Area Info

The hotel is in Matmata Ancienne (Old Matmata), a small Berber village sitting at the foot of the Dahar Mountains in southern Tunisia. The area is frequently described as being either on the moon or Mars because, to put it mildly, its hills are dry and pockmarked with valleys running through them. This happens to be geography for which over centuries-from intense heat out of necessity-the local Berber population built their homes downward into the ground. Five large connected by underground tunnels form pits make up what has become known as Hotel Sidi Idriss; this structure represents that type architecture best.

The place looks remote and isolated-which adds to its charm-but is in fact quite accessible from the coastal cities. The village itself is quiet and sparsely populated, a few small shops and cafes servicing the tour bus trade that passes through during the day. Once the buses leave around 4:00 PM, it’s so easy to imagine what this area must have been like before any type of tourism found its way here. You are surrounded by the raw beauty of pre-Saharan desert . Just a few kilometers away , lies Toujane village presenting spectacular views of mountains worth a detour .

Matmata actually has two parts: the modern town with its normal concrete buildings (Matmata Nouvelle or New Matmata) and the area around the hotel where traditional troglodyte structures can still be found (Old Matmata). They are about fifteen kilometers apart. Make sure your driver knows you want to go to "Old" Matmata (Sidi Idriss), not just drop you off in unimpressive new town. The hotel sits on what is effectively a gateway road into deep south; situated on same route as Douz-the so-called 'Gateway to Sahara'­-it's perfectly positioned for anyone making that classic desert road trip.