Riad Fès
Behind the walls of Fès, a residence steeped in Andalusian grandeur
Reserve this StayBoutique Hotel in Fès, Fès-Meknès
/Riad Fès
Riad Fès
19 Total Rooms
14 Room Types
4.3 (157 Reviews)
You enter through an unmarked door in the labyrinthine streets of the Fès medina, and within a few steps the city's clamor falls away entirely. What opens before you is not a hotel lobby but a courtyard of almost theatrical beauty: carved cedar, hand-cut zellij tilework in geometric blues and greens, the murmur of a central fountain, and daylight filtering through Andalusian arches. Riad Fès is a restored palace that traces its architecture to the 14th century, its bones drawn from the same artistic traditions that shaped the medina itself. The scale is intimate but the ambition is grand, a property that carries the weight of centuries without feeling museum-like.
The hotel's 21 rooms and suites are arranged across two interconnected riads, each distinct in character. Interiors layer traditional Moroccan craftsmanship with contemporary comforts: thick brocade fabrics, brass lanterns, sculpted plaster walls, and marble bathrooms. Some suites open onto private terraces or look inward to the courtyard below, while others face the rooftops of the medina, offering views that stretch toward the minarets and hillsides beyond. The Riad Fès Bar Maure, set on the rooftop terrace, is among the most atmospheric spots in the city, a place where mint tea and cocktails arrive against a panorama of the old city at golden hour.
Dining here draws from the deep culinary heritage of Fès, often called the gastronomic capital of Morocco. The hotel's restaurant serves refined Moroccan cuisine in a setting of candlelit courtyards and intricately tiled dining rooms, with dishes built around slow-cooked tagines, pastilla, and seasonal preparations rooted in local tradition. Below ground, a traditional hammam and spa offer a sequence of steam, scrub, and massage rituals in a vaulted stone space that feels unchanged by time. An indoor pool sits nearby, its mosaic-lined basin offering quiet refuge between excursions.
The medina of Fès el-Bali, a UNESCO World Heritage site, unfolds just outside the door. It is one of the world's largest car-free urban areas, a living maze of souks, tanneries, mosques, and madrasas dating back more than a thousand years. The hotel arranges guided tours through these ancient quarters, from the leather dyeing pits of Chouara to the ornate halls of the Bou Inania Medersa. Yet there is something particular about returning to Riad Fès after hours spent navigating the medina's intensity. The courtyard quiets, the fountain resumes its rhythm, and the city's vast, layered history distills into something personal and close at hand.
You enter through an unmarked door in the labyrinthine streets of the Fès medina, and within a few steps the city's clamor falls away entirely. What opens before you is not a hotel lobby but a courtyard of almost theatrical beauty: carved cedar, hand-cut zellij tilework in geometric blues and greens, the murmur of a central fountain, and daylight filtering through Andalusian arches. Riad Fès is a restored palace that traces its architecture to the 14th century, its bones drawn from the same artistic traditions that shaped the medina itself. The scale is intimate but the ambition is grand, a property that carries the weight of centuries without feeling museum-like.
The hotel's 21 rooms and suites are arranged across two interconnected riads, each distinct in character. Interiors layer traditional Moroccan craftsmanship with contemporary comforts: thick brocade fabrics, brass lanterns, sculpted plaster walls, and marble bathrooms. Some suites open onto private terraces or look inward to the courtyard below, while others face the rooftops of the medina, offering views that stretch toward the minarets and hillsides beyond. The Riad Fès Bar Maure, set on the rooftop terrace, is among the most atmospheric spots in the city, a place where mint tea and cocktails arrive against a panorama of the old city at golden hour.
Dining here draws from the deep culinary heritage of Fès, often called the gastronomic capital of Morocco. The hotel's restaurant serves refined Moroccan cuisine in a setting of candlelit courtyards and intricately tiled dining rooms, with dishes built around slow-cooked tagines, pastilla, and seasonal preparations rooted in local tradition. Below ground, a traditional hammam and spa offer a sequence of steam, scrub, and massage rituals in a vaulted stone space that feels unchanged by time. An indoor pool sits nearby, its mosaic-lined basin offering quiet refuge between excursions.
What we love about this stay
What strikes you first isn't the ornate craftsmanship or the plush furnishings — it's the abrupt silence. One step through the doors and the medina's relentless energy simply dissolves, replaced by something older and more deliberate. This is a riad that understands the architecture of calm: filigree lanterns throwing intricate shadows across your room, the faint drift of orange blossom through open windows, mosaic tiles catching light by the pool. It feels less like a hotel and more like a private house that happens to have centuries of Fès woven into its walls. Dining on the rooftop terrace, the city hums distantly below you — close enough to feel connected, far enough to feel protected. It's that tension between immersion and retreat that makes staying here linger in memory long after you leave.
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Where you'll be staying
5, Derb Ben Slimane, Fès, Fès-Meknès, MA
Hear it from other travelers
Guest
JUL 2025
Exceptional
Guest
MAR 2015
I like every thing in Fes..it is one of the most amazing ancient old cities in the world. I liked its old shops, narrow streets, nice friendly people, old souks , old mosques with beautiful minarates. Teraced ancient houses back to more than 600 to 800 years old.
