Riad Layalina Fez

We spent 6 relaxing nights in this this beautifully restored Riad at the edge of the Fes Medina. Our three room suite had views of the distant medieval city walls and ruined fortress on one side and the medina rooftops and the Riad's lovely interior tiled courtyard with small pool on the other side. The bathroom was large and modern, the lounge was spacious and had large full-length doors looking down 2 stories into the inner courtyard, and the bedroom was comfortable and well-airconditioned. The restoration has not over-modernized the authentic charm of the building, which we prefer. The 2 flights of stairs were well worth the view, but if you prefer there are smaller rooms on the first and second floors. The generous and delicious breakfasts were served in the courtyard. We opted to eat dinner in the courtyard each night. You could make your request of a chicken, beef, lamb, or vegetable tagine which was preceded by a different variety of scrumptiously prepared Moroccan vegetables and salad. Desserts and fruit were offered if you could make room. Very reasonably priced. However wonderful the above sounds, it was the the staff's kindness, warmth, and eagerness to individually accommodate the needs of the guests that truly made this hotel unique. We have stayed at small boutique hotels all over the world and would place Mohammed and his colleague Billal at the top of the list. They helped us arrange tours of the medina and city walls(if Mr. Ahmed is available you will gain insight into the history, culture, and current complexity of modern Morocco). We highly recommend taking Mohammed's Moroccan cooking class. Although we had already spent many hours taking in the marketplace, it was a treat to watch Mohammed interacting with his friends/merchants as we shopped for the ingredients for the tagines we learned to cook. Sharing the experience of meal preparation with the two lovely hotel chefs (with Mohammed translating)was educational and fun. We opted for really getting to know Fes and using it as our base for excursions to Volubilis and Meknes. Being able to return to the Layalina each night made for a relaxed, low stress vacation experience.
Susan - Los Angeles, USA

This is a beautiful riad right on the edge of the Médina, and it’s a great location for setting off on foot to explore. The staff is very helpful and thoughtful, the breakfasts are huge and tasty, and the view from the rooftop terrace is spectacular. They even have a private lot if you need to park a car, very handy feature. The space is cozy and beautiful and romantic, and we loved staying there. Recommend it highly!
John - Kansas City, USA

I booked with Jerome for 2 nights on a family trip of 4 couples. Jerome always answers messages very quickly. Unfortunately I couldn't make it at the last minute but the staff at the riad were wonderful and looked after them impeccably. They felt very well taken care of in a warm and welcoming atmosphere with lovely people. The riad was beautiful, hugely spacious, traditional in decor and has amazing views from the roof. It was an even shorter walk from the centre than anticipated and I am told the breakfasts were best that were had on the trip and hugely generous. The only thing that might be improved on is that the lighting in some of the rooms was just a little dark. Otherwise this is a top notch riad.
Sara - London, UK

This is a really good place to stay if you are in Fes. The location is very convenient to explore the medina and also reachable by car so that you don’t have to drag your luggage through hectic medina. The riad itself is very beautiful and the staff are all helpful to accommodate all your request. Really recommended!
Pete - Bangkok, Thailand

Had a fabulous 2 night stay at Riad Layalina. Very close to the Medina and other main tourist sights. Room itself was lovely, very traditional and the view from the rooftop terrace is beautiful. The service was great, and nothing was too much trouble, highly recommend.
Karien - Brisbane, Australia

From the moment we arrived, Mohamed made us so welcome at Jerome’s place. Lovely mint tea and fresh fruit bowls, after which he took us to the terrace and orientated us with landmarks and recommended highlights! The Riad is truly beautiful, with a lovely courtyard and plunge pool. The Suite was perfect. One of the best things about the Riad is the location - close to the Blue gate and the Medina and with views over the city. And then there was breakfast - the best we have had in Morocco.
Juliette - Le Cap, South Africa

Very easy to get to, extremely close to the Médina, fantastic parking. Very good breakfast.
Hannah - Melbourne, Australia

Welcome tea and fruit salad which is made my day, very helpful and informative Manager. I just said that only one night is not enough ! closed to the Sour and cafe everywhere. spectacular view at the roof top, dont miss it.
Devitt - Hong Kong, China

We stayed four nights in this wonderfully authentic riad. We booked directly with the riad which was easy to do; Jerome and his team were very helpful in arranging a transfer from the airport, and subsequently a car to take us to the border at Beni Ansar. From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed and very well looked after by the team. Our room was large and had a mezzanine floor which was perfect for our twelve year old daughter. There is a beautiful courtyard where breakfast is served, and a roof terrace with terrific views for sunbathing or reading. The riad is conveniently situated about a one minute walk from the souq, and it is easy to find your way there and back. The wifi was good and my husband was able to catch up with some essential work whilst staying here. The breakfasts were amazing! Each day a slightly different and generous spread of fruit, breads, omelette, pancakes and so on. We also dined at the riad one evening and had the most delicious cous cous, far superior to what we are used to at home; it was a feast! I would return here without hesitation.
Jane - Tynemouth, UK

After reviewing a lot of positive comments on this Riad on Tripadvisor, we decided to book 3 nights at Riad Layalina Fez. The Riad itself exceeded our expectation. Beautiful decorative works and a lovely courtyard with a small pool. We were assigned a junior suite on the top floor. The room is huge with iron wrought stairway leading to a small mezzanine. Lighting is a little bit dim but that is perhaps the charm of a historic building. One drawback is the bathroom, small shower area and slow drainage, which may be the limitation of a historic building. We were also pleased that they provided a safe private car park, which is rare in accommodation near the medina. This is a great plus if you are driving a rental car. For breakfast, we had a sumptuous meal with traditional pastries and dips in the lovely courtyard. The dips were held in tiny colourful tagines (see picture). We found the tagines so cute that we decided to buy a dozen of small ones in the souk as souvenirs. Of course, there are things that can improve, such as sound proof. The birds could get noisy in early morning, a disturbance to a good sleep. One way to get around is to go to bed early 🙂 All in all, we are very satisfied with the Riad and will definitely choose it again if we visit Fes again.
Yat - Hong Kong, China