Le Grand Alcazar - Riad — Hotel in Fez

Book with confidence! From the moment I made our reservation, until long after we checked out, the family at Le Grand Alcazar made us feel welcome and so fortunate to be staying with them. Omar communicated with me quickly, and went to great lengths to try and secure us the same room for two nights. Once we arrived, they welcomed us with tea and pastries, along with fantastic conversation.

The entire Riad and rooms we stayed in were gorgeous and extremely comfortable. We ended up staying in two separate suites while there - the blue suite on the terrace and the Amber suite on the ground floor. I was worried about the noise on the ground floor since it was right outside one of the areas used for breakfast, but we slept soundly. The transition between rooms was seem less, and without any disruption for our stay. The woodwork throughout the Riad was breathtaking, and the pool was refreshing after a hot day exploring the Medina. The AC in the rooms was quite cold, and we did not need to run throughout the night. (Which is saying a lot for a family of Texans). The views from the terrace gave us a great view of the Medina.

We enjoyed dinner at Le Grand Alcazar one night, and the breakfasts were so delicious and fun to visit with other people staying at the Riad. While in Fes we felt pressured by some other establishments, but the family at Le Grand Alcazar were full of help and great advice. After we left, we thought we forgot a cell phone, and the housekeeping staff went to great lengths to find the phone for us. While the phone was not there (we found it elsewhere), we knew we could trust that they went above and beyond to locate the phone. Le Grand Alcazar far exceeded any expectations I had when booking, and I look forward to visiting them again. Many thanks to all for an amazing first...

What can I say- our stay was absolutely exceptional. The riad itself is beautiful, decorated and restored with so much love and care. Sitting and eating in the courtyard feels so special, and the rooms are generously spaced out with large beds. It is perfectly located in the medina, very safe and quiet and we could easily find our way around the beautiful city of Fes. But more than this, the service from beginning to end was impeccable. Omar and Othmane and their absolutely wonderful staff went out of their way to make our stay amazing from start to finish. They picked us up very late at night to bring us to the hotel and had the kitchen still open specifically to make sure we still got a warm meal upon arrival- by the way, the food was by far the best we had during our stay in Fes. No matter where we went we always ended up going back to our hotel and eating at whichever time we desired to. On our first day they arranged a fantastic guide to show us around the city very short notice. On the second day they arranged for two masseuses to come to the hotel for us and they spontaneously arranged a private cooking lesson for us on how to make their tradition delicious food. I’m so excited to make it back home! That same day they arranged for me to have a blow dry at a Spa as many places in Fes don’t speak English. In general no matter what we needed or desired, they made it happen with the biggest smile on their face. My favorite moment was when we were sitting at dinner and Othmane played a piece on the piano just for us. Everyone was just so nice and lovely and made us feel like we are home, and that’s what riad le grand alcazar was for us for our short stay in Fes. It is hospitality done right- we came as strangers and left as friends. Thank you for this wonderful experience!...

The rooms at Le Grand Alcazar are truly beautiful, with stunning views and a gorgeously designed riad atmosphere. The property itself is amazing and very well done up, setting expectations for a stay of the highest standard.

Unfortunately, the service does not match the quality of the rooms. Almost everything requested from the staff — whether airport transfers, cabs, or even drinks — came at inflated prices compared to the norm in Fes, making the experience feel exploitative rather than hospitable.

Most concerning, however, was the handling of ‘local taxes’. The hotel insisted on collecting them in cash only and refused to provide an itemised receipt, despite repeated requests.To be clear every other hotel in Morocco so far has given us clear bills for tourist taxes except Le Grand Alcazar.

When I checked with well-established 5-star hotels in Fes, the standard tax was confirmed to be 30 per person per night, far less than what was charged here. Having read through govt decrees as well, 30 is the maximum that can be charged.

The manner in which these charges were handled felt sketchy and left me with the distinct impression that the fees were being pocketed rather than officially collected.

This left a very bitter impression of what could otherwise have been an exceptional stay. I have still not been able to reach the hotel for a resolution, which only adds to the disappointment. While the views and the riad itself are gorgeous, the lack of transparency, professionalism, and fairness in service overshadows everything else.

For context sharing a proper itemised bill for my room along with the very sketchy bill for the local taxes. The first such bill I have...