USP This boutique hotel with private spa is set above the peaceful village of Tagadert on the Haouz Plain, a real retreat from the noise and busyness of Marrakesh. Yet it is just a 30-minute drive away for those tempted by sightseeing or shopping forays.

AMBIENCE Tigmi means ‘my house’ in the Berber dialect of Tashelhit, and its low, reinforced mud buildings have the serene, intimate feel of a private home. Open-air corridors and archways lead to courtyards filled with beds of vibrant roses, olive trees and flower-filled terracotta urns, so finding a private little place to sit and contemplate isn’t hard.

The spa is reached through a small garden and a lovely antique wooden door with no sign. Inside, deep red carpets, large red and clear glass lanterns and red and white hanging drapes add warmth and colour. There’s a reception and waiting area, a long, wide central corridor with wooden lockers, two relaxation rooms, one treatment room, and a simple, traditional hammam with two hot rooms and a small bathing pool.

As well as a range of hammam treatments, the treatment list includes hair masks, facials, facial massage, hot stone massage and various rituals combining different treatments. Outside the busy season, Thai massage is also available.

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Tigmi also offers two lovely swimming pools surrounded by loungers, and two mountain bikes for guests to use. Walks of varying lengths can be done from the door, up towards the mountains or through the olive groves, where one of the village dogs is likely to adopt you and show you the way.

Detox retreats are planned for 2010, and Yoga on a Shoestring uses the hotel as one of its bases for holidays.

QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE What’s delicious about the spa at Tigmi is that once you book a treatment you get it all to yourself. My husband and I had a traditional hammam treatment together, with a hair mask using a hand-blended mix of rassoul clay with seaweed, rosemary, sage and essential oils.

The black soap and hair mask were applied with great care by Karima, the sole therapist, and after a long sweat, our scrubs with traditional mitts were firm and effective. After a wash down we soaked in a warm pool filled with mineral salts, then lounged in one of the relaxation rooms in our towels, sipping mint tea (sans sucre) and listening to some mellow Moroccan music on Karima’s iPod.

I then had a very good head massage, a foot exfoliation with locally grown wheat and olive oil, and a Berber facial massage. Feeling relaxed and renewed, I wandered outside to find a comfy day bed and have a snooze. That evening, my hair and skin looked lush and vibrant.

Tigmi has a sparse, minimalist air, which felt perfect for retreating and simply doing nothing. I did my own yoga practice on a rooftop each morning, swam a lot, and spent lots of time on the terraces looking out to the low pinky-orange hills and flat scrubland-cum-desert - on clear days you can also see the Atlas Mountains.

FOOD AND DRINK You are offered mint tea after your spa treatment, but nothing to eat. In the outdoor restaurant there’s a somewhat uninspiring lunch menu of basic salads, pizzas, pasta dishes and sandwiches. Breakfast is freshly squeezed orange juice, eggs and pancakes and good coffee or mint tea. Dinner is a set meal each evening – out of the two meals we had, our chicken tagine was particularly delicious.

The open fires in both the outdoor and indoor restaurants create a warm and mellow atmosphere, though on both nights we could have done without the 1980s English pop music on CD repeat. I can thoroughly recommend the mid-summer cooler, a cooling lime juice and honey concoction. There’s a small wine list which includes one or two drinkable Moroccan tipples.

IN-CROWD People on their own would feel comfortable here. Tigmi also attracts lots of couples of all ages, many from England, and pairs of friends. Families are also welcome.

WALLET WATCH A 40-minute hammam costs 270 dirhams, morning tea 20 dirhams, chef’s salad 90 dirhams. The lowest price for a double room in Low Season on half board (includes breakfast and dinner) is 1,500 dirhams which is £120 per night for the room (on two people sharing).

NEED TO KNOW Tigmi, Tagadert (+212 (0) 24 48 40 20, www.tigmi.com)

easyJet flies from London Gatwick to Marrakesh from £65.99 one way (£95.98 return) including tax. To book visit www.easyJet.com or call 0905 821 0905. For stress-free parking at Gatwick before your retreat, Meteor meet-and-greet parking provides a superb valet parking service.

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