Reviews of Dreams Beach Hotel, Sousse, Tunisia

the hotel was very clean but the...

Overall Rating:

4/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Mrs L Durham

Comments:

the hotel was very clean but the food is disgusting no entertainment the beach was dirty the rooms were basic but very clean the staff were very friendly would go back to tunisia but not that hotel

My sister and I have been to...

Overall Rating:

5/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

May 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

Ms T Brannan

Comments:

My sister and I have been to Tunisia three times and my mum twice, we decided to go to another hotel. On previous occassions we stayed at The Golf Residence in Port El Kantoui which is also a three star but is in the process of being upgraded to a four star.



The Dreams Beach is not a patch on the Golf Residence. We were firstly put in a very nice room with an adjoining door to my mums room which she was sharing with her neighbour. I was asked to be moved the following morning. This room was on the first floor and right above the generator, the room was very clean and large but the noise from the generator was too much, also someone ought to shoot the dogs which howled and barked all night from some waste land behind the hotel.



We were moved to two separate rooms although they kept the rooms next door to each other up on the fourth floor and further away from the generator and I could still hear the dogs but not as much.



The hotel staff were very nice and nothing was a problem for them. The food on the whole was quite bland, although not a great deal of choice i still ate throughout the holiday unlike M who never ate anything and was ill for the full fortnight.



They do have a Tunisian night once a week which is very nice, the Tunisian food is delicious, but you have to remember that the hotel has to cater for a variety of cultures so they can't please every single person, someone is clearly going to complain. The head waiter asked my mum and I what sort of things he needed to put on the menu for the English, we asked why for the English surely he has to please everyone, he answered that most of the tourist which go there are English so its best to have something which we would like. He is very approachable so if you do go then have a word if you arent happy, its the only way things will be put right.



There was O'Connors bar but this normally was like walking into a haze of smoke and as three in my group are non smokers and I am asthmatic I found this suitable for about an hour then was ready to go back to the hotel. (I think becuase we can go anywhere here now and not smell of stale cigarettes we have been spoilt). I was told O'Connors do some very nice food through the day if you do need to eat away from the hotel.



There was no entertainment on, but this we were told was because we went at the start of the season, so maybe by the summer holidays the entertainment will be sorted.



We did go to Tunis and Hergler which were very nice. My sister went on the Pirate boat which was booked through the hotel with Shaggy, who likes to sit and listen to your I pod all day or transfer music via blue tooth!!! (Music mad) but a friendly guy. Our group travelled to the Golf Residence for the entertainment on a few nights and also went to laze by the pool there which is spotless. The pool at Dreams Beach was very very small, if you didnt get there first thing in the morning you had no chance and I wouldn't sit on the Beach as I didnt feel it was very clean. I lay there one day only to have a waft of dog poo, only to find that someone was walking their dog and it did a one on the beach near to where I was sunning myself, and IT STANK. He left it there and that was the end of my visit to the beach.



There was a flood in the hotel which ran along the corridor of the fourth floor and eventually ended up on the floor in the hotel foyer. The day after the flood they laid new carpets and I decided to walk down the staircase rather than disturb the carpet laying by the lift. I did this and slipped on the marble staircase and hurt my back, fortunatley this was four days before I was due home so didnt bother going to the hospital. I asked for the accident book to be told they dont hold one, I recorded it by writing down the incident and handing it to the receptionist, who then handed it to her manager and when Joecef the rep came to the hotel he knew about the accident and was reporting it to his manager. The hotel wanted to get the doctor and also Shaggys brother offered to take me to hospital, so they were very supportive but I thought top myself up with painkillers till I get home. I did have insurance but thought there was nothing anyone could do for a bad back.



All in all, I love Tunisia but I wouldnt go back to the Dreams Beach, the staff were friendly and helpful, no entertainment, nothing to do for young children. Food not so good, nowhere to go unless you pay taxis, I would definately go back to the Golf Residence as we travelled to the Golf for some of their evening entertainment and also to laze by their pool, but unfortunately the Dreams Beach does not live up to the name. . sorry.

We booked a week’s holiday on...

Overall Rating:

3/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs G Pearce

Comments:

We booked a week’s holiday on a half board basis, and read comments on this site before we traveled. The rooms were cleaned daily and staff were very friendly, food was poor most of the time, the dining area was poor with dirty tablecloths that were not changed daily. Also napkins that had been folded that had been previously used, food was not labelled and the only time we saw a chef was to deliver food to locals who frequently used the hotel. The food locals ordered was served direct from the kitchen and their plates held high so we could not see the food. No entertainment was at the hotel, taxis are plentiful so we found our entertainment outside of the hotel in local bars etc.



