It’s quite unusual to find such designed hotels around Marrakech but La Pause was built by eco-friendly Frenchman Frederic Alaime and is a surreal but idyllic vision nestled in the reasonably remote Agafay desert, around a 45-minute drive from town. Alaime has lovingly constructed a series of traditional Berber-style pise buildings – tents, huts, even a hammam – that blend in mellifluously with the rolling landscape that surrounds La Pause. Rather than refined luxury, guests can expect a down-to-earth simplicity, coupled with surroundings that exude a sense of quite extraordinary quietude. There’s a range of things to do, from a round of crazy golf along a river bed to horse-riding, trekking and cycling. It’s an ideal spot for a day trip, but staying overnight allows you fully to absorb the strange beauty of the place – observing the night stars with zero light pollution, indulging in the fantastic home-made food (with ingredients grown in the organic garden), and sleeping in a house built from natural mud and straw or in one of the cosy tents.