After zooming through “downtown” upon our arrival to Tozeur, we turned a corner and soon realized that we were no longer in a “one horse town” as so many of the other villages along our journey from the Djerba had been. In fact, this was a multi-horse town, thanks to a coterie of calèche carriages (see “essentials” below) that waited outside Tozeur’s large luxury hotel compounds.

Grand signed entrances of the many fortress-like resorts beckon from each side of the Route Touristique; it soon became evident that we would find our hotel, the El Mouradi Tozeur, without ever having to looking for an address!

Positioned at the top of a somewhat sharp curve of the thoroughfare, the El Mouradi Tozeur welcomed us down a steep driveway and deposited us into a adequate parking lot buzzing with athletes on bikes? Huh? Yes, unlike our stay at the Hôtel Sidi Driss back in Matmata, we certainly would not be alone during our respite at the El Mouradi. The resort was hosting hundreds of Westerners in town for some sort of cycling marathon! (We later spent the evening in the hotel’s bar ear-wigging on the weird conversations coming from the French contingency a few tables away.)

After parking our, we entered through the hotel’s vast foyer where we were immediately comforted by its placid opulence, the decor of which was not quite as outdated as the retro logo circa 1985 out front. No worries, as the offerings here were easily a great number of steps up from the sub-terranean digs of that dusty troglodyte spot in Matmata..

The front desk agent advised us on El Mouradi’s deklightful array of perks : an Olympic size outdoor pool, several bars, restaurants and lounges, indoor spa and massage treatments, etc. It was apparently one of those places that had enough on offer for those who could simply not be bothered to walk outside and enjoy the town’s bounty of other attractions, eateries or shopping possibilities!

Part of a larger chain, El Mouradi Tozeur offers the all too rare combination of pleasant lodging situated within a superb location. Its 89 air-conditioned rooms - and four junior suites - feature garden and/ pool views, with some offering more spectacular vistas that reach out to the palm grove and oddball “Belvedere Rocks.” The free morning buffet breakfast is nothing to write home about, yet El Mouradi’s main restaurant is relaxed and clean, and when bustling with patrons, a nice spot to meet other travelers.

Set of Drifters tip: Seeking some peace and quiet? Make sure you check out the basement spa for a relaxing afternoon reprieve from the masses.

For more on our trip to Tunisia, make sure to check out our blog (Set of Drifters) and our book STARS OF THE DESERT - A journey across the dunes of Tunisia to discover lost "Tatooine" available on Blurb.