Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel, Port El Kantaoui
Hotel Information
Hotel Class:
Hotel Description:
Located in a quiet cul de sac at the edge of the resort, this comfortable hotel is on the beach, set in spacious gardens just 10 minutes drive from the centre of Port El Kantaoui. This is a well-known and popular spacious hotel with a large central atrium and gallery walkways with small lounge areas on each level. Suitable for clients who prefer a more relaxing holiday but with all amenities of the town within easy access loading...
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Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel Reviews
" WHAT A PLACE!! "
Submitted By: suzypaul
My husband and I have just returned from the Imperial Marhaba where we stayed for 11 nights. What can we say? The letter we received from Thomas Cook about the building work was totally unnecessary - there is very little noise and what there is certainly does not worry anybody around the pool. The place is clean and very impressive and from the food to the service we couldnt fault it. Only a few people moaned about the hotel but I think these were professional complainers. Our room was large and overlooked the front of the hotel. The animation team were fantastic and provided us with excellent entertainment.
The only thing I would say was not 100% was the toilets in the reception area which always smelt of sewerage - other than that, 10 out of 10.
Just one problem - we had to come home. Cant wait to go back.
The only thing I would say was not 100% was the toilets in the reception area which always smelt of sewerage - other than that, 10 out of 10.
Just one problem - we had to come home. Cant wait to go back.
Advice: The marina area of Port El Kantaoui is very pretty and worth a visit
Activities: The musical fountains near the Marina.
Good for: Beach
6 out of
6 readers found this review helpful
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- Date of Holiday:May 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" not up to expectations "
Submitted By: portsmouth2
Stayed at hotel 11th to 18th March09 Very impressive when you first walk in. However when we were shown our room the first thing that struck me was the very strong smell of smoke,My partner and i were not happy with this. We booked a sea view all we got was a view of the huge spar they are building and which will not be finished untill at least July 09. Builders are shouting very early in the morning and while around the pool you are made to feel uncomfortable because of all the builders looking at you. We booked a double bed did not get that or the high floor. We asked to be moved and were told there were no rooms available untill 4 days in to our holiday , So to have to pack our bags and move again would have caused hassle as we were only there for a week . The food is very repetitive and we both had tummy upsets and this was the only place we ate food at. The animation team do work very hard but there is not much going on. The disco is just a few records on for a little while .I have stayed at riu hotels before and they were of a high standard but i will not be going back here again
Good for: Beach
4 out of
5 readers found this review helpful
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- Date of Holiday:Mar 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" My husband and i have just returned... "
Submitted By: Mrs K Lawrence
My husband and i have just returned from our two week holiday.All i can say is what a fantastic time we had.The hotel is lovely, really impressive ,marbel everywhere in the massive reception area with four glass lifts.The staff were so friendly and made our holiday one to remember.The food was excellent and everywhere was so clean.I will definately be booking again for next year.Best hotel we have stayed in.The all inclusive package was definately worth booking.
5 out of
5 readers found this review helpful
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" I've stayed at this hotel twice in... "
Submitted By: Mr P R Allen
I've stayed at this hotel twice in three years and can only say that if top price London hotels (that I know very well) adopted the same attitude towards service they would be worth the extreme prices they charge. In fact they do not, and the Imperial Marhaba staff and management are setting the pace!
The cleanliness of the hotel is first class and you can see for yourselves the extents that they go to to ensure they meet the highest of standards.
I used the main restaurant throughout and never felt the need to go to the A la carte restaurant because the food choice was good, always well cooked and presented and the restaurant service was brilliant with a waiter and several suprvising waiters on hand at all times. Always there, but never obtrusive.
Only one thing caused me any annoyance in this hotel....wait for it.... the behaviour of British tourists! I don't know why some of them bother to take a holiday, all they do is moan from the moment they get in the plane to the point they get home again!!
My holiday (last week) was perfect from the hotel viewpoint, but I will probably not use Thomas Cook/ My Travel again. I try to go to the welcome meetings but on this occasion the rep started the meeting early and confined the group to three three seater couches set around him, so that people who arrived on time for the meeting had no where to sit. Needless to say, we all got fed up and didn't buy a single excursion from TC. The flights were marred by the aged, mouthy, unsmiling and chaotic TC cabin staff. On the outgoing flight one of the staff put a bunch of leaflets in an overhead locker, loose, so that when I opened the door they all poured out on top of the passenger below. This despite her own warnings about the lockers. On the way back it was worse, far worse, with the managing cabin crew bad- mouthing My Travel and telling everyone that she was "Thomas Cook". They failed to secure a drinks locker on take off so that one fell out on the planes accelaration spewing miniatures of drinks all over the front of the cabin. There were no arrangements to take credit cards for payment "cos we ain't got no computer", and after we were finally provided with questionaires to complete we were told to fold our tables so we had nothing to write on. The pens that went with the questionaires were never offered, so several of us took our questionaires home to send on afterwards. Oh yes, and the meal distribution was a farce, with the staff trailing a long print-out of the people who had paid for meals behind them, but giving the means to everyone anyway. Needless to say, by the time they got towards the front of the aircraft they were saying to each other, "we are 28 short now" and then blamed the caterers! What a shambles! So 10/10 for the Imperial Marhaba and 2/10 for Thomas Cook/ My Travel and that was purely for the unintentional entertainment!!
The cleanliness of the hotel is first class and you can see for yourselves the extents that they go to to ensure they meet the highest of standards.
