When the English weather turns a little grey, and the light refuses to linger, it’s only natural to crave sun and spice. And if such an escape is calling to you, I know just the place to set your sights on - the vibrant, artful and truly delicious Palais Amani in the bustling heart of Fez.
With a history reaching back to the 1600s, this lush riad - a former family-home - lay abandoned for decades until owners Jemima Mann-Baha and Abdel Ali Baha brought it back to vibrant life, creating an ornate haven amongst the Fez buzz. Today, the riad brims with Art Deco details, traditional textiles and ceramics, Iraqi stained glass, hand-woven carpets and tiling aplenty - all of which are paired with a dusting of citrus trees and an intoxicating sense of calm. Come night, lanterns are lit and live music from local performers blends with the mellifluous babble of the central courtyard’s fountain. As befitting a hideaway designed to make you feel like chilled-out royalty, mint tea and freshly-baked biscuits will also be offered (and in my case accepted) every time you take a seat.
Although I was besotted with my room (the sumptuous Grand Suite, which is larger than my London flat and topped off with a bed that was part cloud, and a tub I could swim in), my favourite Palais Amani space was its rooftop terrace. With views over the medina and onto the mountains beyond, there are few places better for sundowners as the call to prayer echoes across the city. That said, the hammam, all earthy tones and candlelight, is the sort of space where worries wash away - and you depart feeling deliciously silky.
When it comes to exploring the wondrously disorienting labyrinth that is the ancient medina - a World Heritage Site bejewelled with 13th-century buildings - it’s best to let yourself get lost. That said, all the Palais Amani staff are local, so if there are wares you desire, or museums that tempt you, all you need to do is ask.
One site you can’t miss is the Chouara Tannery, which has been running since the 16th century … if not before. Atmospheric and aromatic (holding a bunch of mint over your nose will help), you have to enter one of the adjacent leather stores to get a glimpse - but striking up the necessary conversations along the way is all part of the experience.
If you wish to feast beyond Palais Amani’s Eden Restaurant (months later, I’m still lusting for their couscous), there’s the beautifully-tiled Dar Roumana, where the menu is built around whatever is most scrumptious in the medina that day. For casual feasting with a view, there’s Cafe Clock (although the climb to the rooftop dining area is not for the faint-hearted), or settle in at the atmospheric Ruined Garden, which has a bread-making school to boot.
You can also hone your culinary prowess with Palais Amani’s Fez Cooking School, which celebrates Moroccan and Sephardic cuisine. Classes begin with a guided meander through the medina, collecting a melange of ingredients (and other tempting treasures) as you wander, before you head to the riad’s rooftop kitchen, and end with a feast by the fountain. Once you have mastered a tajine, the world really is at your feet.
I arrived in Fez sun-starved and (as we all seem to be) a little run down. But after a few days of Moroccan sun, sumptuous interiors, medina exploration, rooftop lounging and hammam scrubbing, I departed feeling like an entirely new woman - and with a suitcase full of ceramics. Palais Amani, I shall return!
