The current owners (three British friends – a film-maker, a nutrition entrepreneur and an Islamic art enthusiast) bought this beautiful house in 2011 and spent three years restoring it to its original glory.
The decoration is from a pre-20th century tradition of white walls, oiled cedar wood, bright (if worn) tilework and wonderful painted doors. The house is furnished with a mixture of local and foreign antiques, textiles and modern Fassi craftsmanship. It is rich in atmosphere but lived-in and homely.
Accommodation
Dar Bennani sleeps up to nine people, but is just as suitable for a smaller group or even a couple. It has four bedrooms: two air-conditioned and heated doubles - one of which has an additional single bed on a mezzanine - a smaller, cosier double ("Omar's room") and a twin bedroom, which we have dubbed the kids' room. Each of the four bedrooms has its own bathroom with bath and/or shower.
The house offers two kitchens along with several living and eating spaces, including dining tables in the main kitchen, courtyard and roof garden, and comfortable seating in the salon, and on the balcony and roof. Everything in the house usually works but as with any ancient building it’s hard for it all to be perfect, so please let us know if anything needs fixing (we are not competing with the Ritz!).
Read on for details on each of the four bedrooms, or click below for a full overview of the house.
Master Bedroom
A large double bedroom with a super-king size bed and additional single mezzanine bed. En-suite bathroom with a bath.
Second Bedroom
A large double bedroom with a king size bed and en-suite mezzanine bathroom with an open shower.
Omar's Room
Cosy double bedroom tucked away off the main staircase, with en-suite bathroom and views over the courtyard.
The Kids' Room
Twin room off the second staircase (up to the roof), with views over the courtyard and a bathroom next door.
Gallery
Air conditioning/heating in two bedrooms
Wifi
Plunge pool & fountain
Roof garden
Barbecue and fire pit
Drinks fridges
Oven
Fridge/freezer
Local mobile phone
Guide books and novels
Towels
Soap and shampoo
Hairdryer
Bathroom scales
Washing machine
Housekeeper
Amenities
Getting there
Fez is connected by train to the capital, Rabat, and by air to Casablanca as well (as of late 2022) as multiple foreign cities. Parking is available on the edge of the Medina. The airport is 45 minutes from Dar Bennani, and the station 30. Taxis abound. There are direct flights from several European cities, currently including Paris and London. Fez airport has recently expanded and is now rather grand.
When there are no direct UK flights to Fez, as has been the case in Covid times, alternatives are to fly via Casablanca or to Rabat, 2-3 hours away by road. There are now very few Covid travel restrictions imposed by the Moroccan Government.
Some visitors choose to take more interesting routes. Car hire is practicable and not too expensive, the road system manageable. So for example, a flight to Gibraltar, a short sea crossing to Tangier and then a leisurely drive via (for example) Chefchaouen and Meknes can be very attractive. Or you can fly directly into Tangier, or Casablanca. And Marrakesh is an easy day’s drive distant if you want to include a stay in Fes in a longer expedition.