I used the main restaurant throughout and never felt the need to go to the A la carte restaurant because the food choice was good, always well cooked and presented and the restaurant service was brilliant with a waiter and several suprvising waiters on hand at all times. Always there, but never obtrusive.
Only one thing caused me any annoyance in this hotel....wait for it.... the behaviour of British tourists! I don't know why some of them bother to take a holiday, all they do is moan from the moment they get in the plane to the point they get home again!!
My holiday (last week) was perfect from the hotel viewpoint, but I will probably not use Thomas Cook/ My Travel again. I try to go to the welcome meetings but on this occasion the rep started the meeting early and confined the group to three three seater couches set around him, so that people who arrived on time for the meeting had no where to sit. Needless to say, we all got fed up and didn't buy a single excursion from TC. The flights were marred by the aged, mouthy, unsmiling and chaotic TC cabin staff. On the outgoing flight one of the staff put a bunch of leaflets in an overhead locker, loose, so that when I opened the door they all poured out on top of the passenger below. This despite her own warnings about the lockers. On the way back it was worse, far worse, with the managing cabin crew bad- mouthing My Travel and telling everyone that she was "Thomas Cook". They failed to secure a drinks locker on take off so that one fell out on the planes accelaration spewing miniatures of drinks all over the front of the cabin. There were no arrangements to take credit cards for payment "cos we ain't got no computer", and after we were finally provided with questionaires to complete we were told to fold our tables so we had nothing to write on. The pens that went with the questionaires were never offered, so several of us took our questionaires home to send on afterwards. Oh yes, and the meal distribution was a farce, with the staff trailing a long print-out of the people who had paid for meals behind them, but giving the means to everyone anyway. Needless to say, by the time they got towards the front of the aircraft they were saying to each other, "we are 28 short now" and then blamed the caterers! What a shambles! So 10/10 for the Imperial Marhaba and 2/10 for Thomas Cook/ My Travel and that was purely for the unintentional entertainment!!
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
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- Date of Holiday:Mar 2008
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" My wife and I have had two holidays... "
Submitted By: Mr R Parson-Wills
My wife and I have had two holidays this year at the Imperial Mahaba and both times have found it an excellent hotel. All the staff were very friendly and could not do enough to help us wherever we were in the hotel; reception, restaurants, bars, beach, and chamber maids and so on.
The food suited our palette and we found to it be of a high standard with a wide choice dishes, which were always well cooked and presented. We feel that the all inclusive package is very good and the hotel is ideally situated with the beach staff maintaining its fine sandy beach to a high standard.
However we feel that parts of the hotel are beginning to become a little jaded and could do with a spruce up and the cushions on the soft furnishings in the large reception area could do with replacing as you tend to slide forward when sitting on them.
We will return sometime in 2008 and if anyone is thinking of trying Tunisia then I don’t think they would go far wrong than giving the Imperial Mahaba a shot.
The food suited our palette and we found to it be of a high standard with a wide choice dishes, which were always well cooked and presented. We feel that the all inclusive package is very good and the hotel is ideally situated with the beach staff maintaining its fine sandy beach to a high standard.
However we feel that parts of the hotel are beginning to become a little jaded and could do with a spruce up and the cushions on the soft furnishings in the large reception area could do with replacing as you tend to slide forward when sitting on them.
We will return sometime in 2008 and if anyone is thinking of trying Tunisia then I don’t think they would go far wrong than giving the Imperial Mahaba a shot.
2 out of
2 readers found this review helpful
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2007
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" On first arrival at the Imperial... "
Submitted By: Mr P Maylard-Mason
On first arrival at the Imperial Marhaba, it is hard not to be blown away by the huge marble-floored lobby (even if your scheduled 1910 flight has been delayed by SIX hours!) and there is plenty more to like at this impressive hotel.
Service and food (we went on a half-board basis) are excellent, plenty of choice and quality. Make sure you try the restaurant too, we had a beautiful three course meal of Tunisian fare - big lamb chop & cous cous as the main meal - of which you are entitled to one 'free' visit on a half board basis. Tip, but don't overtip - the waiters get friendlier as your stay progresses!
In truth, the hotel is geared up mainly for all inclusive guests - we only saw a handful of other half-boarders during our one week stay. This is to such a level that the waiters often don't ask for payment from you; luckily for them we were honest!
Entertainment, especially if you have kids, is excellent and the 'Animation' team are superb, with plenty for adults to do during the day. Evenings are altogether patchier - you'd be well advised to head to the harbour for a night or two at least - - try Le Mediterrannee restaurant for some tasty & good value food.
Be warned, if you are looking for somewhere that has plenty of 'nights out', this is not the place for you - it's a 10 minute taxi drive and we rarely left the hotel other than for the short stroll to the gorgeous beach. Obviously, it's also hard to get alcohol other than with food but the harbour is a nice area and seems very safe. There's nothing much around the hotel though.
The only mark down is that the rooms, although functional and clean, need modernising. They were probably fantastic during the 80's! Also, take some money or travellers cheques - the ATM is 'offline' more often than not...
I'd recommend this hotel and resort, but would advise that two weeks may be a little long if you are just looking for a break.
Service and food (we went on a half-board basis) are excellent, plenty of choice and quality. Make sure you try the restaurant too, we had a beautiful three course meal of Tunisian fare - big lamb chop & cous cous as the main meal - of which you are entitled to one 'free' visit on a half board basis. Tip, but don't overtip - the waiters get friendlier as your stay progresses!
