Dar HI

The ownership team that brought you the Hi Hotel in Nice are at it again, this time in a place that, French influence aside, would seem to have very little in common with the Côte d’Azur. Fortunately, both for the brand and for fans of eccentric hotels, they brought designer Matali Crasset with them on their Tunisian voyage. The result is an ecologically sensitive, brilliantly hued hotel, which just happens to be on the edge of the Sahara. And yes, it does sort of resemble something out of Star Wars, and not just because it’s somehow quite futuristic and also slightly Seventies at the same time; if the landscape looks familiar, it’s because several scenes were filmed nearby, and visiting the locations remains a popular tourist attraction.

Then again, many of us will find it difficult to leave Dar Hi. Of the four types of accommodations, perhaps the “pill houses” are the most interesting. Each room is actually a stand-alone, elevated structure, with the bathroom and bedroom situated atop an outdoor seating area. The walls are mostly made of glass; as a result, the views, of dunes and palm trees, for example, are mostly panoramic. Another type, known as the dune, opens directly onto the sand, and lets you rearrange the furniture to your personal specifications. Wherever you are, it’s hard not to slip into a mellower and more expansive state of mind — throughout the hotel, you’re required to shed your shoes and slip on special slippers.

Meals, drinks, and two spa treatments — try the ones that use sun-baked sand — are included. In keeping with the overarching philosophy of sustainability, the pool and hammam are naturally heated via geothermic springs. Food is decidedly Tunisian too: produce is grown on site, and the recipes come from the area, the same dishes the cooks eat at home.

Please note: Dar Hi closes for approximately two months each summer. This year it is closed July 23 through August 31.

How to get there:
Dar Hi is a 15-minute drive from Tozeur Nefta Airport (TOE).