Fes is on almost every traveler’s itinerary when visiting Morocco for the first time…and for good reason. The Fes medina is legendary, a UN World Heritage Site known as “one of the most extensive and best conserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world.” The almost impossibly narrow, labyrinthine network of centuries-old roads and alleyways can be worth a couple days of exploration, but it can also be overwhelming, especially if you’re spending the night.
Because of that, when we went to Fes last year, we decided to stay at the Marriott Jnan Palace in the wider, leafier, calmer Ville Nouvelle so we could dip in and out of the medina while still being free to stretch our arms and legs in the evening.
Fes Marriott Jnan Palace Bottom Line Review
The Fes Marriott Jnan Palace certainly feels royal when you pull up to the massive, arched gate. Inside, it’s a spacious hotel organized around a lovely pool area with copious outdoor areas for relaxing, eating or enjoying a cocktail. The location is great for exploring the city and there are plenty of restaurants and shopping within walking distance, but it’s still tucked away in its own calm neighbourhood. There’s nothing especially exceptional here and some parts of the property (including our room) were showing their age. That said, it’s a solid points value for what it does offer. Thumbs Up
- Price: We paid ~60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a five-night stay, which included the Marriott fifth night free benefit on award stays. In general, the price seems to hover around 15K/night, or ~US$150 in cash during the high season.
- Value: When we were there the value was very good at over 1.25 cents per point (we value the average redemption of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each).
- Location: The hotel has a convenient location, located off of a major thoroughfare, Avenue Allal Ben Abdelleh, in a leafy neighborhood with wide streets. There are plenty of dining options within walking distance and the major tourist sites are never more than 10-15 minutes by car.
- Room: We booked a standard king room and were proactively upgraded to a bi-level Family Suite with an upstairs living room and downstairs bedroom. The room was cool and kitschy-luxurious, if a little dark. Based on the amount of wear on some of the walls, it had obviously seen its share of families.
- Parking: Complimentary on-site valet and self parking.
- Resort/Destination Fee: None.
- Internet: Very good throughout the property.
- Service: Service was efficient and unexceptional. Everyone was kind and responsive, no one seemed to be interested in making much effort beyond that.
- Turndown service: Nightly.
- Dining:
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Jnan al-Fassi: High-end Moroccan restaurant with live music open M-Sat for dinner from 7pm – 12am.
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Eat Neocantine: Casual, intensely-decorated restaurant with a terrific patio that serves an amalgam of international options. Open daily for lunch from 12pm – 3pm and dinner from 7:00am – 12am.
- Bouquet Garni: Slightly more expensive than Eat Neocantine and ostensibly modeled after a French brasserie. Open daily for lunch and dinner from 12pm – 12am.
- Marriott Cafe: Breakfast restaurant with a large buffet supplemented by made-to-order egg dishes and espresso drinks. Open daily from 6:30am -10:30am or 11am on the weekends.
- EME Lounge: Smart (if a bit dark) whiskey and cigar bar that’s also one of only a couple places that serves cocktails in the immediate vicinity. Open daily from 12pm – 12am.
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- Spa: Spa treatments are offered in the basement level of the large fitness center.
- Fitness Room: There’s a sizeable fitness area above the spa with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooks the pool and main courtyard. It’s got enough cardio and weight equipment to do a gym-like workout.
- Marriott Titanium Benefits:
- Room Upgrade: We booked a standard room and were proactively upgraded to a roomy, two-level Family Suite.
- Free Breakfast: There is a large breakfast buffet served daily at the Marriott Cafe that includes copious amounts of Middle Eastern and Western dishes, as well as coffees, juices and pastries. Service was very uneven when we were there.
- Club Lounge: None.
- Late Checkout: We were automatically given a 4pm checkout.
- Welcome Amenity: A plate of sweets and apples.
- Would I stay again? You bet. It was a nice location that was a great base for exploring the city. Nothing extraordinary, but well-priced with plenty of outdoor space to enjoy the evenings.
Pros
- Lots of great outdoor areas, including some fun patios
- Usually an excellent value on points
- Good elite recognition
- Free, secure parking
- Location is nicely central
Cons
- Worn around the edges in some places
- Restaurant service was reliably subpar
- Could be difficult to explore the city without a car
Image Gallery
Fes Marriott Jnan Palace Family Suite
Welcome Amenity
Fes Marriott Jnan Palace Pool Area
Fes Marriott Jnan Palace Outdoor Dining
Elite Breakfast
Fes Marriott Jnan Palace Public Areas
Fes Marriott Jnan Palace Fitness Area
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We stayed at this property in 2021. I don’t remember the details about the room, but we also enjoyed it. We did not have a car and found it easy enough to flag down a taxi to the Medina and elsewhere, often with a staff member helping us. We met the manager who was great. He saw me asking the concierge about a phone charger – can’t remember why mine wasn’t adequate. He walked me into his office and gave me his, commenting he had a new phone and no longer needed the old charger. “Just keep it!”
There was a great little restaurant a few blocks away on the same wide street. Just turn right as you exit the property. We got into a long conversation with the owner when we ate there the very first evening, a few hours after we landed for the first time in Morocco. She oriented us to Fes and Morocco, gave us her private cell number if we needed any help, showed us her wedding video, and cooked for us herself although there was a cook in the kitchen. She later helped me make an appointment for a manicure, explaining in Arabic just what I wanted done.(Not sure the male concierge at the Marriott was quite up to that.) We were there about 4 nights and ate again. We also picked up a takeout meal on our way back to the hotel on a very rainy afternoon, when we knew we wouldn’t want to venture out again that evening.
All in all we loved Fes, and we would happily go back to that Marriott.
PS – I’ll try to find the name of the restaurant. My husband posted a positive review so he should have it.
Can you discuss ride-share options or other transport options to the medina?
Love the phrasing in your review, which made me chuckle, i.e. “intensively-decorated restaurant” and “ostensibly modeled on a French brasserie.”
Did you get the choice of 750 points per day or breakfast for the property not having club lounge? I’m surprised they didn’t offer a comped mini-bar with soft drinks because that seems common at European and Middle East properties without a club lounge. The property looks fairly good, although the pillows on the bed look like twin-sized pillows.