Tangerine Beach Hotel

Hidden just at the edge of the ramparts of Tangier's casbah high above the medina, is this gem of a small hotel with only ten rooms. During restoration work the owners discovered an old hammam within their walls, which now is the secret centrepiece of the hotel. Sooner or later you will share a beer with your convivial host and he will offer to introduce you to the oldest form of wellness - his master of ceremony will heat the private hamman with fire wood, give you a perfect rubdown in the steamy marbled vaults scented in oriental fragrances and wrap you in cosy blankets afterwards. Fresh mint tea on the diwans on the roof terrace overlooking both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean complete the joutney back to the old Tangier of poets, spies and smugglers ...

6 readers found this review helpful

Me and my family (5 of us) booked up for Sri Lanka as my brother was being married here.
After travelling for 19hours in total we arrived at the Tangerine Beach and were happy with the place at first.
reception staff were friendly giving us ice tea as we checked in, after sitting in the reception for 20 mins or so we were told that our rooms would not be ready for another 4 or 5 hours but atleast we were given a basic 1st floor room to leave our suitcases in.
first day went from bad to worse when my brother lost his mobile phone (although this was his own fault, when we arrived home and he reported his mobile stolen he was told it had been used numerous times to Sri Lankan numbers, and had a phonebill over £70)
Anyway, the food was good and there was a good selection morning, noon and night.
The staff were also very helpful and the room boys cleaned the room twice a day and changed the towels everyday.
Talking of the roomboys... my brothers shorts and tshirt went missing from his room on the day of the wedding, was this because most of the staff knew about the wedding? not sure
we reported them stolen but nothing was done about it.
although we enjoyed ou stay we will never return

31 readers found this review helpful

The trip was to celebrate my wifes 60th birthday. We were acoompanied by my eldest son and partner and grandson (10yrs) My daughter and now fiancee also were with us. We arrived with some uncertaity after reading some very distorted reveiews. May I say to anyone concidering this hotel, Please be assured that you will enjoy every min you spend in it. I've travelled extensively for my company and yes I've stayed in more luxurios surroundings, but as an allround package TBH will take some beating.The staff were polite attentive at all times. Any requests were attended to immediately. Our room was spacious and was cleaned daily. We had no problems with worn out linen as one review quoted. Our towels x 4 were replaced every day even after telling our room boy not to bother on the last day he still cleaned the room and replaced towels. Our transfer was 9.30pm and although we were supposed to vacate our rooms by 12.30 we were allowed to keep occupancy until we left also we were allowed lunch and dinner. The choice of food was extensive and prepared to the highest standards. The dessert selection was amazing, Bacon grilled tomatoes scrambled eggs, beans were on offer every morning or a vast range of other choices were available icluding an ommelette bar where a chef prepared them to your liking. He even did fried eggs for me one morning.One review stated that The All Inclusive package in Sri Lanka was of no comparison to elsewhere. May I catogorically state that this was the best AI we have ever encountered. ie you could order as many drinks as you wanted on one room number spirits were true double measures not a glass full of ice covered with spirit. Yes wine did have to be paid for (300rps)per large glass and chips were extra (200rps) but there was usually potatoe wedgers or an alternative available for those who would concider 50p to much to pay. There are hawkers on the beach but bif you are friendly with them they are more of a help than a hinderence. There are a selection of beach bars within 100 mtrs and some small supermarkets souvineer shops pharmacy etc just yards outside the hotel gate.We used a great guy called Raja for our tours and I must say were exellent value and he really looked after us. He has a bar resturaunt called "Relax" 150mtrs to the left on the beach.Ther's also Silva ans Tikka on the beach who are good. The guy "plonkster" who wrote about the bamboo place settings never being cleaned truely lives up to his name. The place setting are covered with plate glass you "plonkster". The beach is kept clean by the hotel garden boys but it can be untidy in some parts due to garbage being washed up by the tide, mIt is possible to swim in the sea at various time but not advisable for the unconfident, however the TBH pool is great and you can also use The Royal Palms facilities which are 100mtrs using a conecting path through the grounds. There was different entertainment on every night and activities which varied in the grounds most days. Sorry to have gone on a bit but I thought the record needed putting right. This hotel was great and we would not hesitate to go back. Remember that this is a different culture, many of the people are extremely poor, so when they offer help it will usually endup by being asked for a tip so always keep money in small denominations and cockroaches. Flies. chipmonks and lizards do live here but is'nt that what we go to these locations to see.Happy hoilidays.

