Just a mention of the Dar Said, one of Tunisia’s prettiest boutique hotels, ellicits sighs from those who’ve stayed there. It’s perched on the hilltop in Sidi Bou Said, a stunning spot known for its art and architecture, about a half hour’s drive from downtown Tunis.

The hotel is splashed with white and blue, in typical Sidi Bou Said style, but what makes it special is the view it commands out over the gentle waves of the Mediterranean. Gardens spill down the hillside, and the inner courtyards, which are open to the sun and stars, are scattered with jasmine petals that fall from the trees like summer snowdrops.

All of the rooms are pretty luxurious, ranging from the lowest-priced ‘charm rooms’ (which start at US 220) to the spacious suites (priced from US 400). Some have sea views, while others look out onto the pool, the bougainvillea gardens or the whitewashed houses of Sidi Bou Said. With views like that, who needs a flatscreen TV? Still, all rooms have them, as well as free (and fast) wifi, bathtubs, robes, minibars (that, happily for Tunisia, stock wine and beer) and big bathroom mirrors.

We stopped by the spa and hammam, at the back of the hotel. The therapists offer massages, wrap treatments with mud and algae ingredients and basic hammam packages – great for novists wanting to be initiated into the North African hammam experience. There are steam rooms of varying degrees and you can be scrubbed down by therapists who use a mixture of salt and rose oil to cleanse tired, jet-lagged skin. And the best thing about it is that unlike most traditional North African hammams, you get to keep your bathing suit on.

The Dar Said retains its vibe as something of an oasis of calm by keeping its restaurant away from the rooms, further down the hillside. But breakfast is served by the pool, or in your room, until midday. There’s no fancy breakfast buffet, but the bread basket – with warm croissants and raisin bread – served alongside cheeses, ham, a platter of fruits, freshly-squeezed strawberry juice, jellies and applesauce, will set you up for the day.