The dialogue and collaboration between Philippe Chapelet, Patrick Elouarghi and Matali Crasset started in 2005 with the HI hotel in Nice, HIMATIC in Paris. They all decided to push the contemporary experience a bit further with Dar HI a new concept of hospitality and serenity. Dar HI is not another project but articulated around the notions of well-being and eco-retreat in an unexpected and magincal site. "Not a hotel nor a classical SPA but more a place where you can experience withdrawal and benefit from a spiritual thalassotherapy a few hours away from Paris and in the middle of the desert", explains Patrick Elouarghi. The DARHI team has created privileged relationships with the inhabitants of the village who will be taking care of the house. The gardeners will till the garden that will be the main source of vegetables and fruits. The cooks will propose a variety of local and simple dishes. No high gastronomy nor imported products, even less so called authentic cuisine for tourists, but a self sufficient and local develpoment approach. Here artificial folklore is not necessary!

"The desert is the perfect place for space, radical change of scenery, rest, reversion to sources"; notes Patrick. 15 minutes from Tozeur airport, Nefta is the entrance door to the south Tunisian desert; between Chott-El-Jerid and sand dunes. Nefta seduced Philippe and Patrick. It is not surprising that this particular location has inspired a large number of movie directors, for example: Star Wars and the English Patient were filmed in the Nefta desert. The town is appeasing yet very lively. The energy mixed with a dolce vita is immediately perceptible. Nefta is an important religious village, a platform of Sufism that gives a poetic and mystical dimension to it. The feeling of meditation and spirituality is very strong. "It is a town of wilderness and literature. Over the years the inhabitant's rhythm hasn't changed and the town has an overall serene atmosphere. Dar HI has the best panorama in town. First you see the historical town, a bit futher the date grove and in the horizon the Chott-El-Djerid (old salted lake) with beautiful sunsets.

To access the Dar HI you walk towards it and this is the beginning of your stay. The car has been left futher from the house. A discreet door leads you to imagine that you walk in a private house. A discreet door leads you to imagine that you walk in a private house. The entrance, a corridor, a ramp is the last stop where you leave your "codes" at the exterior. You take off your shoes and wear babouches (Tunisian slippers). You are at home!

"I have conceived and architecture that is towards the indoor when outside and towards the outdoor when you are inside, exploding the codes", explains matali. With the surrounding wall, typical of local architecture, Dar HI follows the movements of the terrain, following the shapes of the site and emerges from the sand as a mirage citadel. Inside, the elevated houses seem to be planted into the sand and they structure the project. matali crasset designed 3 different areas: the pill houses, the troglodytes an the dunes.

Dar HI proposes 4 different concepts for 17 rooms. The areas that compose Dar HI have different orientations therefore a different panorama and a specific type of interaction with life within the hotel: the air type with elevated houses that overlook the local life and the oasis, the troglodyte type within the rocky part, the dune type at the same level than the sand and the traditional house. 

In the heart of Dar HI, the HI body and soul is dedicated to well being for body and spirit. It has several massage and body care areas, a bathtub with oriental relaxing essential oils, a meditation room, and a very spacious traditional hammam. In the pure oriental tradition the hammam is heated with steamed hot water that comes from the desert. 

All images © Dar HI and Jérôme Spriet for eternal-optimist.com

www.dar-hi.net/en