Stays in Meknès

I would pick Riad le Petit Ksar for a family that wants a Moroccan riad feel with a terrace or balcony in Meknès. Family rooms have private bathrooms, air conditioning and free WiFi, and each has a terrace or balcony with city views. The on-site restaurant serves Moroccan cuisine, and there is a sun terrace, a hot tub and a lounge. Guests rate it 9.1 across 654 reviews, a very strong score.

I would pick Ferme d'hôtes Bladna Garden for a calm farm stay in Meknes with mountain views. The listing gives air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms, a balcony, a work desk and free Wi-Fi, plus a family-friendly restaurant serving Moroccan, local and international cuisines. A garden, a terrace and free private parking are on site. A 9.1 rating from 25 reviews is encouraging, though from a small sample.

Hotel De Nice puts families in central Meknes, a short walk from the medina and the train station, so outings with children and arrival days by train are simple. Rooms have air conditioning and private bathrooms. A tennis court on site is an unusual bonus for older children and parents, and the hammam offers a quieter moment. The restaurant serves Moroccan and international dishes, handy for children who prefer familiar food.

Atlas Safari stands out in Meknès for children because it has a waterpark on site, alongside a swimming pool with a view. Family rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms and look out over the garden or the pool. Parents can use the sauna and fitness centre, and the family-friendly restaurant serves Moroccan cuisine with various dietary options, which helps with picky eaters. I would consider it for an active family stay, keeping in mind its 8.2 score comes from only nine reviews.

I would pick Hotel Swani for a family that wants a simple, quiet base in Meknes and has a car. Rooms are air-conditioned with contemporary decor, soundproofing and private bathrooms, which helps children sleep. Free WiFi and free public parking come included, and there is an à la carte restaurant on site. Royal Golf de Meknès is 4 km away, handy for a golfing parent. Guests rate it 7.9 across 589 reviews.

I would pick Hotel Transatlantique for a family that wants a pool and green space in Meknès. Set in the north of the city, it has its own park, an outdoor pool, a tennis court and air-conditioned rooms with balconies that look over the Medina. Two restaurants, a poolside bar and several lounge areas give variety. Guests rate it 7.8 across 179 reviews. It suits relaxed family stays, though it is not a modern luxury property.

FEKRI HOTEL offers family rooms with air conditioning, a TV, a balcony and a private bathroom, a simple and practical setup for a stay in Meknès with children. The lift helps with pushchairs and luggage, and the 24-hour front desk is useful for late arrivals. The terrace and the restaurant cover evenings without going out. The hotel is known for attentive staff, clean rooms and its breakfast, and free parking helps if you drive.

An indoor pool as well as an outdoor one is why I would pick Hotel Tafilalet for a family trip to Meknes outside high summer: children can still swim when the weather turns. Rooms have air conditioning and a minibar, some with mountain views, and the on-site restaurant saves a trip out after a long day at Volubilis or in the medina. Parents can book time in the spa and hammam while the other adult stays by the pool.

Hotel Malta offers air-conditioned family rooms in Hamria, and for parents its practical strengths are free parking, a restaurant with halal and vegetarian options, and a short walk from Al Amir Abdelkader station. That makes it a sensible stop for families driving or taking the train between Fès and Rabat with a day trip to Volubilis. The limits for children are clear: there is no pool, the medina is a taxi ride away across the valley, and the hotel's evening life revolves around a pub, a piano bar and a nightclub, which some families will prefer to avoid. I would book it for one or two nights of sightseeing with school-age children, and look for a riad or a hotel with a pool for a longer family stay.

Zaki Hotel gives families in Meknes something useful after a day in the medina: an outdoor pool with a sunbathing terrace and a garden where children can let off steam. Rooms and suites are air-conditioned, each with a balcony, a TV and free Wi-Fi, and the hotel overlooks the old town ramparts and the Oued Boufekrane Valley. The restaurant and bar mean dinner is on site. I would see it as a practical base, with a guest score of 7.5 from about 160 reviews.

Hôtel Volubilis Meknès has air-conditioned family rooms with private bathrooms and city views, which gives parents and children space. The hotel has a spa, a sun terrace and a bar, and the restaurant serves Moroccan food, pizza and seafood. Free WiFi and a 24-hour front desk cover the basics. Guests rate it 7.5 out of 10 across 700 reviews, a fair score that suggests a traditional, modest stay.

Hotel Belle Vue Meknes is a four-star hotel near the Medina with an outdoor swimming pool and a terrace, a useful combination for children after a day of sightseeing. Family rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms and city views. The restaurant serves French and Moroccan cuisine, with halal, vegetarian and gluten-free options, and there is a bar. Free private parking is off site. Guests rate it 7.4 out of 10 across 523 reviews.

I would pick the Ibis Meknès for a family that wants a pool and free parking at a budget-friendly price point. Rooms are air-conditioned, there is a bar open around the clock and a swimming pool, and WiFi and private parking are free. The restaurant serves traditional buffets at lunch and dinner and an all-you-can-eat breakfast. The medina is a 15-minute walk away. Guests rate it 7.1 across 1,393 reviews.

Hotel Menzeh Dalia is a four-star hotel in Meknès set in a mature garden, which gives children room to move around the pool. The on-site entertainment helps fill the evenings, and the restaurant serves Moroccan and international dishes, useful when children want something familiar. Rooms and suites are air-conditioned, some with a balcony. Parents can use the sauna and beauty centre, and the piano bar suits a quiet drink. Guests rate it 7.1 out of 10 over 551 reviews.

For a family touring the imperial cities, Jaouharat Ismaili solves the practical problems: air-conditioned family rooms so nobody is split across two doors, a front desk staffed 24 hours for late trains, and a breakfast buffet that reviewers praise more often than anything else. What it does not offer is a pool or the patio charm of a riad, so on a hot afternoon children have nowhere to cool off on site. El Bassatine is a quiet residential area; every sight in Meknes means a taxi ride. Couples where one partner is Moroccan or Muslim should carry a marriage certificate, as Moroccan hotels can ask for it at check-in.

I would pick Hotel Akouas for a plain, practical family base in Meknes. The listing gives air-conditioned units with flat-screen TVs and private bathrooms, an on-site restaurant serving local dishes, a bar, free Wi-Fi and public parking. It is a three-star hotel rated 7.0 from 681 reviews, so I treat it as a functional choice rather than a standout. I would book it for convenience and a sensible room, without expecting frills.