Palais Faraj Suites & Spa ★★★★★

For our first trip to Fez,we chose a suite in a hotel that's a cut above.. We found ourselves in the Palais Faraj, a gorgeous riad boasting grandiloquent oriental architecture. Sitting halfway up a hill, this palace offers unparalleled views of the citystretching toward the horizon. Maintaining a standard of service from a bygone age, they offer us an extremely friendly and personal welcome, serving us delicious Moroccan tea and pastries upon arrival that makes us feel like a different class of traveller.

We had chosen the Ambassador Suites for the added touch of indulgence that everyone deserves from time to time. Blessed with a private lounge, the suite doffs its hat to the very best of traditional Moroccan styles and techniques: ceilings of painted cedar, intricate and brightly coloured zellige tile mosaics, lace-like stucco, marble... Sipping at the refreshing mint tea laid out in honour of our arrival, paired with a deliciously sweet bite of the pastries, plunges us into another world of Moroccan hospitality.

Looking forward to a few days of pure relaxation, reclining in the spa and pottering through the labyrinthine streets of the old city, my sense of anticipation only mounts. Tempted by the restaurant specialising in the local cuisine of Fez, we book a table for that very night at the hotel's Amandier restaurant. Dusk settling on the city of Fez takes our breath away. The Maître D’ delivered on his promise of a well-located table, right next to the window. We delight in the delicious traditional Moroccan cuisine beforerounding out the evening with more sweet pastries and fresh mint tea.

Enraptured, we spend our days flitting between visits to the Medina and the massages, exfoliating scrubs and Turkish baths of the hotel spa. I feel transformed, revitalised by the magic of the city, the magic of the Palais Faraj Suites. We have uncovered another of Morocco's hidden gems, but who knows how many more await.