From the vast expanse of the Sahara Desert and the jagged foothills of the Atlas Mountains to the picturesque beachside towns that line the Mediterranean coast, Tunisia is a goldmine for intrepid travellers looking to get off the beaten trail.
One company that sees the potential of this emerging escape is The Residence by Cenizaro, the luxury resort collection with properties in the Maldives, Mauritius, Zanzibar and, since 1996, the Tunisian capital Tunis. After almost two and a half decades in Tunisia, the company is rolling out three more hotels and resorts in the next three years, starting with The Residence Douz later this year.
Spread over 14 hectares of rolling sand dunes on the edge of the mighty Sahara, the desert resort’s 50 villas will be embellished with local design references including patterned bricks from nearby Tozeur and handwoven carpets underfoot.
But it’s the surrounding desert landscape that will really steal the show, inviting guests to explore the dunes on a camel ride, or visit some of the nearby attractions made famous by their role in the Star Wars movies, including the cave dwellings of Matmata, Chott El-Jerid salt lake and the dunes of Jbil Nature Park.
Following the opening of The Residence Douz, the company will open two further hotels in Tunisia: one in the Medina of Tunis and one on Djerba Island, creating a four-stop luxury trail across the country.
www.cenizaro.com/theresidence