Dar Seffarine — Hotel in Fez

Riad Dar Seffarine was my first stop in Morocco on a 17-day trip; after the entire experience staying across the country and seeing dozens of raids, I can safely say it's the most impressive one in scale, detail, overall artistry, and hospitality.

In planning our trip and arriving to Fes from the airport in Casablanca, Dar Seffarine was very communicative and extremely helpful. They gave detailed instructions in finding the medina in Fes and locating parking. A staff member met us at our car and facilitated parking for us and had our luggage brought to the riad. Walking through the medina is a magical experience for the first time, and Dar Seffarine is located smack dab in the heart of it all.

Walking in from the winding streets, you are dizzied by the massive arches and towering ceilings, every square inch of which is covered in vibrant telework and painted detail. The owners, architect Alaa and designer Kate, have painstakingly restored every inch of the building to its original splendor with traditional techniques and local master craftsmen.

The staff (shoutout to Youssef and everyone!) were so welcoming and accommodating. Care for mint tea on the rooftop as you read during sunset? Check. Need some wine to unwind after exploring all day? Done. Concerned about making a dinner reservation? They've already arranged to have someone walk you there! Moroccan hospitality is well known, but there's something about everyone here at Dar Seffarine that pushes them one step further to craft the perfect experience. You can tell they love where they work and appreciate Alaa and Kate as coworkers and companions.

And then there's OUR ROOM. I think this room is larger than my HOUSE. We splurged on the largest, most decadent room and were not in the least bit disappointed. In case you need your own 600-year-old stain glass windows and domed ceiling to get up in the morning, this is your jam. Each room, though, has its own beauty and detail that makes it the perfect spot. We also did an architectural tour of the riad with Alaa the owner to understand the intricacies of Islamic architecture; while the tour stays within the confines of the riad, it was invaluable for the rest of our trip in understanding how Islamic beliefs and cultural history have shaped architecture and design.

All in all, I would go back here in a heartbeat. The staff sent us messages after we left to make sure we were still doing well, even. The architectural masterpiece of Dar Seffarine, is enough to make it a must. Throw in the souq/market-centered location, caring staff, delectable homemade food, and rooftop views and you have yourself an...

A colleague recommended this house, and we were thrilled with what we got. We were still in a warm-up phase for this foreign culture, and Fes is a strict place religiously, especially during Ramadan. With the largest medina in Morocco, we were well advised to have the hotel arrange our arrival with a taxi driver to take us right in front of the hotel door. Once we arrived, we could hardly believe our eyes. The 15th-century house is a palace inferior only in size to the city's palaces. Well preserved and carefully and tastefully restored, these rooms allow you to experience Arab architecture and culture. Our room was vast and wonderful. The service in the house is very courteous, attentive and, in contrast to the ambience, modern. The view from the house's roof is spectacular and makes the sight of the sunset, and thus in Ramadan, the beginning of iftar, a visual and an acoustic experience. We booked a guide through the Seffarine, who took us through the medina for three hours and enlightened us about Arab culture within Morocco. This, of course, included visits to various shops with sales performances. If you want to walk the medina streets on your own, I recommend arranging a Moroccan sim card for your phone so you can use Google Maps to find your way. Don't be put off by the many young men who approach you blatantly, sometimes rudely, to show you the way. Pay attention to them, look them in the eye, and, if necessary, decline their offer in a friendly but firm manner. It would help if you had a few Arabic phrases of politeness ready. This way, you will quickly gain the self-confidence to transform yourself from a tourist to a human counterpart in this for locals sometimes-unstable environment. We enjoyed our time in Fes and Seffarine, overcame our initial culture shock, and learned our lesson. Thank you very much! We had a...

Dar Seffarine is visually impressive and tastefully decorated (not gaudy). It met the high expectations set by photos seen here at TripAdivisor. ||The staff were courteous and spoke English well and, upon arrival, kindly met me at the cab stop to help me find my way to the hotel. Other guests during my stay seemed courteous & considerate.||The riad is located beside R'cif Mosque, a little south and east of some of the main medina sites but a decent base for walking around the medina. It's a short (10 minute) walk to the R'Cif bus stop (former Bab R'Cif gate area), the point you'll be taken to if arriving by car, from which you can grab a petit taxi to points farther afield, and where there are several restaurants.||My room was one of the more modest (but still attractive) rooms on the lower floor on the east side of the building. Street noise was a bit of an issue in this room at night; even with the window closed, one could easily hear people talking (sometimes loudly and sometimes very late at night) as they walked along the alley beneath the window. Ear plugs helped. The lighting in the room (and the common areas of the riad, other than roof deck) was very subtle - not great if you wanted to read.||The breakfast room, a room beside the roof deck, and the communal breakfast table setting were very pleasant; but, during my stay, the variety of breakfast food was a little thin and unimaginative compared to other riads I stayed in; Other guests and I kept looking around to see if there was something else on the breakfast table we had missed.||Overall, a good stay in a memorable, tastefully restored/decorated riad with a decent...