John's Guesthouse, Chefchaouen, Marokko

It's an absolute delight - small yet compact, with everything you could need - even a piano! High up in the medina and close to the parking at Ras Al-Mar, the house sleeps three in one twin-bedded room and one single room.

John Wilkinson, the owner, is the British Consular Warden of Chefchaouen and has had his house for over five years. The bedrooms are on the ground floor along with the full bathroom. On the first floor is the air-conditioned living room with full kitchen, dining table, study area, the piano, sitting area and chimney. The leafy roof terrace is fully furnished and you can even dip your toes in the fountain. Views from the terrace are magnificent.

The name means 'look at the peaks'. The medina is washed with blue; there are lots of small, interesting shops and plenty of restaurants, particularly around Uta al-Hammam Square. The sandstone Kasbah dominates the square, and is now a museum with fascinating photographs of the town through the years. Spanish investment and tourism means that the town is now thriving. The Rif is perfect country for walking and hiking.

Some 4 hours' drive from Fez towards Tetouan and the Mediterranean coast, Chefchaouen is a small town perched on a hillside in the beautiful Rif Mountains.