13 readers found this review helpful

Hi.
Me and my friends stayed at the Tangerine Beach Hotel during this Easter holiday. We went there for a short break from our business trip in India.
The first impresion was really good. Nice people at the reception, very kind and always helpful. The lobby looked just amazing, with small pools with the lotus flowers and boats.
The rooms were clean and airconditioned. Big double bed, TV and armchairs with the table. Beautiful view from the balcony, palm trees and rough ocean.
We had the HB and there is only one word-waw! The food was just great. Maybe I am overrating, but after weeks spent in India, it was lovely to have some jacket potatoes, non spicy rice, proper beef or pork meet, lasagne or pasta and lots of steamed/chargrilled vegetable. Wide choice of food, salad and DESERTS. They must have spent ages making those, I always tried to leave some space in my tummy for wide variety of deserts and fruit.
Breakfast was again excellent. Baked beans, fried eggs and bacon- just what I wanted to eat after weeks rather going without breakfast :)
Drinks you have to buy separately, but the prices are quite reasonable.
This hotel is definitely suitable for older couples and families with small children. Though we are in our mid-twentiesl we had lot of fun, enjoyed ourselves in big tidal waves and chatted to really nice and funny staff.
Definitely will go back and stay a bit longer than just a few days.
Hope you find this info useful

6 readers found this review helpful

We stopped at the Tangerine Beach Hotel again in May 2006 on an all inclusive basis and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Although it was the start of the monsoon season we had very little rain during the day and when it did rain it was early morning, I think we had one day when it rained up to about 9AM but the sun soon dried it up.
We are not the ones for sitting around the pool, so we like to go exploring the country.
We found a tuk tuk driver named Sumith, just outside the hotel gates and he is there every morning from about 9AM. We used him most days whilst we were there and his rates are very reasonable.
The food was up to its usual excellent standards and the presentation of the salad bar and the desserts were fantastic.
The dress code for men in the evening is long trousers, which is not a problem, as I don't think they would let you into to Ritz to eat if you were in shorts!
Would we go back... Yes!

9 readers found this review helpful

I stayed at Tangerine Beach December 2006 for 16 nights. Food is excellent quality – both European and Eastern. Staff are friendly and helpful.
Beach: Hotel grounds are right on the beach but are separated. If you’re not a ‘pool person’ (I’m not) then you sun bathe in the grounds.
Only yards from the sand and sea but it is separated. No problem going onto the beach and enjoying the sand (or beach fishing as some people did) and indeed swim but as has been said previously it is a sharp drop.
Since I’m not a strong swimmer I stayed out of the sea but others were braver!
Hawkers: Not too bad in comparison to Goa! Your reaction to this all depends whether you have come across beach hawkers before or not. My only comment is that in Sri Lanka, at TBH, it was all very friendly.
Nobody there means you any harm; they are trying to earn some money; they will put some (considerable) effort in trying to earn that money. Okay: good for them.
Respect that, and if you’re not interested then “No” seems to work.
Shouting from beach: I simply asked them not to shout my name and they didn’t from there on in. Respect.
Tours: I was walking up the road outside the hotel and by chance one of the shops I went into the guy (Sanka) said “I also do tours”.
I did two tours with Sanka and both were excellently organised. First was the one day trip to Bentota (which was great – turtles, crocodiles, mangroves, kingfishers, fishermen, hotels, nice houses etc).
But what really impressed me was the two day tour to Kandy. I did pineapple farm, bricklayers, gems, elephant orphanage, elephant riding, tea factory, Sri Lankan dancing, botanical gardens, Tooth Temple and more (you know the list!).
But what I really want to say is that I’d arrive at a venue and someone each time was right there to take me around the place and explain what was what. No fuss. No messing. No waiting. Each and every time, right on cue.
For example, we were supposed to start at 6.00am the first day and the taxi indeed arrived at 6.00am. And this remained true throughout the trip (a couple with another company had been waiting from 5.30).
As a tour that made me feel as though I was being taken personal care of, I’ve never seen better – and I mean in England or India or anywhere else (and I’ve seen a few).
These posts have recommended a few different local guides. Well, all I will say is, check out Sanka.
Guests: By and large the usual mixture (depending what you’re used to I suppose!) – not many newly weds, but otherwise split between families, singletons, (older) couples and Sri Lankans, British, German and Russian, an occasional Frenchie. Nothing different as far as I could see.
Now one last comment about Tangerine Beach Hotel: please note that if you do choose to eat an evening meal in the hotel, then they do require you to wear “smart casual” which essentially means no shorts.
Personally, that sucks, and I would anyway recommend trying out some of the local restaurants. They are all within 100 yards or so.
I did challenge this and my only proviso is that reception sometimes struggle to help straight away. Having said that, once I asked and pushed a bit then supervisors or managers or someone would do their absolute best to help.
And there were a couple of people on reception who were wonderfully helpful to the extent of predicting what I was going to say before I had even asked. I was impressed!
So be prepared for possible initial frustration but also that somewhere, someone will sort it out for you. Given a bit of effort.
Would I go back? Yes.

