Riad Fes - Relais & Chateaux

During our three-day adventure in Marrakech, we had the privilege of staying at La Mamunia, a renowned resort celebrated on Netflix's "Inventing Anna." From there, our journey took us to Fez, a city that held mysteries and excitement for us. With anticipation and a keen desire for an authentic experience, we chose to stay at Riad Fez, a member of Relais & Chateaux. Our arrival in Fez, close to the stroke of midnight, was met with a delightful surprise: the hotel had arranged a complimentary driver for us. The initial moments, involving a drop-off at a parking lot and a walk through a narrow alley led by a hotel staff - Mouad with a wheelbarrow for our suitcases, felt like a scene from "Homeland" — uncertain yet thrilling. However, any unease dissolved the moment we stepped into the Riad and were greeted by Anass, whose warm smile and polished demeanor assured us we had made the right choice. The Riad's beauty was immediately apparent, with its elegant architecture and a secluded room that promised privacy and serenity. Anass and his team, including the incredibly accommodating concierge service, were pivotal in enriching our stay. They adeptly handled our queries, seamlessly arranged dining reservations, and ensured our transportation to various restaurants, some of which included a charming walk escorted by a porter or a convenient pickup service. The personal touches didn't stop there; my husband and I indulged in relaxing massages from Hanau and Raga, both of whom provided exceptional service. Under the watchful eye of General Manager Nicolas Grau, the dedication to excellence was evident. Anass, Anwar, Hiba, Zahra - front desk, Sufein, Hanane, Anour - server at breakfast and the rest of the staff went above and beyond, making every interaction memorable. The rooftop terrace offered breathtaking views, adding to the allure of Riad Fez. Zakaria was really helpful with our bags. Located adjacent to the medina, the Riad’s location was ideal for exploring the heart of Fez. Thanks to Anass's meticulous planning, our exploration was worry-free and thoroughly enjoyable, with special mention to Mariam for her guidance in navigating the intricate maze to the Riad. This hidden gem, once discovered, revealed a sanctuary of peace and luxury. Our departure from Riad Fez was bittersweet, marked by the genuine warmth and professionalism of the staff. Our stay was not just a visit but a journey into the heart of Fez, accentuated by impeccable service and a deep sense of belonging.

I can’t imagine a better place to stay in Fes…or most anywhere. The Riad is beautiful, clean and very well maintained. The staff, from the moment we walked in the door, were all exceptional. Meals were authentic and delicious and again, the staff was flawless. The rooftop bar has a beautiful view of Fes and people staying elsewhere came for its uniqueness. April is a great time to be there as the days warm and evenings cool. We were there for 4 nights and would highly recommend the Riad.

One of the most beautiful accommodations I have ever stayed in! The rooms were also really comfortable however, for the price it was hard to justify especially when comparing to all the other riads we stayed in with incredible service and hospitality and what we thought we were paying for. There seemed to be a lot of internal miscommunication which resulted in a lot of confusion for everyone. We booked the romantic package which did not appear to be communicated to management when we checked in. We had to remind them and they had to go back and check their bookings/emails. This package included alcohol (at check in and dinner) which they could not serve as it was Ramadan (which we were ok with we just wish we didn't pay for it already and they communicated to us in advance). The spa was also included in our package and was mostly amazing but the hammam steam room they put us in didn't work and we sat in a hot room for 20 minutes unbeknownst to us that it should be steaming so then they cut the 50 minute massage short so we could steam for the proper amount of time. The pick up from the car rental place was very seamless and this was in a really easy location to get to on the edge of the Medina. I probably would not stay here again as the staff seemed a little confused and we are not pushy to get our way and felt like we were being a bit nickel and dimed throughout.

First of all, this is absolutely a 5-star hotel in terms of the physical property. The building is breathtaking, the location is perfect, the services offered, from the in-house restaurant to the spa to the rooms are really quite difficult to fault, at least on paper. Unfortunately, this is where the good seems to end. There are a number of recent reviews heavily criticizing the service here. We decided to ignore them, figuring it was likely just a few one-off bad experienced, and that ours would be better. This was a mistake. The service is some of the worst I have received period, from any hotel. The full list of complaints is too long and detailed to really convey here, but suffice to say, the short of it is that we were constantly made to feel a burden to the staff. At every turn, it seems they tried to do as little as possible to assist. One such example, when we asked if they could spell the name of a restaurant they suggested, we were told "no." Didn't ask if they could make a reservation for us, escort us to there, or even (god forbid) print out a map or listing of the restaurant, just asked to spell it. When we arrive our first night to a shower drain that failed to function, we had to try 4 separate times to get it repaired, each time them sending up the same person, a bellhop, to do the work, and telling us that we were wrong that the drain was broken. The video we have of the shower overflowing after each "repair" would seem to suggest we weren't indeed wrong. We asked prior to arrival if they could arrange shipping of some souvenirs home, they assured us it wasn't a problem, I'll let you guess how that turned out. Service was bad to the point that one evening, the bartender running the rooftop bar, which was losing power every few minutes and staffed by one sole bartender for 40+ guests, was evening complaining. The list goes on for much longer, and in some cases, more egregious offenses. Worst of all, when we reached out to the property to share our experience, they failed to even reply. No apology, no cut and paste PR reply, not even an email confirming they had received our (now numerous) emails - just radio silence. The primary issue seemed to be two fold, the first being that the hotel is understaffed, the second being that (some of) the staff that was there seemed to be poorly trained in hospitality. Really, there are too many great Riads and other accommodations in Fes to bother staying here - do yourself a favor and find another.

Not what I had anticipated, hotel failed to pick me up at airport. Tried calling hotel 5 times and no one picked up the phone. Rather than owning their shortcoming, staff was not apologetic but rather rebuttalled and no service recovery was offered. Rooms needs good bit of preventive maintenance along with deep cleaning of bathroom as it was mold and mildew around the shower surround. Vanity Sink and shower were clogged up. Property has no ritual or tradition to welcome guest to their place or town. Very much transactional. During breakfast and dinner many other patron had service issues and kept calling managers so I am not the only person that experienced short coming from hotel on many occasions. Certainly the managers are not to been seen interacting with guest or team member at all but time they were out and about it seem like they were talking to team members in condescending manner. Team member in F&B and SPA were great and only reason we did not move to another hotels. We were approached by very senior above property executives of the company walking with manager who asked how was my stay, I informed him that hotel failed to pick me up at airport and his offer was simply sorry and I would look into this. There is nothing special about this place as it’s lacks empowered and properly coached team members. I paid $325 per night, would be willing to pay $725 but it only worth $150 at the best.

Terrible experience. Bad service. Waiting for the guide an hour when we booked it a month ago. Wanted to charge us the menu when we took only 3 plates. Bad coordination in general, unexperienced staff. No answer to a complaint email, no gesture for our terrible stay. Please stay away!

Beautiful riad hotel with lovely rooms and amazing common areas (breakfast outdoors was our favorite). We asked for two rooms close to each other as we were traveling with our teenage kids and they effectively found a "private wing" for us with two rooms right next to each other, which was perfect and much appreciated. One small picky note: we are Americans unaccustomed to Morocco's tap water. They left bottles in our room, but when we requested extras they said they would have to charge us for that. I fully acknowledge we may drink more water than the average guest, but for a 5-star, Relais & Chateaux hotel this policy feels a little cheap. Other 5-star hotels (like the Oberoi in Marrakech) never hesitated to give you as many waters as you needed. The staff was very friendly about it, the issue is the policy which we would recommend changing to match other 5-star hotels. But still, other than that small comment, we loved our stay and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it or go back.