In truth, the hotel is geared up mainly for all inclusive guests - we only saw a handful of other half-boarders during our one week stay. This is to such a level that the waiters often don't ask for payment from you; luckily for them we were honest!
Entertainment, especially if you have kids, is excellent and the 'Animation' team are superb, with plenty for adults to do during the day. Evenings are altogether patchier - you'd be well advised to head to the harbour for a night or two at least - - try Le Mediterrannee restaurant for some tasty & good value food.
Be warned, if you are looking for somewhere that has plenty of 'nights out', this is not the place for you - it's a 10 minute taxi drive and we rarely left the hotel other than for the short stroll to the gorgeous beach. Obviously, it's also hard to get alcohol other than with food but the harbour is a nice area and seems very safe. There's nothing much around the hotel though.
The only mark down is that the rooms, although functional and clean, need modernising. They were probably fantastic during the 80's! Also, take some money or travellers cheques - the ATM is 'offline' more often than not...
I'd recommend this hotel and resort, but would advise that two weeks may be a little long if you are just looking for a break.
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2007
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:MyTravel
" My stay in this hotel and Port El... "
Submitted By: Miss R Elliot
My stay in this hotel and Port El Kantaoui was fantastic, I didn’t want to leave. I was a bit nervous before going because I had read all the reviews and there were quite a few comments on the Tunisian men and we were four teenage girls travelling together. The men were quite intimidating but they weren’t offensive in any way and we didn’t find them a problem, we just made sure we didn’t make eye contact and just ignored them. We found them to be all mouth.
Port El Kantaoui was great fun there are a few shops, rides and bars to keep you occupied. We did however make the mistake of deciding to explore in the day before we braved it at night. I would definitely advise going at night. In the evening it is really busy and the port comes alive so you can have fun, relax and blend in with the huge crowd. We found in the day that it was so quiet that we stuck out like anything and were harassed by all of the shop staff.
The hotel was spotless our room was serviced everyday and the housekeepers would leave us sweets and make animals out of our nightwear every morning.
Definitely tip!!!! The staff will do anything for you. We left a 2 dinar tip after our meals and we were treated like royalty. We had our tea, coffee and drinks brought to our table every meal time, and this wasn’t all, we were definitely given special treatment which in my opinion was definitely worth a few dinars a day which to us isn’t even a £1.00.
The sunbeds around the pool were hard to get hold of but after a few days we got our own system going which was to slip the pool attendants a little bit of money and they saved us a great spot ever day.
The beach was beautiful and it wasn’t to busy either we always found a good spot.
We went all inclusive at this hotel and it was definitely the right thing to do. You get great value for money! We had bar snacks, ice creams, drinks, pancakes at 4.00 from the pool everyday, drinks, breakfast, lunch and dinner all included. In a review I read before we left which said that a couple went half board and felt like second class citizens which now I can see how they would feel like that. You can when you get to the hotel pay extra to be changed to all inclusive which I would recommend you do if you’re not already. However we made friends with a group that were half board and they didn’t find it a problem at all and loved the hotel.
I felt really safe and there were always 3 guards guarding the gate into the hotel at all times not that they ever needed to do anything.
The food is fantastic and there was definitely something for everyone. There were theme nights held regularly such as Italian, traditional Tunisia etc. There was every dinner time a counter which served pasta and pizza which is good for kids and people that don’t eat that much.
The camel caravan was great fun and I'd definitely recommend it. The pirate ship was also great fun. The pirates were well dressed and definitely put their all into the part. They dropped anchor half way through the trip so you could jump in to the sea and have a swim and they put a great show on by doing stunts in the nets. You get fed on the ship but I would definitely eat before you go as the food was really not good, it suited the theme but still not good. It was served on a metal tray and was sardines with chopped up roar cabbage and tomato which doesn’t sound that bad but it didn’t look to good either. I definitely recommend the trip though it was really good fun and something different to experience.
We would definitely recommend this hotel and will be going back next year; I don’t know how any one could have any complaints about the hotel. People make the mistake of thinking that a five star hotel in Tunisia is the equivalent of a five star in England, its not. But in my personal opinion it isn’t far off.
Port El Kantaoui was great fun there are a few shops, rides and bars to keep you occupied. We did however make the mistake of deciding to explore in the day before we braved it at night. I would definitely advise going at night. In the evening it is really busy and the port comes alive so you can have fun, relax and blend in with the huge crowd. We found in the day that it was so quiet that we stuck out like anything and were harassed by all of the shop staff.
The hotel was spotless our room was serviced everyday and the housekeepers would leave us sweets and make animals out of our nightwear every morning.
Definitely tip!!!! The staff will do anything for you. We left a 2 dinar tip after our meals and we were treated like royalty. We had our tea, coffee and drinks brought to our table every meal time, and this wasn’t all, we were definitely given special treatment which in my opinion was definitely worth a few dinars a day which to us isn’t even a £1.00.
The sunbeds around the pool were hard to get hold of but after a few days we got our own system going which was to slip the pool attendants a little bit of money and they saved us a great spot ever day.
The beach was beautiful and it wasn’t to busy either we always found a good spot.
We went all inclusive at this hotel and it was definitely the right thing to do. You get great value for money! We had bar snacks, ice creams, drinks, pancakes at 4.00 from the pool everyday, drinks, breakfast, lunch and dinner all included. In a review I read before we left which said that a couple went half board and felt like second class citizens which now I can see how they would feel like that. You can when you get to the hotel pay extra to be changed to all inclusive which I would recommend you do if you’re not already. However we made friends with a group that were half board and they didn’t find it a problem at all and loved the hotel.
