Royal Miramar Thalasso Hotel

25 readers found this review helpful

I got back from my holiday about a week ago. Our Stay at the Miramar was a pleasant experience. The hotel claims to be a four star but is a little old looking espicially the bedrooms. The receptionists were very helpful. We booked two excursions through a chap called adnane who works at the hotel and one through Thomas Cook. One was the camal caravan and the other was Quad Biking. The camel caravan was ok but on a personal note, its very uncomfortable sitting on a camel. The Quad Biking was brilliant. The tour lasts for an hour or so and is well worth the money, one thing that you have to watch out for is some cactus plants through the middle section of the tour. The Thomas Cook tour to EL Jem and Kairoun were an experience. El Jem was used in the Gladiator movie. However you do get hassled a lot around the El Jem area to buy things. Thats one of the down sides to Tunisia.
In the hotel the entartainment team were excellent. They really do work hard in setting up day and night activities. There is a chap called jeehad who i fondly remember. However the other men in the team do give more attention to women then men but you kind of get used to that in parts of Tunisia. The food in the evening was top quality. They do make slight changes to the food option each day. The breakfast was fine but could do with improving a little, some beans or hash browns wouldnt go a miss. The Thomas cook assistant was very helpful but she is now leaving the company which is a shame as her knowledge of the area was vast.
The hospitality of most of the workers was fantastic and they really make you feel welcome. I befriended someone called Ali from the kitchen area and he was a credit to the hotel as he really made me feel at home.
Skanes is a quiet resort. It costs around a fiver to get to Sousse via taxi or 50p on the bus(i wouldnt recomend the bus through peak times)There is a shopping area opposite the hotel which views Sky Sports and a ATM down the road. The facilities at the hotel are good but its a shame you have to pay for ironing. On the whole it was a good holiday and i would recomend this place to others. If you go shopping never ever accept the first or the second price they offer you. Drive for a hard bargain.

16 readers found this review helpful

We have just arrived home today after a great 2 weeks in Tunisia, we stayed at the Miramar and it was worth every penny. The Hotel was big,Facillities good,Food good and plenty off it staff could not be more helpful and always had a friendly word and smile for everyone. I know this may sound to good to be true but its all true. The reception staff we really helpful and the entertainment team worked very hard to include everyone and great with children.A good variety of shows,quizes and games. Many bars,eating places on site and two pools,one in and one out. Many excursions and the cabaret show was extremly good.The room we had was big,air conditioned a seperate toilet and bathroom,two balcony's and friendly maid service every day. We had to be out of our room at 12noon on our last day but was not going to be picked up untill 18.30hrs but the staff gave us a key to another room to have a shower and freshen up before we went because we were very hot and sticky after being out and about allday which was great at no cost. Weather was in the 40s very hot. There was a little pizza place over the road from the hotel and the guy there was again so friendly and made a great cup of English Tea and a good pizza. Go to a place called the Yasmina centre in Monistir this is a government shopping centre every thing is priced,no haggleing and no pressure. And much cheaper YOU DO NOT get ripped off. The people are so nice and friendly .

3 readers found this review helpful

Having read mixed reviews on the web and never visited Tunisia, I went with an open mind. The room was dirty and there were bare wires connected to bulbs in each of the lamps. The restaurant was dirty, stained chairs and food inedible on most days. No matter how basic, at least it could have been clean. The staff were lovely, shame about the hotel - definitely not a four star! I wouldn't go again. I think anyone who gives it above 4/10 is mixing it up with the Thalassa which is a few minutes away.

4 readers found this review helpful

My partner and i wanted a nice sunny break, and had never been to Tunisia before and will never go back. The hotel was poor and the food very simliar every day which became boring, would have been gutted if we had booked a fortnight.
All the hotels have smoking in the hotel and it would seem everbody smoked the reception stank off cigarettes. The animation ( to us entertainment team where excellent and once you get past the thought off everyone is after getting as much money off you as they can as they pester you to death , these lads where great so if you do end up there give them a chance as it can be good fun and entertaining with them especially Hasen and Hichem they really to put the effort in.
I would have a walk to the safari shop across the road to buy your drinks and have a pizza at the pizza place they are really tasty, i was shocked after hotel food to find you could get a good pizza. You will save a packet at the shop as the hotel charges silly prices for soft drinks.
My advice if you are after a fun entertaining holiday with plenty to do in the evening do not go there.

8 readers found this review helpful

Hotel was a huge asset to our holiday. Fabulous food at the "Gain a few pounds restaurant" (my words) in a pleasant arabic styled room with windows looking out on to the pool area. Generally very clean and well tended gardens. While the Hotel lacked activities a bit, I enjoyed regular archery (got a bullseye from the back line :P)and the indoor pool was very useful given the cold ambient temperatures. Not the region to visit for a warm winter break in early March! Room was gorgeous, some things were needing attended to like the sink tap in the toilet. The Animators were great (Entertainments organisers). Examples of entertainment: Karaoke/Magician/Transvestite show/Bingo/Live music act. Maid service exceptional. Transport is dirt cheap if you use the autobuses (9 person people carriers). You have to haggle to get reasonable taxi prices. Monastir seemed to have the most visit worthy places in my opinion. Lots of other places we'd liked to have seen but only had a week. Had difficulty getting a cappuccino except down at Monastir marina. My impression of a Tunisian is summed up with the first words I heard from the (paid) porter who pushed my bags to the transfer bus at the airport when we arrived. Wanting a tip he said: "English money, very nice!" They like your money. Don't take anything but ENGLISH banknotes or Euro's with you. You will be told this but, don't change all your money into Dinars at once, only change what you need for that day. You may spend less than you think and changing Dinars back to pounds/euro's is very expensive!

