Dar Loulema is a beautifull-restored and elegantly furnished small riad in the medina of Essaouira. Staff are eager to help, breakfast on the terrace is excellent, and rooms are very comfortable. White is the predominant color in this riad, and it was an excellent choice, imprting as it odes a feeling of openness and spaciousness and setting off to advantage the Moroccan furnishings and handicrafts both in the riad's public areas and the rooms. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Dar Loulema, and recommend it enthusiastically.

Fabulous rooms, with beautiful moroccan tiling, and high ceilings. The hotel has a central courtyard that all of the rooms open onto. There are fantastic views from the rooftop, and loads of seating for sunbathing or reading books. On the downside, all of these great attributes create an echo-like chamber. Every noise is amplified, and there is no access to the incredible outside breezes. Your only option is to button yourself in the stiflling room, and maybe add some ear plugs. It really is a shame, because everything else about Dar Loulema is a 10. Download some ocean wave music on your ipod, and prepare to sleep with your headphones on. A noisy ceiling fan would be a godsend!

This place was recommended to me by my mother, and what a gem! Right in inside the ramparts of Essaouira, the roof terrace alone made staying here worth it. Overall:
- The rooms are good value and pretty (each decorated in the style of a different area in Morocco)
- Breakfasts were abs (big teapots, lots of different kinds of bread, homemade jam, homemade yogurts, and a different freshly baked cake every morning)
- Staff were overall fairly nice
Dar Loulema is quite hard to find, and at the end of a fairly dark alleyway which may appear as dangerous - in reality it is perfectly safe and we had no issues. The only real con is Taros Cafe' with their (AWFUL) live music every night right next door... But as Essaouira tends to be fairly chilly we slept with the windows closed, so in the end this wasn't really an issue.

Like most dars and riads (hotels) in the old city walls in Morocco, the Dar Loulema in Essaouira had little to offer in terms of windows and light in the rooms. However, this was made up for with a sunlit roof terrace and great views of the sea coast and surrounding old city buildings. Breakfast and afternoon reading on the terrace was very relaxing. Thought the dark tunnel passageway to the dar may make you nervous at first, it is just the style of the city and safety shouldn't be a concern.