Hallo, es ist ein wundervoller Ort, mit wundervollen und liebevollen Gastgebern. Eine positive Energie, die aus jedem Winkel des Hauses einen umarmt und das Gefühl gibt, willkommen zu sein. Unbeschreiblich wie schön es ist Zeit, an diesem besonderen Ort verbringen zu dürfen. Es ist rundum ein Traum, das Haus, die Familie, die Ruhe, das fantastische Essen.
Vielen Dank an fantastischen Gastgeber.
Thank you, Alina. We're so happy you've enjoyed your time here so much, despite the weather. Happy New Year to you all. xx
Olivia Gajetzki2025.12.31
We found our heaven in Morocco! The incredible space, the delicious food, the warmth and hospitality of the hosts has been an absolute gift for our end of year trip to Essaouira! We will be back for sure! Thank You Ayelen, Mark, Isaac and Gaia!!!
Thank you, Olivia. We've loved having you all here and Arun has been a great hit with our two. Best wishes for 2026 from us all. xxx
Daana2025.12.30
Amazing place but the hosts have NO RESPECT for the intimacy of the guests. We rented the house for three days with my family and they were passing by all the time in the house as if we were not there. The last day, they even entered in my room 1 hour BEFORE the check-out to wake me up. They also entered in other people’s room while all our stuff was still there. This attitude really ruins the welcoming vibe of this fabulous place. Although we enjoyed our stay, we felt pressured and watched.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience, Daana. We’re genuinely sorry to hear that you felt uncomfortable and that your sense of privacy was affected. We understand how important intimacy and ease are when staying with family, and we regret that this was not your experience.
From our perspective, our intention during your stay was to ensure your comfort and to protect the house during some very unusual circumstances. Your visit coincided with the first period of heavy rainfall we have experienced since 2017. As a result, unexpected leaks appeared in the roof, including one directly above a parquet floor that could have been permanently damaged if water was not quickly caught and cleaned. We felt responsible for taking care of this ourselves and did not want to ask you or your family to deal with it.
During the frequent rain showers, Mark and Si Mohamed also moved through the outdoor areas to cover and uncover seating so that you could enjoy dry, comfortable spaces whenever the sun came out. They did this as briefly and discreetly as possible, and it was never our intention to make anyone feel observed or disturbed.
Regarding the house itself, our usual practice is for our housekeeping staff to tidy bedrooms daily. When you asked for this to stop, we immediately respected your request and changed our instructions.
Finally, concerning the incident on the last morning: Ayelen understood from a previous conversation with you that this room was to be used by your staff members, who had already departed the day before. With check-out time approaching and new guests arriving later that day, she mistakenly believed the room was empty and entered to prepare it. She did not intend to disturb you and apologised as soon as she realised her error.
We truly regret that these situations led you to feel pressured or watched. Your feedback is important to us, and we will reflect carefully on how we can communicate more clearly and better protect our guests’ sense of privacy in the future. We’re glad to hear that you still enjoyed many aspects of your stay, and we thank you for highlighting something we can improve.
Erin Prichard2025.10.20
I had the pleasure of hosting a yoga teacher training at this truly unique and beautiful venue. The house itself is incredible, the amount of hard work, perseverance, and love shows in every detail. The yoga shala is beautiful, the food is outstanding, and the staff were incredibly warm and inviting. The property is big so for a large group we were able to spread out and enjoy nooks all around the property. It is in a very remote and peaceful location, with impeccable sunsets and stargazing at night. Truly unique experience The owners are super interesting, adventurous, and warm. We felt very comfortable in their home and we were inspired by their devotion to this eco lodge. Thanks!
What a lovely review, Erin. You were all wonderful guests and we hope very much to see you again. Many thanks indeed. Mark & Ayelen xx
Sabine Sch.2025.08.27
The Serai is an incredible place full of peace, beauty, and inspiration.
Ayelen and Mark have created something truly unique, unlike anything else I’ve experienced. It’s the perfect place to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and simply be.
