Fourati Hotel

We have just returned from this 7 night holiday and after reading some of the reviews were aprehensive but once we arrived these worries were unfounded. In its day I would imange it was a 5 star experience but the hotel is looking a little tired now. our room was basic but clean with towels and bedding changed daily. We found all the staff very friendly and helpful but could be a little quicker with the service although the reception staff would not win personality of the year award but were efficient in their duties. the food was basic and repetative but edible. surrounding restaraunts Cascades around the corner and all the resteraunts in Yasmine Marina are are reasonably priced with superb service and food and are worth a visit to break the stay up without breaking the bank. The pool area and the beach are superb and so long as the sun shines this hotel is great. The bars are ok and the entertainment ok perhaps a little to holiday campish. There are other bars and hotels locally that can be visited to not make your evenings boring. It is only a 3 star and that is what you get. I think some of the previous reviewers seemed to want a 5 star experience and should have gone to a 5 star. We enjoyed our holiday and so long as you dont go with 5 star expectations you should have a good time

A Hotel that grew from a villa, which during the second world war was occupied by an Italian General. It then became a site for the British and an enterprising senior officer kept it after the War ended. This from a Thomson Guide. The Hotel was then built by the Fourati family around the original villa and is pleasant but dated. The gardens are attractive and it is nice to walk straight out onto the beach, and then continue in either direction. Especially to Hamemet and its Medina there (though told not to visit late in the day!) Food is ok and our room though very basic was kept clean, although the staff kept forgetting to leave soap. At this time of year it is empty save a very few elderly people from Europe who stay there for long periods away from the cold at home. It was pleasant and warm during daylight but cold at night. We left the Hotel to join the Tunisian safari experience for 3 days, a trip well worth taking for less than £100 each. Includes two nights at hotels, all meals, ride on a camel at sunset in the Sahara, 4x4 ride through the desert to a Star Wars set (circa 2000), wonder at the magnificence of the colliseum at El Djem, visit to Mamata and the people who live in caves, train ride through gorges and mountains, stop at the Atlas mountains and much more! We enjoyed our time, even though at my age I felt very young at the Hotel, but once again during a trip to North Africa the attitude of the Arican men to white women (my wife) really angers me. White meat for their leering and drooling...if we did it to their women there would be uproar !!!! this again will stop me going back for sometime. Try bartering, but be prepared for an angry reaction should you get the price too low or refuse to buy. They will then throw it at you in an attempt to say you have had it off them. Be strong or you you will pay far too much. I was happy with a leather jacket I bought for £63 when the lady first asked for £200. She forgot to be a lady once I had it at my price !! This was in a one price shop, where they try to tell you that there is no bartering, this changes when you go to leave ! On the whole we enjoyed our last minute booking to Tunisia, go if you want a really quiet holiday (although it was maybe a bit too quiet at the Hotel for us), dont mind being hassled to buy and your lady being drooled at.

We have just returned from this hotel after two weeks stay the hotel is set in its own grounds as you can see from my photos. The beach is great it was hot in the ninties the sea great and our room was basic but clean and was looked after vey well for the two weeks i cannot fault that. The animation team did a great job with activities throughout the day and the entertainment was not bad at night we had a different act on every night this was about it. The food was cold every night and their was no selection it was chicken every night same veg rice and cous cous and chips and sweets were melon and a piece of sponge cake every night it was bad, you are given a table when you arrive and this table is yours for your stay well it is all rush from when you walk through the resturant doors we were in and out in 40 min this included drinking a bottle of wine the out side resturants on the hotel grounds where you can have snacks and your lunch were just as bad the food arrived cold we did not get some meals we orded and did not get some drinks either. It is very bad management and untill that is sorted it will not get any better. the water sports from the beach are their as we found out after staying their for 13 days when the beach had pedlows banana boat rids etc and a price board this was to please the visit from a manager or owner was due this was the only day these were out all the outher days the lads just sat around or whent chating up the girls i would not go back

I booked this hotel as a three star, clean, on the beach hotel. The hotel is located on the beach but some of the buildings are situated at the back and with no direct paths some of the rooms are actually quite a distance from the beach. The way to the beach contains lots of stairs (have to be careful in slippery slippers). It appears whoever designed the hotel love stairs - as on the way to the beach on a flat path there is a flight of stairs up then down. I found meals really awful with no meat of reasonable quality (there were bad quality sausages / meat balls but no proper meat). The choice of food was quite limited and I saw cockroaches in the canteen. Rooms were very basic, not particularly clean with lot's of broken things (like toilet seat not staying in upward position, door locks, doors not working properly, peeling paint etc. The beach was quite nice. Though I would not advise venturing to the beach after dark as there is a risk of being pested by beggars who will try to literally force you to buy jasmine flowers and other things. They are known to have robbed at east one person of money and digital camera during my stay in Tunisia. I would advise people to avoid engaging in any discussion with souvenir sellers (either on the beach or in shops outside of the hotel). Their selling techniques are aggressive and unless you have several fit men in the group walk very fast past them. Other shops (like fruit sellers, supermarkets) are OK.