The beach area was very dirty with locals using the closed down beach cafe entrances as a toilet. The area was very quiet which we liked, no water sports were available on the beach, if you are after a sun holiday on the beach this is not the place to be. Beach is small and the sun is there for only a few hours in the day. The hotel could benefit from a makeover as the rooms are a little dated.



Saying that we booked a fantastic two day trip to the Sahara which we definitely recommend - got a lot for the money, we booked this with the rep. Were disappointed reps were not available at the hotel, most of the time you are on your own, would not go back to this hotel again.

Don’t go!! Worst holiday ever....

Overall Rating:

2/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2006

Tour Operator:

Panorama

Submitted By:

purdy

Comments:

Don’t go!! Worst holiday ever. Food was disgusting. You couldn’t swim in the sea because it was full of jelly fish (yes we have the sting marks to prove it!!).



The men harassed you all the time, especially at the medinas. You didn’t feel safe at night and certainly couldn’t go out alone.



The worse thing about this hotel was the raw sewage running down the middle of the road that the hotel was situated on, disgusting smell the whole time.



The panoramic bar on the top floor was lovely, but was too loud and went on far too late into the night, disturbing your sleep. You couldn’t sleep during the day either as the music from the hotel pool was so loud.



All in all a very bad experience that we won’t be doing again, good luck.

My fiancé and I arrived at...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Panorama

Submitted By:

Miss C Howell

Comments:

My fiancé and I arrived at Dreams Beach in the middle of the night to be greeted by very friendly staff. The room was basic but clean with ample storage.



When we took a walk to see what was about we were very disappointed, as the hotel seemed to be situated in the middle of nowhere. It was only the following day we realised that everything is a taxi ride away which was no bother as the taxis are so cheap.



Really the only thing near the Dreams Beach Hotel is the beach which is a stone’s throw from the hotel's front door. Tonnes of water sports and excursions available and the beach was gorgeous.



One big problem for us was the beds in the hotel - it was like sleeping on concrete. We had booked a double room and the bed consisted of 2 single mattresses on a slab of concrete.

On the odd occasion that we actually managed to sleep, we both woke up with sore backs which wasn’t great, it was more comfortable to go and sleep on the beach during the day.



I had read some other reviews before we went and we arrived to find the place pretty much as we expected. There was no outdoor pool though which was really disappointing.



There is however some building work taking place at the minute and I think they are having an outdoor pool put in. The indoor pool was ice cold and tiny and the hotel description claims there is a fitness suite and spa etc which is misleading as the fitness suite consists of about 5 pieces of equipment.



We were half board so our breakfast and dinner was included though we only ate at the hotel once. Breakfast was ok though it is hard to tell what some of the stuff they lay out actually is.



Dinner was poor. The meat was absolutely rotten - raw in the middle, so we ended up eating rice and chips for dinner! We just ate out every other night after that. It is so cheap to have a meal out, approx £22 for 2 main courses, desert, bottle of wine and beers.



Check out The Saloon Steak House in Sousse town centre, we went back time and time again as the food and the service was second to none and the whole atmosphere is excellent.



Overall we enjoyed our holiday in Tunisia, there are some amazing restaurants etc in Sousse centre and also in the Port and various ways to get there and back, - travelling in the Tuk Tuks was different! We went camel riding and quad biking and also to a water park.



We would go back to Tunisia though I don’t think we would go to the Dreams Beach Hotel again.

I went on a last-minute bargain...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Apr 2007

Tour Operator:

MyTravel

Submitted By:

Mrs L Vickers

Comments:

I went on a last-minute bargain holiday with my daughter and we had a wonderful holiday. The weather was awful; cloud and rain almost every day, so we booked to go on the trips with the rep. They were all fantastic; we saw amazing sights and travelled all over the country for a very reasonable charge.



The rep for the tours (Saphir Voyages) was very knowledgeable and friendly and as we travelled to the desert and further south, the sun even came out! I highly recommend the Desert Adventure and the African Dream.



Back at the hotel we found the food varied and interesting and managed to put on a few pounds. The room was spacious and clean and had a lovely view.



The indoor pool is small, but big enough to swim, the gym has a few machines, but quite enough for a holiday work-out. The massage and treatments were fantastic and very cheap; we felt really pampered and the staff were very friendly; we were so relaxed we went back to our room after hours in the spa and fell asleep.



