Hotel Merinides in Fez is a decent hotel and popular, not least of all because its superb view of the Fez Medina - however therein lies the problem. The view used to be just as good in the other direction. Now, someone has decided it would be a bright idea to put a huge bright blue neon sign on the top of the hotel. Wrong! Not a good idea at all. The view from the Fez Medina up in that direction used to spectacular at night with the subtle lighting on the neighbouring ruins. Not anymore.
Residents call for a boycott
So angry are Fez residents that according to several sources there is now a boycott of the hotel until the offending lights are removed. What surprises us is that the city authorities allowed it in the first place. Or maybe they were never consulted.
One of the regular trip for most people showing visitors around was a ride up to the Merinides hotel for lunch, or a a sunset drink for a fabulous view over the Medina. This is now no longer the case.
A boycott will probably have little effect on the hotel financially, but it will certainly hurt its image, and, if it wants to be a good corporate citizen, it will remove the offending lights immediately. Inshallah.
Tags: Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
I agree. The bright neon lights are not a welcome addition to the night sky of Fes.
ReplyDeleteThey are a blot on the skyline that should be cleaned up. I will not take my visitors there until they have gone.
ReplyDeleteThe hotel should remove it! And say they are sorry for the distress they caused.
ReplyDeleteGhastly. What were they thinking of. I just had another look - a disgrace. Please Hotel Merinides - remember where you are.
ReplyDeleteNone of my guests will be sent up for a meal until those frightful lights are gone.
Neither the hotel or Fez needs these ghastly lights. Let them switch them off and we can all go back to taking our visitors up for a look at the superb view.
ReplyDeleteLumen will no longer be languishing languidly over a long gin and tonic, watching the lowering sun from the Merinides balcony. Get rid of this eyesore!
ReplyDeleteLast night I went with the director of the Nejjarine Museum and the former director of the Batha Museum to see the horror of the blue neon lights. They couldn't believe it, and said that it was 100% illegal to have these lights. They said that if concerned citizens and journalists write about this, they will be removed.
ReplyDeleteInteresting Article. Have never been to marocco. Would love to go there some day.Toner
ReplyDelete