Dar El Marsa

 
Dar El Marsa is exactly what you want in a boutique hotel. Great location, arty vibe, cool rooms, helpful staff, a popular bar, a restaurant with fantastic food, and a superb spa.

This luxury boutique hotel is right across the street from the wide beach in the La Marsa suburb of Tunis, next door to famous Sidi Bou Said. The neighbourhood has a beachy vibe and a selection of restaurants and shops to make you feel welcome.

The hotel features an ever-changing roster of artists. During my visit the paintings of Anna Latreille Ladoux, of Polish background but living in El Marsa, were featured in the lobby. The clean lines of her beach and ocean scenes were the perfect match for both the sleek design of Dar El Marsa and the sandy beach below it.

Sitting on your balcony you can admire the view of the beautiful sea. While not huge, the rooms are well-designed and well-equipped. They feature a super comfortable king size bed, a small desk area, and a chair and low table near the glass balcony doors. The TV is a smart one (though the internet connection wasn’t strong enough to watch YouTube without delays). The Sony Music player is of the 30-pin variety. Rooms have lots of closet space. There’s a Nespresso machine for excellent coffee. Bathrooms are bright and mirror-filled, and have an extra deep bathtub (up to my neck sitting up!). Showers are by Grohe, my favourite. The toilet is in a separate room.

A buffet breakfast (included in rates) with eggs made to order is served in the lobby bar. Throughout the day and evening the lobby bar is very popular with guests, locals and expats for hanging out, admiring the art, chats, meetings, and enjoying drinks and snacks. Deeper into the hotel is a top notch restaurant where I had one of my best meals in Tunisia.

There’s a lot to do in Tunis, but it is difficult to leave Dar El Marsa. You’ll want to lounge around their rooftop pool and there’s a spa which can’t be missed. In fact, you should make plans to visit more than once.