The Riad Sidrat Fes is a tranquil haven amongst the chaos of the medina, and our stay here was my favourite on our recent trip through Morocco. Not only was the traditional riad exquisitely beautiful, but the level of warmth and hospitality we received was second to none. If you’re going to visit Fes, this is the place to stay.
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I was about twelve years old when I first read about Morocco, specifically Marrakesh, and discovered what a riad was. The book also enlightened me on the subjects of henna hair dye, the Jemma el-Fnaa and hammams, although Hideous Kinky actually tells the semi-autobiographical story of a haphazard and fairly traumatic childhood. The story may be told from a child’s perspective, but it’s not a book for children. Still: I was sold.
Approximately twenty three years later, my dreams came true. We were going to stay in Fes and it was going to be wonderful, because we’d be staying in an actual real riad!
What a time to be alive!
In Morocco, you’ll want to stay in a riad
A riad is basically a Moroccan guesthouse. But it’s a completely different experience from a guesthouse stay in somewhere like England or the USA. Riads tend to be found only inside the medina, (i.e. the old town), of a city, and they lie behind completely unobtrusive doors in completely unobtrusive alleyways. In fact, from outside you’d have no idea of what beauty a riad’s walls can hold.
Normally there are only a few bedrooms within the building, and they’re all arranged around a central open courtyard, which is the perfect place to escape the heat and clamour of the city. The decor tends to be very traditional, the service is very personal, and breakfast is a massive spread of dishes which is always included in a stay.
If you’re after a glossier stay in Morocco, with a pool and dinner reservations, there are certainly plenty of options to choose from, especially outside of each city’s medina; but an authentic riad experience is what I was after. And that’s exactly what we found at the Riad Sidrat Fes.
Our stay at the Riad Sidrat Fes
The Riad Sidrat Fes was our first experience of a riad in Morocco, and the process of reaching it reminded me of a speakeasy we went to in Bangkok. We followed the very clear instructions to get to the entrance, which was mere footsteps from the edge of the medina, and then stood at the door. Because you can’t just walk into a riad. Nope. You have to venture down a shady alleyway, knock on the door or ring the bell, and patiently wait for someone to let you in. So that’s just what we did. Until someone’s face popped over the rooftop above us and called out-
“I’m coming down!”
The heavy wooden door was pulled upon from within and we stepped over the threshold, into one of the most beautiful spaces I’ve ever stayed in. Polished blue and white tiles gleamed from the walls and floors, fretwork adorned the windows and doorframes, and every piece of wooden furniture was ornate and full of intricate details.
On either side of the entrance, two leafy courtyards were open to the sunlight above, but they were completely cool and shaded from the intense heat of the street. Water trickled in a fountain. It was genuinely breath-taking.
“Welcome to the Riad Sidrat. My name is Miriam.”
“Hello, I’m Chris,” my pal Chris replied.
“Hello, I’m English,” I smiled.
How very embarrassing. Not sure what happened there. A glitch in the matrix? “I mean, Alex! I’m Alex!!”
The Riad Sidrat may be officially a guesthouse, but the level of service we received was as good as any 5-star hotel I’ve stayed at. Miriam sat with us and very graciously overlooked my scarlet-with-embarassment-cheeks, while another super-friendly man brought us some sweet mint tea and cake. After helping us up to our room, he showed us the sun-drenched roof terrace, all the while chatting away about our shared love of music. What a guy.
I felt like a princess in a turret as we wound our way up the mosaic-tiled staircase to our double room. Our door opened onto a little entranceway leading to our beautiful bathroom and another staircase which led up to the bedroom and the top of our ‘tower.’ With a window directly above the street, you’d imagine there might be some traffic noise; but pals, your imagination would be misguided. The streets of the medina are far too narrow for heavy vehicles.
In the morning the only noise from around us was the occasional rooster crowing, the twitter of birdsong and the chatter of two women in the street. It was heaven.
Breakfast in Morocco
I feel like the phrase ‘breakfast like a king’ must have been coined in Morocco. Because breakfast at the Riad Sidrat Fes was truly a thing of wonder. A whole selection of Moroccan breads and pancakes, olives, yoghurt, orange juice, coffee, fresh fruit and freshly cooked eggs were presented to us each and every day, in a sort of parade of small dishes which seemed unlikely to stop at first. Delicious, and more than enough to fuel ourselves for the hours to come exploring the streets of the city.
This was our first experience of a proper Moroccan breakfast, and these extravagant breakfast platters are a standard when you’re staying in a riad. Breakfast is always included in the price of a stay at a riad, because you should really feel like you’re staying in somebody’s rather lovely home. (Would you invite someone to stay and not feed them before they left in the morning? I should hope not.)
The Riad Sidrat is the place to stay in Fes
I can’t remember ever being ‘charmed’ by a hotel before, but the Riad Sidrat did just that, pals: I was completely and utterly charmed. Its elegance, its warmth and its relaxed homeliness made it the perfect choice of stay for our time in Fes. Fes was my favourite city that we visited in Morocco, and part of that, for sure, is thanks to the amazing stay we had at the Riad Sidrat.
Check room rates and availability for the Riad Sidrat Fes.
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