Riad Maison Bleue is the sister property to La Maison Bleue. Fashioned from a set of genuine Fes riads, it’s now residence to 18 rooms and suites and run by the El Abbadi household. This elegant, relaxed, and well-located boutique property has all of the appeal and spirit of an genuine Fes residence, however with the welcome touches of a boutique resort.
Riad Maison Bleue situated inside a couple of minutes’ stroll of the Medina, and a brief taxi experience from the excitement of Fes’ up to date new city with its espresso outlets and eating places.
Fes, or Fez, is Morocco’s second largest metropolis, and sits north west of the nation’s beautiful Atlas Mountains. This metropolis has all the time been alluring for me. I first visited practically 20 years in the past, taking the quick ferry from Spain to Tangier and driving down, by rolling countryside, small hamlets, and cedar forests.
This newest go to was an extended weekend, made straightforward made the brand new direct flight reference to Ryanair. Fes has a remodelled airport, making the arrival and immigration clearance a swift and comfy course of.
From the airport it’s a 30-40 minutes’ switch to outdated Fes (Fes el Bali)
Courting from 789, Fes is the oldest of Morocco’s imperial cities and has a historical past steeped in tradition, and even right now it’s recognized worldwide for the work of its artists and artisans. Previous Fes, or the medina, is a UNESCO World Heritage Web site, and because of town having one of many world’s largest city pedestrian zones, guests can stroll its landmarks, bustling squares, and souks in consolation.
The town is big, having continued to broaden over many centuries. I prefer to say that Fes is now a story of three cities. Along with Fès el-Bali (the traditional a medina), there may be additionally ‘Fès el-Jdid’ (New Fez) based within the thirteenth century by the Marinids dynasty. Lastly, the most recent a part of Fez, is the ‘Ville Nouvelle,’ the up to date business district, with its vast palm-lined avenues, constructed at first of the twentieth century by the French through the period of the French and Spanish protectorates.
Design & Ambiance
Riad structure all the time holds such surprises. From the surface, properties look nondescript, their treasured hidden behind excessive partitions.
Once you arrive at Riad Maison Bleue the taxi driver will lead you to a modest doorway, that opens to a small reception workplace. But past lies the gorgeous riad that can delight.
The elegant mixture of conventional Moroccan design infused with trendy parts is in proof all through the Riad, which is constructed of three interconnecting homes that replicate the enduring laneways round Fes’ historical Medina. Friends are greeted with a standard welcome of refreshments, akin to any Moroccan household would provide to guests: massive dates filled with walnuts, suffused with a drop of aromatic rose water, accompanied by a small shot of milk. It’s a greeting that units the scene for an genuine expertise with up to date touches.
Rooms & Suites
The rooms are spacious, and nice care has been taken to ship a design ambiance that’s sometimes Moroccan utilizing an imaginative mix of antiques and trendy comforts like air-con and spacious bogs.
The suites are the place an Arabian Nights dream comes alive, and providing the best degree of consolation, with fantastically embellished with decorative tiles, chiselled plaster ceilings, vintage furnishings, and the best materials, whereas the celebrated rooftop residence provides company unrivalled views over the Medina’s North Gate and outdated metropolis partitions.
Visitor Experiences
The riad additionally provides company the prospect to discover ways to prepare dinner Moroccan delicacies at residence with a masterclass from La Maison Bleue’s Culinary College – the primary of its type in Fes. The resort additionally provides “Epicurean Experiences” – a package deal that mixes the cookery lessons with tasting excursions of the Medina, a go to to a vineyard in Meknes, couscous hand-rolling workshops in a village within the countryside and seasonal excursions akin to orange-blossom water making and olive oil urgent.
Gastronomy
Restaurant La Maison Bleue is proud to supply generational delicacies with recipes handed down by the El Abbadi household for hundreds of years and has a fame of manufacturing the best conventional Moroccan delicacies in Fes. The restaurant provides traditional Moroccan dishes, akin to tagines, cous cous and fragrant salads, all served with finesse. Every meal begins with recent, genuine salads fantastically introduced in small tagines.
The elegant terrace restaurant provides panoramic views of town whereas eating.
There are two bars: one is a sublime cocktail bar the place the workers prepares drinks sporting conventional fez hats, located on the Riad’s terraces with views of the Medina, and the newly renovated Blue Lounge, which is a up to date house wherein to get pleasure from pre-dinner drinks, tasting plates and cocktails.
La Maison – eating with dwell music
Friends can even go to sister property La Maison Bleue for a charming eating expertise with dwell leisure. This property additionally provides lodging. Though we solely went for dinner – an pleasant night of conventional delicacies and music. The staff is a delight, so pleasant and I used to be impressed by the considerate gestures, like adorning the desk with my identify.
Spa, Hammam & Gymnasium
Though closed throughout my current go to, sometimes company can chill out by indulging within the Moroccan hammam expertise that makes use of the standard strategies sauna remedy and exfoliating physique scrub, adopted by a therapeutic massage utilizing unique fragrant oils and smells, while its well-equipped health studio with views of the hills allows company to maintain in form, and through summer season, the rooftop terrace is an area for revitalising yoga lessons.
Discover Out Extra
Tackle: Riad Maison Bleue, 33 Derb El Mitter, Ain Azleten, Previous Fes, Morocco
Web site: www.maisonbleue.com/the-riad/
