My friend and I have just got back from 5 days at Riad Baoussala and we had the most perfect time. This place should be bottled and sold as medicine - it is the ideal antidote to busy modern day living.
We stayed in the Sahara Suite which has an open living / sleeping area with a big double bed and plenty of seating, and a log fire which is laid in every morning for you by housekeeping - a welcome feature in the evenings to take the edge off the cold air once the sun's gone down. It's really cool having your own open fire to light in your bedroom! And then there's another generous bedroom and a beautiful bathroom with a huge bath and very warm and powerful shower.
The communal areas; salon, courtyard, roof terrace, pool area, gardens etc. are beautifully decorated and maintained - it's a joy to walk around the Riad discovering all the different areas, and meet the tortoises!
The staff lead by Leah (Dominique was away) will do anything for you and nothing is too much trouble. Raschid, Hardijaan, Chef and Karim radiate the Riad's relaxed but attentive ethos.
The Riad is situated about 10 mins car journey from Essaouira medina and about 3 hours from Marrakech airport. We flew to Marrakech and Leah arranged for a local taxi to meet us with a sign board at the airport - this cost £60 return per person for 2 people. Once you are at the Riad you are slightly in the middle of nowhere (one of the features I feel) so a hire car might be a good idea if you want to explore further afield during the day. For activities, Essaouira is very close (taxi's aren't expensive at £7.00 to get to town) for shops, cafes, restaurants, and there are walks to the beach that you can do from the Riad.
We travelled in early February and the weather was really warm by day but chilly at night.
The value for money at Riad Baoussala (accommodation, food etc) was great and I would wholly recommend it for those who are looking for peace, quiet, calm and non-guilty 'doing nothing' time. The philosophy is relaxed and organic - you can have your breakfast, lunch, dinner at any time and anywhere within the Riad; roof terrace, salon or courtyard if it takes your fancy.
I can see myself returning in the future. Just note that there's a high risk of any plans of sightseeing or exploring Morocco falling by the wayside once you get to the Riad as you just won't want to do anything except relax and enjoy your immediate surroundings. Perfect.

My girlfriend and I stayed in Baoussala in December 2011. Dominique was extremely helpful in advance of booking / arrival, and the rest of the staff were just as good once we'd touched down. Rashid in particular went out of his way time and again to ensure we were comfortable and enjoyed our stay. Baoussala is a very stylish place, and it's impossible not to relax here, with swimming pool, private hamam, and log-fires in the rooms. The food was the best we had in Morocco by far, can't recommend 'dining-in' enough. Thanks to Dominique, Leah and the rest of the team - we'll definitely be back!

This is a really special place lovely secluded location with well designed rooms fitted to a high standard and plenty of areas to sit out and in

The owners and staff are really great and do everything possible to make the stay relaxing and enjoyable

We will be back

This is the perfect place to be from the moment you arrive and receive such a warm welcome from Dominique and her staff to the moment you leave, everything is just perfect, so relaxing and hassle free. We stayed in the cottage which is spacious and interesting with two sunny and private terraces to sit and enjoy the sunshine.