Dar Ben Gacem Kahia

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!!

We had a fantastic stay at Dar Ben Gacem Kahia in Medina last summer. From the moment we arrived, we were impressed by the property's unique and authentic style. The staff was incredibly professional and helpful, and they really went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable. The breakfast was amazing, and we loved the rooftop terrace where our kids could run around and while we enjoy the view. One thing that really stood out to us was the owner's (Leila) commitment to having a positive social impact on the community. We had the opportunity to hear about her mission and how the property is involved in various initiatives, and it was truly inspiring. Overall, we had a wonderful experience and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Medina. It's a hidden gem in the heart of the medina, and we can't wait to come back and stay again in the future!

What a beautiful and peaceful hotel. I felt so comfortable at Dar Ben Gacem Kahia, especially thanks to the wonderful staff who were always happy to help. This was my first time in Tunisia and the hospitality I experienced has made me want to return. Dar means ‘home’ and that is how it feels here, you can see the restoration of the old home with the traditional interior and I even had a tour of their other hotel and learnt about the history of both. I had my own private balcony in my room and the rooftop was so peaceful to watch the sunset from. I cannot thank the wonderful staff enough for making my stay so great, I highly recommend staying here as a solo female traveller, I felt completely safe. The hotel is within the medina and in walking distance to the train station that you can travel to Carthage and Sidi Bou Said on. Also the breakfast was amazing, maybe a little too much food! I enjoyed trying the traditional Tunisian food and there was different breakfast options each morning