The only downside to the holiday was the incessant hassle from local men; this is not a place for women travelling alone. All the female travellers had this problem and is can be quite daunting to be followed every where once you leave the hotel. This was not a problem on the trips.



The awful weather forced us to do something more than lie on the beach every day and this ended up being a very enjoyable and memorable holiday.

To be fair, you must realise you...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

MyTravel

Submitted By:

Mr P Taylor

Comments:

To be fair, you must realise you are in a third world country, cleanliness was good, hotel room good, hotel staff very good although poor command of the English language.



Most guests were ignorant Russians, or Germans, other guests very friendly.



Food, don’t expect anything spectacular, and be prepared to eat out (very cheap), good hotel for kids with both indoor pool, and outdoor pool, and the sea a stones through from the beach.



Big downside for my family, that most evenings the main bar was full of locals getting a far better service than the guests.



Taking the above into account the hotel is ideally situated equidistant from the main port of Kantoui, and Sousse, and we found a very good base for an exploration holiday, one very course comment is that the beach was filthy.

Hi my husband I stayed in Dreams...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Bed & Breakfast

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2006

Tour Operator:

Panorama

Submitted By:

Ms J Smyth

Comments:

Hi my husband I stayed in Dreams beach hotel bed an breakfast for a wonderful week. Don't be put off by the location!! At first I thought it was situated in an industrial site. It was heaven!!



We had the best of both worlds peace an quiet in the hotel beach 1st class, clean, smooth, golden hot sand, everything available at the hotel including excellent food fab variety, great self service, hygiene good, entertainment at night in the hotel at no added expense.



Top class roof top bar with class view. Lots of small cafes, restaurants, ice-cream stall etc on beach front. There is even a old guy called " smily miley " who does excursions cheap from paragliding to deep sea diving to cruising sinbads ship all for a few pounds.



If that's not good enough walk into Sousse get the hot sun, exercise or taxi it for £1.00 if you don't fancy the walk! A week was not enough for me I’m so impressed I have booked this September for 2 weeks, so much to do eg: historical sites. souks, medinas culture and pleasure to sample it would take me a year.



I think it will be the next Dubai only it is less expensive no code or clothes restrictions very multicultural even though it is a Muslim country, due to respect for all faiths the country would suit all cultures and age groups.



I would never like to see it like the next Spain full of drunken British louts who only destroy countries and prevent people going back. Thank god For some restrictions an modesty in Tunisia and the friendly people in Dreams beach Hotel who spoil you . My view not to be missed before it gets too touristy.

I have to say that our...

Overall Rating:

1/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2005

Tour Operator:

Panorama

Submitted By:

emad98

Comments:

I have to say that our experience with Tunisia was not a good one. This was mainly at fault with the hotel. The name is dreams Beach - more like nightmare, it was awful! We stayed for 10 nights on a half board basis.



When we arrived and were shown to our room, I cried, because it was not what we expected at all. The hotel looked dirty and very basis. The food was awful. The best thing was the bread and that was just a basic French stick!



The only thing that was good about the hotel, were the pool lads. They always looked out for us and made sure they got us sun beds OK, drinks and made the experience a bit more fun by playing with the kids and messing around - the ONLY good entertainment we had! Our last night was a celebration, we went to the bar on the top floor, were there was some hilarious entertainment (not purposely hilarious, no comedian's or anything) - two blokes miming the keyboard and singing! I almost threw myself off the building!



The local down the beach, snubbed us and made us feel very unwelcome.



We thought we could escape the hotel by going to the local 'Irish' pub - there was nothing 'Irish' about the place - only the flag outside! And it was the only place in the area, unless you got a Taxi or walked for 45 minutes to the next town, Port El Kantaoui.



I would recommend Port El Kantaoui which was much more beautiful. If you are planning a holiday to Tunisia, avoid the Dreams Beach Hotel and go for a all-inclusive hotel and if you like booked loads of trips out! The weather was beautiful but there is only so much sunbathing you can take!

After reading some pretty bad...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Feb 2007

Tour Operator:

Aspro Direct

Submitted By:

Mrs D Cruse

Comments:

After reading some pretty bad reviews on this hotel, then some more recent, far better ones, my husband and I were unsure what to expect.



The hotel was very clean and tidy and the rooms were a good size. We had a balcony overlooking the pool and the sea, which is a stone's throw away.



We were suitably impressed.



