Hammamet, Tunisia
Where to Stay
Hammamet has experienced a bit of development boom in recent years. But while the ensuing number of upmarket hotels and resorts are on the rise, the town still has a traditional appeal.
In style
If you’re after real luxury in Tunisia, then you can’t get better than Le Royal Hammamet Hotel (8050 Yasmine Hammamet, +216 72 22 69 35, www.leroyal-hammamet.com). Since 1996, the evocatively designed establishment – part of the global ‘Le Royal’ group, with sister hotels in Luxembourg, Jordan, Lebanon and Tangier - has been providing its own top-level brand of five-star service.
Located on the sandy beaches of Yasmine in Hammamet, Le Royal is ideally situated for the marina and the casino if you’re a Powerboat P1 high-roller, while the town centre and medina are within walking distance for the shopaholics and the ‘Citrus’ and ‘Yasmine’ golf courses are within driving distance if you’ve got a more sporting persuasion. If you’re a history buff, it’s just five kilometres to Hammamet’s historic fort, while the Bardo Museum , the Roman ruins at Carthage, the Coliseum of El Djem and the famous Islamic mosques of Zitouna and Kairouan and the beautiful Andalusian village of Sidi Bou Said are also nearby.
Location isn’t everything, though, and Le Royal more than exceeds expectations on the hospitality front. The majority of its 266 luxury bedrooms have a sea view, which you can enjoy from your private terrace. As you’d expect of a five-star establishment, all other mod cons come as standard. You’re equally well catered for on the dining front, with nine luxury restaurants at bars – more than enough to provide plenty of after-dark entertainment over the Powerboat P1 weekend. Expect to pay 140 euros a night for a double room.
Located near the new marina, the Karthago Hammamet (8050 Yasmine Hammamet, +216 72 240 666, www.karthagohotels.com) is part of a group of hotels in Djerba, Gammarth, Sousse and the Yasmine beachfront area in Hammamet. Its 299 fve-star rooms offer all the typical mod cons and luxuries you’d expect of such a prestige establishment. A septet of bars provide plenty of options for after-dark dining and drinking, while there’s a Thalassotherapy facilities and even an indoor ice rink if you fancy something different to do. Expect to pay around 80 euros a night for a double room.
On a budget
Perched right on the beach, the Caribbean World Beach and Garden (BP 224 Zone Touristique Sud, Hammamet) is a charming first-class oasis. While the décor and colour scheme – it’s outrageously bright – might not be to everyone’s taste, the quality of the hotel is unquestionable. Rooms are spacious, impeccably ordered, modern in design and flawlessly clean. What’s more, the interior design is very progressive and impressive, to say the least.
Not only do you have Hammamet’s stunning beaches at your disposal, the hotel also has a stunning beachside pool – complete with kids’ waterslides – as well as a covered indoor one. Watching the sunrise over the Mediterranean from the outdoor pool is highly recommended. The facilities are excellent, as is the restaurant, and the hotel is literally minutes away, by foot, from the centre of town.