I felt really safe and there were always 3 guards guarding the gate into the hotel at all times not that they ever needed to do anything.
The food is fantastic and there was definitely something for everyone. There were theme nights held regularly such as Italian, traditional Tunisia etc. There was every dinner time a counter which served pasta and pizza which is good for kids and people that don’t eat that much.
The camel caravan was great fun and I'd definitely recommend it. The pirate ship was also great fun. The pirates were well dressed and definitely put their all into the part. They dropped anchor half way through the trip so you could jump in to the sea and have a swim and they put a great show on by doing stunts in the nets. You get fed on the ship but I would definitely eat before you go as the food was really not good, it suited the theme but still not good. It was served on a metal tray and was sardines with chopped up roar cabbage and tomato which doesn’t sound that bad but it didn’t look to good either. I definitely recommend the trip though it was really good fun and something different to experience.
We would definitely recommend this hotel and will be going back next year; I don’t know how any one could have any complaints about the hotel. People make the mistake of thinking that a five star hotel in Tunisia is the equivalent of a five star in England, its not. But in my personal opinion it isn’t far off.
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2007
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" My husband and I have just returned... "
Submitted By: Mrs IC Avrinte
My husband and I have just returned from a 7 day stay at Riu Imperial Marhaba and we're absolutely impressed by the services provided by this hotel.
The lounge area is impressive, with four glass elevators, interior water fountains, marble tiles, huge fresh rose bouquets all over the place, even in the bathrooms, and a discreet jasmine smell following you around.
The rooms are basic, but quite large and irreproachably clean and well kept, not luxurious. However, I noticed the lack of bathrobes, compulsory, in my opinion, for a 5 star hotel.
The pool and beach areas are incredible, always plenty of parasols and sunbeds, but it was more difficult to find a place in the shade at noon. But, I woke up at seven every day and I always was the first by the pool.
The bar service was very good, with a wide range of drinks and snacks. The Animation Team went out of their way to make everyone feel great, they were very nice and friendly indeed and so were the waiters and the bartenders. Tips were optional, nobody made you feel they were expecting anything for their kind service. We did however give them a dinar or two every time they did something for us, like bringing us the drinks or the mattresses for the sunbeds.
Talking about food, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING: fresh shrimp and sea food, an enormous selection of salads, all kinds of meat (even pork!!!) and fish, hot and cold desserts, etc. FABULOUS!
All in all, a perfect holiday.
The lounge area is impressive, with four glass elevators, interior water fountains, marble tiles, huge fresh rose bouquets all over the place, even in the bathrooms, and a discreet jasmine smell following you around.
The rooms are basic, but quite large and irreproachably clean and well kept, not luxurious. However, I noticed the lack of bathrobes, compulsory, in my opinion, for a 5 star hotel.
The pool and beach areas are incredible, always plenty of parasols and sunbeds, but it was more difficult to find a place in the shade at noon. But, I woke up at seven every day and I always was the first by the pool.
The bar service was very good, with a wide range of drinks and snacks. The Animation Team went out of their way to make everyone feel great, they were very nice and friendly indeed and so were the waiters and the bartenders. Tips were optional, nobody made you feel they were expecting anything for their kind service. We did however give them a dinar or two every time they did something for us, like bringing us the drinks or the mattresses for the sunbeds.
Talking about food, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING: fresh shrimp and sea food, an enormous selection of salads, all kinds of meat (even pork!!!) and fish, hot and cold desserts, etc. FABULOUS!
All in all, a perfect holiday.
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2007
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Kartago
" Where do I start on this hotel?... "
Submitted By: Mr D MOORE
Where do I start on this hotel? First of all if you are told that the currency exchange rate is set by the government and is the same throughout the country do not believe it. We noticed different hotels have different rates and this hotel was the poorest out of four that we checked.
In my opinion no way is this hotel a 5 star.
The bedroom was fairly large and had been redecorated I must admit this wasn't bad. The rest of the hotel i.e. the furniture in the public areas was stained, dirty and needed replacing. The toilets near the restaurant were smelly, and in need of a total upgrade compared to other hotels.
There were never enough sun loungers by the pool area. The food was just okay, plenty of it but again not 5 star quality.
What everyone staying half board should be made aware of is the waiters are loathe to issue bills/receipts for drinks and food. It became apparent they were pocketing the money instead of it going into the tills and other half board guests were also aware of this fact. The management were informed and they supposedly disciplined the relevant culprits.
The evening entertainment was of very poor quality compared to other hotels we visited during the evenings as was the entertainment area.
Would definitely not stay at this hotel again.
In my opinion no way is this hotel a 5 star.
The bedroom was fairly large and had been redecorated I must admit this wasn't bad. The rest of the hotel i.e. the furniture in the public areas was stained, dirty and needed replacing. The toilets near the restaurant were smelly, and in need of a total upgrade compared to other hotels.
There were never enough sun loungers by the pool area. The food was just okay, plenty of it but again not 5 star quality.
What everyone staying half board should be made aware of is the waiters are loathe to issue bills/receipts for drinks and food. It became apparent they were pocketing the money instead of it going into the tills and other half board guests were also aware of this fact. The management were informed and they supposedly disciplined the relevant culprits.
The evening entertainment was of very poor quality compared to other hotels we visited during the evenings as was the entertainment area.
Would definitely not stay at this hotel again.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2007
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We have just returned from a week in... "
Submitted By: Mr C Ventress
We have just returned from a week in this hotel. We were greeted with a welcome drink as we checked in.
