01 · Rooms & Suites
Standard Room
24 m² 2 guests
Earth-toned walls, handwoven Berber textiles, walk-in shower, balcony onto the courtyard.
- Shower
Plan your stay
Plan your stay
Begin a southern Morocco journey
How it works
- 1Choose your stayPick a hotel, desert camp or mountain lodge.
- 2Submit your requestTell us dates, travellers and preferences.
- 3Availability reviewOur team prepares a tailored proposal.
- 4Confirm your reservationReview, confirm and receive your booking.
All reservations submitted through the website are considered booking requests. Availability is always reviewed and confirmed by the Grup Xaluca reservations team before a reservation becomes final.
Pick one or more properties to start building your inquiry. Each becomes its own editable block below.
Room Rates
Public room rates from €112
Per room · per night · breakfast included. Half-board, full-board and agency contracts on request.
Tap any room to compare boards
Prices in EUR · indicative public rates · final price confirmed by the concierge.
Our collection
About the hotel
Sleep like a nomad beneath an infinite starry sky and chase the sunrises of Erg Chebbi.
Built by a Sahrawi family in 1958 as a stopover for camel caravans heading south to Tombouctou, La Belle Étoile is the oldest auberge in Merzouga — and the simplest. Twelve modest rooms (some with a private bathroom, some with a shared one) open onto a sand courtyard with a single olive tree at its centre. There is no swimming pool, no spa, no Wi-Fi in the rooms — and that is the point. The auberge is the doorway to the dunes for guests who want the desert raw: a Berber dinner over a wood fire, oud music from one of the family's cousins, and a ten-minute walk to the first crest of the erg.
Twelve thick-walled pisé rooms with copper basins, hand-loomed wool blankets and woodburning stoves in winter. A vaulted Berber salon for breakfast and dinner, a long shared dining table, and a rooftop terrace facing the dune.
A word from the founder
“My grandfather built this house with seven men and one mule. We still serve dinner at the table he carved.” — Brahim, third-generation host.
A note from the foot of the dune
A word from your host
I grew up in this courtyard. The olive tree in the middle was already there when I was a child — and it had been there a long time before that. My grandfather Mohamed built the auberge to feed and shelter the camel caravans that passed through on the way to Tombouctou. The caravans stopped coming sixty years ago, but the travellers kept arriving — first the French Foreign Legion, then the geologists, then writers, then you. We have changed very little. The dinner is still my mother's recipe — chicken and lemon-confit tagine, bread baked in the wall-oven, mint tea poured from a metre above the glass. There is no spa, no Wi-Fi in your room, and the lights go off at midnight. If that is the trip you are looking for, you will have found us.
With the door open,
Brahim Ouhadou
Third-generation host · Auberge La Belle Étoile
Films from the property
Inside Auberge La Belle Étoile.
Seven short films covering the property — its presentation, the table, wellness rituals, aerial footage, lifestyle, the excursions around it, and the artisans and music behind the place.
Quick facts
12 rooms · 6 with en-suite
Rooms & suites
At the foot of Erg Chebbi · 5 min to the dune
Estate surface
55 km — Errachidia (ERH) · 380 km — Fez (FEZ)
Airport
Merzouga · Sahara · Morocco
Location
Local time & weather
Current conditions
Auberge La Belle Étoile · 31.101°N · 3.975°W
Morocco · Africa/Casablanca
Local time
06:02:19
Thursday 25 June
06:15· Sunrise
20:23· Sunset
30°42
Clear sky
Updated just now
High today
43°
Low today
28°
Humidity
9%
Wind
21 km/h
Desert tip — pack a light layer for the cold nights and aim for the dunes 30 min before sunrise or sunset for the best light.
Our collection
Rooms & Suites
Four categories, each handcrafted with Berber textures and modern serenity.
02 · Rooms & Suites
Superior Room
32 m² 2-3 guests
Larger footprint with private terrace, copper basin, and uninterrupted views of the landscape.
03 · Rooms & Suites
Junior Suite
48 m² 2-4 guests
Lounge corner, fireplace in winter, bespoke zellige bathroom, complimentary mint-tea ritual on arrival.
- Bathroom
04 · Rooms & Suites
Xaluca Suite
72 m² 2-4 guests
The flagship suite — separate living room, hammered-bronze bath, private rooftop with daybed.
Services & Amenities
Services & Amenities
Xaluca Spa & Hammam
Traditional black-soap hammam, argan rituals, four massage cabins.
View details
Restaurants & Bars
Two restaurants of Berber and international cuisine, a poolside lounge and a sunset rooftop bar.
View details
Pools
Heated outdoor pool, shaded poolside cabanas and seasonal kids pool.
View details
Sports & Activities
Tennis, yoga at sunrise, mountain bikes, sandboarding (desert properties).
View details
—Events & Conference
Modular ballrooms up to 400 guests, AV-equipped meeting rooms, private courtyards.
View details
Atelier & Boutique
Curated boutique of Berber textiles, argan products, fossils and traditional pottery.
