Palais Faraj

Palais Faraj sits on a hillside at the edge of the medina, near Bab Ziat, and its terraces look down over the rooftops of Fes el-Bali. The building began life as the Bensouda Palace, built by Si Mohamed Bensouda, the head of a large Fassi family, and it was once at the centre of a network of riads owned by the family. Evelyne and Driss Faceh turned it into a hotel in 2012, renaming and renovating it in the style of a 19th-century Moroccan palace while bringing the facilities up to modern standards.

The hotel has around 30 suites, from the smaller Trendy Riad Rooms up to the Royale Suite, and some of them look out over the medina, so ask for a view when you book. A swimming pool sits in the Grand Patio, where a tea room offers a calm place to sit in the afternoon, and there is also a sports room. The Essencia Spa, recently renovated, combines a traditional hammam with steam bath and massages with more contemporary treatments.

Eating in is a pleasure. L'Amandier and its rooftop garden serve refined Moroccan and Mediterranean cooking with views across the medina, and the menu draws on the traditions of Fassi palace kitchens. The Golden Bar, also with medina views, is a good place for a drink before dinner, and private dining can be arranged for special occasions. Because the hotel is on high ground, sunset from the terraces is a highlight, with the call to prayer drifting up from the old city.

Location is one of its strengths. The hotel is perched on a hill at the edge of the medina rather than deep inside it, which can make coming and going by taxi simpler than from riads in the heart of the old city. You can walk down into the lanes of Fes el-Bali, but the climb back up is steep, so plan a taxi for the return on hot days. Ask the concierge about guides and transfers.

Palais Faraj suits couples, honeymooners and travellers who want palace architecture and full hotel services with a view. It is a good compromise between the hilltop hotels outside the walls and the intimate riads within them. Book ahead in spring and autumn, and reserve a table at L'Amandier for at least one evening.