For years, I’ve wanted to stay in a traditional Riad in the Marrakesh Medina. When I started researching accommodation for our Morocco trip, I quickly realized a Riad stay was either out of our budget or required staying in shared quarters (usually with a shared bathroom)—not ideal for an extended stay with kids.
Then, I learned that Fez might be a better option for a Medina Riad stay (spoiler alert: for value and a more authentic experience, Lori and I think it definitely is the better option).
Our Euro-African Journey (So Far...)
There are no shortage of Riads in Fez, but most either cater to the upmarket/luxury crowd or are vast former palaces with shared accommodation (think along the lines of a historic boutique hotel like an Indian Haveli).
When I came across Dar Sghira, I was immediately taken. A historic, 3-bedroom Riad in the heart of the Fez Medina. It was exactly what I was looking for.
I found it on a couple of platforms, but ended up booking on VRBO (they had the best rate). Here’s the VRBO posting (affiliate link).
For a monthly rental, the price was a bit more than we wanted to spend, so we reduced our stay there to two weeks. The timing mostly worked out for us but for the weather (it meant we had to move it up from March to January, which made for a cold and rainy stay).
Still, if we were going to have to stay in Fez in rainy season, I’d much rather do it in a small palace rather than a cramped economy flat.
This post covers our Fez accommodation. For more on our time exploring Fez, check out:
What is a Riad?
A riad is a traditional Moroccan house built around a central courtyard, often featuring gardens, fountains, and decorated living spaces that open inward instead of outward.
From the street, riads usually appear simple and unassuming, but inside they typically feature intricate tilework, carved wood, and a private atmosphere designed to keep the home cool and quiet.
Many historic riads—especially in cities like Fez and Marrakech—have been carefully restored and converted into small boutique guesthouses.
About Dar Sghira
Dar Sghira is a 400-year-old messria riad (traditional upper-level house) in the historic Medina of Fez (a UNESCO World Heritage site).
The house was painstakingly restored in 2019. The work was carried out by skilled Moroccan master artisans (known as maalems) who continue the traditional methods of craftsmanship. They revived the detailed zellige tilework, intricate carved wood, and decorative plaster details. Modern amenities were also added at this time.
As no motorized vehicles are allowed in the Medina, all the materials had to be transported by mule through the narrow alleyways.
Beyond that, there wasn’t much more information on the place or its history dating back to the 17th century. I found this article helpful in making sense of Riads in general.
Our Experience
Above, is one of the dark, narrow alleyways leading from the center of the Medina to the Riad.
And this is the unassuming front door of the home (the little wooden one in the center; the door on the left is a small apartment below). The kitchen of the Riad is actually above the alley where we are standing.
Through the door are some stairs up to the first level (there are lots of narrow stairs to climb in this place!).
At the top of the stairs is the central living space, now enclosed, which used to be the sahn, or open-air central courtyard.
This central area was previously open to the elements. Now, it’s covered with a retractable plexiglass roof.
It appears at one time that the house had three usable levels. However, access to the middle level (two small balcony-seating areas facing each other) has been walled off. There are two bedrooms on the top floor and a rooftop terrace above.
This is the living room with a traditional built-in Sedari sofa.
In the corner is what appears to be the original lavabo and Tass (washing spigot and hardware).
This allowed guests to wash their hands without leaving the courtyard. These days, it provides a lovely accompaniment to our rain gear.
The “modern” kitchen, which is built over the alleyway, below. It also acts as a bridge connecting the main level with the stairs leading to the upper levels. My hunch is this was not always the case.
The steep stairs leading up.
From the top of the stairs at the rooftop terrace door, looking down.
This was taken from the door of the upstairs bathroom looking down into the central courtyard.
The rooftop terrace offered sweeping views of the Medina and surrounding hills. We didn’t come anywhere near maximizing our use of this space. January’s cold and rainy in Fez! I can only imagine what it must be like up here in late spring.
This is also a prime place to be during the evening call to prayer, when all of the mosques in the city seem to call at once.
Noe got an entire bedroom to himself and made it his own. He was in heaven.
Drying clothes in the house with the rainy weather was a bit of a challenge, but we managed. We eventually found that the upstairs mini split in one of the bedrooms made for a nice dryer.
Getting schooled by Riley in a cut-throat game of Cover Your Assets.
Another tooth! Riley was a bit worried that the Tooth Fairy wouldn’t find him here, but he needn’t worry. The Tooth Fairy finds him EVERYWHERE. Somehow, this is comforting to young children.
Our neighborhood Moroccan sweets guy. Best pastries in town (and some of the cheapest!). We especially liked the cookies and meringues.
We had a fantastic two-week stay at Dar Sghira. It was fun to admire the craftsmanship and figure out the story behind the place.
It was also quite the trip trying to imagine all that must have taken place in these walls over the previous four centuries.
A stay we’ll long remember, for sure!