This hotel would suit people who don't mind jumping in a local cab to go to either Sousse or Port El Kantaoui. Taxis are cheap enough and we paid less than £2 to get to Sousse and slightly more for Port El Kantaoui.



Unfortunately the hotel pool is very small (and the indoor pool even smaller!) and also only gets the sun up until about 11.30 am each day and then it's gone!



We ended up going to a larger hotel in Sousse and using their facilities each day!



The food in the hotel was OK - breakfast was good, with a wide variety to choose from and the choices in the evening were good too. Our opinion was that even the fussiest of eaters would have found something to eat.



One bit of advice would be to take a travel kettle with you, as there are no tea/coffee making facilities in the rooms and you have to buy all hot and cold drinks, other than at breakfast.



One off-putting thing was the number of locals who use the 2 bars within the hotel. We felt rather intimidated by this and it didn't seem quite right to us, but it's obviously the way things are done in Tunisia.



We went on a trip to Ej Djem, the amphitheatre which featured in Gladiator. It was a well organised trip and fascinating to see. We booked through the rep at the hotel (who herself was rather elusive!) but it was well worth the money and not too expensive either.



All in all, it was a cheap last minute holiday and we didn't mind travelling about to see different things, so it suited our purpose. Everything is pretty cheap once you get used to haggling with taxi drivers and shopkeepers!



This is not the hotel for someone afraid to stray from their accommodation and I think you would get bored with it very easily.



We probably won't return to the Dreams Beach Hotel, but are certainly not trying to put anyone off - you just need to know what to expect!

We arrived in the dead of night...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2006

Tour Operator:

Panorama

Submitted By:

Miss L Charter

Comments:

We arrived in the dead of night to find the hotel welcoming and friendly. The general appearance of our room was clean and although as the holiday progressed when we asked for clean towels the housekeeping were always obliging. A few people we met complained about the food, although we found some variety and there was always chips to cater for the less adventurous.



As two single girls we generally tended to be pestered wherever we went, then the taxi driver wanted our number! We took this in our stride as visitors of Turkey and Egypt recognized it was all part of the "tourist culture". Flattered we were not, entertained for a while, which to be honest wore a bit thin towards the end of our holiday. The staff in general did not pester us and the barman on the 6th floor Mohammed was both entertaining and a true gentleman and was willing to share his experiences of Tunisia.



What we weren’t expecting and were pretty miffed towards the end was the behaviour of the entertainments manager. We did not however let this ruin our holiday.



On a lighter note the weather was great, the beach after being cleaned up in the later part of the week was delightful and Sousse Medina is definitely worth a visit. Do the tour for 5 Dina, its worth it.

Me (12) and my dad and brother...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2006

Tour Operator:

Panorama

Submitted By:

Miss T David

Comments:

Me (12) and my dad and brother (17) stayed at this hotel in august 2006. Overall despite most bad factors it was a very enjoyable stay and I recommend it to families who just want to relax, go swimming and go out a bit at night.



Around the hotel in Sousse there isn’t many places to go but about 10mins away is a place called Port El Kantoui, which you can take a taxi to which is very cheap(about £1-2). It’s quite busy at night and has a lot to do there. There are cafes and restaurants by the sea, there are boat trips, many shops and market stalls and sometimes there are little festivals going on.



The hotel itself wasn’t the grandest but for a 2-3star what do you expect, but overall I really loved it! It was so friendly and home-like and the beach was right in front! We were lucky enough to get sea view in the middle on second floor, and it was so peaceful going to sleep hearing the sea. The staff there were so lovely and were always welcoming and smiley, they chatted to us a lot and did plenty to make us feel welcome.



The swimming pool wasn't very large and stayed open till 5pm but there was a very nice atmosphere there all through the day and it was very enjoyable to be there. The lifeguard was very friendly and regularly he and the entertainments officer would be dancing around in front of all the people down their and keeping everyone smiley.



The rooms were quite nice and were cleaned everyday when possible. There was lots of storage space and when we requested if possible a third bed in a two bed room they brought one with no trouble.



The food was more or less the same everyday and even though it didn’t bother me much, by our second week it started to annoy my dad and brother. They seemed to cook turkey a lot but other than that the cook was very helpful informing people of what the different dishes were.



When we were there we found the excursions were overpriced a lot so we decided not to go on any. Instead we decided to be adventurous ourselves and took a trip to the capital (Tunis) by local train. It was a very tiring journey and not the most luxurious but there was air conditioning and when we got there it was definitely worth it! It was very different to the local area and had so much to see and do and was a very enjoyable day.



