Having heard from friends about fabulous Fez becoming the ‘new Marrakech,’ we had set our hearts on this city and good fortune led us to the Palais Amani. This opulent riad is a treasure trove of top-class services. Located in the heart of the ancient medina, this is the perfect place to begin to get to know this enigmatic, mysterious, and beautiful city.
The building is wrapped around a courtyard with a stone fountain and pool, glowing green in the evening. In the morning light you see its full splendour, with the intricately decorated pool and the ancient stone fountain at its centre providing a light refreshing sound. We enjoyed a bird’s eye view from a serene flower-filled rooftop terrace where you can relax on a lounger and admire the gorgeous views.
In our little luxurious home from home, there was a lovely patterned tiled floor, while we slept among Egyptian hand-embroidered linen and rugs in shades of ochre, rust, and brilliant carmine red.
In the restaurant, shuttered stained-glass windows of intense cobalt blue and gold cast a magical air on the room which was surrounded with intricate blue tiles. The food was really amazing; we were presented with a series of real Moroccan dishes, and it was consistently and marvellously delicious.
The next day I just had to experience the Hammam. It was full of pretty petal-strewn pools rippling in the candlelight, and the scrub and massage left me floating. Determined to make the most of what this lovely place has to offer, I signed up on an impulse for a cookery course of tajine and side dishes. It was a great experience, shopping at the medina, preparing the food at the Palace Amani, and enjoying a lovely lunch to taste the fruits of our labours. I was thrilled, and my husband was impressed too and even suggested I should show off my new skills to our friends at home.