A Thousand and One Nights of Serenity at Morocco’s Sunrise Palace

There’s total enchantment in knowing that as you float on a cool pool of water during summer and let thoughts fade out while staring at clouds shifting through the sky, you’re surrounded by a dry ocean, an endless expanse of Moroccan desert. Blending seamlessly with Merzouga’s desert, Sunrise Palace is a boutique hotel that was established in 2021 by Moroccan Youssef Oubza.

Oubza found his calling in sharing the heart and soul of his desert with travellers. As such, there’s a pool smack-dab in the middle of the sand dunes, alongside a hospitable stay made up by Moorish aesthetics. Sunrise Palace is within touching distance of a Camel trekking camp, which lets you go bird watching for flamingos before unwinding by Lake Daya Tamezguidat.

Staying in this desert den ranges from EUR 100 (~EGP 1,981) for a double bed room to EUR 200 (~EGP 3,965) for a four-person suite. Regardless of what you opt for, all rooms at Sunrise Palace boast panoramic views of sand dunes, that is if they don’t persuade you enough to sleep in a tent before riding a camel or going on a quad excursion.