Here’s What It’s Like To Sleep In A 17th Century Palace In Fez

Down the winding streets of Fez, you’ll be beckoned into a well-preserved ancient world. Its medina is a UNESCO world heritage site founded in the ninth century, and the tanneries still employ time-tested methods to produce kaleidoscopic arrays of leather goods. There’s no better place to stay, says Tessa Dunthorne, to enjoy this thriving modern Moroccan city while still being located within its oldest walls. 

Review: Palais Amani, Fez

Stay

Palais Amani takes you into Morocco of old while still offering the plush contemporary amenities any traveller would desire. Think postcard-perfect riad features like the trickling water feature set in its central courtyard, three lofty floors of bedrooms looking into its verdant garden, and the beautiful tiling visitors have come to associate with the country.

And it’s called a ‘palais’ for good reason – its palatial proportions were previously home to 40 members of one of Fez’s most powerful families. It was in 2006 that current owners bought and restored the property after it eventually fell into disrepair. 

A suite at Palais Amani

The 21 rooms of this hotel – which dates back to the 1600s – comprise large classic double bedrooms, luxury rooms, junior and senior suites, and the grand suite. The latter, this dowager room, covers the entire south wing at a whopping 100sq/m. The senior suites all enjoy a second bedroom.

But even the smallest rooms on the property offer dollops of charm, discreet internal or external facing views, and the same lovely welcoming touches – a selection of fruit and Moroccan sweets. 

A window view from a room at Palais Amani

I stayed in the ground floor senior suite which has an ecclesiastical feel; with an Iraqi stained glass window in the bathroom, light falls into the room in worshipful multicolour. The tiling really is exquisitely detailed (visitors who have stopped by Marrakech’s Bahia Palace will see its resemblance) and there’s plush sofas to lounge upon.

To boot, the room is enormous: its ceiling is double-heighted, and decorated with hanging lanterns, and the secondary bedroom (up some stairs internal to the suite) could host older children seeking some holiday independence, or even a second, grownup couple.

And just because the room feels ancient doesn’t mean it lacks modern amenities: hairdryers, coffee machines, AC, a stocked-up minibar and all the usual things you’d desire are accounted for.

Eat

Palais Amani’s lush gardens are the perfect setting for a candlelight dinner in the cooler evenings. The menu at Eden by Palais Amani is traditional and offers a limited but finely tuned set of dishes. The Moroccan salad selection is a particular joy with its veg-led blend of spiced, sweet and savoury bites including Zaalouk – a spicy tomato and aubergine dish – confit carrots, and a soft aubergine salad. There’s a tasting menu, too, and this takes you through possibly the entire repertoire of the country’s famous tagines. The food here is elevated, well presented, and tastes indulgent yet clean. To boot, a rarity among restaurants in Morocco, Eden sells alcohol which can be enjoyed as an after-dinner digestif on the panoramic roof terrace. 

Should you be inspired by anything you eat, the hotel runs its own (very popular) cooking school, so you can take away more than a tagine pot as a souvenir.  

And, of course, you simply must imbibe the mint tea. There is a single member of staff – an older man – whose sole job is to conduct the Moroccan mint tea ritual.

Do

The riad is family run and employs 50 members of staff, which translates to an unforgettable stay. The team will go above and beyond to provide you with directions, experiences, and local expertise. In particular, should you wish for a guided medina tour – a boon given the fact that it’s practically a maze – one needs only ask reception and they will oblige.

View of a street in Fez

Should you be more confident in your navigational skills, the hotel’s doorstep leads you directly into the medina. This is a joy for history buffs and culture vultures alike; Fez el Bali is a UNESCO world heritage site and among the most well-preserved city centre of its kind in the world. Lose yourself in the winding alleys, explore the souks for take-home presents, or visit the tanneries to see one of the most ancient leather-making processes still used today. 

The Hammam at Palais Amani

You’d be remiss to visit and not check out its Moroccan hammam. Located in a stone basement in the hotel, the hammam – Les Bain Amani – is another jetty into the past. Moroccans have been partaking in this bathing ritual for eons and here you’ll be inducted into the process. You’ll strip down before two rather matter-of-fact ladies, who will scrub you head to toe (and practically even between the toes) with sugar, rose water and black soap. The steam room opens your pores to let that black soap in, to perform its deep cleansing magic, before you’re splashed down. The exfoliation – with both a clay M’hekka and Khessa glove – shaves away years of dead skin leaving you baby soft ahead of dinner. 

Final Word

All in all, Palais Amani is the perfect base for learning more about Fez, enjoying local delicacies and traditions, and a comfy night of rest. 

Doubles from £150 B&B. Palais Amani, 12 Derb El Miter, Fez 30000, Morocco, palaisamani.com