So overall, I really really enjoyed my time there. It was one of my favourite holidays mainly because of the friendliness and I really would love to go back next year again!

The Dreams Beach Hotel is just a...

Overall Rating:

7/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

Panorama

Submitted By:

Mr J Dawson

Comments:

The Dreams Beach Hotel is just a little way outside of Sousse towards Port el Kantaoui. This is probably its main annoying point, as taxi rides will become your staple mode of transport (unless you fancy a long hot walk!). However taxi's are cheap as chips, and in plentiful supply. You could always get the happy noddy train as well which runs the same route.



Food is ok. Some things good, some things les so. Most things seemed to evolve around the Tunisian Holy Trinity of Tuna, Egg, and raw Courgette.... ohh and more Tuna.



Everything will be greeted with a grammatically questionable "yes please" which becomes good entertainment after hearing it a couple of times.



After perusing the bar menu we opted to try the local vino. It wasn't the best but worry not there were at least 3 other bottles on the list. after working our way through all of them, and each time being presented with the same wine in the same bottle we began to acclimatise to taste of it.



If the beach was any close you'd be in the sea, its busy, and lots of locals using it all day/night long. Swimming pool ok, not too big, but does the job. Also a 'fitness and massage' area inside with a swimming pool about the size of a bath, and luke warm sauna. We were sold some fancy sounding massages with all the bells, and trimmings attached. What resulted were two overpriced massages where the lady manages to not only rub sand into your back with some Fairy Liquid smelling 'olive oil', but also have a cold and be smiffing the whole time. After 10 minutes we left with lighter pockets and dripping in oil for a messy walk back to our rooms.



Probably best to be sceptical about many of the packages/associated tak/carpets that they and the locals might want to sell you. (its all the same stuff on every stall/shop, must be a huge warehouse somewhere?!)



However we went on a 2 day bus tour around parts of the south of the country which was very tiring, but good. Although the quantity of whinging British /Irish tourists complaining about the lack of tomato ketchup, and microwavable TV dinners did grate, the sights were well worth seeing, and good to get away from the more touristy area.

The hotel was very clean and...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomas Cook

Submitted By:

S J Stearn

Comments:

The hotel was very clean and friendly-sometimes a little over friendly! The room was really clean and spacious with a great sea view from all rooms, although the sheets weren’t often changed and should have been everyday. (Along with the towels-we think?)



We think that after reading other reviews, within the past year dreams beach has obviously improved- the building work has been completed and the pool area is very nice.



The food on the other hand was still quite bland, although the authenticity was great, the meals never seemed to change and very bored of rice and tomatoes!



A major downfall of the resort was the alcohol situation! okay, so we're in a Muslim country but NOWHERE sold alcohol- apart from the one local beer- Celtia (and you get sick of it after 2 days) as we are young ourselves I wouldn’t recommend it to younger couples or groups of friends who are looking for nights out and mornings in! We ended up going to bed at half 10.



Overall nice hotel and nice beach and pool...but resort was just too far away from anything happening or any shops/markets etc.

Despite Dreams Beach being...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

May 2006

Tour Operator:

Panorama

Submitted By:

Miss GA Carruthers

Comments:

Despite Dreams Beach being located in a such a quiet part of Sousse that you need to get a taxi (which are very inexpensive, about £1 -£2) to even get to a bar or restaurant, I rate this hotel as one of my favorites.



The hotel has a family run feel to it, all the staff were really friendly and helpful, going out of their way to ensure we enjoyed our visit. When we arrived our patio door would not lock so we reported it to reception and by the time we had returned to our room that afternoon it had already been repaired. So we did not have to change rooms and could keep our great ocean view!



There is entertainment provided in the hotel every night and activities to join in with through the day if you wish. There is a bar open till 2am with panoramic views, and one of the nicest barmen you will ever meet.



The hotel is kept extremely clean and is decorated beautifully. Our rooms had an enormous amount of closet space, was decorated nice and was kept spotless thanks to housekeeping, who visited everyday but made sure we were never disturbed.



The food was a nice but a bit adventurous for me, but that is true of most places you visit in Tunisia.



Despite the inconvenient location and the adventurous food I loved this hotel, and the main reason for that is the staff. The waiters, bar staff, entertainment, reception, cleaners, shop assistant, pool man, etc, etc. even the owner of the hotel made us feel welcome as soon as we arrived, we were sorry to have to say goodbye to everyone when we left.



The staff at Dreams Beach are some of the best I have ever come across. It would be a pleasure to return there one day.