Illustrative photo of the region — the property's own gallery is on the booking page.

A 17th-century palace with an orange-tree courtyard and a proper stone hammam. Great cooking classes too.

Riad Laaroussa gets the fundamentals of a Fes stay exactly right: a 17th-century palace around a courtyard of orange trees, rooms that are generous rather than precious, and — the trump card — a proper stone hammam in the house, with scrubs and massages worth planning an afternoon around.

The cooking class, which starts with a trip into the market, is one of the best in the medina, and prices sit comfortably in the mid-range. It is the kind of place people return to on every visit to Fes and recommend with a slightly proprietary air.

Why we picked it

• Orange-tree courtyard in a 17th-century palace
• A genuine traditional stone hammam in the house
• Well-regarded Moroccan cooking classes