In Hammamet, on the east coast of Tunisia.
La Badira is a real 5-star hotel with 120 Junior suites and 10 exceptional suites reserved for over 16s, and not a 5-star hotel "by local standards". It is not for nothing that this establishment, officially inaugurated in 2017 after a pre-opening period, is part of the prestigious label The Leading Hotels of the World and hosts the only Spa by Clarins in the country. Directed by the luminous Mouna Ben Alima, the Badira (which means “as luminous as the full moon”) combines remarkable service, refined decoration and high Tunisian gastronomy. And has all the cards in its game to reconnect with the legend of Hammamet, a city that saw the birth of the vocation of Paul Klee or Auguste Macke and attracted many writers and artists of all kinds from the beginning of the 20th century.
At the hotel, don't miss the traditional hammage-scrub-wrap with rhassoul offered at the Spa by Clarins in an atmosphere worthy of the Thousand and One Nights. Soft skin, rosy complexion, and maximum relaxation guaranteed! A ritual that is completed with a Clarins olfactory massage as part of the exclusive signature treatment. We swim at the beach or in the infinity pool if the weather allows it, otherwise, no problem, we take advantage of the vast heated indoor/outdoor swimming pool to align the lengths with a view of the Mediterranean.
Barely ten minutes by taxi are enough and here we are already in the medina where we will be shopping for embroidered baskets, delicately colored foutas, citrus Turkish delights from the Cap Bon region or even olive oil from local terroir.
Tunisian, of course! Whether at the Adra restaurant, at the wider Mediterranean-inspired Kamilah, or at the Beach Grill, all three under the leadership of chef Slim Bettaieb, Tunisian cuisine has more than one flavor on the plate and truly deserves to be (re)discovered in a traditional or modern way. Otherwise, no all-inclusive formula here and that's good, as we encourage you to discover the city, its culture and its gastronomy on your own. Moreover, we will not leave the medina without a candlelit lunch or dinner at Le Barberousse restaurant. We have been “served like a king” (and it’s true!) since 1960. Presented on a rolling cart before being taken to the kitchen, the catch of the day is enhanced by simple cooking in a salt crust. Shrimp tempura, sea bass carpaccio, octopus in salad, Tunisian mussels... We enjoy it without counting!
The wide representation of Tunisian artists in this hotel with its resolutely contemporary decoration, from the poems of Nouredinn Sammoud written in calligraphy on the ceramic tablets on the walls of the rooms, to the canvases of Zoubeir Turki, founder of the Tunis school, via the lanterns, replicas of those in the George Sebastian villa, or the sumptuous Neptune by Sinda Belhassen in salt dough…
-Stay from €150 per night in a double room, breakfast (sumptuous!) for two included. Clarins Signature treatment in Hammamet:approximately €91. Information and reservations:tel. :+216 72 262 812 and www.labadira.com.
-Transavia serves Tunis from Paris with 2 flights per day and 3 on Sundays, i.e. up to 15 flights per week, and from €69 including tax one way. Service from Lyon Saint Exupéry with one flight per day, except Saturdays, i.e. up to 6 flights per week, and from €49 including tax one way. Information and reservations:www.transavia.com and 08 92 05 88 88.
