Hotel Hasdrubal Prestige

The Hasdrubal Prestige is a seafront establishment on the pretty Sidi Zerki part of Sidi Mahrez beach. Houmt-Souk is 9 mi away and the airport is 14 mi away, so you should expect a half-hour drive to get there.

The Hasdrubal is the most luxurious hotel in Djerba, and possibly in the whole of Tunisia. It also offers an original well-being centre: its thalassotherapy centre is also a spa. The centre has a glass-covered marine walkway which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. It also includes 13 private cabins equipped with an affusion shower, a bathtub that can be filled with thermal water, and a hammam. That is the true luxury of this centre, you can receive an entire spa treatment in the intimacy of your own private cabin. Another feature worth mentioning is the outdoor 'three waters' swimming-pool. It is comprised of several adjoining pools, of which the closest to the beach is filled with seawater that runs in directly from the Mediterranean through a canal. The 'bluest' pool contains freshwater, and the greenish-reddish ones are filled with Djerba's thermal water, with or without the iron components naturally contained in the water. They work rather well against rheumatism.
Accommodation tip:
The Hasdrubal Prestige only has one type of accommodation, and that is suites. Most of these are standard suites, and are very pleasant, as long as you are not on the ground floor, near the building's recesses where you will not benefit from the nice view.

The Hasdrubal Prestige opened in May 2008 and is noticeable for its original architectural comprised of columns supporting roofs of glazed tiles. From the outside, it looks like a forest of young white trees or a building eternally destined to be under scaffolding. Art is to be found in every detail of the architecture of this building that seems to defy the laws of gravity. A red carpet leads up to the reception area, which is luxurious without being overdone. A huge chandelier, in the shape of a small boat or an eyelid, hangs from the ceiling and provides meticulous lighting come nightfall. The wood used to make the reception desk and the furniture is light-toned, as is the multi-coloured tiling. A little further down from the reception area, once you've walked past the fountains that take you back to the Roman occupation, you will find lawns and gardens planted with bougainvillea and palm trees, providing the perfect setting for the 'three waters' swimming-pool, the centre of the hotel's social life. There are several poolside terraces, each with just a small number of teak deckchairs, so as to keep an air of exclusiveness. However, you should know that the hotel holds 221 suites, and can therefore accommodate up to 500 guests, which is the downside of this establishment: when it is full it is as crowded as a beehive, so you should try to come here in the off-season. The thalassotherapy centre is connected to the various parts of the hotel (and to the suites) by a system of corridors and a tunnel that runs beneath the gardens. Furthermore, there is an indoor swimming-pool where you can swim all year-round.

If you stay at Hasdrubal Prestige, you stay in a suite, and all 221 of these are very comfortable and spacious (another luxury of this hotel). The smallest are 970 sq ft; Junior suites are 1,240 sq ft and the Top suites (Executive, Deluxe, Casino, Presidential) are at least 4,630 sq ft, and can go up to 10,750 sq ft. The 188 standard suites are furnished with taste in the Neo-Classical style and they all have a balcony or terrace with teak garden furniture. As for the view, you won't necessarily be able to see the Mediterranean from the standard suites as only 40 suites afford a sea view, the others overlook the outdoor swimming-pool, the gardens and the other hotel buildings. As for the bathrooms, they are simply splendid, as much in their layout as their interior (light-coloured marble and mosaics), which are so reminiscent of ancient hot baths. In one of the junior suites that we saw, the bathtub took centre stage in the middle of the bathroom. All the bathrooms have a separate shower, dressing gowns, a hair-dryer (basic, in white plastic), and 30 ml hospitality products bearing the name of the Hasdrubal chain. The rest of the facilities offer a very high level of comfort, with air-conditioning, a telephone, a flat-screen television, a safe and a minibar.

There are 6 restaurants and 4 bars here, in terms of food, choice is the key word. In addition to these numerous possibilities, another highlight is the layout, which is both functional and intimate. The restaurants offer all the privacy you need, despite being adjoining. Furthermore, they only seat a limited number of guests on the terrace or inside, which adds to the elegance of the setting. The area where the buffet breakfast is served opens out onto the indoor winter garden and outside onto the gardens and swimming-pool, a little further on. Hot and cold dishes and numerous delicacies (fresh fruit, pastries and home made cakes) are on offer. For lunch and dinner, your options range from the 'beach barbecue' (a seaside restaurant that serves fish and seafood) to the gourmet restaurant (a French inspired a la carte establishment), and from local food (Tunisian tajines and couscous) to Mediterranean food (the influences here are wide, from the Phoenician shores to the garden of the Hesperides). As far as drinks are concerned, the bar in the reception area is the most central; the flamingo bar is for night owls, the poolside bar is the prettiest (with all its surrounding greenery); and the beach bar is the most relaxing.

The beach is divided into two parts on either side of the canal that ferries the seawater for the swimming-pool. The sand beach is some 1,200 ft by 210 ft, and yet the little straw huts are bunched closely together, which is a bit disappointing for this type of hotel. Concerning these straw huts, we also found that they weren't up to the standards of this luxury establishment, but that's the way things are in Djerba. Beach lovers will be able to relax on a deckchair in the shade of the straw huts, or enjoy a dip in the turquoise water, when the sea is calm.