I'm looking for a relatively cheap hotel in Fes for late Sept. (about $20-30/night) I've read different reports about Hotel Batha - a post on Fodors slammed it. Does anyone have any suggestions? There doesn't
seem to be too many choices in old-city part.
I'm also trying to figure out how to get from Fes to Merzouga by grand taxi to go out to the dunes on a camel trek...do you have to do a tour? how much should it cost approximately?

Thanks!

The cheapest hotels in Fes are in the old-city part. It costs like $2-, p.p for a room.
But in the old city part are a lot of people wo wants to bring you to a hotel. Don't listen to them or, if the situation is not nice anymore, give one of them one dollar to bring you to a hotel.
If you want to go to Merzouga you must ask for information about trips in your hotel or in a restaurant. It's not expensive (like $20,- a day)and you see a lot of the country. You will drive with other tourists in a minibus.
Most of the time you will drive by camel into the dessert and also sleep there.
(For hotels in Moroccan cities you can also buy a guide.)

Good luck!

Dar Batha does seem to be getting bad reviews - it is one of the more expensive hotels anyway and if you plan to pay those prices try and get one of the cheapest rooms available at Dar el Ghalia instead.

But on the whole cheap hotels are around Bab Boujloud and all you need is a taxi to that gate (Bab means gate) and walk through it and you will see places to stay without walking any further into the Medina (you can do that later) A room is around 50-60dh (check exchange rate nearer time - now is about 16dh per £1)There is one on the right called Cascade which is good but check the bed for wobbly legs before paying! If it's wobb;y ask them to give you a different bed and then pay!

Or you might save a bit of money (Maybe) if you go to Hotal Andaluse in Bab Fatouh but it is mostly used by Moroccans (personally I prefer that but you might feel happier to be with other back-packers and they all go to Bab Boujloud and eat in cafes near the gate too)

hello
in the old midina colled baba boujloud;you can get a bilion of hotels seems that they have got a some price around 50 and 60 dhs a night.
i have been in hotel;le jardin public;wos then 50dhs.
if you think doing it down to the desert;i'm totally different with the others who advise you to do it with a tours;i wos with hotel ali once in marrakech;is one of the hotels orgonised trips to the desert;wos then a bad experiance;is just as i have paid more than i supposed.
anyway with all tours argonised;the driver will stop you in somewhere where they can take their comission;the comission of all;i mean if you buy something;if you take a camel trips;even if you eat in some restourants they will have always a comission and that means prices will be high more than you supposed.
i can advise to be in contact with a such kind man from desert;he can be with you during your existing in morocoos;he charged 5euros means 50dhs a day which means nothing comparing to his help.
the person is a friend who can advise you also about a moroccan prices and to get to cheapers hotels and nice places to visit in moroccos.
be in contact with him;his familly orgonised trips to the desert by camels;300dhs a night included dinner and breakfest.
his e_mail is:prince_desert2000@yahoo.fr
desert.fox1@caramail.com
i'm sure that you will enjoy it.
take it easy.
good travel.
loura.

Just inside the Blue Gate (Porte Bleu)to the old Medina are a couple of cheap hotels just on the right after you pass through the gate. You can't miss them. From New Fes, just take a taxi to Porte Bleu and stroll through the gate and you will see them on the right. The one I stayed in is right next to a restaurant and upstairs, only about 50 meters inside the gate.