Amanar Hôtel & Spa Ouarzazate

Perched on Avenue Erraha at Ouarzazate's eastern edge, Amanar Hôtel & Spa sits ten minutes from the old kasbah and the Taourirt film-studio district, a five-star base for travellers staging Sahara or Atlas excursions rather than lingering downtown.

The spa runs a hammam and heated pool year-round, useful given the pre-desert climate swings between chilly nights and hot afternoons. Rooms open onto the Atlas foothills rather than the town's flat rooftops.

Erraha's wide avenue keeps traffic light, and staff regularly arrange early departures for guests continuing toward Zagora or the dunes at Merzouga.