We don't understand all the argues about the fourati. We stayed there for a bit mor than a week and the only thing we didn't liked was the weather. The hotel itself is the oldest hotel of fourati with a wunderfull garden. Reception is not that friendly but all the rest (including the room cleaning man) have been very friendly to us. Meals have been great and the beach is also nice there. It is definitly not a luxury hotel, but they also don't tell this with showing their 3 stars. But it has nice rooms, different restaurants and pools and they do a lot of effort for their flower-rich garden. So we would suggest it, apart of you really only like 5 star hotels.

Back last night from a 1 week stay in Fourati Hotel. This is our second visit to this hotel. The people all worked very hard, and did everything they could to please you. Room was ok and a nice touch was the flowers that were placed on the bed for our arrival.Food was ok but sometimes not very hot, after speaking to the rep it inproved greatly, the rep was fantastic with lots of tips and and a great knowledge of the area. No one in the hotel tried to overcharge us but watch out for the guy who sells the bingo tickets at night, he said he didnt have changed so would return our 5 dina change later, when we saw him later he said he would return it the next night, this went on until we left and still no sign of the 5 dinar, this guy didnt seem to get many tips like the waiters did so maybe he feels this is the only way he can get a few extra dinar, 5 dinar isnt that much, but it put a dampner on things a bit. The pools and the pool areas were always clean and the gardens at this time of year are fantastic. Went on 2 trips, the camel ride and a pirate ship both both very good. 2 dogs are around the hotel a lot, they are very friendly and seem to be well fed and the staff all seem to be good to them. All in all we enjoyed this hotel and would go back again

Three women (myself, daughter and friend) booked a Thomas Cook 3* half board square deal to Hammamet for one week starting 11th March 2007. When our tickets arrived a note said that we would stop at one of four named hotels, only one of these was in Hammamet so we presumed correctly that we would be going there. I checked the website and the hotel looked OK. We arrived in a storm and found our room was not ready, though we were an hour and a half late from the airport, so we ate at the hotel snack bar before returning to our room to unpack. The room was nothing like the website, the bedding (sheets and a blanket - no cover as on the site) did not look very clean and the place was cold and grubby. (I requested a change of bedding twice but it didn't happen) The room was a twin with an extra bed added so for three adults there was not a lot of room. We thought that perhaps because we were tired and it was raining the room looked worse than it appeared. We unpacked, rested then went to dinner. The food was terrible and it did not improve throughout the week. Everything was over or undercooked and mainly tasteless. The menu had little variation and was often cold, the best thing on the menu was the chips. We had expected some local food, couscous etc, but this did not appear. In the local cafes and bars the food was more typical of the area and was fresh and hot, so we ate out every day. The spa area, like the hotel, was tired and grubby. The jaccusi and sauna were both out of action. The gym had rusty old equipment which looked unsafe, and this was at an extra charge. One day the indoor pool was covered in ants so you couldn't swim, the outdoor pool was too cold to. The entertainment was poor, Mr & Mrs, Mr & Miss Fourati and dancing. It was supposed to start at 9-30 but never did. We discovered that the 4* hotel opposite was cheaper (and cleaner) to drink in so often went there. Ther bar in the Fourati was full of local men trying to pick up women on holiday - not what we wanted at all. We have never been so relieved to be going home, I felt sorry for those on a longer holiday. We have been on Thomas Cook Square Deals before and they have been fine it was just this hotel.

We arrived 25/10/2006 4 a 2wk stay, if relaxing by the pool or on the beach ( just a short walk through the gardens ) is your thing then this is the place 4 you. Located centrally between Yasmine Hammamet and Hammamet, Yasmine reachable via a pleasant stroll along the beach ( 45 minutes ). Yasmine being the New Resort and still under construction some paths not conpleted, still very pleasant around the harbour, you'll be spoilt 4 choice with restuarants, a waterpark and new medina. Hammamet to the north cannot be reached via the beach but taxis being approx £1.40 each way this is not a problem, there is a noddy train service that runs between the 2 resorts, this being a little extra in price but will drop you off at your hotel when requested. Fourati Hotel - rooms clean and tidy, food - v.good, partner vegitarian but an effort always made to make sure there was a variety to choose from, grounds - always impecable, staff - very polite and helpfull.

Having read some of the previous reviews i approached this holiday with some trepidation especially as i was travelling with my 7 year old daughter. I needn't have worried, the hotel was fantastic, it was in need of some tlc but i think it added to the charm. The gardens were lovely, the beach was beautiful and the staff fantastic. The food was good even my daughter ate well every night and she can be a fussy eater. There was a kids disco every night, my daughter didn't dance but i did and had a whale of a time!!!! the entertainment was great. The staff encouraged everyone to get involved with activities and the evening entertainment. I would highly recommend this hotel to any single parents as they made a real fuss of the children. The rooms were basic but then we were by the pool from 9 - 5 and then in the room for a couple of hours getting ready for dinner and then we went to the bar for the entertainment so it didn't matter because we wern't in them very much. My only regret about this holiday is that it was for only one week. I am already planning to return next year for two weeks. If you are looking for luxury then i would suggest that you don't chose this hotel but if you like character and charm with friendly staff and atmosphere then this is ideal.

