Palais Amani

Style

Historic hammam hideaway

Setting

Souk-side in the medina

If you’ve ever fancied yourself as a Golden Age merchant of means, Palais Amani is the place for you. This regal riad in Fez’s medina has its roots in the 1600s, but has been treated to both 20th- and 21st-century makeovers. The result? Traditional riad trademarks (lofty ceilings, jewel-hued stained glass…), chicly offset by monochrome art-deco details and straight-from-the-souk textiles. Each zellige-tiled turn doles out a fresh antidote to the heat-hazed hubbub outside – descend lantern-lit steps to the heady hammam, settle down for supper in the citrus grove, then retreat to the rooftop terrace to take in the city’s sights, fresh mint tea in hand. Souvenir-seekers fear not: once you’re rested and relaxed, the maze-like Medina streets are mere steps away…

Facilities

Zimmer

18, including nine suites.

Checkout

Noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 2pm (9am if the room’s free).

Weitere Details

Rates include traditional Moroccan breakfast. You can rent the entire riad for €3,000–€4,000 a night.

Also

Palais Amani’s spa provides facials, massages, gommage and, of course, hammam treatments. In summer and autumn, treatments take place in a rooftop pergola, looking out over the city. The assorted unguents employed are made using unique-to-Morocco argan oil from the gardens of Ourika.

Kostenfreies WLAN

Wäscheservice

Restaurant

Spa

At the Hotel

Spa with hammam, gardens, library of books and DVDs, and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: sound system with preloaded iPod, air-con, and all-natural aromatic bath products. Most have flatscreen TVs.

Our Favourite Rooms

Room 12 is the Grand Suite, a sprawling swathe of hotel eye candy, occupying an entire wing of the first floor. Stained-glass windows look out onto the garden, and the bedroom (with – count them – two walk-in wardrobes) has grab-your-easel views over the desert to the hills. For opulence at a smaller price tag, the Mezzanine Suites are adorned with original artworks and have an intimate apartment feel.

Poolside

There’s no pool at Palais Amani, but staff will happily direct you to one nearby, and the rooftop showers (not to mention the fountain in the courtyard) can provide emergency relief in high summer.

Packing Tips

Trainers for tramping the mountains. Even though there’s no pool, bring swimwear, so you can sunbathe on the roof and nip into the outdoor shower when it gets too hot.

Also

Smoking is allowed on the roof terrace and in the gardens.

Kinder

Welcome. Free cots, extra beds (€65 a night for over-3s) and highchairs are available, and the kitchen can rustle up child-friendly meals on request. Babysitters are available, though they don't speak English (€20 for three hours, book a day ahead).

Galerie

Food & Drink

Top Table

Beside one of the wrought-iron screens to let in the air. Before the meal, hit the roof terrace for aperitifs, cured olives and home-smoked almonds.

Kleiderordnung

Breezy boho and lightweight linens.

Hotel Restaurant

Walled with intricate blue and white tiles, Amani’s restaurant expertly juggles French and Moroccan cuisine. Prepare for extremely generous portions of fall-off-the-bone meat tagines and toothsome couscous. Let the kitchen know in advance, however, and the chef will rustle up anything you fancy.

Hotel Bar

In the palace’s old winter salon on the roof, the bar is bedecked with colourful sunbursts and photo prints of local crafts (originally snapped by the owner’s mother-in-law). Don’t leave without sampling a caipirinha.

Last Orders

The restaurant is open all day, until around 9.30pm. The bar opens at 5.30pm and the last cocktail is shaken around midnight.

Room Service

Snacks and light meals (soup, sandwiches, and desserts) can be served in rooms from noon to 10pm.

Planes

Fez’s little airport, Saïs, hosts flights to a handful of European destinations, including Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome and London Stansted, and is around 45 minutes’ drive outside the city. And, the journey takes the same amount of time if you catch an internal flight from Marrakech.

Trains

Fez station is 15 minutes’ drive from the hotel and is linked to Tangier, Casablanca and Marrakech.

Automobiles

The medina itself is more donkey than Daimler, so don’t plan to do much driving around the city. If you do come by car, the charged Oued Zhoune car park is 50 metres from the hotel.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

If you’re interested enough in your boots to wonder where the leather came from, ask the hotel to arrange a tannery trip – but bear in mind these are only for the stout of heart and resilient of nose. The hotel can also arrange city tours, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings and classes in henna painting. If you’re after a particular item of Moroccan craftwork and don’t fancy taking your chances in the souks, Palais Amani can put you in touch with talented and trustworthy craftsmen. 75km outside Fez, the Roman ruins at Volubilis are the best preserved in North Africa, and boast some amazing mosaics. The Atlas Mountains offer inspiring hiking trails and unbeatable views across the desert back to Fez, as well as the opportunity to visit a rural mountain village or two.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .