Villa di Sidi Bou Said

Despite being in the chic-est town in Tunisia, this luxurious, glamorous hotel still acts as a safe haven from the hot, sticky, tourist-ridden streets on the outside. My abiding memory is returning from a trip to Tunis on the TGM (a real relic from the past and a must for any adventuring tourist) which we had pursued in the midday furnace, with temperatures exceeding 40C. I sprinted through the busy town centre, with the sun still beating down on me, my body dripping with sweat. As soon as I was through the hotel door, I jumped into the beautiful, empty pool, and felt the soothing yet refreshing water washing away all the dust and dirt of our adventure. I stayed there for an hour or so, soaking in the beautiful surrounding views of the Mediterranean. Location: The hotel is situated away from the tourist-ridden buzz of the town centre, and is instead nestled on a cliff, looking out towards the vast expanses of blue sea. Food: A good non-buffet breakfast is hard to pull off, but this place does so in style. You can have it brought to you in any location of the hotel, so naturally we opted to have it looking out onto the Mediterranean. All the food is extremely high quality. The restaurant is rather expensive, and food in Tunisia is very well priced, so I'd recommend looking elsewhere. There's plenty of choice either in Sidi Bou Said or in the neighbouring towns, such as Al Marsa, La Goulette or Tunis itself.

This boutique hotel is an absolute delight. Excellent location, clean, excellent service and superb breakfast. We were visiting Tunisia for the first time. It was quite a little haven away from the hustle and bustle. Beautiful views from the garden and perfect for photographs. We enjoyed the garden(which had olive and orange trees), the pool area (swimming pool was not heated so quite cool) where we ordered beer or cafe au laits. I also utilized the living room area to conduct some business where you can help yourself to some mint tea. The staff was lovely, especially Miriam at the desk and Ibrahim who helped with everything from our luggage to serving us coffee. We were in room 22 which was a beautiful room but if you want a more quiet location I would ask for one further in the back. Our window opened up to the minaret (local mosque) which called to prayer 5 times a day from the loudspeaker. I find it meditative but if you don't want to be awaken at sunrise choose a different room. They also offer massage and spa treatments. We were too busy to use that service but we did have our laundry done at an affordable price. I would say the only drawback would be for those with mobility issues but the entire town of Sidi Bou Said would be difficult in a wheelchair unfortunately. The village is atop a big hill with cobbled stoned streets and alleys. We loved our stay and highly recommend.

With a stay at Villa Didon in Carthage, you'll be in the historical district, within a 15-minute drive of Habib Bourguiba Avenue and Basilica of Damous Karita. This luxury hotel is 0.8 mi (1.3 km) from Palais Ennejma Ezzahra and 1.2 mi (1.9 km) from North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial.Pamper yourself with a visit to the spa, which offers massages. Additional amenities at this hotel include complimentary wireless internet access, concierge services, and babysitting (surcharge).Satisfy your appetite for lunch or dinner at Le Restaurant, a restaurant which specializes in international cuisine, or stay in and take advantage of the 24-hour room service. Need to unwind? Take a break with a tasty beverage at one of the 2 bars/lounges. A complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast is included.Featured amenities include limo/town car service, a computer station, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours), and free self parking is available onsite.Make yourself at home in one of the 10 individually decorated guestrooms, featuring minibars and LCD televisions. Rooms have private furnished balconies. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Partially open bathrooms have complimentary toiletries and hair dryers.

Located in Sidi Bou Said, Appartement Les Musiciens is by the ocean, within a 5-minute walk of Palais Ennejma Ezzahra and Museum Dar el-Annabi. This hotel is 10.8 mi (17.4 km) from Habib Bourguiba Avenue and 1.4 mi (2.3 km) from North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial.Take in the views from a rooftop terrace.Make yourself at home in one of the 2 air-conditioned rooms featuring kitchens with full-sized refrigerators/freezers and ovens. Rooms have private balconies. Flat-screen televisions with satellite programming provide entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature deep soaking bathtubs and rainfall showerheads.

With a stay at this villa in Sidi Bou Said, you'll be within a 5-minute walk of Museum Dar el-Annabi and Palais Ennejma Ezzahra. This villa is 11.5 mi (18.4 km) from Habib Bourguiba Avenue and 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from La Marsa Beach.Take in the views from a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access.Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available daily from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM for a fee.Free self parking is available onsite.Make yourself comfortable in this villa, featuring a kitchenette with a refrigerator and an oven. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and a flat-screen television is provided for your entertainment. Conveniences include a microwave and an electric kettle, and housekeeping is provided daily.

I had previously reviewed the Dar Fatma after my stay in March 2020, when I was trapped in Tunisia for a spell by cascading Covid closures. (It turns out I was the inn's last guest for an entire year.) Three years later, I have returned, now with my wife, under far less stressful circumstances. And it proved even more charming the second time around. There was, however, one snafu: We arrived in the evening, and the overnight staffer had no knowledge we were coming. I whipped out my cell phone to show him my exchange of email messages with the owner five months before, which set off a flurry of phone calls. Bottom line: The room I had reserved, with a (narrow) view to the sea, was occupied, but they did still have available a room with no windows to the outside at all, and that is where we spent our first night. The next morning we were shuffled upstairs to a less claustrophobic room, and my wife could begin to enjoy her stay. Moral of this particular story: before setting out on your trip, it never hurts to take a minute to reconfirm all your hotel reservations, especially if you made them by email. So, to cite the old American saw: ”Aside from THAT, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” Indeed, aside from the initial confusion about our staying, this play was wonderful. This being off season, we were able to find places just a 2-minute walk away where we could leave our rented car. (Advice: it's best to leave one's car on Rue Taieb Mhiri close to the lighthouse and the panoramic overlook, where you have space to turn around and head out without having to creep, zig-zagging down through the town, to make your way out.) The morning breakfast spread, served by the cheerful Salwa, is varied and tasty. Salwa was also a source of practical advice -- most importantly, in scuttling our plan to take a day to go into Tunis to visit the Bardo Museum. (She warned us it was closed -- apparently a casualty of the president's coup against parliament.) That left us with an unanticipated day at leisure, which we could partially fill by stretching out on Dar Fatma's roof in the early spring sun, reading and watching the pigeons come sip water at the wading pool. Even in the claustrophobic first-night room (named ”Adel”) and certainly in our ”mezzanine” room, ”Lea,” up the narrow winding staircase to the next corridor of rooms and then the rooftop, there was good WiFi and a very good shower. Each room also had a writing desk equipped with convenient electrical connections for a laptop computer. Thanks to Aziza, the rooms are kept clean and well-ordered each day. From the moment one enters through the small carved from the larger one, the Dar Fatma (:house of Fatima”) reeks of North African character and charm. For all this, the price is reasonable, at least off-season: US$90 a night for a double room and breakfast. The owners, Hatem and Hana Ben Rhouma, came by to visit us on our last night, perhaps in part to apologize for the rooming snafu on our arrival, but a

Hôtel récent avec un propriétaire très arrangeant. Ouvert depuis 1 an. Piscine de bonne taille, propre mais froide en avril. Seulement 8 chambres mais super spacieuses, très confortables, très bien décorées. L'hôtel est a 5 min du centre ville ce qui permet une vue mer époustouflante et un calme royal. Ne pas hésiter a demander comment fonctionne la TV et ne pas rater le Spa ; Imen fait de super gommage/ hammam et massage. Prix raisonnable pour des européens. Le petit déjeuner le mardi 30 avril était un peu en manque de produits ( pas de jus d'orange frais/ pas de croissants frais/ manque de fromage etc...) mais je pense qu'ils n'avaient pas été livrés. Pour nous le plus est que le petit déjeuner reste au moins jusqu'à midi ; donc pas besoin de se lever tôt !! et ça c'est rare dans les hôtels. Ne pas hésiter à demander ce dont vous avez besoin, tout le monde est très serviable et gentil. Merci pour cet agréable séjour. Continuez

With a stay at La Chambre Verte in Sidi Bou Said, you'll be within a 5-minute walk of Museum Dar el-Annabi and Palais Ennejma Ezzahra. This guesthouse is 11.8 mi (18.9 km) from Habib Bourguiba Avenue and 1.8 mi (2.9 km) from La Marsa Beach.Make use of convenient amenities, which include complimentary wireless internet access and tour/ticket assistance.A complimentary self-serve breakfast is served daily.Featured amenities include express check-in, express check-out, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Free self parking is available onsite.Make yourself at home in one of the individually decorated guestrooms, featuring minibars and flat-screen televisions. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include coffee/tea makers and complimentary bottled water, and housekeeping is provided daily.

With a stay at this apartment in Sidi Bou Said, you'll be within a 5-minute walk of Palais Ennejma Ezzahra and Museum Dar el-Annabi. This apartment is 10.9 mi (17.6 km) from Habib Bourguiba Avenue and 1.5 mi (2.5 km) from North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial.This apartment offers designated smoking areas.Guests may use a roundtrip airport shuttle for a surcharge, and free self parking is available onsite.Make yourself comfortable in this apartment, featuring a kitchen with a refrigerator and an oven. An LCD television with satellite programming provides entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected. Conveniences include a separate sitting area and a microwave, and housekeeping is provided once per stay.