El Kef Hotels

• Willettsworld
• Reviews: 8151

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Hotel Sicca Veneria: OK option in centre of town

This hotel is named after a goddess that was worshipped here during the Roman occupation and they preserved the towns Punic name which was Sicca Veneria. The hotel lies in the centre of town and features a rather raucous bar which is about all there is as far as nightlife in the town (in fact I sank a beer whilst staying here). My room was fairly simple for TD22 which included a simply breakfast of bread, jam, coffee and a chocolate muffin. The room was OK and came with a TV that didn't seem to work whilst the bathroom had new wall tiles but the floor ones needed replacing.

• Opinion of Price: N/A
• Written August 18, 2008

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• TheLongTone
• Reviews: 325

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Residence Venus: I'd stay there again, no question.

Clean, friendly, efficient, nice albeit small rooms, with a TV lounge downstairs where they were only too happy to turn the channel over to an English-language news channel for me, and a roof terrace giving great views (weather permitting)

• Opinion of Price: about average
• Written January 6, 2007

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• maykal
• Reviews: 1290

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Hotel la Source (Nezel al-Ain)

Hotel la Source occupies a great position at the bottom of the old town, taking its name from the spring which rises in the mosque courtyard just over the road. Behind the hotel rise the cobbled stairways winding their way up the hill towards the Kasbah, while just past the mosque further along the street are some Roman remains, the headquarters of the Association pour la Sauveguarde de la Medina, and a mini souq in a dark passageway.

The hotel has real potential, with rooms arranged round a courtyard, but everything is slowly turning to dust. Beds are wobbly, doors hanging off their hinges, windows don't fit the frames, the balcony is wonky, railings rattle, floor tiles are broken or spotted with paint, the sink is not attached to the wall and threatens to crash onto the shower if a heavy object such as a toothbrush is placed on it, while the shower floor slopes downwards from the plughole. Still, it does provide beds at cheap prices, has bags of character, and couldn't be better located. Plus you don't need an alarm clock to wake you in the morning, as the minaret of the local mosque is just inches away from the balconies.

The owner is blind and subject to lots of malicious gossip around town. He is a chatty soul, and is one of the few Tunisians I met who spoke excellent English. He knows every inch of the hotel, so his blindness doesn't hamper him one bit...however, he prefers not to descend down to street level too often, so if you find the reception desk unmanned, go straight on up the stairs and shout "As-salaam 'aleykum".

Most of the rooms are basic, but there is one which is significantly better than the rest...the so-called "Ottoman Suite", with a four-poster bed and intricately decorated walls and ceiling. There doesn't seem to be much natural light though, so the rooms with balconies are a far better option, as you also get to watch the comings and goings in the street below. My room cost me 15TD (1TD = about 50p).

• Opinion of Price: least expensive
• Written April 6, 2006

When you see this, take the road to the left...

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