Carefully curated retreats find their ideal setting here, and Ayelen herself offers two retreats each year that I can wholeheartedly recommend. Her empathetic, positive, and deeply caring nature has a wonderfully calming effect, and combined with the magical, peaceful atmosphere of The Serai, it feels like stepping into another world.
An absolute recommendation for anyone seeking a truly unique and transformative experience.
My family and I have just returned from the most extraordinary stay at The Serai’s Family Retreat, and we’re absolutely brimming with joy and gratitude. From the first moment we arrived, Marc, Ayelyn, Gaia and Isaac welcomed us not just as guests, but as part of their beautiful extended family.
Our children – aged 6, 8 and 11 – were utterly enchanted. This retreat was just perfect for little ones in that wonderful age range. Every day brought something new and exciting: delicious shared meals where we all came together, reflective moments in the warm glow of morning and evening that allowed us to pause and cherish our time together, and endless outdoor fun that had the children squealing with delight.
We explored vibrant farm markets, went on thrilling excursions riding camels, mules and donkeys, and even spent a magical night camping under the stars in the wilderness. One highlight we’ll never forget? Catching real scorpions – such an unexpected adventure that had our hearts racing in the very best way.
What truly set this retreat apart, besides the enchanting experiences, were the hosts. Marc, Ayelen, Gaia and Isaac went above and beyond to ensure our children felt safe, happy, and thoroughly entertained. They’re quite simply the most fantastic of hosts – warm, attentive, and effortlessly making every moment feel special.
This was quite literally the best time ever. We would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Five stars across the board—nothing less could do it justice.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for this unforgettable family adventure. We can’t wait to come back one day.
Wow, Bastian, what a wonderful review. We're so thrilled you all had such a good time here. We certainly loved having you and watching our combined children run and play without pause. We look forward to your next visit. MAGI xxx
laure afflelou2025.08.20
C’est une vraie expérience immersive que nous avons vécue au Serai. Ayelen et Mark sont adorables, nous ont reçues chaleureusement et nous ont proposé de somptueux repas, dîner et p’tit dej conçus par leur cuisinier très inspiré et créatif. En 2 mots, un régal ! Je recommande !
Thank you, Laure. It tells us we are getting something right when a couple comes for a week and uses their car only once or twice. Hope to see you both again sometime. Mark xx
Thanks Jon. Great to meet you and happy travels. Mark
Anna McColl2025.03.10
One of my favourite and most beautiful places to visit. The house is absolutely stunning and built with such love and dedication. Surrounded only by wild and raw nature 😍
Thank you Anna. As always it was a pleasure to host you and your guests, some of whom are now regulars! We really look forward to your next visit. M&A xx
The most beautiful retreat centre on the west coast of Morocco.
Stylish, sophisticated and seductive just like the gorgeous owner Ayelen.
Each room is unique, clean, comfortable and full of character. The communal areas are the perfect spaces to relax and enjoy sunsets and meaningful interactions with others.
I can’t wait to return.
We're so happy you felt the magic, Daniela. Thank you for your lovely review.
Andrés Trocaola Gómez2025.01.15
Beautiful home! We had such a great time. Ayelen and Mark took super good care of our big group. Incredible place to also host a friends party, it was so much fun!
Gorgeous location. Many places to relax in the sun. A short walk to the beach. Beautiful spaces. The owners were so accommodating and allowed us to have a gorgeous New Years Celebration with many friends.
10/10 would book again.
You and your friends partied hard and the house absorbed and resonated with all those good vibes. It was fun for us too. We hope you return again soon. M&A xx
Luna Mey2025.01.14
Everything about this home was perfect. The location I'm marking 10/10 because it's near the beach (we went on daily walks) and it gives you peace and quiet, but know it's not in the center, it's in a bit of a wilder area.
The house is stunning and the hosts are by far the best hosts we've had. Lastly, service was impecable, we hired their staff to prepare daily brunches and dinner for a large group and we couldn't have been better taken care of.
Thank you Ayelen & Mark !
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