Riad - Dar Al Andalous

This Riad, in fact two family riads that have been combined, is tucked away down a blind alley, It's authentic, spacious and comfortable (although in winter, when we visited, the single heater/cooler, perched beneath the high roof, had little effect). If you're reading in your bedroom after dark, lighting is very inadequate. Breakfasts are generous and the owner is attentive - perhaps excessively so. A mild warning: we were repeatedly cajoled to write a 5-star review on platforms such as this one, ideally before we left. Similarly, if we had criticisms, to say silent and refrain from comment. For this reason, I suspect that the overall 9+ grading is unnaturally skewed towards the positive.

We arrived at the Riad Dar Al Andalous in the middle of a festival and the streets leading to the Riad were all closed. A kind Samaritan helped us navigate to our hotel and find off street parking. Any inconvenience was immediately erased when we entered the Riad! It was like entering another age, with hand made tiles, wooden cornices, vaulted ceilings, gardened courtyard, and fountains. The only thing missing was the Pasha and dancing girls. The owners live on site and manage the Riad, making sure that all guests are welcomed and comfortable at all times. The owners have done an excellent job of maintaining the unique old-world beauty and mystery but combining with air conditioning and modern bathrooms. Everything was very clean, and the service was exceptional. The Riad is in the old city, but off the beaten path and pleasantly calm and quiet. We were only in Fes for two nights and had all of our meals at the Riad. The Moroccan dishes were excellently prepared and beautifully presented. If you stay at this Riad, make sure to request the Moroccan Chicken Pastilla. There is no better comfort food in the world! The entire staff, housekeeper, cooks, porter, front desk, etc., are part of the Riad Dar Al Andalous family, which made our stay even more enjoyable. For those travelers like us who want something different than typical Mariott stay, we highly recommend the Riad Dar Al Andalous and will certainly stay there when we return to Fes! We stayed in several Riads while in Morocco and loved them all. The only issue is that none had elevators, and most rooms were upstairs. If you have old knees like we do, you will want to request ground floor rooms.