Dar Seffarine is a one-off: a beautifully renovated dar which combines impeccable design with lazy, laid-back living - and unbeatable prices. But it's not for everyone. If you don't mind leaving your bedroom doors open, dining with the other guests and having your mint tea served by the lad from next door, then read on.
Alaa and Kate have resurrected this 600-year-old house with their own hands, lots of love and plenty of patience. He's an architect from Iraq, she's a graphic designer from Norway, and the result is a highly original blend of Moorish monumentalism and Scandinavian minimalism. Think soaring square columns, 18-foot carved cedar doors and zellij-tiled floors set against blank white walls.
And it’s definitely a home rather than a hotel. The central courtyard and the roof terrace are the focus of communal life, and you’ll feel as if you're among friends - or people who are soon to become your friends. It’s a mecca for open-minded travellers who like to share beers and travel stories on the stunning roof terrace before retiring to a palatial but pared-down bedroom; and who want to experience the real Fes in all its gritty, colourful, noisy splendour. It's the kind of place you could easily book for a night and end up staying a week, or even a month if you're not careful.
Highs
- The stunning bedrooms have high ceilings, intricate tilework, painted wooden doors and ornate furniture
- The warm, generous hospitality from the owners goes far beyond that of any professional hotelier
- We enjoyed an excellent home-cooked dinner during our latest revisit, and guests consistently rave about the food here
- The level of quality is excellent for the price and has never wavered over the years of us visiting
- The roof terrace is the real high point here (excuse the pun) - the views alone make this an excellent place to stay
Lows
- There are lots of steep, narrow steps here
- It's very laid-back (as you will have gathered) and the communal atmosphere may not be for everyone
- Not many mod cons, and the WiFi didn't quite stretch to the roof terrace - but you'll have views and great company for entertainment
- Not for young kids - besides anything else, there are low parapets around the terrace
Best time to go
Fes is a year-round destination, but you may prefer to avoid mid-summer when temperatures can rocket and the hassle of the souks can seem that much more of an ordeal. The city has a more relaxed vibe in the low season.
Our top tips
Don't miss evenings on the roof terrace; the view of the medina is absolutely breathtaking. You're situated at the bottom of a gently curving bowl, so the city wraps itself around you, creating an utterly mesmerising view - pictures will never do it justice. Watching the city change colour as the sun set, with the call to prayer humming around us, was a real moment to remember for us.
- Riad Hotel
- 7 rooms
- Breakfast (+ dinner on request)
- Children over 12 are welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
Rooms
There are 7 bedrooms spread over 2 double-height storeys and a mezzanine; connecting doors provide secret passages to the various staircases. All have small ensuite bathrooms and the 2 suites (Anneka and Kobbe) are much larger and more opulent - but still excellent value. You won't find many frills of the modern kind but plenty of original 14th-century ones, including hand-painted chests, mosaic-tiled floors and antique wardrobes which match the fabric of the house to a tee.
All rooms have double beds, though friends travelling together should opt for the Tutta Room, Blain Room or Josephine Room all of which can be made up as twins. Low beds have excellent mattresses and plump pillows, from where you peep across through curly-grilled windows into the communal courtyard, or out to the tanneries of the Andalous quarter.
We stayed in the fabulous Kobbe Suite. It has beautiful tiled floors, ornate wooden furniture and the crowning glory is a painted domed ceiling, which Alaa only discovered as he stripped off newer layers of colour. It's worth paying the little extra for this one.
There are enough comforts to ensure you sleep and wash well: air-conditioning in summer, gas / electric heaters in winter, plus tadlakt handbasins, decent showers with reliable hot water. All in all, it's a very pleasing blend of Fassi opulence and modern restraint.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Fan
- WiFi
Eating
A communal breakfast is served on the terrace from 8.30am until the conversation runs out, with fresh juice, 3 breads, homemade jams (maybe apricot, apple, even carrot), eggs (fried or omelette), fried tomatoes, and cheese (if you're lucky you might get Norwegian goats cheese).
You can also join Kate and Alaa for dinner, sharing whatever they have cooked with whoever else is around. There is no choice of menu, but everything is delicious and it's excellent value. We enjoyed a feast of breads, salads, soup, a huge communal lamb tagine and fruit for pudding. Vegetarians can be catered for with advance warning. You can bring your own alcohol or buy wine or beer; there's fridge space for storing cold water bottles, and mint tea is on the house.
Most people eat out some of the time - often with other guests - and there's no shortage of nosh on offer within walking distance, from simple stalls selling sweet and savoury pastries to the top-notch feasts offered by Maison Bleue. Kate and Alaa are happy to advise.
Features include:
- Breakfast
- Communal dining
- Dinner by arrangement
- Restaurants nearby
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- Fes's vast and bustling medina is on your doorstep, so you can browse and barter to your heart's content
- You're a few paces from Seffarine square, where the copper craftsmen work next to a vast university library; and only a few more from the colourful (but smelly) Andalous tanneries, the clothes-dying quarters
- The Kairouine mosque is nearby (open to Muslims only), as are various ornate medersas (seminaries), including the much-visited Attarine
- The main souk starts just behind the Kairouine mosque, 5 minutes' walk away
- Kate and Alaa can put you in touch with good local guides who take you to their favourite hidden palaces, rather than the shops which pay them the most baksheesh. In our experience a guide is well worth the cost, especially for your first day, and even more so if you can hook up with a couple more people and share costs
- If you want to venture outside the city ask Kate and Alaa about trips into the Middle Atlas, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the town of Meknes and the spa of Moulay Yacoub
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Private guided tours
- Shopping / markets
- Traditional cultures
Kids
Children over 12 are welcome at Dar Seffarine. It's not suitable for younger children as there are low parapets around the terrace.
Best for:
Teens (over 12)
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Dar Seffarine is in the south of Fes's medina, near the gate of Bab Rcif.
By Air
Fly into Fes Sais (15km), which is served by several airlines. Click on the links below for a list.
From the Airport
It is about 30 minutes from the airport to Dar Seffarine. Transfers can be arranged through the hotel (see Rates). Ask to be dropped off at the gate of Bab Rcif; it's a 5-minute walk from there so print off the map below or call the hotel for a porter/guide.
By Train
There are regular trains to Fes from Casablanca (4 hours), Tangiers (5 hours) and Marrakech (7hours).
By Car
Fes is not a car friendly city and you can only reach Seffarine on foot, so hiring a car isn't advisable here. However, if you want to hire a car to explore other parts of Morocco see our car rental recommendations.
More on getting to Morocco and getting around
Airports:
- Fes Sais 15.0 km FEZ
Other:
- Beach 150.0 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.2 km