Where to Stay in Fes With a Family

Where to Stay in Fes With a Family: The Best Riads

Wondering where to stay in Fes with a family? The Medina of course!  The Medina in Fes is the largest car free metropolitan area in the world.  How cool is that?!  Although most people get around on foot, you will still need to make way for bikes and donkeys.  The medina is also said to be made up of around 9500 streets and alleyways.  Now that might not seem daunting when you are traveling with your map equipped smart phone, but ye be warned!  Almost any map application you will find does not accurately depict the medina, and if you try to follow it, you will get lost.  However, getting lost is part of the experience!  Just don’t do it late at night.  Here are our recommendations for some of the best riads in Fes.

We opted to stay in a private Riad

What is a riad you ask?  A riad is one of the main types of traditional housing found in Morocco.  It is typically two or more stories with an open-air courtyard in the middle, sometimes containing a fountain, gardens or even a pool.  There are some incredibly restored riads all throughout Morocco.  Fes is known for their hand carved wood and tile work and is a feature you will find in many riads throughout the city.  Riads are a very spacious way to spend your nights as they are often 3 or more bedrooms and often have a terrace. I prefer this to a standard hotel room any day and the cost is comparable by western standards.

I chose our riad because it had great reviews on Airbnb and the location to me was crucial.  I wanted the experience of being in the Medina but did not want to be so deep that it would be a long or easy to get lost route to get to our driver.  Traveling with small kids sometimes means convenience is your best option.  This riad was less than a five minute walk to the Blue Gate (the main entrance to the Medina) and another car accessible area.  It was also not too far off a main road so it was easy to get my bearings and navigate around the area within a days time.  Reminder: this is helpful when you can’t rely on maps!

Our welcome tea and sweets at check in!

Our riad came with three bedrooms, several sitting rooms, and a rooftop terrace.  Our caretaker (Loubna), a local that is employed by the riad owner, cooked us breakfast every morning and helped us with any questions we had about the area.  For a small fee she even did our laundry, a special treat for mom!

The rooms and bathrooms were well appointed and stocked with everything we needed.  There were split systems in all of the rooms for heating and cooling.  There was also wifi, which was a bit spotty but the owner was working on switching to a new service to improve the wifi.

If you are traveling with small kids, I feel that this riad is a good choice.  Location, location, location!  The only real downfall is the stairs which are a bit steep and curvy, but you are likely not going to get away from that in any riad in Morocco.  Our small kids managed them no problem, so for us it was not an issue.  They provided us with a pack-n-play for our three year old to sleep in at no extra charge.  The owner, Pascal, is extremely kind and his communication skills were top notch leading up to and during our stay.  We were traveling during covid and our flights got cancelled and rescheduled a lot by the airline so I had to reschedule this stay five different times!  Pascal was so gracious and patient.  To view more photos and read all of the wonderful reviews of this riad, visit the riad listing and reviews on Airbnb. (The pictures don’t do it justice!)

For all the reasons listed above, this is one of the best riads in Fes, if you are looking for something intimate and privately owned.

Riad Fes, Relais & Châteaux

Very close to the private riad we stayed in, Riad Fes, Relais & Châteaux is in an equally great location.  Very easy to get to the Blue Gate and other car accessible areas.  This is going to be closer to a hotel experience as your rooms will not be a full house like a private riad but still spacious.  The recently underwent a huge renovation of the riad in 2020 and it is stunning, as you can see by the photos..

There is a pool (not the decorative one int he photo above), spa, restaurant, and a rooftop bar with the most incredible views of the city.  We ate at the restaurant and had drinks on the rooftop bar two nights during our stay in Fes because the food and ambiance were just that good.

To view more about the food experience we had here and at other spots in the medina, visit our Fes Eats page.

The only downfall to this place would be the price.  The cost of staying here is going to be much more than a private riad, but in turn you are getting all the amenities of a luxury hotel.  For our budget this trip we were not able to stay here, but when we return, I plan on making it happen!

If you are looking for luxury, this is one of the best riads in Fes.

https://riadfes.com/en/restaurant.html
5 Derb Zerbtana, Fès 30100, Morocco

Riad Alfassia Palace

Riad Alfassia Palace is located deep in the heart of the medina.  The location was the only drawback here.  With little kids and our first time in Fes it was a bit deeper into the medina than I was prepared to commit to at the time.  With little legs and no maps I played it safe with our AirBnb.  However, after now visiting and spending time in Fes, I would not hesitate to stay here, deeper in the medina.

Riad Alfassia Palace is owned and operated by a husband and wife; a “ma and pa” of riads I suppose.  They spent seven long years renovation this riad and it shows in the most exquisite detail everywhere you look.  Below is the owner Karina with Viona.  She is also the chef and served us the best meal of our whole trip through Morocco.

I would stay here for the food alone.  Thinking of eating every meal of the day being cooked by Karina makes me drool.  She is pure magic in the kitchen!  If you want to see more photos of our meal here visit our Fes Eats page.  Karina and her husband are also incredibly kind and warm.  We felt like family the moment we were welcomed into the riad.  I have no doubt that every guest gets treated with the same hospitality.

If you want a very authentic, homey experience, then this is definitely where you want to stay!  Your stomach will also thank you!  If you are worried about getting lost, the owners are happy to meet you and walk you in and out of the medina as you need, so don’t let that detour you.  Check out there website and beautiful riad in the link below.

If you are looking for a truly authentic experience, this is one of the best riads in Fes.

http://www.alfassiapalace.com/
42 derb salma achabine ancienne, 30110, Morocco

If you have any concerns about getting your baggage where it needs to go…

There is a guy for that!  If you are staying in the medina, private riad or hotel, they will send someone to cart your baggage in.  Same goes for when you check out.  So do not worry about hauling your heavy luggage through the alleyways of the medina when choosing a location to stay.  Here is a photo of the man that helped us out both times.  He was very nice and even hauled our luggage up and down the stairs of our riad.  Don’t forget to tip them!!!

Tips for Choosing Where to Stay in Fes With a Family

A few things I would tell a friend deciding where to stay in Fes with a family.

Stay near a gate. Being a five minute walk from the Blue Gate meant our driver could always reach us and the kids never had a long trek at the end of a hot day.

Rent the whole riad if you can. Three bedrooms and a courtyard for the price of a nice hotel room is the deal of the trip, and everyone naps better with doors that close.

Ask about stairs and a crib. Riad staircases are steep and curvy. Ours provided a pack and play at no charge, but you have to ask before you book.

Ask who meets you. Maps do not work in the medina. Every good riad will send someone to walk you in and cart your luggage, and you tip them well.

Check the wifi honestly. It is spotty almost everywhere in the medina. Download shows and offline maps before you land.

Still planning? Start with our guide to visiting Fes with kids, then see where to eat in Fes with kids and the things to do in Fes with kids.