We booked the Hotel Batha by phone once in Morocco - I found no way of booking it by e-mail/online in advance. The hotel is very well positioned for the medina - about 2 minutes walk to the Bab Boujeloud
gate.

It's quite a large hotel - and is much more interesting on the inside
than it looks from the outside. It's decorated in a Moroccan style, with a large central courtyard with tiling, fountains, a small pool, and quite a cool bar. It's a very pleasant quiet refuge from the mayhem outside!

Our room was on the fourth floor and faced the medina, with a tremendous view towards the hill. There must only be a couple of rooms with this view though (I think we were 401?) as there's a wall in the way for lower floors.

The room was also tiled, and was OK - not terribly modern or high qualitty, but no problems at all. Staff were OK (although I wouldn't recommend organising a tour guide through them).

If you haven't chosen to stay in one of the many expensive riads in town, you only have a few choices to go. Some pensions quite dirty, and Hotel Batha.

Well, I know it has no charm itself. Rooms are old looking, etc ... but let's say for the price, you have a proposal that only Palais Jamai can beat. Close to everything ( Bab boujelod, the talaas, the Dar Batha etc ... ), direct car access ( as well as taxis ) ... and sometimes a pool ( usefull in summer, dirty in winter, when we satyed ).

The breakfast is not good at all, but included in the price ... so ...

The thing that you may not know about Hotel Batha: it has a very enjoyable british style bar ( with alcohol ) the "old bar", and some kind of nightclub, that is during the day a place where you can eat very good pizzas and delicious Fish Tajines ...

We stayed in February 2007 for 9 nights ( around 32 euros for two peple with Taxes and bfast ). We surely go gain, because it is the best solution if you go to Fès ... for business !

Best way to book this hotel: ebookers.

The best place to stay in town for me: Dar Seffarine ... or one of the very expensive places ( Riad or not ) ... you know Fès is going to become a more luxury destination than Marrakesh ... it is said.

Ben.

This hotel was decent enough but nothing really special. The rooms were great: cool, en suite, some with balconies and all with outside windows. The reception staff were very helpful and the hotel is in the ideal spot.

The only reasons I do not give it 4 or 5 were the restaurant and décor. The restaurant food is decent enough but the staff are as miserable as sin. The bloke in charge of it is really quite rude and short with customers. Night after night we watched him bossing his staff around and telling them off infront of us. One poor waitress accidentally smashed a plate and he just berated her in front of us. The waiters and waitresses are friendly when he's not there but do not crack a smile when he is.

The set menu did not change one during our stay and the breakfast orange juice I doubt has ever seen an orange. I'd avoid it - it could be reconstituted with tap water. On the subject of water, the restaurant charges 80% more for a bottle of water than the shop across the road does for the same brand.

All in all though it's a fine place to stay.

This hotel is very cheap compared to other hotels in Fes and was a great bargain. It is located very close to the medina, is very clean, and has an excellent pool and restaraunt on site.

The rooms are basic rooms (nothing special) with a private bath and shower. The restraunt and breakfast in the morning were above average compared to other hotels we stayed at in Morocco.

The pool was a godsend, especially after our busy day in the medina. As was the air conditioning in the room.

The front desk were very friendly trying to book us a sahara tour and an official guide for the media. We opted not to use them as they seemed a little confused about details and yet very eager to sell, sell, sell!

I would definitely stay here again with my girlfriend. Well worth the price and hard to get better value for the dollar in this city.