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Best Hotels in Fes Morocco: UNESCO Medina, Tanneries & Al-Qarawiyyin University (2026)
Riad Fes UNESCO's luxury suites in the Fes el-Bali medina, Palais Faraj's hilltop rooms overlooking the old city, and Dar Roumana's 14th-century riad — the best hotels in Fes, Morocco's ancient imperial city, for 2026.
Fes, Morocco: Ancient Imperial City of Tanneries, Universities, and Medina Life
Fes is home to the Chouara Tannery, an 11th-century leather-dyeing complex where hides are still treated by hand in a maze of stone vats — one of the oldest working tanneries anywhere. It’s also home to the University of Al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 AD by Fatima al-Fihri and recognized as the world’s oldest continuously operating university. The old city, Fes el-Bali, is a UNESCO World Heritage site (inscribed 1981) and the largest car-free urban area on Earth, its maze of streets too narrow for vehicles. Nearby, the Bou Inania Madrasa (1350) displays Marinid-era zellige tilework and carved stucco, hand-cut geometric mosaic work prized for its intricacy. Local cuisine centers on bastilla, a sweet-and-savory pigeon-and-almond pie unique to the region. And because cars can’t enter the medina, goods still move by donkey — an estimated 9,000 of them work the streets daily.
The Fes Hotels
Riad Fes UNESCO — Fes el-Bali Medina Mosaic Luxury Riad Suite
Price: €200–800/night | Location: 5 Derb Ben Slimane Zerbtana, Fes el-Bali 30000, Morocco
Riad Fes UNESCO sits deep inside the Fes el-Bali medina, within the UNESCO World Heritage zone. Its interior is decorated throughout with zellige mosaic and carved stucco, and the riad has its own traditional Moroccan hammam for guests. It’s a well-placed base for exploring the old city on foot.
Palais Faraj Fes — Hilltop Fes el-Bali Panorama Luxury Suite
Price: €300–1,200/night | Location: Quartier Ziat, Bab Guissa, Fes 30000, Morocco
Palais Faraj occupies a hilltop position above Fes el-Bali, and its suites open onto panoramic views over the medina below. The hotel’s restaurant, Les Méandres, serves Moroccan cuisine with the same sweeping views over the old city.
FAQ
When is the best time to visit Fes? March through May and September through November are the pleasant shoulder-season months to visit, with mild temperatures throughout. Summer (July–August) brings heat above 40°C and is best avoided. Music lovers should time a visit for June, when the Fes Festival of Sacred Music takes place. For photographing the tanneries, go in the morning, when the light is at its best.
What makes Al-Qarawiyyin the world’s oldest university? Al-Qarawiyyin was founded in 859 AD by Fatima al-Fihri, a wealthy woman who funded and established the institution herself. Guinness World Records recognized it in 1998 as the oldest continuously operating university on Earth. Its curriculum has historically centered on Islamic sciences, including Quranic studies and jurisprudence.