Serene, peaceful, heartbreakingly beautiful, this 17th century palace with its carved plaster arches and orange-tree shaded courtyard got its Art Deco edge in the 1920s after an earthquake. Today it’s the ultimate base from which to lose your heart to the mystical labyrinth that is the Fes el Bali.
Palais Amani is just two minutes from a main entrance to the maze that is the Fes el Bali, the city’s main old city and the largest pedestrian zone in the world. Stepping outside feels rather like dropping down a rabbit hole into Wonderland: within minutes of the front door you’ll find soaring minarets, saints shrines, pungent tanneries, copper beaters souks, classic djellaba (local, hooded kaftans) tailors and taste-bud tingling street food.
After a meticulous four year renovation during which hand cut zellije tiles were scrubbed and polished, cedar wood beams stripped and oiled, chimneys swept and heating and air-conditioning added, this belle is back to her former glory with added luxe factor. Hand-woven drapes festoon giant cedar doors, crimson Moroccan carpets warm ancient floors, and sofas bulging with cushions turn capacious rooms into cosy spaces for canoodling.
Professionally personal. Fancy a romantic hammam for two? You’ve got it. A cocktail while sunning yourself on the roof terrace? Not a problem. A classic Moroccan cooking class, contemporary Moroccan dinner under the stars, or a silky, red from the Meknes wine region fireside in the lounge? Mais oui.
Sympathetically pared-back to make the most of their grand proportions, but there are choices to be made. A tub over dual showers for example, or a smartly tucked away mezzanine bedroom if the kids are in tow. It’s blessedly free of TV, but the Wi-Fi is good throughout and 24-hour room service ensures you won’t go hungry or thirsty. Honeymooners checking in are treated to rose petals scattered with wild abandon, chilled champagne and a silver cake stand laden with North African treats.
Nibble Moroccan inspired tapas with an aperitif in the Art Deco rooftop bar, or tuck into Chef Houssam Laassiri’s creative interpretation of his country’s nice cuisine at Eden. Dishes change weekly and include desubtles like creamy avocado goats cheese tart and spiced roasted poussin stuffed with red olives and preserved lemons. Do linger over breakfast to make the most of gentle-boiled eggs with soldiers and local favourite, chorba, a hearty vegetable and noodle soup.
The palais has six ground floor rooms and a lift all the way to the roof. For wheelchair users getting around outside the hotel is tricky, but not impossible.
Kids are welcome, and several of the rooms are well suited to families. But this is really a grown-up pad where nice wine, food and pampering take precedence.
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