We stayed at this hotel for 5 nights. The hotel is very nice (as you'd expect from a Sofitel) and very well located, just 200 metres away from the medina. The rooms are very good, with air conditioning and a flat-screen tv. The pool is particularly enjoyable, with very good service and very relaxing (bear in mind that unless you're into surfing the beach is not really an option: the water is freezing and it's very windy). On the negative side, the service at the hotel is quite poor. Food is extremely over-priced and not very good. The spa is ok, but unless you've booked a whole treatment service is not particularly good. My girlfriend and I booked separate massages and when she showed up at my appointment they initially refused to see her. Ridiculous... Overall, if you get a good deal (we paid 125 euros per night) it's worth staying there.

We stayed here for our first night in Essaouira and adored it! The room was huge with a huge balcony overlooking the pool area so it was very quiet at night - and even during the day, it is well soundproofed. Check in was wonderfully smooth, fresh fruit, nuts and dates in the room with fluffy bathrobes and slippers provided. The Cote Plage across the road on the beach which is part of the hotel serves wonderful food with a great view and not too pricey. The pool is lovely - at a constant temperature of 24 degrees, it was never too cold to take a dip. They organised a squad bike afternoon and allowed us to use the pool and facilities even after we had checked out. The breakfast was fabulous - continental, cooked, fresh fruit, maroccan - and plenty of it and you had the choice of sitting by the pool or inside the lovely restaurant. We loved this hotel - everything was fabulous and would stay here if we went again.

Loved this hotel and Essaouira. We booked an ocean view room which was definitely worth the extra money. The rooms were a good size and very clean. The bed was also comfortable. There was a bowl of fruit and fresh water in the room every day. You can walk around in the fluffy robe they provide to go to the swimming pool or for treatments so it felt a bit like a health spa. The hotel was only a short walk to the town. We hired bikes from the hotel and the man who organised them for us could not have been nicer. We did not have the breakfast at the hotel as it seemed overpriced and you can eat very cheaply in the town.

No question that this is a good 5* hotel, offering the facilities and location exactly as it describes, as well as several personal touches such as a complimentary bowl of fruit in the room which was topped up every day.The rooms are spacious, beautifully fitted out, with comfortable beds and excellent bathrooms, as well as high speed WiFi connection. The public areas are also nicely designed and well maintained, but the most impressive feature must be the swimming pool. Not only is it a good size, heated and immaculately maintained, but it is well sheltered from the winds which often batter Essaouira - I am well used to making the best of fickle Scottish beach weather, but it was impossible to even walk near the sea front on 3 of the 5 days I spent in Essaouira, despite warm sunshine! There is also a small indoor spa and pool. Contrary to what some reviewers have said, I found the staff and service at the Sofitel to be extremely welcoming and helpful for a hotel of this size. A little formal perhaps and some are more conversant in French than English, but always efficient and concerned for guests' needs. The hotel is ideally located on the beach, with a small private area when the wind abates and an easy 5-10 minute stroll to the harbour and medina. There is also a reserved parking area right outside. One negative point is that apart from the excellent breakfast (which can be taken beside the pool), food is disappointing and expensive. It's much better to eat in one of the many restaurants in town and I can recommend Les Alizies, which serves excellent Moroccan food at reasonable prices and also has an alcohol licence (not the case for all traditional restaurants). In general, most extras in the hotel such as drinks, internet access, coffees etc are predictably expensive. Overall, an excellent choice for a relaxing and pampered break in an interesting town.