Palais Amani
Calm and personal — more country-house library than flashy luxury hotel. Candlelit at night, birdsong in the courtyard garden during the day. The Art Deco bones give it a slightly different character from the carved-wood-ceiling riads nearby.
Book Eden Restaurant in advance even as a guest — it fills with walk-ins
Why It Matters
One of the largest original riads in Fes's old medina, with a proper interior courtyard garden full of mature citrus and olive trees. Home to the well-regarded Fez Cooking School, a licensed hammam (Les Bains Amani) open to non-guests, and Eden Restaurant — all three of which function as genuine standalone draws. No pool, but the rooftop terrace with medina views compensates on most days.
Palais Amani is a 21-room, family-run boutique hotel inside a restored 17th-century palace in Fes el-Bali, the UNESCO World Heritage medina. Parts of the building date to the 1600s, though a 1928 landslide prompted a major rebuild that added Art Deco touches you won't find in most traditional riads. The current Anglo-Moroccan owners bought it in 2006 — a housekeeper was the only occupant — and spent three and a half years bringing it back to life. The result is an elegant, genuinely local operation with 50 local staff, locally sourced ingredients, and a cooking school that's become one of Fes's better-known culinary institutions.
Where You'll Stay
6 room types available
Classic Room
The entry-level category and the cosiest. Low-beamed ceilings and discreet views over either the garden or the medina. Despite being the smallest rooms in the house, they get the same amenities as everything above — central air conditioning, Egyptian cotton linen, Moroccan pastries on arrival, and rose-petal bathrooms.
Junior Suite
Two types — mezzanine and luxury — both with a master bedroom, an elegant salon, and a bathroom with choice of bath or shower. A rollaway bed can be added, sleeping up to three.
Luxury Room
A step up in elegance and refinement, but priced more accessibly than the suites. Gets all the suite amenities — think this as the way to experience the full opulence of the hotel without paying full suite rates.
Senior Suite
All have an additional single room bolted on for extra flexibility. With a rollaway, the category sleeps up to four. Minimum 45m², with salon, dressing area, and a spacious bathroom — a proper apartment feel.
45 sqmThe Grand Suite
The flagship room — 100m² covering the entire south wing of the palace. His-and-hers dressing rooms, a spectacular bathroom (reportedly one of the largest soaking tubs in any Moroccan property), and views onto the gardens and hills beyond. First-floor position gives a full view of the courtyard.
100 sqmThe Misriah Apartments
A two-floor, 87m² apartment created by combining an exceptional suite and a junior suite. The only rooms with street-facing views rather than garden-facing. Sleeps up to four adults and two children under 12. Not bookable through the standard booking engine — request directly when reserving.
87 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
3 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
A 2-hour personalised introduction to Arabic calligraphy with one of Fes's most respected calligraphers. Covers origins of writing, the Arabic alphabet, historical materials and techniques. Includes a live demonstration and hands-on practice. Open to residents and non-residents; minimum 2 people.
A Moroccan henna party at the Palais, exploring the cultural meaning of henna in Amazigh tradition. Includes traditional henna skin art. Open to adults and children, and to non-residents.
A guided ceremony in the gardens walking through the history and ritual of Moroccan tea-making — from choosing fresh mint and sugar loafs to understanding the seasonal variations and hospitality traditions around the practice.
Head into the souks with a chef guide to shop for ingredients, then cook traditional Moroccan dishes in the rooftop cooking school. Finishes with a meal of what you made, in the gardens or on the rooftop.
Hands-on Moroccan cooking workshop on the rooftop, without the souk visit component. Includes a meal of what was prepared.
Specialist class in Sephardic Jewish-Moroccan cuisine — a unique element of Fes's culinary history that most cooking schools don't touch.
A 5-course dinner designed by the kitchen to match a flight of fine Moroccan wines, guided by a wine specialist. €250/person; minimum 2 guests required. Bookable via reservations@palaisamani.com.
A guided tasting tour through Fes's outdoor street food markets and food stalls, led by a local guide. Price varies by group size: €165/person for 1–2 guests, €110/person for 3–6, €71/person for groups of 7+.
Guided walks through the medina with vetted local guides. Choose a 5-hour full tour (€100), a 3-hour tour (€70), a private car tour of the medina ramparts Bab to Bab (€60), or combine all for €160.
A guided hike in the Zalagh hillside range above Fes — only 30 minutes from the medina. Berber countryside, olive groves, farmsteads, ridge views over the entire ancient city, the Sebou Valley, Rif Mountains, and Sais Plains. Shorter options take about 1.5 hours at a leisurely pace. Includes a picnic under pine trees. Rooftop pergola massage available in spring and autumn as an add-on.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
A cosy library lounge with a large open fireplace — one of the two licensed bars on site. Particularly atmospheric in winter.
A large interior garden laid out in Arab Andalusian style, with four flowerbeds of mature citrus trees, aromatic plants, and local flowers. Permanent bird residents in the central fountain. The main dining, bar, and evening atmosphere all revolve around this space.
Multiple roof terraces with panoramic medina views. Used for yoga, morning coffee, sunset drinks, and summer dining. Also hosts the Fez Cooking School and, in spring/autumn, the spa massage pergola.
There is no swimming pool on the property.
A small shop next to reception selling local handicrafts.
Cooling in summer and heating in winter across all room categories.
Complimentary daily manager's reception — typically tea and Ghribas pastries welcoming guests.
Paid transfers available from Fès-Saïs Airport and the train station. Must be booked 24 hours in advance via the booking confirmation contact details. Staff meet guests at the medina wall.
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