Hotel La Kasbah is a splendid building with massive stone walls. Outside is a garden with trees and flowers and a small covered parking area. A big gateway leads into the reception area with large lounge overlooking the courtyard with swimming pool. There was a bar in one corner and small jewellery shop. The dining room is in other corner. We followed the signs to ‘Souk’ thinking it would lead us into the Medina but this doorway is kept locked. The ‘Souk’ is a small coffee shop at the far side of the courtyard with seats in secluded niches.
We had a large room with a small balcony overlooking the pool. There was a large tiled bathroom off with a separate toilet. The over the bath shower was excellent and there was a good supply of towels and toiletries. There was huge and very comfortable bed with two bedside tables. The TV was above a small fridge and there was a desk for working. There was plenty of hanging space and room for suitcases in the entrance hallway.
Evening meals and breakfast were self service buffets. There was a good range of choice of salads and hot food (all labeled) in the evening with the usual selection of Tunisian cakes and biscuits with blacmanges and flans. There was plenty of choice at breakfast with a selection of cold meats and cheese with a variety of breads and cakes as well as omelettes to order. There were oranges put out at both dinner and breakfast.
If the hotel was busy and especially if there were large groups in, they could be slow to replenish food. The only thing that let them down at breakfast was the synthetic and rather sweet orange juice. Freshly squeezed orange juice was available one morning at a cost of 1.5dinars (nearly £1) which did seem expensive when oranges are so abundant and cheap.
This is a very comfortable hotel and an excellent base to explore the Medina and other attractions around Kairouan. The only downside is that it close to a small mosque and the first call to morning prayers starts at 4.45!
