Best luxury riad: Fes Riad Misbah
I’m finally sharing more details of our Moroccan adventure last year. Once we got back from our desert camel tour, we had one night in this blissful riad in the heart of Fes. If you’re looking for the best place to stay in Fes, don’t miss this gem of a riad.
Where to stay in Fes
Last spring we spent a magical three days in Morocco and I am excited to share the finally share the rest of our trip.
I spent weeks looking into riads for when we arrived in Fes. In Fes you can choose to stay downtown in a more modern European style hotel or, you can opt for a more traditional experience and stay in a riad, or guest house. They have these guest houses all over, but if you get the chance to go, stay in one inside the medina, or old walled city.
I can’t say enough amazing things about the last place we stayed in Morocco. After spending that night in the Sahara, we had one evening and one full day before we caught a flight back to Spain. While the desert was magical, it was this last leg of our trip, in this magnificent riad in the middle of Fes, that we wished we could extend our trip. If we go back to Morocco, it will be to stay here again.
We arrived in Fes exhausted and more sandy than I ever imagined we could be (a night in the desert will do that to you). We were welcomed by Marco, the Italian owner of the property who purchased it over a decade ago as a second home in Morocco. The traditional Moroccan home has been made into a guesthouse, preserving the gorgeous tile throughout the inner courtyard and rooms.
Staying here felt like what you’d expect at the intersection of luxury and foreign. We woke up to birds chirping in the atrium (all windows look into the central courtyard and not onto the street) and I could have spent hours just relaxing in the wicker chairs, staring at the mosaics.
If you’re looking for a place to stay in Fes, I CANNOT recommend this one enough.
Hosts:
Marco and his wife Fiola are the perfect hosts. They know so much about the area and have wonderful recommendations. They made us feel welcome and important instantly upon arrival. On our last afternoon, they let us enjoy the riad long after checkout so we could relax before our evening flight. Marco spent over an hour sitting and talking with us about life, travel, and politics (a brilliant economist who consults for various European governments).
Location:
The riad is tucked away on a tiny street just steps away from the Medina. You can drive right to the start of the Medina by car and then it just takes a minute or two to walk to the riad. It is the perfect home base for exploring and a calm, peaceful oasis in the busy city of Fes.
It is just a minute walk from Place Batha (taxi stand and car access) and 3 minutes from Cafe Clock in the heart of the medina.
Property:
I’ll confess, I booked this place just based on the photos.
You enter down a dusty, nondescript alley of bare, brown walls. The windows are boarded and everything is quiet. The door is small and attended to by one of the hotel staff. Once you’ve stepped through, the space opens up into a palatial atrium with plants, fountains, and beautiful mosaic tiles. Everything is kept in wonderful condition and the facilities are spotless. There is a heated pool, a treadmill, and large hammam at your disposal. Be sure to ask to enjoy the rooftop terrace for sunset (we didn’t because we arrived too late in the day).
The rooms were five star hotel grade quality with comfortable mattresses and the softest linens. It was certainly our best night’s sleep in Africa.
You have the choice between five luxurious rooms with wifi, airconditioning, and heat (if needed).
There are also a couple of common areas including a library, a living room, and of course, the main atrium which is it’s own slice of heaven with fountains and orange trees.
Meals:
We didn’t have the opportunity to eat dinner at the riad because we arrived late in the evening and instead took Marco’s recommendations for a nearby restaurant. We were treated to a large breakfast the next morning with fresh squeezed orange juice made with oranges from the trees at the riad!
Extras:
We asked Marco to book a tour of Fes for our one day in the city so we didn’t spend too much of the day getting lost and wandering the streets of the medina. He arranged for someone to pick us up at the hotel the following morning which was perfect.
Tip:
My one tip, if you choose to stay at the Riad Misbah, is to schedule some time to relax in the riad. We wished we weren’t rushing out to see so much of the city during our short stay and had a day or two just to relax on the beautiful property.
Find Riad Misbah on travelocity here (with 58/59 positive reviews).
^the living room upstairs
^some snaps from breakfast
^our bedroom