My 2 Cents' Worth

Nobody is judging your morality, just your prudence--or rather lack of either.

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<hr>forget about booking ahead for your hotel the behavior you experienced is outragous.<hr></blockquote>

Wardc, that's not even remotely sober advice. While you can't do too much to change people's awful behavior, you can certainly plan ahead, if you have the common sense God gave a grasshopper.

Planning ahead would have let the OP know that
1) 650 is not alot of money for a decent riad in Fes
2) Fes is a extremely popular destination for tourists and books up quickly
3) Meeting people at train stations isn't the way you find most things of quality in most countries, let alone Morocco
4) Morocco is not a petting zoo where you show up expecting things to run smoothly; it is reknowned to be a place to show up with at least some kind of awareness of the lay of the land and it's quirks. The very first page of the Lonely Planet (our host) reads on Morocco, "Morocco is not a country where you can gracefully glide through with the minimum of fuss."

So the regrettable behavior they experienced is indeed outrageous. Our job, if there is one, is to provide clear ways to avoid or mitigate that.

Yes I relize fez is a popular tourist spot and no I would not take a recomendation from someone I met at train station. I do not book anything more than 7 or 8 hrs ahead of time and have never had a problem.

I agree. I never book ahead and I've never had a problem. I don't see what is wrong with Ward's advice. After all, he's not come online and whinged. The problem wasn't caused by lack of booking. You read your guidebook, decide on your first choice of hotel or whatever and go there, irrespective of what anyone says to you. Someone always has a better idea.

Let's make this clear and unpoetic.

OP doesn't have reservations.
OP relies on people in train station.
OP ends up in bad situation in riad.
OP tries to find somewhere else to stay.

Now, let's change it.
Using wardc's timeframe, OP books a hotel in advance by 7 hours. (still called pre-booking)
OP goes to hotel.
OP goes to sleep.

nusnus, I'd love to make it into a soundbite or a hieroglyph for the easiest comprehension, but I'll leave it at this.

As a professional living in Morocco, and living out of suitcase in every major city's hotel in this country, I will say - It is pointless, bad advice to tell people just show up and find a hotel esp. Fez or Marrakesh. when in fact, booking in advance saves them a great deal of grief and time-wasted.

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<hr>nusnus, I'd love to make it into a soundbite or a hieroglyph for the easiest comprehension<hr></blockquote>

That might actually be better, Jamal, since he can't spell.

What's clear about any of that? It's not advice I'm giving; it's people travelling around Morocco do simply because their timetable isn't fixed. That's got to be obvious and hat's the only reason Ward rang 8 hours ahead - and I think you know that. No one comes on here saying they slept in the street. You always find somewhere - perhaps not in your budget. I suspect alot of people don't stay in the kind of places professionals like to stay in.

I can only tell you what I have done and what works for me. I lay out a rougth itinery of the cities and towns I wish to go to. I am extreamly flexabile on a day to day basis of were I am going to be and how long I am going to stay there.Some people would not be comfortable doing that. generally it only takes a couple of phone calls to find a place no big deal. Except for storing my backpack and sleeping I do not stay in my room that much.

Oh don't worry, lesliemac wears long sleeves, she'll be fine ;)

I rarely book in advance in Morocco and never have had any problems. The exception would be if I want to stay in one place for a week or more--then I do make an advance reservation. nusnus is right: you always can find somwhere to stay.
And LOL at Jamal who says he is "a professional." Well, gee, if he is a "professional" (whatever that means) does that mean we must heed his advice? Nope.