Julius

I was frustrated before arriving because nowhere seemed to have a room in El Jem. Then I got here and realized Hotel Julius may be pretty much the only hotel in town. I was one of the few gringos around, and it seemed most tourists come for day trips rather than staying. Anyway, that’s beside the point. There isn’t much choice, but I’d still recommend it. Book on the hotel’s own website, though. Booking.com was trying to charge me double, even at genius level 3. The building must have cost a lot to put up. It’s grand, though perhaps starting to look dated. The rooms are comfortable, with A/C and heating, big beds, and plenty of lights and sockets. The shower leaves the bathroom floor a bit wet, which seems like a design problem, but it works. The receptionist was really nice and helpful too. What bothered me most was the atrium. It seems they were going for an indoor colosseum look, but it’s really a lobby with sofas, tables, and chairs. Local men, young and old, gather there to smoke from early evening into the small hours. One night, I looked down and saw thick cigarette and Shisha smoke billowing up toward my floor. The noise was the main nuisance. I found the scene pretty amusing, though, like a grand casino in 1920s Vegas, especially with the way the building is lit up outside at night.

The Wi-Fi was another letdown: the signal was very weak and unstable, and so painfully slow that I often couldn’t even load Google. Modern amenities matter. I’m sure staff are embarrassed to deal with these management problems. I expect there’ll be a bland, proteinless reply to this, but these hospitality failures deserve one star. I came to ElJem for a few days to take in the history and booked in person to save money. I chose half board after asking reception whether they cooked vegetarian food. They said yes, so I went ahead. The first dinner was salad, pasta, fries, sad-looking vegetables, then a tiny apple and a few grapes. They didn’t offer a drink, not even water. There was no protein at all, which was really poor. Most chefs know about protein. The second night brought bland potato soup, followed by the same pasta, fries, and old vegetables. I showed them photos from the first night and left the food, explaining that I needed protein. They asked what I’d suggest, and I said pizza. The a la carte menu showed a nice-looking vegetarian pizza, so I agreed to that. What arrived was a cheese pizza with hot, runny cheese on a frozen base, bland and fatty, nothing like the picture. They gave me ice cream afterward. Both dinners were very poor, and the disregard for food preferences at a tourist hotel felt unprofessional. I kicked myself for not going to the nearby little fast food places, where you can get great food cheaply. The restaurant itself felt lifeless and grim. Tunisia has great vegetarian dishes with lentils, chickpeas, beans, and more, but I imagine making them would take effort and imagination. If more hotels open, the Julius empire will crumble. Very disappointing.

The staff were super friendly, and it was a perfect walk to everything. From our window, we had amazing views of the colossum. I stayed here this past summer and would recommend it if you’re in El Jem.

A lovely place to rest and recharge, with rooms and bathrooms in very nice condition. Hotel Julius is only a few minutes’ walk from the amphitheater.