Reviews of Dar KamalChaoui

This is the kind of place why we travel and sometimes go that extra mile. We booked very last minute (an hour in advance) but the welcome wasn't any less warm or generous. After dragging our bikes up, Kamal and his wife took the time to welcome us over some tea and share some stories about our travels and themselves. Note that the room with separate beds is no longer available, but this was solved in a pleasant way. And very important in January, it was warm inside!(!) Even though we didn't mention it beforehand, we got a place to store our bikes overnight, which we really appreciate. The area is calm (pedestrian), view from the roof terrace is beautiful; in warmer times the tasty homemade breakfast is served there. There are some groceries and (street) food options within walking distance. In short: a bit higher on the price than average, but nevertheless a guest home we highly recommend.

If there was anything to comment on, it would be the bathroom getting very wet from the shower for the way it's arranged. But the pressure was good and water was hot, and that's what really counts.

We loved our visit to Bhalil and stay with Kamal and Jalila. They are such lovely, genuine people. We took the village tour with Kamal, he is so passionate about Bhalil and it's culture and traditions, and brings a great energy, which makes it much more meaningful than a usual sightseeing tour. We were also very thankful to the people who allowed us to visit their homes, who were very friendly and welcoming. If we had had more time, we would have loved to have spent more time there and done other tours too. We enjoyed a delicious dinner, as well as breakfast on the roof terrace, with a great view over Bhalil.

Nothing

Very well presented hotel and a very friendly family. The guest house was in an awesome location and the breakfast and the staff were amazing.

We booked a twin room as are two friends travelling, only to be told on arrival that there is no longer a twin room available at the property, despite choosing it having seen the pictures on booking.com We were given one fantastic double room, but the second room we were given did not have a toilet or shower ensuite and was not furnished other than having a bed.

A beautiful house in the historic town of Bhalil. The hosts, Kamal and Jalila are the kindest, friendliest people. Jalila's cooking is excellent, every night we had dinner with the family and it was always delicious, with lively conversations too. Breakfast on the roof terrace was lovely, great views across the town and the hills. Lots to see in the town; cave houses, local artists and craft shops and some local cafes and restaurants too. Some local walks, and the nearby town of Sefrou to explore. Not far from the Cedar forest national parks too. Only 20 mins from Fez.

Nothing like homemade breakfast food. Made with a smile. This place epitomized the personal guest house experience.

Nothing, one can’t improve on perfection. The location requires walking up some stairs but that’s because the town is quite old.

A proper homestay experience with Kamal and Jalila, both of whom are experts at hosting. Highly recommend this unique stay

Staying with Kamal, Jalila and their daughter was the best experience of my month-long trip. My husband, toddler and I drove to the mountains to stay with them, and our stay with them felt like being wrapped into the fold of a family. We joined them for local meetings, took a cooking class, toured the town, saw caves, and probably met more than 100 people. We'd stay out until late into the evenings as our son would play with the local children, say hi to the women's circles and greet people. We were completely immersed in everything that was happening in their lives, and we could not have felt more welcomed. We loved our stay so much, and we were so sad to leave. I really debated if it was worth journeying the extra distance with a toddler to stay with them...go! They are absolute gems, and you will create wonderful lifelong memories. Thank you all so much for your hospitality...until we meet again!

Great location, Kamal gave us several excellent tours and the food was fabulous

This is an ideal location if you do not want to stay in Fes. It is a quiet, hilltop town about 20 mins to the south. Kamal was away, but kept in close contact with us to make sure we could find the property. His wife, Jalila is a perfect host and an excellent cook - the 4 course meal was delicious and really worth having. We even wanted a recipe from her. Breakfast can be had on the terrace from where you look over the town and see Fes in the distance. A delightful stay.

Nice room Great food Excellent hospitality

What a wonderful place to stay! Kamal and Jalila are truly amazing and made us feel very welcome. Kamal is a fount of local knowledge and very personable and passionate about his local community. He gave us excellent walking suggestions and the most interesting of guided tours! Jalila cooked absolutely delicious food - generous feasts each day. The room was beautiful in itself: comfortable and artistic. This was the highlight of our holiday. Thank you to Kamal and Jalila!

