Published December 13, 2009
Just Desert
The Sahara's Finest Tent Hotel
It's good to be the king.
And while we don't know of any vacant thrones at the moment, there are still a few spots in the world where
you can live it up like royalty—provided you don't mind dealing with a few camels.
Welcome to
Pansea Ksar Ghilane, a Saharan oasis that lets you experience the desert the way the
Bedouin sheikhs did—in really nice tents—open now.
In short, it's a proudly pre-modern paradise with no computers, no television and no phone service. (We hear
their WiFi's spotty anyway.) Instead, you'll swap electronic helpers for a ridiculously large complement of
valets, who will stoke your poolside hookah and personally tend to your stock of camels. (To be clear:
that's provided.) And when night comes, you'll bed down in an actual tent—even if it's one with a
king-size bed, an in-suite shower and air-conditioning. Ah, the great outdoors…
Getting there is no small feat—it'll take three hours in a 4x4 from the nearest town—but that'll
just give you time to appreciate the endless rolling dunes. The spot started off as a Roman outpost, and you
can still tour some nearby ancient forts on camelback. There's even a hot springs called Atn Rath, where
your kingly excursions can extend to the pre-electric version of hot tubbing.
You should be able to smuggle a loofah past customs.
VITALS
Pansea Ksar Ghilane
Tunisia
00216-75-621-870
official website