All the staff were very friendly, smiling and chatting all the time.
All inclusive option was money well spent, yes the glasses can be a bit small, but there was no problem ordering two beers, at a time.
Also we found the selection to be good, even though unbranded.
The food was plentiful and of good quality. Each night followed a different theme.
We aren't great party goers so the entertainment was ok, and finished around 10.45pm each evening so noise was never a problem.
Rooms are larger than we expected, carpeted, so again no noise from your neighbours. Yes the room needed some re-decoration, but that's being very picky.
The resort centre is approximately a forty minute walk along the beach or the road. We did use a taxi once and were charged only three dinars.
No bars locally, just other hotels.
Overall a very enjoyable holiday and a hotel we will certainly return to next year for two weeks.
All the staff were very friendly, smiling and chatting all the time.
All inclusive option was money well spent, yes the glasses can be a bit small, but there was no problem ordering two beers, at a time.
Also we found the selection to be good, even though unbranded.
The food was plentiful and of good quality. Each night followed a different theme.
We aren't great party goers so the entertainment was ok, and finished around 10.45pm each evening so noise was never a problem.
Rooms are larger than we expected, carpeted, so again no noise from your neighbours. Yes the room needed some re-decoration, but that's being very picky.
The resort centre is approximately a forty minute walk along the beach or the road. We did use a taxi once and were charged only three dinars.
No bars locally, just other hotels.
Overall a very enjoyable holiday and a hotel we will certainly return to next year for two weeks.
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
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- Date of Holiday:Mar 2007
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" My partner and I stayed at this hotel... "
Submitted By: Dr A Pearce
My partner and I stayed at this hotel end of July for 14 nights.
The hotel is rated 5* that needs to be changed to 3* at best, The food was always plentiful but rather taste less, we came back from the beach one afternoon to find the hotel had decided to do a spot of touching up the decor they also redecorated my suitcase for me, on another occasion cockroaches found running around the bathroom,
The evening meal time table can re arranged at no notice at all first our evening meal was at eight O’clock then the next week it had been shifted to 9 O’clock no reason or explanation given?. The staff at the poolside bars are all on the make expecting tips every time they bring you a drink,
The Desk staff tried to charge me for the use of the room safe only after arguing for 20 mins they realised I did not request a room safe, the complimentary basket of fruit was battered and bruised and covered in fruit flies,
We had to fight with the room lock every day to get into our room. I complained too Thomson’s about our experiences, to numerous to mention in this review and all they seemed bothered about was the food!! I’m afraid to say that I will never return to this hotel or country again it was an experience never to be forgotten and never to be repeated.
The hotel is rated 5* that needs to be changed to 3* at best, The food was always plentiful but rather taste less, we came back from the beach one afternoon to find the hotel had decided to do a spot of touching up the decor they also redecorated my suitcase for me, on another occasion cockroaches found running around the bathroom,
The evening meal time table can re arranged at no notice at all first our evening meal was at eight O’clock then the next week it had been shifted to 9 O’clock no reason or explanation given?. The staff at the poolside bars are all on the make expecting tips every time they bring you a drink,
The Desk staff tried to charge me for the use of the room safe only after arguing for 20 mins they realised I did not request a room safe, the complimentary basket of fruit was battered and bruised and covered in fruit flies,
We had to fight with the room lock every day to get into our room. I complained too Thomson’s about our experiences, to numerous to mention in this review and all they seemed bothered about was the food!! I’m afraid to say that I will never return to this hotel or country again it was an experience never to be forgotten and never to be repeated.
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2006
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" My 79 year old mother and I visited... "
Submitted By: susanp
My 79 year old mother and I visited the Imperial Marhaba for 1 week in June 2006. Having previously stayed twice at the Marti in Turkey we decided to try Tunisia: but two weeks earlier mums friends returned from 2 weeks in Tunisia saying that they hated it.
Having seen the photo of the reception area we were amazed at indoor fountains by the glass lifts. We were greeted by members of staff and our luggage was taken straight away while we were escorted to the restaurant to have lunch. Wine by the bottle was provided and after lunch we were taken to our room. The room was always clean and tidied with night attire being placed in the shape of a fan on the bed. Nothing was too much trouble and although there were no bath safety mats an alternative was provided within half an hour of our request.
We were taken on a free tour to see how carpets are made and to a leather factory where we had a made to measure coat delivered to the hotel within 24 hours. There was always plenty to eat and you could have lunch either in the restaurant or at the pool bar.
Waiters brought drinks to you while on sun loungers and after a few days the drinks were ready for you. The crepes were delicious .The only disappointment was that despite being all inclusive, we could not drink in the piano or beach bar for free. Also you have to pay for fresh orange juice. We were very happy with the hotel especially as I had read some adverse reports about three weeks before we were about to leave. We would definitely recommend this hotel.
Having seen the photo of the reception area we were amazed at indoor fountains by the glass lifts. We were greeted by members of staff and our luggage was taken straight away while we were escorted to the restaurant to have lunch. Wine by the bottle was provided and after lunch we were taken to our room. The room was always clean and tidied with night attire being placed in the shape of a fan on the bed. Nothing was too much trouble and although there were no bath safety mats an alternative was provided within half an hour of our request.
We were taken on a free tour to see how carpets are made and to a leather factory where we had a made to measure coat delivered to the hotel within 24 hours. There was always plenty to eat and you could have lunch either in the restaurant or at the pool bar.
