Riad Laaroussa

The experience we had at another Riad set very, very high expectations, so read this with that in mind :) I've worked and stayed in luxury hotels around the world, and if you're looking for a stunning hotel, with pleasant service this would be a top choice. However overall we were looking for more of an intimate experience. Staff were very nice; they were young, friendly, kind and caring. Travelling with my mother however, it felt very uncomfortable when I was asked 'how my wife was doing?!', this summed up the disconnection between the hotel and the experience. A beautiful hotel but short of a 4/5 star experience. It is one of the most stunning Riads you will stay at. The restaurant serves great food, and the views are amazing - if you can handle the three floors of steep steps. Overall, you won't be disappointed but it felt like when we stayed there was no manager for those extra touches you expect when paying this much.

We spent 5 days after Christmas here. Where to start ? The heart of the place resides with the welcoming staff. This Riad is a retreat from everything. The building is an amazing renovation and so interestingly decorated with lots of areas to relax in, and you can read your book by a log fire, or sit and look at the long views to the mountains from the rooftop. It is one of those places where the centre is open to the sky but filled with orange trees and seating, with tiled steps to rooms around the edges. We chose to come for winter sunshine, but of course it is cool early in the day and the warmth was appreciated in the rooftop breakfast room from the log fire . To accommodate our dates we stayed in 2 rooms, with very comfy beds, the Ghislaine and yellow room. We quite like staying at our base in the evening after a long day when all your senses are filled to the brim, and we enjoyed all our meals here. We had organised by email in advance an outing to Volubilus & Meknes by private taxi (followed by a relaxing hammam & spa treatment for both of us together ), and a guided tour of the streets and some sights in Fes on our first day. We arranged a most enjoyable cooking lesson through Riad Anata (suggested by the reception team) starting with a wander to the vegetable market for the ingredients . We would definitely recommend staying here to any of our friends and would pick it again should we return. Some places you have to tear yourself away from, and this is an excellent choice in Fes. We had travelled via Casablanca from Marrakesh by train and were met at the station by a pre-arranged taxi through the Riad , and also to the airport. We had full confidence in the drivers Omar and Saddiq, our transport worked smoothly to plan .

We really enjoyed our stay at Riad Laaroussa Hotel and would highly recommend it to friends. I honestly cannot imagine a nicer home base in Fez. Staff was kind, attentive and multilingual. All of the facilities—entry, courtyard, room, pool, dining area, and rooftop lounge--were totally beautiful, up to date while also retaining historical detail. We enjoyed all of the meals that we had there (breakfasts and two dinners)—a nice combination of familiar and unfamiliar flavors—all taken in with the fantastic view of Fez on the rooftop. The only caveat that I would add is that if climbing stairs is a challenge for you, this is probably not the place for you. That said, if stairs are not a problem, the double high stairs are 100% part of the fun of experiencing this Riad.