Dar Hi Life

A combination of a contemporary boutique hotel, eco-resort, and informal guesthouse, Dar Hi Life has been brought to the oasis town of Nefta in southwestern Tunisia by the owners of the Design Hotel in Nice and is the creation of interior designer and architect Matali Crasset.

Dar Hi Life’s architecture is typical of the surrounding ochre-coloured brick and palm wood houses with a twist of modernity. Accommodation is in 18 air-conditioned ensuite rooms offering three different styles of accommodation: Piloti rooms, on concrete pillars, have a terrace with a shower and a lounge bed with views of the oasis; Troglodyte rooms are partially underground and naturally cool, while multi-bedroom Dune rooms are situated on the sand.

Televisions have been intentionally banished from the bedrooms, as have telephones. Additionally, the riad-style Dar Malika rooms have living areas and a small kitchen. Dar Hi Life’s public areas have a minimalist feel and feature an enormous open-plan lobby, bar, and restaurant that leads onto a communal terrace.

There is also a cosy library with an open fireplace and a tiny cinema where guests can watch television. Dining at Dar Hi Life is table d’hôte style, with delicious Tunisian meals based on Nefta recipes using homemade and locally sourced organic products made in an open kitchen. Next door is a self-serve refreshment alcove. The spa is integral to the property’s ethos and has massage rooms, steam baths, a meditation space, and a yoga room.

Outside is a warm spring water-filled swimming pool, and stairs cut through a cactus garden lead you into the shady oasis.