# The Residence Douz The Residence Douz is a 50-villa resort opened in October 2023 in Douz, at the gateway to the Sahara, on a 14-hectare estate. Villas from 133 to 429 m², a Clarins spa, a kids' club with an observatory and a permaculture farm; Gabès-Matmata airport is 1 h 30 away and Tozeur 2 hours. Expect about €335 a night for two, without breakfast, in March. Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/hotels/the-residence-douz/ The Residence Douz is the place to choose for a luxury stay in the Tunisian Sahara: fifty villas in a palm grove in Douz, the "gateway to the Sahara", on the northern edge of the Grand Erg Oriental, the sea of dunes that stretches towards Algeria and Libya. Opened in October 2023 on a 14-hectare estate, it belongs to The Residence brand of the Singapore-based Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts, which also runs [The Residence Tunis](/en/hotels/the-residence-tunis/) in Gammarth. ## Who it suits The hotel suits honeymooners, families and travellers who want the desert and its starry sky without sleeping in a tent. With only fifty villas, the estate stays very quiet. See also [desert](/en/themes/desert/) and [honeymoon](/en/themes/honeymoon/). ## Three villas, three ways to live the desert Every unit is a villa, with individual air conditioning, a separate bathtub and rain shower, twin basins and a terrace larger than many hotel rooms. The one-bedroom Sahara Deluxe Villa is the couple's villa. Sabaro recommends the Sahara Prestige Villa: it adds a large living room and, above all, a rooftop terrace looking over the dunes and the night sky; an extra bed fits a child. For a family or friends, four to six of you, the two Presidential Pool Villas have two bedrooms, a private pool and a rooftop terrace facing the desert. You can ride to your villa on a camel from reception: an arrival that sets the tone. ## The Spa by Clarins The spa is run by the French brand Clarins: eight treatment rooms, two scrub rooms, a hammam (extra charge), an indoor pool and a gym. It opens from 1 pm to 7 pm, local time. The estate also has an outdoor pool beneath a colonnade. See also [spa and wellness](/en/themes/spa-and-wellness/). ## Dining - **The Dining Room**, Mediterranean cooking, 6 am to 11 pm; - **Talis**, Tunisian and Berber cooking, evenings from 7 pm to 11 pm; - the **Lobby Bar**, 8 am to 1 am. Times are local. Private dining can be arranged on request. ## Children, farm and crafts The **Gazelle Kids Club** takes children aged 3 to 12, with an observatory for stargazing, a kitchen and its own outdoor pool. Two places give the stay a local dimension: - **Earth Basket**, the estate's farm, run on permaculture lines (a farming method that mimics natural ecosystems); - **Mud House**, the cultural centre, with cooking and craft workshops. ## Excursions and what foreign ministries say The hotel offers camel rides, quad biking, buggies, desert camps, visits to Berber villages and trips to Jbil National Park. Desert outings south of Douz, towards Tembaine, Jbil park or Ksar Ghilane, fall within the area that several European foreign ministries advise against: everything south of the line Algerian border – Tozeur – Douz – Ksar Ghilane – Tataouine – Zarzis. Sabaro does not offer them. The town of Douz itself can be visited according to some ministries, with heightened vigilance like other tourist areas. Foreign ministries do not all give the same advice; yours: (Depends on the traveller's country: see the table on https://sabaro-travel.com/en/hotels/the-residence-douz/) The details are in our [Tunisia safety](/en/guides/securite-tunisie/) guide, and other ways to spend a night in the desert in our [night in the desert](/en/guides/nuit-dans-le-desert-tunisie/) guide. ## Getting there The hotel's website lists three airports: - Gabès-Matmata: 132 km, about 1 h 30; it had no scheduled flights in 2026; - Tozeur-Nefta (TOE): 134 km, about 2 hours, via the Chott el Djerid road; direct flights from France from October to June; - Djerba-Zarzis (DJE): 220 km, about 3 h 45, with direct flights all year from France and Belgium. In practice, Tozeur and Djerba are the gateways. The address is the Tourist Route, Douz. ## Season The Saharan south is pleasant from October to April. From June to October the heat takes over: the hotel quotes 30 to 50 °C in July. In winter the days stay mild (highs of 17 to 19 °C at nearby Kébili from December to February), but nights are cold, around 4 to 6 °C: bring a jumper for evenings on the rooftop. The International Sahara Festival takes place in Douz from 19 to 22 December 2026 (see [Douz Sahara Festival](/en/events/festival-sahara-douz/)). Ramadan 2027 is expected from 8 February to 9 March. ## Price and tourist tax In October 2026, for two nights from 9 March 2027, the cheapest villa was offered on the official website at about €335 a night for two adults, without breakfast, taxes included, with free cancellation. The tourist tax is paid on top at the hotel: 12 Tunisian dinars (TND) per person per night in four- and five-star hotels, about €3.60 at the Central Bank of Tunisia rate of 19 October 2026, for up to ten nights; Sabaro confirms the amount charged. See our [money in Tunisia](/en/guides/argent-tunisie/) guide. ## Sabaro's view **Who for**: couples, honeymooners, families with children aged 3 to 12. **Strengths**: 133 m² villas from the entry level, the rooftops of the Prestige villas, the Clarins spa, the farm and cultural centre, and a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Tripadvisor (438 reviews). **Worth knowing**: desert excursions south of Douz are advised against by several European foreign ministries; the nearest airport with flights is 2 hours by road. ## Frequently asked questions ### Which airport should I use for The Residence Douz? Tozeur-Nefta (about 2 hours by road), linked with France by direct flights from October to June, or Djerba-Zarzis (about 3 h 45), served all year. Gabès-Matmata is closest but had no scheduled flights in 2026. ### Can I take a dune trip from the hotel? The hotel offers them, but the desert south of Douz, including Tembaine, Jbil park and Ksar Ghilane, is advised against by several European foreign ministries. Sabaro does not offer these trips. ### Which villa should I choose? The Sahara Prestige Villa, for its rooftop facing the dunes and the night sky; the Presidential Pool Villa for a family or a group of four to six. ### When should I go to Douz? From October to April. Summer is scorching, up to 50 °C in July according to the hotel; winter nights are cold.