downtown Tangier. [Expensive.]

Hôtel Le Mirage  The luxurious Mirage is located several miles from Tangier, directly overlooking the Atlantic Ocean near the Grottes d'Hercules and the beaches of Sidi Kacem and Achakar. It is an intimate hotel, providing the ultimate in privacy and comfort in its beautifully decorated rooms, suites and bungalows. The Mirage has a large swimming pool surrounded by gardens and sunning areas and a gymnasium and fitness center with sauna and spa services. There is also a club-like bar room, and excellent food is served in the indoor restaurant or outdoor dining terrace overlooking the ocean.  Additionally, free WiFi service is provided. [Expensive. Site is in French, English and Spanish]

Villa Joséphine  This is a classic, luxurious Mediterranean-style villa originally built in the early 1900s as a residence for the Times of London writer and news correspondent Walter Harris. The villa was once the summer residence of Pasha Thami El Glaoui of Marrakech, and later the Tangier home of the Duke of Tovar. Villa Joséphine has ten spacious and tasteful suites, five with private terraces or balconies and ocean views. Its large swimming pool and sun terraces are surrounded by well-landscaped gardens, flowers and palm trees. Villa Joséphine provides some of the best French and Moroccan cuisine in Tangier in its large elegant indoor dining room, or outside on the terrace, with impeccable service. There is also an intimate  wood-paneled bar. Villa Joséphine is located in Sidi Masmoudi, a quiet and exclusive area on the Old Mountain, with views of the Strait of Gibraltar and Bay of Tangier. [Very expensive.] 

PLACES TO STAY IN THE SAHARA AND FAR SOUTH OF MOROCCO

Chez le Pacha If you want to follow in the footsteps of Paul Bowles and take a trip to the far south of Morocco or venture into the dunes of the Sahara, consider staying at auberge-hôtel Chez le Pacha―a strikingly beautiful, comfortable and reasonably-priced oasis of tranquility. Located south of Zagora, Morocco near Ouled Driss, and eight kilometers north of M'Hamid el Ghizlane. All of Chez le Pacha's air-conditioned rooms have bath rooms with plenty of hot and cold water and showers, and the dining room pavilion serves traditional Moroccan cuisine for dinners, lunches and breakfasts. The large swimming pool is surrounded by palm trees, perfect for cooling off and relaxing in this hot and arid area of Morocco where daytime temperatures can reach 125 degrees Fahrenheit (about 50 degrees Celsius) during the summer months. There is amazingly fast WiFi Internet service in the reception area. Jeep (4X4) or camel treks into the Saharan sand dunes are easily arranged, as well as other excursions to various kasbahs, ksars or the verdant Drâa valley and nearby oases. The large walled compound at Chez le Pacha has terraces, flowers, peacocks, and even a camel and a donkey. Nora, Chez le Pacha's helpful and friendly receptionist, speaks very good English.  Highly recommended. [in French, German]

Dar el Janoub  Another comfortable place to stay in the Sahara is auberge-hôtel Dar el Janoub, located in the tiny village of Hassi-Lbied, near Merzouga, Rissani and Erfoud in the far south of Morocco. Paul Bowles could not have found a more comfortable place to stay in the Moroccan desert so vividly described in his short story "The Baptism of Solitude". Explore the Erg Chebbi dunes, nearby oases, and enjoy the peace and quiet which the desert uniquely provides. Dar el Janoub has a swimming pool, and its accommodations are in 17 air-conditioned rooms, two junior suites, or two suites, each with a lounge and a private terrace that directly overlooks the dunes. The restaurant provides traditional Moroccan food, and there is a bar, but no televisions or telephones, thus ensuring a quiet and relaxing experience. Upon request, you may also take a jeep excursion (4x4 vehicle) or camel trek into the dunes for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation in the Sahara region of southern Morocco. Dar el Janoub is open year around, and the rooms have individually-controlled heating and cooling systems. [Español, English, Italiano, Français]

ART GALLERIES AND SHOPS IN TANGIER, MOROCCO

Boutique Majid  When visiting Tangier, browse and shop at Boutique Majid, an exceptional antique shop in Tangier's medina. You will find one-of-a-kind souvenirs from Morocco that include a large selection of jewelry, embroidery, carpets, chests, and more. English-speaking Abdel Majid Raïss el Fenni has sold unique items to many celebrities and world-renowned visitors to Tangier for several decades.

Galerie Volubilis  This first-rate art gallery in Tangier's Kasbah, is run by Karla Raïss El Fenni. Volubilis Art Gallery holds regular exhibitions of Moroccan and other artists' paintings. For fashionable clothing and art works, visit the Volubilis boutique, run by Mohamed Raïss El Fenni (Majid's brother) and wife Karla. Volubilis boutique is located in the Petit Socco in the medina, directly opposite the popular Café Central or Café Tingis. At Volubilis you may view or purchase paintings by the talented Moroccan designer and artist Mohammed Raïss El Fenni.

TOUR GUIDE IN TANGIER, MOROCCO

Aziz Begdouri  An experienced, knowledgeable and friendly Moroccan guide based in Tangier, Aziz Begdouri speaks several languages fluently, including excellent English. Aziz Begdouri will meet you at the Tangier port or airport and will give you or your group a private tour of Tangier, Morocco―walking through the medina, the kasbah, and other areas, or in his air-conditioned van, or a combination of both. To telephone Aziz Begdouri in Morocco, from Europe dial 00 212 6 61 63 93 32 or if calling from Canada or the United States dial 011 212 6 61 63 93 32. To telephone Aziz from Spain dial 00 34 607 89 79 67. If calling from within Morocco you dial 06 61 63 93 32. You may also e-mail Aziz for further details and tour options: AzizTours@hotmail.com

HOW TO MAKE TELEPHONE CALLS TO MOROCCO

Morocco's international telephone country code is 212. When calling from outside Morocco, do not dial the first 0 after the 212 country code. As of March 7, 2009, an additional digit–number is required to reach either a fixed–landline telephone or a mobile–portable telephone in Morocco. To reach a fixed telephone, you now must dial 212 and 5 and then the rest of the number (omitting any 0 after the 212). From abroad, to dial a portable or mobile phone in Morocco, you now must dial dial 212 and 6 and then the rest of the number (omitting any 0 after the 212).

When calling a fixed telephone from within Morocco, first dial 05 and then the number; to dial a mobile phone from within Morocco, first dial 06 and then the number. See: Maroc Telecom (Itissalat Al-Maghrib).