Hotel Continental, building in Morocco
Hotel Continental is a hotel in Tangier built in 1861, positioned just above the port with views across the Strait of Gibraltar toward Spain. The first floor features ornate arabesque patterns with geometric star-based ceiling designs, and winding hallways connect cozy lounges with cushioned seating, elegant chandeliers, and a grand piano.
The building was founded in 1861 by the Jewish-Spanish Ben Dahan family and converted to a hotel a decade later, attracting prominent artists and writers over subsequent decades. During the 1980s, it became a gathering place for artists and painters such as James Brown, who redecorated rooms with fabrics from local markets.
The hotel reflects a blend of Spanish, Moroccan, and Arab influences through its colorful zellige tile patterns and geometric ceiling designs that mirror the craftsmanship found in the nearby medina's markets and narrow streets. These decorative elements connect the interior spaces to the local artistic traditions that visitors see throughout the surrounding neighborhood.
The hotel sits just five minutes on foot from the port and offers on-site parking and car rental options for getting around the city. Nearby sights such as the medina and Petit Socco are within walking distance, with the airport about a 15-minute drive away.
Scenes from the film The Sheltering Sky based on Paul Bowles' novel were filmed here in the late 1980s, and the hotel has long been home to a colony of well-fed cats that roam the hallways and terraces. These details give the place a literary and bohemian quality that sets it apart in the city's modern history.
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