We spent 2 lovely nights with Kamar and Jalila. Kamal helped us greatly with getting some essential shoe repair organised, showing us around Bhalil at the same time. The first evening we enjoyed a superb 3 course meal, prepared by Jalila, who also provided us with delicious breakfast on both days. While we were there we were also introduced to artist-in-residence Achim from Switzerland, working on a street art project in Bhalil, initiated by Kamal. If you are looking for a standard, run of the mill hotel, this is not the place for you. But if you want something different and personal, you will surely feel at home with Kamal and Jalila!

Breakfast, hospitality Kamal and Jalila. Also the nearest village Sefrou surprised us with the synagoge and the great athmosphere on the market. Also next to Kamal's house you have to visit Ali Baba's cave with great paintings !! The house is located in in a village together with over 500 cave houses. On the roof top terras we had a great breakfast each morning with view towards Fez. On Thursday we went to the nearest village Sefrou and visited the village as well as the market, the atmosphere was friendly and hospitable. Across the Synagogue we had chicken, next to great food the person who served us spoke very good German. Kamal can tell you a lot more of Sefrou, this village existed even before Fez. When we come back to Fez we definitely would love to stay with Kamal and his wife Jalila. Thanks for this great memory.

The sound of barking dogs during the night.

A beautiful guesthouse in a very scenic small town. The views from our room and the terrace were just stunning. The breakfast was easily the best we've had in Morocco.

One night wasn't enough. We wish we'd had 2.

Great location, stunning view by the terrace. delicious breakfast. Friendly and really knowledgeable host Kamal. He gave us lots of useful and practical info on how to travel in Morocco. Kamal is a proper city insider and knows a lot about Moroccan culture and history and thanks to his experiences abroad he possesses great communication skills. We are really grateful for all the info and support he gave us!

The prices for excursions and walking tours with Kamal were way too expensive for Morocco. I am sure they they would have been really fascinating and insightful. It’s a pity!

Dar Kamal Chaoui is a fantastic opportunity to get away from the main tourist trail in Morocco and see an authentic town not far from Fez. Kamal is a brilliant communicator in English and French, and after a long career in Europe he is passionate about showing visitors a real Moroccan community and improving the lives of the local people. The guesthouse is beautifully decorated with local crafts, and you can relax with the family, but also be alone if you want to be. I went with Kamal on a challenging but incredible hike over the Kandar mountains behind Bhalil. Thank you Kamal!

Bhalil is only a small town, so make sure to check with Kamal how to get there. It's best to ask him to pick you up from Fez as if you're new to Morocco and don't speak Darija, you may have difficulty getting there. Also, be aware credit cards are not commonly used in Morocco so be ready to have cash (there's an ATM nearby if you need it).

I found this village and this B&B from a Youtuber video and it exceeded my expectation. Kamal and his wife Jalila gave us an thorough introduction about culture, history and customs about this region. Jalila's cooking is one of the best meal I ever had in Morocco. We shared the guest house with a few very interesting guests. Highly recommended if you decided to experience the not so "touristy" side of Morocco.

Nothing

Everything! The food, the hospitality, the rooms were all incredible.

The facilities are clean, neat, pleasand with very nice artwork. Kamal and his wife Jalili are wonderful host. The food was suberb Moroccan cooking. Kamal is passionate about where he lives = the town, the area and his country. To say we learned a lot would be an understatement. We took advantage of the Kamal's tours and his getting us there and to our next stopp. The souk tour was a highlight but the other tours were very rewarding as well. We left feeling we had gotten to know Morocco a whole lot better. Thank you Kamal.

Probably the only thing that was a problem was the need to pay in cash = with tours and dinners it meant several ATM stops = but that was a small thing compared to what we gained.

Super friendly little guest house. Made to feel very much at home by Kamal and his Wife. Delicious food and very comfortable bedroom. Town also a bit off the usual tourist route and also an interesting friendly place

The home-cooked breakfast was delicious. All prepared from local fresh products. We especially enjoyed the family-style dinner where we shared travel stories with fellow travelers.