View details
Premium Concierge
24/7 concierge, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, airport transfers, private guides.
View details
Rates · EUR
Room & Service Details
Public starting rates in EUR. Agency contracts and group rates are available on request.
Standard Room
24 m² · 2 guests
Earth-toned walls, handwoven Berber textiles, walk-in shower, balcony onto the courtyard.
Public rate€112/ night
Agency rateOn request
Superior Room
32 m² · 2-3 guests
Larger footprint with private terrace, copper basin, and uninterrupted views of the landscape.
Public rate€150/ night
Agency rateOn request
Junior Suite
48 m² · 2-4 guests
Lounge corner, fireplace in winter, bespoke zellige bathroom, complimentary mint-tea ritual on arrival.
Public rate€271/ night
Agency rateOn request
Xaluca Suite
72 m² · 2-4 guests
The flagship suite — separate living room, hammered-bronze bath, private rooftop with daybed.
Public rate€430/ night
Agency rateOn request
Rates are indicative starting prices, excluding tourism tax and seasonal variations. Final pricing is confirmed at booking in MAD.
Experiences
Experiences & Excursions
Curated excursions designed with our local guides — desert, mountain, culture and cuisine.
01
Sunrise dromedary ride
Duration · 2h · departs before dawnFrom €25 · per person
A short caravan ride into Erg Chebbi to watch the sun cross the highest dune in Morocco from camel-back, with mint tea on a kilim at the top of the crest.
Discover the excursion
02
Bivouac night in the dunes
Duration · Overnight · dinner + breakfast includedFrom €75 · per person
Walk one hour into the erg, sleep in a traditional haima with mattresses and wool blankets, dine around an open fire with the family's cooks, wake to a sea of dunes.
Discover the excursion
03
Sandboarding & quad along the erg
Duration · 2-3hFrom €35 · gear included
A faster, younger way to know the dunes — sandboard down the high crests, then a guided quad ride along the western edge of the erg.
Discover the excursion
04
Music night with Sahrawi musicians
Duration · After dinner · 2hFree for guests · tips welcome
After dinner, cousins of the family arrive with oud, hand-drums and a karkabou — and the courtyard becomes a small Sahrawi concert. Twice a week, all year.
Discover the excursionThings to do nearby
Things to do nearby
A territory of contrasts within an hour's drive — from millennial markets to UNESCO ksour.
10 min walk from the front door
Erg Chebbi dunes — the highest crest
The 150-metre-high western crest of Erg Chebbi is a ten-minute walk from the auberge — the easiest access to the dune in all of Merzouga.
Discover this place
12 km — 20 min
Khamlia Gnawa village
A village founded by sub-Saharan Gnawa families who came north on the caravans — daily live music sessions of trance Gnawa, free to attend.
Discover this place
4 km — 8 min drive
Lake Dayet Srij (seasonal)
After winter rains, a shallow lake reappears at the foot of the erg and fills with flamingoes. The contrast of pink birds against orange dunes is unforgettable.
Discover this place
40 km — 50 min
Rissani Sunday souk
One of the oldest dromedary markets in Morocco — Rissani's Sunday souk is loud, dusty, theatrical and entirely authentic. Best reached at sunrise.
Discover this placeSpa menu
Spa menu
A treatment menu inspired by Berber traditions, refined for our spa cabins.
Royal Hammam Ritual
Steam, black-soap scrub, rhassoul clay wrap, argan-oil massage.
90 min
€85
Berber Stone Massage
Heated volcanic stones placed along the meridians for deep release.
60 min
€70
Argan & Orange Blossom Wrap
Nourishing wrap with cold-pressed argan oil and Atlas orange-blossom water.
60 min
€65
Couple's Desert Escape
Two-hour ritual in our private spa suite for two — hammam, scrub, four-hand massage.
120 min
€220/ couple
Pregnancy Wellness
Gentle prenatal massage with shea butter and rose hydrosol.
60 min
€75
Beauty & Personal Care
Beauty & Personal Care
Traditional Moroccan beauty rituals — henna, argan, ghassoul — performed by our in-house artists.
Henna Ceremony
Traditional Berber motifs on hands and feet — bridal & guest options.
€35
Argan Hair Treatment
Repairing argan mask, scalp massage and finish.
€45
Mani-Pedi Marocaine
Soak with rose petals, file, polish, and pure ghassoul finish.
€55
Bridal Glow Package
Full-day ritual: hammam, facial, massage, hair and henna for the bride-to-be.
€220
Food & Beverage
Food & Beverage
Two restaurants, a rooftop bar and a library lounge — a tour of Moroccan and Mediterranean tables.
—
Restaurants
Restaurant Tinejdad
Berber & Moroccan fine dining
Slow-cooked tagines, mechoui pit-roast lamb, seasonal mezze and pastilla. À la carte and chef's tasting menu.
Restaurants
Restaurant Atlas
International cuisine
Mediterranean grills, fresh fish, pasta and refined vegetarian creations.