2 readers found this review helpful

If you like to be by the pool all week then this hotel is perfect. Unless, of course, the weather was poor like it was for us. It was too cold and windy to be sunbathing so we had to try to find something else to do. The only problem was that there wasnt anything else you could really do. There is one cafe close by and no shops. Just to go for a walk you have to get a taxi to Sousse or Monastir.
The food was poor and virtually exactly the same every day.
However, the staff were very good and friendly and did try their best to help you enjoy your stay. The rooms were also comfortable and well looked after.

4 readers found this review helpful

The hotel was ideal - clean room, a well situated hotel and with good service. The food was excellent, with a good choice including traditional food. All of the staff (bar one or two) were very helpful and welcoming. As long as you are friendly and assertive, you don't get any problems from people selling on the beach (these people are largely kept away by hotel staff anyway). The beach is kept very clean, and the outside dining areas are well staffed and relaxing. The only thing I would say is: take ear plugs with you! Indeed, the evening entertainment is certainly interesting, but they make a good effort to involve families and keep children well entertained. It can go on quite late though, so if you need to be up early for an excursion or whatever, definitely take ear plugs! The gardens are stunning, well worth a wander through. And the on-site spa is superb, not to mention cheap. I would definitely love to return :)

My family and I really enjoyed are stay here, Rooms Were lovely, Food wasn't the best but what do you expect?, you are in Tunisia. The maids are really nice and friendly, fresh towels and room cleaned daily. Staff are extremely friendly especially Sabah and Hamdi. Entertainers work very hard but you have too watch yourself with them ( Zouzou a.k.a Cheeky face ). Great place for relaxing and letting your hair down. Camel excursion is an experience but enjoyable. I think all ages would enjoy this holiday, but thats my opinion. Would Definitely go back. Laura, Age 15, Dublin.

Had a two week family (5 of us) holiday at this resort. The staff are great but there's more to a holiday than the staff. The games in the games room don't work and the kids between 6 - 14 will get bored stiff trying to play table tennis on a wobbly table, or mini/crazy golf in the worst surroundings. You have to pay for your pool side deck chairs and cushions every day. The cost will soon add up, even if there is only two of you. Across the road is a mini market for your water and fizzy drinks. The same drinks are doubled in price in the hotel or beside the pool. The so called English TV channels in every room is nonsense. BBC News 24 is all you get. Trust me, after hearing the same recycled news over and over again you soon go mad. So forget planning that odd evening in unwinding to a programme. The Hotel Animation team (4 of them) were fantastic. They do entertain every evening and try their best. Apart from feeling a little ripped off at this struggling to be 3 star hotel. It's not a complete right off. JUST AVOID THOMAS COOK LIKE THE PLAGUE. They were 100 times worst than any hotel defects. The reps do some cabaret crap.. also avoid it, and you'll avoid a bad belly. Thomas Cook get MINUS -11 out of 10. The hotel would get 7/10.

1 reader found this review helpful

When we arrived at the hotel the room was not ready so we had a 2 hr wait which i didnt expect, we did have a porter to take cases to room this was only on the next floor and room was pleasant enough no bad comments, we had our towels changed every day and beds made. It stated satelite tv in brouchre it was but most channels were in french except bbc news in english. We stayed in a room overlooking the front of the hotel this was a quiet room. The staff were nice and waiters freindly (especially one named ben ali, and suffien.... food was great you would have to be fussy not to like anything. You have to get used to the flys around you when your eating tho,,, but no signs of mosquitos which is good... The pool is nice sufficent and beach is right on your door step as it said in brochure. Receptionist forgot her name was very helpfull and freindly she seemed to be the head staff there. hotel entertainers very freindly and did alot of actvities , also a kids club twice a day. (they did work hard). If you come accross a friendly guy name BEN run,, he's a con man and rips you off,,,,,, he will ask if you want togo to town see a carpet shop its only so they can get you to buy one and bug you!!!! plus he will take you to the local shop and get you to buy stuff 3 times the amount,, so be warned... You have to get used to the tunisians how they bug you to buy and how much things are there... I would go back again as 1 wk was not long enough and i am now wise to there ways.. They have a play area for the kids mini golf table tennis and a beauty place very good prices...would recommend there togo for a treat. off the sea there is a place to eat very nice as they bbq the food and fresh ... drinks are more at hotel so you should go to buy them in market accross the road but put them in a bag as you cannot bring any food drink back in etc,,,, be warned. overall experience very nice,,, (not fond of the airport very very very hectic at passport control and getting your cases....