Club Dar Atlas All Inclusive

Situated among other resorts in a quiet area outside the center of Marrakech, Club Dar Atlas is a large property suited to families with children -- including many French families on school holiday. Despite the vast interiors and imposing architecture of the clay-colored stone buildings, the resort manages to convey a comfortable, familial atmosphere. White stone walkways winding through the patchy grass, dotted with tropical trees and scruffy flowering shrubs, lend low-key charm. The lobby and restaurant make use of Moroccan design elements -- back-lit patterned wall panels, arched stone doorways, colorful low-lying couches, and beautifully painted ceilings. The main pool, lined with white plastic lounge chairs, can get quite crowded, but the smaller Zen pool can offer a respite -- so long as guests arrive early enough to snag a seat.  

The resort is set in a quiet area with nothing much within walking distance except for other resorts. Guests should expect about a 20- to 25-minute drive to reach the center of the city. The hotel offers an hourly city shuttle service for a small fee. Marrakech Menara Airport is about 25 minutes away by car. The Atlas Mountains are about two hours away. 

Guest rooms are nothing fancy -- just cream-colored tile floors and walls, simple wood furnishings, and blue- and purple-striped bedding -- but the overall aesthetic is cute and cozy. Rooms are clean, though some guests have noted slight wear and tear on the tiling. Each room has a small balcony or terrace overlooking an interior courtyard or the surrounding lawns. All are air-conditioned and have safes, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs. Quadruple rooms with mini-fridges are available. Bathrooms are clean and simple, with the toilet in a separate room, and stand-in showers with pinkish tile. Housekeeping staff is fond of folding towels into swans and sprinkling flower petals onto toilet seats. 

Club Dar Atlas, as an all-inclusive, provides a slew of on-site features. There are two outdoor pools, including a main pool and a smaller Zen pool with white plastic lounge chairs and umbrellas. There's a poolside snack bar and the Ourika Pool Bar, which comprises a simple covered area with white furniture and gray stone floors, and a separate smaller room with blue walls, a wood ceiling, and disco-style lamps. L'International buffet restaurant is a cafeteria-like space, while the a la carte Moroccan restaurant has low-lying red couches and more traditional decor. The spa has a hammam with blue mosaic tile. Guests can also use the spacious indoor pool, the clay tennis courts, and grassy volleyball court. A kids' club offers daily activities and a theater for live shows. Evening entertainment includes traditional dancers. Wi-Fi is free.