Dar Ben Gacem Kahia

Bellissimo Dar all’interno della Medina di Tunisi. Camera situata al primo piano ampia e spaziosa con due finestre che fanno entrare molta luce. Anche il bagno molto ampio con water separato e super doccia. Oltre agli asciugamani, in dotazione anche gli accappatoi. Terrazza al secondo piano dove si gode di una bella vista di Tunisi e dove potersi rilassare e prendere il sole. Ottima prima colazione a piano terra intorno ad un tavolone da condividere: tè o caffè, uova con pomodoro e peperoni, burro e marmellata, muffin, frutta fresca, formaggi, yogurt. Unica pecca è lo scarso segnale del wi-fi in camera nonostante i 4 wi-fi presenti nella struttura. Per utilizzare il wi-fi bisogna stare nelle aree comuni.

The location was very good. Close walk to many attractions. The breakfast room and the quality of the breakfast was excellent. Youssef was a great host and helpful to our requests and needs.

A gorgeous Dar / guesthouse with great service and wonderful staff. Unfortunately the bathroom / shower was not clean :( I’ve posted a photo below of the shower. It was slimy and slippery. Did not feel clean. Hopefully this is an easy fix for the staff.

I will start with a warning so you are not caught off guard upon arrival. If this is your first time in Tunis and you arrive at night, like we did, you might be put off when you first arrive: the entrance is in a small alleyway where your taxi might not be able to get in. Still, you can be dropped off at the street corner and walk just a couple more steps. This is q very safe and residential area as you will see the next morning, so don’t let this impact your perception. The dar is beautifully decorated and the rooms are spacious and comfortable, with big private bathrooms in all rooms, but they have no lift. If you have any disabilities or are traveling with many suitcases, you might want to request a ground floor room. .The breakfast is not a buffet, and will be served on the ground floor as of 8am. A nice lady will bring you fresh fruit, coffee, fresh bread, local cheeses, yogurt, lemon juice, eggs and jam in a tray. She is very kind and will always try to accommodate your every request. The staff deserves special credit: they are all incredibly helpful and attentive, and will do everything in their power to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. They helped us organize a private tour to the Carthage ruins, arranged some nice dinner when everything nearby was already closed and will always be ready to assist you in any way they can. I would recommend this dar to anyone visiting Tunis and would definitely stay there again!

Apparently the Dar houses in Tunisia is similar to the Riads in Morocco. What I like about this hotel: 1. Although the place is not as elaborately decorated as some riads in Morocco (e.g. Riad Naya in Marrakesh medina), it is still very charming and tasteful. 2. The place only has 8 rooms (including 2 suites). I had the suite with its own private patio which is totally secluded. 3. The location is also great. It is not on one of the main street of Rue du Pacha but off in a side alley (Rue El Kahia) so it is very quiet. This hotel is Dar Ben Gacem Kahia. On Rue du Pacha there is a Dar Ben Gacem. Could be confusing for some people. 4. Like the riads in Morocco, the roof-top "garden" was fantastic, giving guests a place to relax outside their rooms. 5. Breakfast was quite good, serving made-to-order omelet, bread, fruit juice, coffee, ricotta cheese, yoghurt, fruit salad etc. 6. The host, Slim, was very professional, friendly and approachable. He made my stay very pleasant. Room to improve: Not much. Just some minor issues, such as: - the bread and croissant could be fresher. If it is too much to serve freshly baked goods in a small hotel, perhaps warming the bread or croissant for a few minutes in the oven would be great - bedside right table drawer opened only 6 inches, some of the window wood panels did not close properly, the guest room's main door handle was very loose (and almost dangling) - breakfast was good but inefficient. My suggestion to the hotel, is switching to a buffet breakfast. Right now, each guest gets a juice, coffee or tea, fresh fruits, bread and pastry, some desserts. Instead of bringing it all in a large tray, the items were brought to the guest one at a time.  This was not efficient because one morning I was missing a teaspoon, another morning there was no napkin. Then others got a basket of fruits except me. Another morning another guest was waiting for his coffee for so long that I gave him mine. One morning a few Italian tourists finished the coffee and fruits etc. and left before the staff brought the omelette. I guess they were not told that the omelettes were coming. The staff seemed to be a little frantic to me, running around.  A buffet will solve the problem. Also not everyone has the same appetite. This will eliminate food waste. Does the food that a guest couldn't finish, get used again for another guest. If not then there is a lot of food waste. A great hotel should pay close attention to details, and do the minor repairs before they become an issue.

We stayed here for 2 nights in September. Pluses: - Kind, helpful staff - Excellent location in the medina, walkable to everything (including taxi pickup) - Delicious breakfast included, in the courtyard (pastry, fruit, coffee/tea, smoothies, omelet, cheeses) - Clean, quiet, secure - A/C and hot water in the rooms - Wifi - Gorgeous rooftop terrace with seating, tables, couches - Authentic, gorgeous locally-owned dar with luxurious feel Minuses: - None, really. Loved it here, highly recommend!!