Waiters brought drinks to you while on sun loungers and after a few days the drinks were ready for you. The crepes were delicious .The only disappointment was that despite being all inclusive, we could not drink in the piano or beach bar for free. Also you have to pay for fresh orange juice. We were very happy with the hotel especially as I had read some adverse reports about three weeks before we were about to leave. We would definitely recommend this hotel.
2 out of
2 readers found this review helpful
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" How anyone can rate this hotel less... "
Submitted By: Miss M Stevens
How anyone can rate this hotel less than 10/10 is beyond us. We have just arrived back home from staying at the Marhaba Imperial Hotel and thoroughly enjoyed our holiday.
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We stayed for one week and did not want to go home! The hotel itself was spotless and very luxurious. The staff were very friendly and helpful and nothing was too much trouble. The food was always prepared to a very high standard and there was always so much choice we did not feel it was necessary to go to the a la carte restaurant.
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We spent most evenings during our stay in the cosy piano bar where the barmen were always friendly and chatty towards us. It was my first time staying at Tunisia and I certainly would not hesitate in visiting Port El Kantaoui again in the future. We are hoping to spend a holiday back there again next year! <br>
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We stayed for one week and did not want to go home! The hotel itself was spotless and very luxurious. The staff were very friendly and helpful and nothing was too much trouble. The food was always prepared to a very high standard and there was always so much choice we did not feel it was necessary to go to the a la carte restaurant.
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We spent most evenings during our stay in the cosy piano bar where the barmen were always friendly and chatty towards us. It was my first time staying at Tunisia and I certainly would not hesitate in visiting Port El Kantaoui again in the future. We are hoping to spend a holiday back there again next year! <br>
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2005
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" Resort fine - Hotel appalling Has no... "
Submitted By: Mrs L J Heggie
Resort fine - Hotel appalling Has no right to be graded as a 5*hotel
We were not allocated two adjoining rooms upon arrival at the hotel. The hotel had confirmed by fax to Sovereign in the 1st week of September 2004 that two of the three rooms would be adjoining as requested. I was notified of this confirmation on 8th September 2004 by Air Miles. I informed the hotel reception who initially said that they didn’t have two adjoining rooms available but then somehow managed to find three adjoining rooms, 315, 316 and 317, which I believe from points 1 to 14 were sub-standard rooms used infrequently, despite the managers denial.
1.The door lock was faulty on room 316 making entry to the room very difficult. It was reported on Sunday 26th December and not repaired until Tuesday 28th December.
2.The water from the hot tap was at best lukewarm and heavily soiled in all three rooms 6 out of 7 days (photographs enclosed). The hotel reception suggested running the water for a long period of time until it became clear and the 1st choice rep Rhida Kazdaghli suggested we bathe or shower earlier in the day when hotter water may be available. My father was an engineer before retirement and as a result of persistence on our part was taken to the basement by the hotel manager. There it became apparent that the problem was being caused by extensive maintenance work involving the installation of replacement boilers supplying heating and hot water and replacement of the copper pipes with plastic ones, responsible for water supply throughout the hotel.
3.Intermittently throughout the week during the afternoon there was no water supply at all from the hot tap - presumably again due to the maintenance work.
4.The water pressure was no greater than a steady trickle in room 315, taking in excess of half an hour to run a bath, which due to the cool temperature of the water meant that by the time the bath was less than half full the water was cold. Rhida Kazdaghli attempted to appease me with the explanation that the low pressure was due to my room being on the third floor, when it fact it was caused by a fault which was not resolved until Wednesday 29th December.
5.My husband was suffering from a gastro-intestinal illness for the first three days of the holiday and had no hot water to wash his hands; a basic requirement to prevent spread of infection.
6.The manager offered alternative rooms for the six of us on Monday 27th December. We looked at the rooms and assessed the water in the alternative rooms but it was no better. Therefore we declined the offer to move rooms.
7.The temperature on the corridor outside our rooms was much lower than the rest of the hotel. This was apparent when passing through the double doors which separated the block our rooms were located in, from the rest of the hotel.
8.The device on the bath for raising and lowering the plug was faulty in room 316 which meant the bath couldn’t be emptied. This was repaired twice during the week.
9.There were numerous cracked tiles and dirty grouting in all three bathrooms and toiletries were not replaced when used.
10.The mini-bars were empty and there were no bathrobes in the en-suite bathrooms of any of the rooms until Tuesday 28th December. There was no hotel directory in room 315.
11.There was a rough step about 3-4 cm deep leading from the en-suite bathrooms to the rooms which was a serious tripping and toe stubbing hazard.
12.The carpets were marked and soiled in all three rooms.
13.There were loose light fittings in room 315
14.There was a large chip in one of the two drinking glasses in room 317 which was not replaced despite pointing it out to the chamber maid.
·The Gala Dinner on New Years Eve had an 8pm start. We were kept waiting from 8pm to 9pm for the meal to be served as all guests had to be served the courses at the same time and some guests didn’t arrive until 9pm. We were not served our main course until 11.15pm. Several guests were still waiting for their main course when we left the restaurant, with our children, all totally fed up at 11.30pm. To add to our annoyance all the drinks prices in the hotel, wine, water etc...were doubled for New Years Eve.
·Throughout the week the restaurant offered a good selection of starters and desserts but all main courses were lukewarm.
·The hotel requested guests not to take towels from the rooms to either of the pools as towels would be provided in these areas. There were no towels available on the three occasions we used the indoor pool.
