Famous troglodyte hotel in Matmata where Star Wars was filmed. Underground rooms carved into sandstone, unique architecture, and movie memorabilia. Authentic Berber experience with modern amenities.
Hotel Sidi Driss is a troglodyte guesthouse in Matmata, the Berber village 45 km south of Gabès in southern Tunisia, famous for its underground pit-dwelling architecture carved from sandstone bedrock. The hotel occupies one such pit dwelling: a system of excavated courtyards dropping several metres below ground level, with rooms and corridors tunnelled laterally into the surrounding rock.
The property gained international recognition when George Lucas selected it as a filming location for the original Star Wars in 1976, using the underground courtyards and tunnel passageways as the interior of Luke Skywalker's home on the planet Tatooine. The connection has been sustained across the franchise — scenes from Star Wars: Episode I were also filmed here. The hotel displays memorabilia and photographs from the productions, and a dedicated area of the central courtyard marks the filming positions used in the films.
Rooms are carved directly from the sandstone, keeping temperatures naturally cool in summer and insulated in winter. Furnishings are basic: mattresses on stone platforms, simple bedding, and shared or private bathrooms in modern fitted blocks connected to the underground network. The atmosphere is singular — staying overnight rather than visiting as a day-tripper provides access to the courtyards after tour groups have left, when the silence and the quality of light through the open pit top are at their most striking.
A restaurant on site serves traditional southern Tunisian food — couscous, mechouia salad, lamb tajine — drawing both hotel guests and day visitors. The surrounding area supports excursions to troglodyte villages, Berber granaries (ksour), and the desert landscapes of the Matmata plateau. Hotel Sidi Driss can organise 4x4 excursions and camel treks into the southern desert.
Amenities
- Star Wars location
- traditional troglodyte rooms
- restaurant
- WiFi
- tour arrangements
- unique experience
- courtyards
Location
Matmata 6070
33.5425, 9.9670 View on map
Highlights
- Authentic troglodyte architecture with rooms carved from sandstone bedrock at several metres depth — the only way to experience underground Berber pit-dwelling as accommodation
- Star Wars filming location: the central courtyards and tunnels served as Luke Skywalker's home in the 1977 original and Episode I, with memorabilia and marked filming positions on site
- Natural thermal regulation of the underground rooms keeps temperatures comfortable even during summer highs above 40°C on the Matmata plateau
Tips for visiting
- Stay at least one night rather than visiting as a day-tripper — the underground courtyards at dawn and dusk, when tour groups are absent, are the most compelling reason to book a room
- Bring a torch: corridor connections between underground sections can be very dark, and power outages do occur in the village
- Combine the Matmata visit with Douz (90 km south-west) and the Chott el Djerid salt lake for a logical southern Tunisia circuit — the hotel can connect guests with drivers and guides
When to visit
October to April when daytime temperatures on the Matmata plateau are between 15–25°C. Summer months can reach above 40°C above ground though underground rooms remain cooler.
Accessibility
The underground pit structure involves steep ramps, irregular stone steps, and low tunnel ceilings. Not accessible for wheelchair users or guests with significant mobility limitations.