Beach resorts: where to do nothing well

Meliá Hotels International announced a major Tunisia push in 2025: 5 hotels and 3,000 rooms by 2030, kicking off with a 307-room resort in Mahdia in 2026 — the first international 5★ to open in Mahdia in years. Sahara Beach (Skanes/Monastir) reopens April 1, 2026 after a full refurbishment of rooms, pools and beach restaurants — one of the largest AI complexes on the Sahel coast back in play. Marhaba Palace (Port El Kantaoui) was named a Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice 2025 winner, placing it in the top 10% of hotels worldwide — a strong signal that the Sahel's premium AIs are delivering again. Radisson Blu Palace Resort & Thalassa Djerba completed phased upgrades in 2024–2025; Iberostar Selection Eolia Djerba and Iberostar Selection Diar El Andalous (Sousse) remain Tripadvisor's top-ranked all-inclusives in the country. A former grand hotel in Aïn Draham (north-west, mountain side trip from the coast) reopened in 2025 as a 4★ lodge with 64 rooms — useful if you're combining beach with cooler hill country.

Most Tunisian AIs cover: breakfast, lunch, dinner buffet, snacks, soft drinks, local beer, local wine, local spirits and a tea/coffee bar. The better hotels add à la carte restaurants (1–2 included per stay), branded spirits, fresh juices and a beach-towel service. What's typically extra: imported spirits, mini-bar, spa treatments, watersports and excursions. A good resort lets you live well without ever spending more than €30/day on top. Reliable groups to look for in 2026: Iberostar, Mövenpick, Steigenberger, Radisson Blu, TUI BLUE, RIU, El Mouradi, Vincci, Marriott (Sousse), Hasdrubal, and — newly — Meliá (Mahdia 2026).