·On 1st January whilst we were out of the hotel our rooms were entered and the mini bars emptied. We returned to the hotel at 10.20pm and found the door to room 316 wide open. Fortunately nothing was stolen. I wrote a complaint to the hotel manager, but received no response.
We booked two excursions with the rep.
·The first one on 30th December 2004 included visiting Kairouan, El Djem and Mahdia. However we were also taken to a carpet shop where carpet making was demonstrated followed by sitting us in a room downstairs and subjecting us to one and a half hours of hard sell tactics to buy a carpet. Lunch was included in the cost of the excursion; the only additional charge was for drinks. The meal was of a very poor standard and the restaurant tried to charge for ice cream with the meal and when they insisted upon payment we sent the ice-cream back. I complained to the guide who said that we had to pay for ice cream and drinks. We were looking forward to the opportunity to “relax in the beautiful village of Mahdia” but due to the time spent in the carpet shop had merely 35 minutes to use the toilet and have a drink. I complained to Ridha upon returning to the hotel who told me that we shouldn’t have been taken to the carpet shop and that it used to be part of the excursion but had been cancelled due to numerous complaints. He also confirmed that we shouldn’t have been asked to pay for ice cream with the meal.
·The second excursion was the organised Camel Caravan on 1st January 2005. We waited outside the hotel at 2.30pm as instructed and nobody turned up to collect us. The hotel reception staff attempted without success to contact the excursion provider. Eventually Rhida was contacted, who informed us that the excursion had been cancelled and no one had told him. This wasted our whole day. Rhida gave us a refund for the camel caravan and he rearranged the excursion for the following day. This excursion was described in the literature as a half-day excursion and by Ridha as a 3hr excursion. It was neither. We were collected at 9.15 am and were back at the hotel at 11.20am. The camel caravan also included a visit to a pottery shop again with hard sell and a bread making demonstration, neither of which was included in the literature or the reps description of the excursion. We were also told by the guide on the camel caravan that the trip hadn’t been cancelled the previous day but it had been overbooked.
·Some members of the reception staff were rude and flippant about the complaints we made, particularly the manager who stated on one occasion he was fed up of talking about the problems with our water.
·We did not have a Sovereign Concierge. Ridha Kazdaghli, of Tunisian nationality, was a 1st choice representative.
In the Rooms:
The above is taken from the first letter of complaint sent to Sovereign who promise in their brochure " A high standard of accommodation, service and facilities" and " We never compromise on standards and service" Sovereign also state that they do not believe in holidays with " no frills where you have to fill in the gaps"
We were not allocated two adjoining rooms upon arrival at the hotel. The hotel had confirmed by fax to Sovereign in the 1st week of September 2004 that two of the three rooms would be adjoining as requested. I was notified of this confirmation on 8th September 2004 by Air Miles. I informed the hotel reception who initially said that they didn’t have two adjoining rooms available but then somehow managed to find three adjoining rooms, 315, 316 and 317, which I believe from points 1 to 14 were sub-standard rooms used infrequently, despite the managers denial.
1.The door lock was faulty on room 316 making entry to the room very difficult. It was reported on Sunday 26th December and not repaired until Tuesday 28th December.
2.The water from the hot tap was at best lukewarm and heavily soiled in all three rooms 6 out of 7 days (photographs enclosed). The hotel reception suggested running the water for a long period of time until it became clear and the 1st choice rep Rhida Kazdaghli suggested we bathe or shower earlier in the day when hotter water may be available. My father was an engineer before retirement and as a result of persistence on our part was taken to the basement by the hotel manager. There it became apparent that the problem was being caused by extensive maintenance work involving the installation of replacement boilers supplying heating and hot water and replacement of the copper pipes with plastic ones, responsible for water supply throughout the hotel.
3.Intermittently throughout the week during the afternoon there was no water supply at all from the hot tap - presumably again due to the maintenance work.
4.The water pressure was no greater than a steady trickle in room 315, taking in excess of half an hour to run a bath, which due to the cool temperature of the water meant that by the time the bath was less than half full the water was cold. Rhida Kazdaghli attempted to appease me with the explanation that the low pressure was due to my room being on the third floor, when it fact it was caused by a fault which was not resolved until Wednesday 29th December.
5.My husband was suffering from a gastro-intestinal illness for the first three days of the holiday and had no hot water to wash his hands; a basic requirement to prevent spread of infection.
6.The manager offered alternative rooms for the six of us on Monday 27th December. We looked at the rooms and assessed the water in the alternative rooms but it was no better. Therefore we declined the offer to move rooms.
7.The temperature on the corridor outside our rooms was much lower than the rest of the hotel. This was apparent when passing through the double doors which separated the block our rooms were located in, from the rest of the hotel.
8.The device on the bath for raising and lowering the plug was faulty in room 316 which meant the bath couldn’t be emptied. This was repaired twice during the week.
9.There were numerous cracked tiles and dirty grouting in all three bathrooms and toiletries were not replaced when used.
10.The mini-bars were empty and there were no bathrobes in the en-suite bathrooms of any of the rooms until Tuesday 28th December. There was no hotel directory in room 315.
11.There was a rough step about 3-4 cm deep leading from the en-suite bathrooms to the rooms which was a serious tripping and toe stubbing hazard.
12.The carpets were marked and soiled in all three rooms.
13.There were loose light fittings in room 315
14.There was a large chip in one of the two drinking glasses in room 317 which was not replaced despite pointing it out to the chamber maid.