I have just returned from a week (2506-020706) at this hotel with my Partner and Daughter. Having previously read some of the reviews on this and other sites, we arrived with much trepidation. Firstly, I should point out that this was my 9th visit in five years to Tunisia, but was my first stay in the Hammamet area. The first thing to contend with is the hour and a half plus, journey from the airport. If you arrive like us in the middle of the day, the so called airconditioning in the bus did little to help the hot sweating mass of bodies alighting from the plane. On arrival at the hotel, we found that we were the only three departing the bus. First impressions were good. Nice entrance through courtyards to the reception. Once booked in, a porter took our cases to our two rooms (317/318). We had booked this holiday through SUNSET a month prior, and at the time, noted that the room description in the brochure was very sparse. Sparse is the correct description for the room. Two single beds, a dressing table, two bedside tables and a very small wardrobe. This hotel was rated three star. I have stayed in many three star hotels in Tunisia and around the world, usually there is at least a TV, Fridge or tea/coffee making facilities available. Not here. Having unpacked we decided to explore the rest of the hotel, gardens and beach. BE AWARE, The Tunisian waiters at this hotel recognise new faces and are prone to try and overcharge you. First purchase at Beach Bar, three cans of coke, charged 12 Tunisian dinar which equals approx £5 stirling (subsequent purchases of same items came to 6 dinar, approx £2.50). Second purchase later that afternoon from Pool Bar, 1 x coke, 2 x Beer Shandies, price 21 dinar, about £9 stirling, when challenged, the waiter admitted making a mistake and reduced the price to 9 dinar, £3.80. Back at the room we decided to shower and get changed for the Evening Meal, the only problem with this was there was no water from the hot water taps. Apparently, if everyone showers at the same time in preparation for getting dressed, no water reaches the block. On top of that, there is not enough water pressure to flush away your toilet deposits. Eventually the hot water came through and we dressed for dinner. On entering the Restraurant you are allocated a table for your evenning meal for the remainder of your stay. At Breakfast you sit anywhere. First thing we noticed was that no-one else appeared to have bothered getting dressed for dinner. Shorts, T Shirts, Bikini tops seemed to be the norm. We were directed to the salad bar where there was a very small selection of green salads, no cold meats, just salad. Having eaten the first course, we proceeded to the hot plate for the main course. There were three main dishes (small fish, chicken and beef stew) to choose from, with a selection of rice or vegtables, none of which were very warm to eat. Dessert was one type of slab cake and Water Melon. Take it or leave it. Drinks you ordered through a waiter, but there was no Tea of Coffee available (after three nights of the same luke warm menu, we decided to eat out). After a good nights sleep, we went for breakfast. Salad with Luncheon Meat. Cottage Cheese, Hard Boiled Eggs, Scrambled Eggs, Boiled sausages cut into small peices, sliced tomato, bread rolls, jam, croissants and cake. This was the same menu every morning. I attended the "Welcome Meeting" at 3pm Monday afternoon and asked the SUNSET Rep if all the rooms were as sparsely furnished as ours, as I could not see the Germans, French and Italians accepting such poor standards. She assured me that all rooms were the same. Four other Brits attended the meeting which briefly went over the hotel layout (which, as we had been there 24 hours already, we new) and then onto the trips available. She failed to mention that a lot of the trips involved travelling back the 1.1/2 hours to Souse to participate. When I asked how many other British people were in the hotel, I was told there were eight that week. I subsequently found out that a majority of the other 400 rooms had TV's and Fridges, but these rooms were for anyone other than SUNSET holiday makers. I wondered why we had three different foriegn couples in the course of the week move into the room next door to us for one night, before they were upgraded into a better standard of room. Well so far this report is pretty negative, However, there are good parts. The Gardens are absolutely fabulous this time of year. The Beach is bright golden fine sand with plenty of sun shades available. The sea is warm and crystal clear, although you have to watch out for beautiful blue jellyfish. The weather was hot enough to make the sand difficult to walk on and there was plenty of activities to do along the beach. As I have stated above, the hotel food leaves a lot to be desired and we ate out after three nights. I would recommend "CASCADES" (out of hotel, turn right, first left, 200yards on left) and other restraurants further up the main road. I would not recommend the 5 star hotel opposite to eat in. They served a very tough uneatable piece of thin steak that could not be cut, as a piece of fillet steak, and refused to deduct the meal price from the bill even though it was sent back uneaten. As a retired widower, I holiday on average once every 4 - 6 weeks all over the world. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend the Hotel Fourati. It is obvious that SUNSET accept the cheaper rooms when better rooms are available. I have stayed in other 3 star hotels in Souse and Port El Kantaoui which have been at a far better standard and populated by Brits. I hope this report assists others in there search for better accommodation in Tunisia.