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Hospitality
You
will be greeted and shown to Dar Bennis by Hafid, the manager of Dar Bennis, who
has been involved in restoration of houses in the Fes medina for several years. Both he and the owner, David Amster, are very happy to answer
any questions you might have about the house, Fes, or restoration of the
medina, and are always available via cell phone. Time permitting,
David is happy to show you the restoration being done on his house, Dar
Lebbar.
Phone
& Internet
The house has a local phone and
3G USB modem to connect to the Internet for those with a portable computer. Long-distance and cell-phone calls can be made by using a phone card, which
Hafid can buy for you. Please note that to contact us during your
stay you will need to use a phone card or call from a teleboutique.
If you don't have a computer with you, there is a cybercafe near Dar
Bennis.
Housekeeping
& Linen Service
The house will be cleaned daily.
Linen service is included; for other laundry, Hafid can take it to
have it washed and ironed. There is also an iron and ironing board in
the house.
Climate
Control
Moroccan
houses are generally well-insulated and comfortable most of the year, but
there are are convection space heaters and fans in each bedroom to keep
you comfortable. You should be aware, however, that winters in Fes
can be cold and rainy, and that there's no central heating in the
house. It's best to bring warm winter clothes and to wear layers in
winter. The cedar windows
of Dar Bennis are traditional in design, but
most have been fitted with double-pane glass for further insulation and to
help keep down noise from children playing in the street.
Meals
A
Moroccan breakfast of fresh traditional breads and
pastries is included. For other meals you can eat at one of the many
restaurants in the medina or Ville Nouvelle, cook for yourself in the
well-equipped kitchen, or have meals prepared by our cook, Layla, for a
small fee. Layla can also teach you how to make traditional Moroccan
dishes. Hafid is happy to buy you groceries in the souk, or else
show you the nearest souks and bakery.
Transportation
We
will meet you in "Batha", a convenient place to enter the
medina, and your bags will be transported in a "carrousa" to Dar
Bennis. You can get from and to the Fes airport in a "grand"
taxi for 120-150 dirhams (~$15). For day trips to Berber villages in
the mountains, Meknes, or Roman Volubilis there is good public
transportation, or we can recommend a driver with a grand taxi. You
can ask Hafid to arrange this for you. If
you bring your own car, there is an underground parking garage in the
Batha area, near Hotel Batha.
Bedrooms
There
are three bedrooms, two large rooms with double beds, and one smaller room
with a single bed. Each room looks into the courtyard, but also
has an outside window, which offers good light and
ventilation. The mattresses and linens are of high quality,
and the beds are covered with antique hendiras, hand-woven and
embroidered shawls Berber mothers make for their daughters' wedding day.
There's also a CD player (and a selection of Moroccan music) in the main bedroom, so feel free to bring your
favorite CDs or cassettes.
Kitchen
Traditional in
design, but with all the modern conveniences. Plenty of dishes and
high-quality cookware. You can dine here, in the courtyard, or on
the terrace.
Bathroom Modern
and comfortable, but still very Moroccan. Because the bathroom is downstairs, you may want
to bring slippers and a bathrobe, at least in the winter.
Terrace
One
of the finest views in Fes: mountains, the medina, 14th century
Merinid tombs, the medieval walls of the city, and of course, thousands of
satellite dishes! A very pleasant place to spend an evening with a
bottle of excellent wine from Meknes.
Please
note that because Dar Bennis is built on several levels, it would not be
appropriate for someone with difficulty going up and down stairs. In
such a case, we'd be more than happy to suggest another traditional house
or riad in Fes that would better meet your needs.
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©2010 David Amster
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