Le Royal Hammamet Tunisia

I stepped inside what looked like a white-marbled Arabian Princess’s palace with fourteen staff in black uniforms serving scented tea with salmon crème canapés on crusted bellinis. It was midnight. The five crystal blue swimming pools sparkled out onto a veranda lined with perfumed orange groves, which led to a clear white beach onto the Mediterranean sea.

Was this a scene from a 1001 Arabian nights? I was certainly exhausted, so perhaps it was a dream…

I had spent the last 48 hours awake, like a Special Forces soldier except I was simply consolidating my five events and two films from the last weeks. This included launching the first international pop-up Tonteria club in Paris at Club Matignon, co-directing a lingerie film with Soft Paris Lingerie MD Luca Armenia, throwing a huge burlesque party for their premier, creating a video teaser for naked models in lobster outfits, hosting a model agency party, and finalising all post press on the LFW Closing Night Party with fashion designer PRITCH London, in association with Lexi Abrams’ Society of Young Philanthropists charity.

Now, exhausted and blurry-eyed from lack of sleep, I was in another country again, this time on a press trip organised by the most generous host Moncef Battikh, head of promotions and events at Tunisian Tourist Board.

Le Royal Hammamet is where I spectacularly arrived. It is incredible. What’s most impressive about the hotel is its unique grand Moorish architecture which spans seven hectares in Yasmine Hammamet. It’s five star for a reason. The hotel boasts four outdoor swimming pools, one indoor pool, a fitness centre, sauna, massage rooms, hamman, Jacuzzi, a hairdresser, a beauty salon, a royal mini club for your children, five restaurants (buffet, seafood, international that can suit your dietary needs, Italian and barbecue), two bars, and a multipurpose function room.

Of the 266 rooms, twenty are Ambassador suites, four Presidential Suites, and there is one absolutely huge Royal Suite (which you must check out on the website, if you’re not heading to Tunisia soon)! I was shown “the biggest suite in the whole world” (as per Guinness Book of World Records) at the Hasbrudal Thalassa & Spa: the presidential villa, “Salambo”, which is 1542 square meters. With its own private entrance, private garage, five huge bedrooms, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, a spa, a hamman, and views onto the beach, it’s rather spectacular!

Sports and Leisure services offered include: beach volleyball, basketball, water polo, mini golf, acqua gym, archery, jet ski, parachute, ski bus, water skiing, and pedal boating. I was lucky enough to experience their soothing Cocoon, Le Royal, and Indian massages and hamman treatment (not too rough) at Le Royal Hammamet Spa. I rode horses on the beachside of The Orangers Beach Resort after having a delightful fresh octopus and salad lunch with organic Tunisian red wine and olives. I swam in the Thalasso therapy springs overlooking the sea at Bio Azur where fresh salt water runs from different spouts onto an inside/outdoor natural pool and a seductive cave.