Residence Douz | Hotels in Africa

Touching the serene and minimalist oasis of Residence Douz is all the more welcome after a day’s drive from the Tunisian capital. We visit in late spring at the start of their low season (temperatures are already averaging around 35 degrees and are only set to rise throughout the summer). This is the second “Residence” in Tunisia – the first being The Residence Tunis – and it is finally open after eight years of construction. The hotel comprises two restaurants, an elegant lounge and reception, an excellent spa and 50 individual villas (deluxe, prestige or presidential), scattered in a palm plantation.

At the heart of the Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts brand is a dedication to mirroring the elements of the environment, and this place is a stellar example of that commitment. The hotel is built on a palm plantation near Douz – a town that, despite being spectacularly central to Tunisia, feels like you’re on the edge of the world. To the north of the city is Chott el Djerid, a vast salt lake; to the south is Jebil National Park, 150,000 hectares of undisturbed sand dunes.

The grandeur of this landscape is carefully incorporated into the hotel’s design. Cream-colored villas rise from the undulating land like the dunes themselves, while the spa and lobby are strikingly decorated with a neat, textured brick arrangement inspired by the architecture of Tozeur, a town on the opposite side of the salt lake.

On the edge of the Sahara, it’s also incredibly quiet – so much so that it might be disconcerting for city dwellers on their first night, but I promise you’ll adjust quickly.

The team is mostly Tunisian, many from Douz. Their knowledge and pride in the hotel, the presentation of traditional dishes in the restaurant and its nods to local cultures (such as the dining experience in the Berber tent) make a stay here feel like a luxurious reimagining of traditional Tunisian life. What’s more, the service strikes an ideal balance between high-quality attention and casual warmth, which means you feel really, really relaxed – they’ll remember your coffee order, but you can put your own napkin on your lap.

The spa, right in the middle of the palm grove, includes a gym, steam room, sauna, heated indoor pool, manicure and pedicure facilities, a hair salon, eight treatment rooms, two scrub rooms and a hammam. The space is a continuation of the hotel’s tasteful and quiet decor, sprinkled with authentic touches such as beautiful tiling and local artwork. It’s all built around a pleasant, sandy courtyard with flowing water features – an idyllic spot to perch and sip some Tunisian mint tea between treatments.

Neighborhood

Douz might seem like a pretty unsuspecting tourist destination, but the small, quaint outpost is one of the most unique places I’ve ever traveled to. Known locally as the ‘gateway to the Sahara’, Douz is a great place to base yourself if exploring southern Tunisia is on your bucket list – which it should be.

Nearby

1. Twelve souks for locally made home goods (think handmade woolen rugs and ornate crockery), leather goods and souvenirs.
2. Sahara Museum for artifacts, replicas and information about how communities survived in the desert, with everything from reimagining a traditional Berber tent to myth-busting facts about camels.
3. Sahara desert for endless exploration – be sure to try quad biking, one of many surreal experiences to come highly recommended by the hotel.

Time Out tip

Ksar Ghilane, a real-life oasis nestled among the dunes of southern Tunisia, is about a three-hour drive from the hotel (if you take the scenic, camel-frequented, sandy route, that is). The small, clean pools, which are fed by an underground spring, are surrounded by tourist campsites and a Bedouin community and are a surreal refuge from the endless surrounding desert – absolutely worth a visit.