Pergolas Tamakoucht

Forty-eight kilometres of Draa valley road separate Pergolas Tamakoucht from Ouarzazate's centre, the guesthouse set in Ait Zineb village amid palm groves rather than the city's film-studio sprawl. Its pergola-shaded terraces face open kasbah country.

Rooms stay simple, built around thick earthen walls that hold off desert heat without air conditioning. Home-cooked tagines are served communally, timed to guest arrival rather than a fixed sitting.

Ait Zineb suits travellers breaking the Ouarzazate-to-Zagora route who want a rural stop over another mid-desert hotel.