The Palais Jamai was built in 1879 as the residence of the Grand Vizier to Sultan Moulay Hassan I. In 1930, it was converted into a hotel and has ever since remained Fez's most venerable hotel. It has charm, mystique, a lovely garden and wonderful views of the ancient Fez medina. The original palace houses the incredible Royal Suite and the Fassia Moroccan Restaurant. The newer (and recently renovated) section hosts 142 rooms and suites, a French restaurant, an international restaurant and a piano bar.
The rooms are very stylish, incorporating traditional Moroccan brass work, carved plaster and hand chipped mosaic tiles. The large balconies have a lovely view of the Old Medina, the garden and the pool. From the balcony, one seems to be hovering above a mysterious time and place from the pages of the Arabian Nights.
The hotel is on the edge of the medina and just a few hundred meters to famous historic sites and artisan bazaars for which Fez is so famous. Winding your way through the narrow alleyways, you will experience a loss of time as in few other places. And if you find yourself laden with treasures or just overwhelmed, you are always a short distance back to the serenity of the gardens and swimming pool with the medina still in view.
Double rooms begin around $200.