3 readers found this review helpful

The hotel is situated in one of the most impressive parts on the West Coast, although the building is well established, it is very well maintained, its design and decor is a delight.
The grounds and swimming pool are large and very clean and tidy, with adequate sun loungers to go around, the gardens are very neat, and cleared of leaves and debris early each morning. The attached beach is kept very clean and tidy by the hotel garden staff.
The food is very artistically presented, very large selection, and of a very high standard (we stayed at two other hotels on the Island, of a higher star rating, and their food came no where to the standards of TBH ) All the food is prepared and cooked by a staff of very high quality chefs, and cooked to perfection.
The hotel is very well staffed, and all so very friendly, and go out of there way to make your stay very welcome.
The only down side of our stay at TBH, was that the bed linen had seen better days, and on several occasions we had linen with holes .The table covers were made of bamboo canes, although they look attractive, we never seen them being cleaned, they appear to be unhygienic.
Apart from the main restaurant, which is no smoking, we found it impossible to get away from passive smoking, in all other areas of the hotel, this was an irritation.
Due to the high humidity levels, we found wet clothes never dried, and clothing hanging in the bedroom wardrobe together with the bed linen appeared damp at times, but this is of no fault of the hotel.
The rear of the hotel overlooked a large water tower with behind the scenes hotel services, this was noisy at times and also sewage smells could be observed.
Overall we enjoyed our stay at the Tangerine Beach Hotel, and would have no hesitation in recommending the hotel.

5 readers found this review helpful

Just returned from a fantastic holiday at the Tangerine Beach. Would thoroughly recommend this hotel and country - it is beautiful! The hotel is very friendly and situated in a great location, right on the beach. The food is of plenty and we had a fantastic room with views across the beach.
The country is very cheap and tours are great value for money - BUT only if you book with the locals. The hotel rates are diabolical so go outside for less than half price!! We used a man called Silva (also known as Raja)) too book our tours and he was reliable, cheap and friendly. He owns a tuk-tuk and a restaurant named Relax on the beach, about 50 metres from the hotel complex. He is very well known in Kalutara and surrounding areas and very trustworthy. We cannot praise him enough, even Saga residents at the hotel, chose him over the Saga rep tours! For great value for money and an English speaking guide - use him.
We recommend his trip to Kandy and the Temple of the tooth-fantastic tour and the temple is mesmerizing. The elephant orphanage was worth a visit but I found it quite sad with how the elephants were treated - seemed just a money pit! Take a trip to a temple though as they really are fabulous and such a big part of Sri Lanka. I can not wait to go back again. The wildlife is great too - Kingfishers galore, Iguana's, Crocodiles.... Enjoy!