Miramar Djerba Palace Hotel

This was our summer family holiday, mum, dad plus 12 year old girl. We have no cultural requirements from holidays, we need sun, a pool, comfortable lounges and good food. Overall we enjoyed our holiday at this hotel but have these observations.
Some areas of the hotel require investment, cracked floor tiles, broken toilet seats, cracked and chipped crockery and for a four star hotel we would expect a proper bath shower screen as opposed to a short plastic curtain. The public areas were fine but the dining room needs to be properly air conditioned. Food wise, it is buffet style, plenty of choice but many items regularly repeated in the fortnight and the presence of flies walking over the food rather off- putting.
The hotel was 90% French and it was great to sit by the pool where neighbouring foreign language is not so intrusive. Hotel entertainment team were hugely welcoming, helpful to everybody including making sure we understood instructions for the games. Music was loud but it usually is around a pool and there was a quiet period between 12-3pm. There were various free activities during the day, step classes, aqua fit, yoga, stretching, tai chi and belly dancing, which our 12 year old really enjoyed.
The staff (reception, housekeeping, pool side bar) were very good and everyone else was good. We were all ill - two mildly and one needing the doctor in order to get the plane home. I would be concerned about the food hygiene in the very hot weather.

The hotel rooms are long overdue a refurbishment, the decor is dated and rooms smell of fungi/damp. We were woken up in the middle of the night by our neighbours flashing their toilets. The decor of reception, bars and restaurants is cold and dated.
The beach was dirty and not properly looked after. The hotel is swamped with French and all entertainment was run in their language.
The hotel is situated in the middle of nowhere, a taxi drive required to the nearest village. Star rating does not reflect the standard one would expect.
Food was reasonably tasty and a good selection on offer. Not impressed and would not recommend the place as a holiday destination.

Djerba May 2006
The wife and I went to Djerba for an anniversary holiday and to relax after a busy year, which has been the typical ‘work-sleep’ syndrome. We arrived there way after midnight so didn’t get to see any of the countryside on our transfer from the Airport and on our return realised that we hadn’t really missed much.
The hotel seemed at that time of the morning, quite reasonable, and as we were very tired decided to leave any judgment until the ‘cold light of day’. It was in the morning that we realised that the odd smell in the room that night wasn’t imagination, but some kind of fungi growing out of the wall where the plaster had come away. So off down to reception we go and ask for a change of room. We were offered another room, but there was building work of some sort going on and as my wife suffers from asthma this was not acceptable. We were offered another room next to the first room but this was not acceptable because of the close proximity of the previous room. Reception by now were getting a little ‘cheesed’ off with us so our next port of call was our Tourist Representative who actually proved quite helpful and resolved our room problem after a while.
If I haven’t already mentioned it but this hotel was supposed to be a Four Star:
‘Four Star it isn’t my dears’, more like a three at most I would say. The saving grace was the magnificent food that was put on in the restaurant albeit every thing was in French, and my French is a tad rusty to say the least.
French is the key word here, as all entertainment that is stated in the brochure is very little but in French. They don’t really cater for us Brits I’m afraid.
That appeared to be the theme throughout our week here and the one thing that was really galling was the water sports were predominantly for the French and the Brits could not get a look in, except for the Para – Gliding, that was more off than on because of the strong winds, so we gave that a miss.
We both decided that we would stroll along the ‘dazzling beaches’ (extract from brochure) to see if they were up to expectations but sadly we were very disappointed as there was rubbish everywhere beyond the ‘tourist zone’. It was only towards the end of our holiday that we learnt from a reliable source that effluent was discharged into the ocean just a few hundred yards from where we were walking. Really glad we didn’t go swimming!
We spoke in depth to most of the Brits that we met and they were all of the same opinion as ourselves and that Djerba could well become a favourite tourist ‘hot – spot’ in four or five years time but they need to clean up there beaches and complete the ongoing building works and to cater more for English Tourists who would I’m sure bring in much needed funds to the island.

Arriving at 23.30 hrs to have to queue at reception to book in (no welcome drinks, no help with luggage, not even for elderly members of group, even though the French guests did) to then find a dirty, small, smelly room, which was changed for a slightly better room but with ants, which we were told would be "sprayed" but did not happen! All of the hotel revolves around French guests who were extremely ignorant, including walking to the front of the queue waiting for the dining room to open.
All inclusive is not an option here unless you are French, so be prepared for the limited lunch time menu as there is no alternative to eating in the hotel as there is nothing outside. The beach is sandy but beware of the very sharp rock, one visitor cut her foot quite badly. There is very little of interest on the island - any trip out includes the usual carpet manufacturer as standard and can be a costly experience for the naive.
We have visited Tunisia often and have been very satisfied but we would not recommend Djerba and certainly not this hotel which would be rated genuinely, at a push as a 2 star. If we had wanted to listen to French entertainment and spend a week with ignorant French people, then we would have gone to France.

A lovely hotel with brilliant friendly service the food in the evening and mornings was absolutely smashing! Clean sheets and towels every morning, very friendly staff! Not many people speak English very well because it is a predominant French destination. There are always taxi's out front (Not in view) to take you wherever you want!
Perfect for couples but only for one week unless you like sitting around on the beach all day long or by the pool. I went with my partner for one week.
Here's what we did-
Arrive late Saturday evening 2am.
Sunday- Lounge around and adjust to hotel explore beach and sunbathe a bit!
Monday- Visit Houmt Souk market via taxi 6 dinars, I was told Thursday was best market day but it’s actually Monday. We saw the old Spanish fortress but did not go in but looks fun!
Tuesday- Visit Midoun market via taxi 2-3 dinars lovely market but only good for a few hours for the rest sitting in the hotel cafe and beach :)
Wednesday- We spent most of the day lounging around by the beach and cafe, we then found that you can ride a camel on the beach 10 dinars 10 mins or 20 dinars 20 mins for both of us, this was our relaxing day!
Thursday- We found out about this place called Djerba Explore 12 dinars each 3 dinars by taxi! There is a crocodile sanctuary there a heritage site and a museum, we did not visit the museum but the crocodile sanctuary was brilliant! Loads of crocodiles there! literally 300+.
Friday- Packed for the flight on Saturday and went on the excursion called Castaway which was great really worth the 40 dinars each! Great food BBQ! And the entertainment was great!
Saturday-return home.

Miramar Djerba Palace is one of the best hotels I have stayed during my time going abroad, the staff were very friendly and would do any thing for you, a very good variety of entertainment day and night.
The food was fantastic a very good variety and something for everyone. The hotel rooms were very spacious and comfortable very clean, fresh towels and bed sheets every day.
Djerba is a very nice island but not much to do so I would recommend to sun, pool and beach lovers only.