Riviera Hotel

1 reader found this review helpful

This is the second time that we have been to this hotel and we cannot fault it. Sams amination team welcome you on arrival and remembered us from the previous year, they welcome you with a dance and music playing.check in is so easy just a matter of completing a form they also greet you with a drink but if you want coffee you can get one from the coffee lounge.The cases are taken to your room so no hastle having to drag them to your room after travelling.The choice of food is excellent and there is something for everyone even ice-cream cones this year for the children, The rooms are always kept very clean on a daily basis we had clean sheets and towels every day day and they leave flower petals over the bed and make wonderful designs with you nightwear.The entertainment is what you make it join in and have fun and get to know people or they just leave you alone if you dont want to,but the team are so friendly they always seem to get you to join in, this year they even done aquarobics which everybody loved yes the pool is not heated outside but lovely and warm once you get in.At night the enterainment is really good childrens mini disco to start with then the animation team do there show which is really entertaining.One night they performed River Dance which waas really very good. the only thing I would say is to be wary of the people that try to sell you the trips other than the tour operator its alawys best to to through them, we done the safari trip this time and what an experiance never thought we would be going over the desert in a 4x4 car even to see the sun setting on riding on a camel I would recomened this hotel for a first class holiday and cant wait to return again next year.

3 readers found this review helpful

We stayed at the Riviera with friends for a week between the 24th and the 31st of october, None of us had been to tunisia before, so we went with open minds as to what to expect, our flight was good as was our transfer to the hotel only taking about 40 mins ,through a town called Sousse, then on to Port el Kantaoui.
From the moment we stepped into the lobby of the hotel we all thought this doesnt look to bad, met the very friendly reception staff got our keys and of to our room, which as luck would have it was on the top floor so yes we had a good view, from there we started to look round the room, and we were quite impressed, not over furnished, but very clean and plenty of room to put all your clothes etc, unfortunatly as we arrived it was raining so we couldnt go for a look round outside that day as it didnt stop all evening.
The next event was the evening meal so off to the dinning room and again what was served out that night and for the rest of the week was very good far better than we all thought so at no time did we go hungry, the Italian restarant was very nice.
I would reccomend this hotel to anyone exept we found what a few others thought that the drinks were a bit weak,
Every member of the staff were very very friendy helpfull, and liked it when we tried to us there lanuage, thre only person we found very offensive and very pushy was the photographer, he really didnt like it if you didnt want his pictures and let you know it.
So a very satisfied stay

1 reader found this review helpful

After reading reviews before our holiday we were a liitle worried,so we were very happy to be greeted with a welcome drink and a smooth checking in process.The reception area is lovely.Staff very friendly and helpful.Rooms very clean but think the bathroom and W.C.in need of update.Animation team work hard,if you don,t want to participate they will leave you alone.Food very good but remember you are in a foreign country.Drinks quite weak which was a bit disapointing,quite a few people complained.The beach is beautiful,five minute walk with cafe on beach.Even though the weather wasn,t brilliant we had a great holiday.Mark and Jane we enjoyed your company and had some laughs.We would return to this hotel.

1 reader found this review helpful

Just got back from a week stay with a friend, who is in a wheelchair. Hotel superb. Everything very clean. Staff very friendly & Animation Team very jovial. Food is good so try a little of everthing especially the desserts.
The staff could not do enough for my friend. Drinks a bit watery, but with all-inclusive and the cost of the holiday did not break the bank, they were ok. If you are thinking of going to Tunisia try this hotel

1 reader found this review helpful

We have just got back from a two week holiday. We have had a nice time in this hotel,The staff were friendly.
The pool is nice, The beach is clean & we liked the food.
There is a snack bar by the pool & on the beach, both served food & drinks all day.
The rooms are tired but clean. The towels were changed every day, But the house maid was a pest. (If you like a coffee in the morning, Take a kettle with you)
Don't both with the gym,(The equipment is very,very old)
If your not expecting 5*, you should have a nice time.
We would go back if the price is right.

1 reader found this review helpful

This break was only booked a couple of weeks before departure,though still didn`t come cheap,and this being my first all inclusive holiday i didn`t really know what to expect.
We landed at Monastir airport early Sunday morning to what can only be desribed as a cattle market,with only one desk open and at least three flights arriving at the same time,there was no wonder it took over two hours to get through passport control.
We then arrived at the Riviera to find our room wasn`t ready,again,we had to wait another hour.
Finally,having "dumped" our cases on the bed we headed for the pool to refresh.To say it`s cold was an understatement,it was also never lit up on a night,needless to say we spent the rest of the holiday on the beach,which i have to say was wonderful,just watch out for the Jellyfish as i,and one or two others got stung !
With fine sand and plenty of watersports,we spent some wonderul day`s here.Just bung Malik a few Dinas and he will attend to your every need all week long.
Back to the Hotel itself then,The Tunisians are a strange bunch,can be quite amiable one minute,and miserable as sin the next.We also heard a couple of stories about the maids "asking" for money on a daily basis.
The food was fare enough but the entertainment was pretty dreadful,though ok i suppose if your about ten !
If i was to return ( though i can`t see it ) i would take a kettle,some proper coffee and a couple of bottles of whisky to keep the natives happy and also to add to your own as the "alchohol" served up in the Hotel is an insult to the word.
Would i reccommend a holiday to Tunisia and The Riviera Hotel ?? no,not unless it`s a really cheap deal.

