Riad Fès is the most complete luxury stay inside the medina of Fes and the best choice for couples who want to sleep in the old city without giving up comfort. It is a member of Relais & Châteaux, set in a restored palace of courtyards, zellige tilework and carved cedar and it has something rare for a riad: a 14-meter swimming pool, open all year, in a contemporary courtyard by the designer Christophe Pillet.
The riad blends old and new well. Rooms range from Classic to Deluxe Superior, with two signature suites, L'Ambassadeur and La Royale. Gayza Restaurant and Gayza Le Bar handle dinner and drinks and The Rooftop looks across the medina's minarets and roofs to the hills beyond. The spa uses Cinq Mondes and marocMaroc treatments.
Fes el-Bali is one of the largest car-free medieval cities in the world, a maze of lanes, souks and tanneries. Riad Fès gives you a calm, beautiful place to return to after it. It suits couples who want history, atmosphere and a pool. Couples who prefer modern resorts or big gardens should look at the hotels on the hills outside the medina.
Highlights at a glance
- Relais & Châteaux palace riad in the medina
- 14-meter pool open all year
- Panoramic rooftop terrace
- Gayza Restaurant and bar
- Spa with Cinq Mondes and marocMaroc treatments
Why Couples Love Riad Fès
Behind a plain door in a narrow lane, the riad opens into courtyards with fountains, orange trees and walls covered in tile and carved plaster. It is the kind of reveal that makes Moroccan riads so romantic and here it is done on a grand scale.
The pool changes everything in summer. Fes gets very hot and after a morning in the souks, a swim in the quiet courtyard is pure relief. Few riads in the medina have one this size.
Then there is the rooftop. At sunset, the call to prayer rises from dozens of mosques across the city as the light fades over the hills. Sharing a drink up there is the memory most couples take home.
Rooms and Suites to Book
Rooms come in Classic, Deluxe and Deluxe Superior categories, with two signature suites, L'Ambassadeur and La Royale.
Rooms in a traditional riad face inward to courtyards rather than out to the street, so they are quiet but light varies. For a honeymoon, a Deluxe or Deluxe Superior room offers more space and character, with traditional decoration and modern bathrooms. The suites are the splurge, with grand proportions and the most elaborate decoration.
When you book, mention your honeymoon and ask which rooms are closest to the pool or have the most natural light. Riads have many stairs, so tell the hotel if you need to avoid them.
Food, Drink and the Spa
Gayza Restaurant serves dinner in elegant surroundings, a mix of Moroccan dishes and international plates. Gayza Le Bar is one of the few places in the medina to enjoy a cocktail or a glass of Moroccan wine, which makes it popular with guests.
The Rooftop is the place for sunset drinks with views over the city and the mountains. Breakfast is served each morning, a slow start before you head into the lanes.
The spa, run with Cinq Mondes and marocMaroc, offers massages and treatments that can be booked online. After a day in the dusty souks, a traditional scrub and massage feel wonderful. Book ahead for couples treatments.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
Hire an official guide for your first morning in Fes el-Bali. The medina is huge and confusing and a guide will help you see the highlights: the Bou Inania Madrasa, the Al-Attarine Madrasa, the Nejjarine fountain and woodwork museum and the outside of the Al Quaraouiyine mosque and university.
Visit the Chouara tannery from a leather shop terrace in the morning, when the dye pits are most colorful. Browse the souks for brass, ceramics, textiles and leather and bargain politely.
Outside the medina, the Royal Palace's golden doors, the Mellah (old Jewish quarter) and the Marinid Tombs at sunset are all worth seeing. Day trips run to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the holy town of Moulay Idriss and the imperial city of Meknes.
Getting There
Fès–Saïss Airport (FEZ) is roughly 25–40 minutes by car to the nearest medina gate. Arrange a transfer with the riad, which can meet you at the gate with a porter, since cars cannot enter most of the medina.
Fes is also connected by train to Rabat, Casablanca and Tangier, including the high-speed line from Tangier via Kenitra. From Marrakech, the train takes about seven hours, or you can fly.
Many couples combine Fes with Marrakech and a night or two in the Sahara at Merzouga, about seven to eight hours' drive away, often with an overnight stop in the Middle Atlas.
Is It Worth It?
For an authentic stay in the medina with real comfort, yes. Riad Fès offers a pool, a bar, a spa and a rooftop that very few medina riads can match, at rates well below luxury hotels in Marrakech.
It is not a resort and life here revolves around the medina. Expect stairs, narrow lanes and some noise from the city. Couples who prefer modern design, gardens and easy taxi access could look at the larger hotels on the hills above the medina.
Two or three nights is right for Fes, enough for a guided day in the medina, a day trip to Volubilis and a slow afternoon by the pool.
Good to Know
Summers in Fes are very hot, often above 95°F. Spring and fall are the best seasons; winter nights are cool, so pack layers.
Dress modestly for both of you in the medina, with shoulders and knees covered. Non-Muslims cannot enter most mosques, including Al Quaraouiyine, though you can glimpse inside from the doors.
Unofficial guides may approach you; politely decline and book an official guide through the riad. Bring your passport for check-in.
Insider tips
- Book a riad transfer so a porter meets you at the medina gate.
- Hire an official guide for your first morning in the medina.
- Visit the Chouara tannery in the morning for the brightest dye pits.
- Head up to The Rooftop for the sunset call to prayer.