·The Gala Dinner on New Years Eve had an 8pm start. We were kept waiting from 8pm to 9pm for the meal to be served as all guests had to be served the courses at the same time and some guests didn’t arrive until 9pm. We were not served our main course until 11.15pm. Several guests were still waiting for their main course when we left the restaurant, with our children, all totally fed up at 11.30pm. To add to our annoyance all the drinks prices in the hotel, wine, water etc...were doubled for New Years Eve.
·Throughout the week the restaurant offered a good selection of starters and desserts but all main courses were lukewarm.
·The hotel requested guests not to take towels from the rooms to either of the pools as towels would be provided in these areas. There were no towels available on the three occasions we used the indoor pool.
·On 1st January whilst we were out of the hotel our rooms were entered and the mini bars emptied. We returned to the hotel at 10.20pm and found the door to room 316 wide open. Fortunately nothing was stolen. I wrote a complaint to the hotel manager, but received no response.
We booked two excursions with the rep.
·The first one on 30th December 2004 included visiting Kairouan, El Djem and Mahdia. However we were also taken to a carpet shop where carpet making was demonstrated followed by sitting us in a room downstairs and subjecting us to one and a half hours of hard sell tactics to buy a carpet. Lunch was included in the cost of the excursion; the only additional charge was for drinks. The meal was of a very poor standard and the restaurant tried to charge for ice cream with the meal and when they insisted upon payment we sent the ice-cream back. I complained to the guide who said that we had to pay for ice cream and drinks. We were looking forward to the opportunity to “relax in the beautiful village of Mahdia” but due to the time spent in the carpet shop had merely 35 minutes to use the toilet and have a drink. I complained to Ridha upon returning to the hotel who told me that we shouldn’t have been taken to the carpet shop and that it used to be part of the excursion but had been cancelled due to numerous complaints. He also confirmed that we shouldn’t have been asked to pay for ice cream with the meal.
·The second excursion was the organised Camel Caravan on 1st January 2005. We waited outside the hotel at 2.30pm as instructed and nobody turned up to collect us. The hotel reception staff attempted without success to contact the excursion provider. Eventually Rhida was contacted, who informed us that the excursion had been cancelled and no one had told him. This wasted our whole day. Rhida gave us a refund for the camel caravan and he rearranged the excursion for the following day. This excursion was described in the literature as a half-day excursion and by Ridha as a 3hr excursion. It was neither. We were collected at 9.15 am and were back at the hotel at 11.20am. The camel caravan also included a visit to a pottery shop again with hard sell and a bread making demonstration, neither of which was included in the literature or the reps description of the excursion. We were also told by the guide on the camel caravan that the trip hadn’t been cancelled the previous day but it had been overbooked.
·Some members of the reception staff were rude and flippant about the complaints we made, particularly the manager who stated on one occasion he was fed up of talking about the problems with our water.
·We did not have a Sovereign Concierge. Ridha Kazdaghli, of Tunisian nationality, was a 1st choice representative.
In the Rooms:
The above is taken from the first letter of complaint sent to Sovereign who promise in their brochure " A high standard of accommodation, service and facilities" and " We never compromise on standards and service" Sovereign also state that they do not believe in holidays with " no frills where you have to fill in the gaps"
-
- Date of Holiday:Dec 2004
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Sovereign
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The Reception Staff were polite and booked us in quickly and our bags were taken to our room by the porter service. Our room consisted of bedroom, en-suite bathroom with separate toilet and sea view balcony. The only criticisms about the room were that the decor was dated, the double bed was two singles pushed together and the air-conditioning is only turned on from the 1st June!
The hotel is currently being extended and there is a separate wing under construction, although this is near completion. There was some noise from around 7am to 6pm, most noticable at the pool area, although to be honest, this never bothered us during our stay.
The food at this hotel is of a good standard in the main buffet style restaurant, the pool bar area, Italian style restaurant, although the Tunisian style restaurant food was not to our taste. The majority of the staff in the Hotel are polite and helpful and if you tip the sunbed man at the pool a couple of dinars (£1), he will make sure to get you a good sunbed. If you don't, make sure your up early to get one!
Entertainment is mainly via the animation team. During the day, they provide poolside entertainment for all ages (darts, bowls, archery, water polo, water aerobics, stretching exercises, table tennis and kids club). The evening entertainment varies each night from 7pm to 9pm for family entertainment, after 9pm to 11.30pm is geared up for adults, club singers, karaoke etc. The evening entertainment took place in the lobbey bar during our stay which is why it only lasted until 11.30pm. For families who have young children who end up staying in a room which leads off the lobbey, this may be a problem due to the level of the music. During the peak season, the evening entertainment will probably move into one of the several entertainment rooms which were closed during our stay.
The hotel is located approximately one kilometre way from the halbour area which contains a good selection of shops, bars and restaurants. A taxi ride for this journey costs about 5 dinars (£2.50) or a pleasant 45 minute walk along the sea shore.
All in all, we would've rated our stay higher than a seven, but friends of ours stopped in the Rui Green Park 4* Hotel next to the harbour area. After spending our week's stay between the Rui Imperial Marbaha and the Rui Green Park Hotels, we preferred the Rui Green Park Hotel! This was due to the better location of the Rui Green Park Hotel to the halbour area, the pool areas, the animation team, the evening entertainment and the numerous bars and function rooms which were all open - unlike the Rui Imperial Marbaha.
I would definately recommend Tunisia for couples who are wanting a nice chill out week relaxing in their hotel, but would recommend the Rui Green Park Hotel over the Rui Imperial Marbaha!
Good for: Beach