23 readers found this review helpful

My wife and I stayed at the Alegro Riviera hotel in June, and I have to say I could not fault a single thing about the whole place.
This was our first time in Tunisia and considering that the majority of the population live in poverty, you could not wish to meet a more humble people.
We were made to feel welcome by everyone we met.
On arrival at the hotel we were met by the animation team who work very hard to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Some of the other reviews on here say that they hassle you to participate in the activities, but I would say "get of your sun lounger and get involved". I found this a great way to meet people and have some fun, and Sam and his team come up with some great activities, especialy the poolside games wich give you an excuse to get in the pool and cool off..
The rooms are of a good standard and more than adequate for the needs we had(who wants to stay in thier room when on holiday??)
The chamber maid was very nice and put a fresh flower in our room everyday for my Wife. She even folded all my clothes and put the photos we had taken on a trip on the mirror in the room for us.
The chamber maids work very hard and a small to medium tip goes a long way.
The only minor gripe I have is that the air-con could have been slightly cooler,but we found that if left on all day with the patio doors shut it cooled the room sufficiantly and kept out the mozzies.
The food in the reastaurant was superb, with a good choice of world and local quisine, and if you love your desserts you will love the choices here. also try to book into the Italian and Tunisian restaurants, as the food here is also very good.
If you like night life then you may find this lacking here but try out the cocktail bar as the barman here Saif is amazingly funny, and went out of his way to make our stay enjoyable. I would recomend seeing the shows put on by the animation team as they practise really hard and although sometimes a little cringeworthy they are none the less very entertaining.
Whatever you do avoid the Chameleon bar across the road as this place rips off tourists with massively over priced drinks.(25 Dinar for two half beers and a vodka and coke)
I would definatley recommend doing a lot of excursions but be careful of content crossover,as the reps do not tell you this when you book. for instance do not go on the camel trek if you are going on the star wars trip, as trekking in the sahara desert is far better than than just trecking down a dirt track.
Also only book the pirate cruise as a single trip and not as a package with the ampitheatre in El Djem, as you will also visit this on the star wars trip.(although a nice trip seeing El-Djem twice was too much for me!)
If doing the star wars trip, you are offered the choice to get up very early and watch the sunrise over the desert I would reccomend doing so as this is one of the highlights of my whole holiday(don't forget your camera!)
I only experienced a few problems on this holiday, but my main issue was that the rep we had at our hotel was not much help at all, and I found that helping us out seemed like a hassle to her, like she had somewhere else to be.
She failed to warn us of crossover on excursions wich could have saved us money and time. I believe she is on commission so this may explain why!!
I could write on about this holiday for ever but will let you experience it for yourselves.
Have fun and dont forget your sun block...

10 readers found this review helpful

Spent an amazing week. The hotels best asset are the staff who will all go out of thier way to be friendly and helpfull and who all deserve to be well tipped to supplement thier low wages. On arrival we were greeted by the fanatstic animation team. The whole holiday they were friendly without being pushy and are so hard working and fun from the start in the morning till the end of thier evenening entertainment. They do all they can to make your holiday enjoyable. The food was sometimes a bit same as the previous meal but at the same time lots of choice. The pool bar at lunch time is better in our opinion than the evening meal with pizza, kebab, and panacakes made to order and lots of salad and tunisian food on offer. Also help youself ice cream. It is worth knowing that you can get large bottles of water to take to your room free of charge from the main bar after 5 o'clock. Also if you tip the pool attendant 1 dinar (50p) on your first morning he will keep your sunbeds and umberella for the whole holiday for you. The taxis are really cheap, 4 dinar £2 to the port and about 10 dinar (£5) into Sousse. Watch out in Sousse for "Waiters" who claim to know you from the Hotel, they recognise The Riviera Wrist band and pretend to know you in the hope of getting you into some shop to buy something. This happened to us in Sousse at least 5 Times. One of the highlights of our trip was a 30 min trip in a speedboat from the hotel beach. It was 30 dinar each and well worth it. They take you out and you can get to drive the boat under thier supervision, really amazing fun. The Hotel was really clean, really relaxed and the really friendly staff from the animation team to the bar staff and waiters made the holiday for us. (The weather was also fantastic around 30 - 35 every day.)

2 readers found this review helpful

we were a group of 17 women on our first holiday to tunisia. the hotel and staff could not have been better. excellent food, service and company by all who staying there. would advise to check on the fountain times in port as we told 21.00 and it finished at 20.00. but not realised at reception that summer timetable was only times they had. market was completely different from anything over here, but to be expected. weather was not good at first but hot at end of week. entertainment was good and i apologise to all those that had to hear my karaoke. SORRY. but i did warn you i could not sing.
cleanlinexx and efficiency of staff could not be faulted. would definitely recomment this hotel to friend and family and if they let us then we will be going back.
thank you all for a great time - to all the staff and holidaymakers on week commencing 19.4.09.
barbara way for
annette strevens and the crew of NUTTY NETTY TOURS. CARDIFF.

3 readers found this review helpful

The Hotel was fab, although the pool was freezing cold, the kids clud was good but the park was a bit dangerous but they were doing it up when we arrived.
problems were in the brochure it says that you can use the other hotel, just down the stairs from the hotel, but when we tried we were told we were not allowed in it, and they had split the beach into each of the different hotels there were.
the rooms were nice, i had my own room while my mum, dad and 5 year old brother had another - there was only 2 single beds in their room and when they said can we have another bed a cot was given,
the tunisians there dont hassel you as much as turkey, but they still do.
and i wouldn't recomend you but an arobic bracelt from a stand because they break easily.
the zoo in Port El Kantaoui is brillient, although watch out at the begining, they put a parot on you and if you take photos they make you pay for it.
It did rain a couple of days, the cocktails are yummy and the people who work there are really friendly
enjoy your stay, i would love to go there again but i dont think i would of been able to manage 2 weeks - 1 weeks is best and try to go to the town sousse, although it does cost quite a bit to get there.
Plus if the females love designers they have lots of fake stuff there for really cheap prices everything is so cheap there, it is just like being in Primark