In recent years Morocco has witnessed something of an explosion in the number of small, characterful guest houses that have appeared the length and breadth of the country. This picture, of the pool at "Les 3 Chameaux" at Mirleft, shows one such example - a typically chic and minimalist take on traditional style. Epic Morocco specialises in this type of "maison d'hotes" accommodation, choosing style and conviviality over facilities. We try to avoid modern, faceless hotels and take time to uncover places that you would be hard pressed to find without inside knowledge. The number of categories of places to stay in Morocco can confuse the uninitiated, so here's a run-down of what to expect from what grade/description of lodging: At the most basic end of the spectrum "chez l'habitant" refers to homestays, or family houses, which welcome passing travellers. Here there are no hotel facilities as such and conditions are normally very basic. We use "chez l'habitant" accommodation on some of our group tours, and for many customers these are the experiences that live on longest in the memory!  Moving up the comfort scale we have "gites", which are normally extended family houses with a private section for tourists. Facilities vary, but are often limited to basic matresses in private or shared rooms and simple shower/washroom. There are different categories of gite and some are reasonably comfortable. They represent a good budget option and can be found in much of rural Morocco. "Refuges" in mountain areas perform a similar function and in both cases meals are served on request. Moving on, "auberges" occupy the space between "gites" and "guest houses". They are normally simple hotels with private rooms and shared facilities. They vary in standard but can be relatively basic. "Guest houses" known locally as "Maison d'Hotes" are at the top of the pile with regard to small, characterful accommodation. Usually, but not always, foreign owned, these bijoux oases of comfort and style come in a variety of forms, from "riads" in the medinas of Marrakech and Fez, to converted kasbahs in the south of Morocco. They are charcterised by local decor, comfort, style and rooms normally come with private bathroom. "Maison d'Hotes" has become such a buzzword in Morocco that there are a few imitators that use the name but fail to meet the required standard so beware. Lastly the conventional star grading system exists for larger modern hotels. Just be aware that the local grade of hotel does not necessarily correspond to the grade you may be used to in Europe or the United States.