Guest
JUL 2025
Guest
DEC 2025
January 2010, Fes Morocco My husband and I went to Fes this January on a whim - just fancied getting away from the snowy weather in England and wanted somewhere a bit different. It turned out to be one of the best ideas that we'd ever had! Temparatures were in the high 60s and low 70s Farenheit and we were able to walk around comfortably in long sleeved T-shirts even though the local people often had thick overcoats on and I was asked more than once if I was warm enough - they obviously hadn't experienced our British weather The place was fantastic with really warm and friendly people. The medina is unspoiled by tourism and when in the souks that sell more traditional wares you can easily believe that the modern world has completely passed them by. We did follow advice and get an official guide for part of the stay. Mohammad was very helpful and took us to areas and sights that we were interested in not just the standard tourist trail. The Medina is a maze of over 900 high, narrow streets full of colour, the smell of spices and street food and the sound of bartering but where you can only get a glimpse of sky . Mohammad's guidance and advice gave us the confidence to wander around it on our own even at night without feeling out of our comfort zone. Bartering for goods other than food seems expected and good fun but I would advise you to have aprice in mind that you are willing to pay and be prepared to walk away if it the vendor can't or won't meet it. A vist to the leather pits worthwhile but do accept the sprig of mint they offer you as part of the tanning process uses pidgeon poo. If you do buy leather goods it's slightly more expensive from the shops that own the leather pits but doesn't smell of anything other than leather, if you buy in the leather souks you can still sometimes still smell the pidgeon poo! If you have the time I would also recommend a visit to a Berber village at the base of the mountains where the residents still live in caves in the mountainside - albeit with a front door and stainless steel sinks! We were invited in and given mint tea by a very friendly lady and her elderly mother and spent a very interesting half hour or so in a traditionally decorated living space being shown family photos and given an insite to a way of life that in many ways has not changed for generations. We also went further up into the mountains were we found ourselves at a lake side which combined picnics, boating and horse racing in glorious sunshine while you could see snow still on the peaks. As you go further still in to the wonderful mountain mountain landscape the traditional Moroccan style houses give way to Swiss style homes and a ski resort known as 'Suisse Maroc' - not what you expect but well worth a visit for the woodland with its cheeky monkeys living in the tree tops. We arranged with a driver how much it would cost for him to drive us around for a full day (9.00am to 8.00pm) before hand and got his services for 800 Dirhams Food was great and very cheap, ranging from 10 Dirhams (under £1.00) from street vendors in the souks to a four course meal for two in a very nice riad style restaurant for 250 Dirhams (under £25.00)! There is a wide choice of food from more unusual meat cuts to vegetarian dishes, so there is something to suit all tastes. Fresh fruit is cheap and plentiful in the markets and it may just have been the relaxed pace of the whole experince having an influence but the oranges were the best we'd ever tasted. If you have a sweet tooth the honey and almond nougat is to die for We stayed in Hotel Vathy which was once the home to Winston Churchill. The decor in the comunal areas was beautiful and typically Moroccan but the bedrooms, although very clean an with fresh towels daily, had an air of faded splendour. However, it was cheap, and included breakfast of eggs, bread, butter, jam and tea or coffee and being on the very edge of the medina you couldn't fault it for location (if you stay in the medina you will need to walk to your hotel from the walls or hire a cart as the are no cars allowed inside). Official taxis from the airport to Fes were a flat fee of 120 Dirhams, the bus was less than half of that but unless you know where you need to get off I would use the taxis We travelled with Royal Air Maroc who I can recommend for courtesy and service. The only problem we had was that when we got to the airport on the way home the flight that we were booked on had been cancelled. Unfortunately, there wasn't another one until 5.45am the following day but Air Maroc were great - they booked us on the next flight, into a very nice hotel, arranged for transport back to the airport the next day all at their expense and even paid for our food. We were fortunate that we were able to take the extra day of f work without problem and thoroughly enjoyed the extra day in a great place that we intend to visit again.
Guest
JAN 2011
Fes, Morocco is a must see. If you have the time, spend at least 2 full days walking around the Medina with a tour guide, as it is very confusing if you go by yourself. We can't wait to go back one day.
What you need to know
2:00 PM
We understand that plans can change. The cancellation terms below describe the standard policy. Your specific booking’s eligibility for cancellation and refund is determined by the terms shown at the time of booking. **Standard Refundable Terms** For reservations that are marked as refundable: - Guests may cancel up to 48 hours before check-in to receive a full refund - Cancellations made less than 48 hours before check-in may be eligible for a partial refund No refunds are issued for: - No-shows - Cancellations made after check-in - Non-Refundable Reservations Some reservations may be marked as non-refundable. - For these bookings, cancellations or no-shows are not eligible for a refund, regardless of timing. **Refund Processing** Eligible refunds are processed to the original payment method and typically appear within 5–10 business days, depending on your payment provider.Reservation Changes Changes to reservations, including date modifications, are subject to availability and may incur additional charges and must be made up to 48 hours before check-in
12:00 PM
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