Signature cocktails
Saharienne
Mahia (Moroccan fig spirit), mint, lemon
€14
Désert d'Or
Honey, saffron, lime, sparkling wine
€16
Berber Mule
Vodka, ginger beer, orange blossom
€13
Mint Tea Mocktail
Atlas mint, lemon, sparkling water
€8
Wine selection
Meknès AOG
Domaine de Sahari, Volubilia rosé
Atlas foothills
Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault blends
Bordeaux & Rioja imports
Curated by sommelier Anouar M.
Bars & Lounges
Rooftop Sunset Bar
Signature cocktails and Moroccan wines facing the dunes or the Atlas.
Lounge Caravane
Indoor library bar with fireplace, oud players on weekends.
Events
Events & Celebrations
Bespoke event production from intimate ceremonies to thousand-guest gatherings.
01
Berber Weddings
Henna ceremonies, candlelit ksar courtyards, processions on horseback — up to 350 guests.
02
Corporate Retreats & Incentives
Three modular ballrooms, dune team-building, gala dinners in private bivouacs.
03
Brand Launches & Films
Cinematic locations, full production support, Land Rover and Porsche partnerships on file.
04
Group Travel & DMC
Bespoke multi-property circuits through southern Morocco for groups of 10 to 1,000.
Guest reviews
Guest reviews
“An immersion of every sense. The night ride to the bivouac was the most magical evening of my life.”
Élise V.
TripAdvisor
“Impeccable service, refined cuisine and architecture that tells a real story.”
Marco D.
Google
“Felt like being received into a family home. We came as travellers and left as guests.”
Hiroko K.
Booking
Location · Contact
How to find us, how to reach us.
Address
Hassi Labied, Merzouga 52202, Morocco
Getting there
By car
From Merzouga village, 10 min by 4×4. From Arfoud, ≈ 1h.
Public transport
Supratours coach to Merzouga then 4×4 pickup.
By air
Errachidia (ERH) · 130 km · all transfers in 4×4 across the dunes.
Hours
- Reception 24h
- Concierge 08:00 – 22:00
- Restaurant 07:00 – 23:00
Postcards from the road
Did You Know?
A small collection of travel notes sent from Auberge La Belle Étoile — to read between two cups of mint tea.
POSTCARD FROM MERZOUGA
The sea of dunes
Hello from the desert,
We climbed onto a camel just as the sun was setting over Erg Chebbi and, all of a sudden, the world fell silent. Tonight we sleep in a jaima beneath more stars than I have ever seen in my life.
With sand in my shoes,
Marta
The sea of dunes
Erg Chebbi · Sahara
Booking · Xaluca
How to book your Xaluca journey
Five quiet steps between intention and arrival — accompanied at every moment by a host, never a bot. The same warm process applies to every Grup Xaluca address: our kasbahs, riads, hotels, mountain refuge and the Saharan camps.
- 01
Step · 01
Choose your destination
Browse the nine Xaluca addresses — a kasbah in Arfoud, a riad in Erg Chebbi, a refuge in the M'Goun, a luxury bivouac in the dunes. Pick one or stitch several together.
- 02
Step · 02
Pick your dates
Tell us the dates you have in mind, or the loose week you're imagining. The southern light shifts every season — we can advise on the best window for your dream.
- 03
Step · 03
Send your enquiry
Submit the booking form or write directly to a host. Mention rooms, suites, bivouac tents, experiences, transfers — anything you'd like considered.
- 04
Step · 04
Receive a tailored proposal
Within 24 hours, a host returns with availability, a draft programme and recommendations — restaurants for your taste, excursions for your pace, a route that breathes.
- 05
Step · 05
Confirm & prepare
Once you say yes, we send the practical map — flights, transfers, packing notes, the weather of your week. Then we wait, the door open.
Beyond the form
Contact a host directly
Phone, email or WhatsApp — answered by the same family that runs the houses.
Coordinated transfers
Airport pickups, inter-hotel drives, 4×4 dune transfers — arranged on request.
Bespoke itinerary
Multi-stay route across kasbahs, mountains and dunes — written for your rhythm.
A human, every step
From first email to last sunset — one host stays with your booking, from end to end.
No deposit required to enquire. We hold the conversation, not your card.
Book your stay
Book your stay — Auberge La Belle Étoile
Let's imagine your stay together. Our team replies in under 24 hours.
Book nowDirect contact
- +212 661 23 69 35
- xaluca@xaluca.com
- WhatsApp · +212 661 23 69 35
- Erg Chebbi · Merzouga · Merzouga · Sahara · Morocco
Our philosophy
“The desert does not need to be redecorated to be beautiful.”
La Belle Étoile is the antidote to the polished desert. We keep the auberge deliberately small, deliberately quiet, and run it exactly the way it was run sixty years ago. Guests cook bread in the wall-oven if they want to. The cat lives on the roof. Nothing here is on Instagram — and yet, you'll remember it forever.
The Grup Xaluca ecosystem
The Grup Xaluca ecosystem
Discover our other addresses and services in southern Morocco.
