Tej Marhaba Hotel

My partner and I have just returned from a weeks holiday at Tej Marhaba in Sousse. The welcome at the hotel was friendly when we arrived and I don't think it is true what other reviews have said that the reception staff were unfriendly. The lobby was impressive with marble floors and pillars with greenery all round. The main bar is in the lobby as well which sells most drinks you are not limited to beer and wine there are most popular spirits avaliable. There are other bars as well the Rose and Crown which as the name suggests is an english bar but we found it a bit dark and dingey! There is also the Bistro which is described as a German bar which was nice but quiet while we were there. As a lot have reviews have mentioned the hotel is spotless and there are always cleaners about you never see one speck of dust or sand in the hotel lobby, the cleaners are also friendly if you acknowledge them. Our cleaner for our room was a lovely lady always smiling and asking how we were. You do get used to tipping everyone but it is not very much only about 50p a time and it isn't expensive in Tunisia, we came back with money! The food was good in the hotel quite a variety of food from all around the world. We loved the olives which were readily avaliable as olives are big business in Tunisia also the pancakes at breakfast were lovely. I think most people would find something they would eat, but you are not going to find a proper full English here, but why leave England if thats what you're looking for!! We did eat out at a resturant just down the road from hotel called Le Surfin. If you like seafood this is a must it is a set menu, soup to start followed by 9 different starters including prawns. mussels and octopus, then you get the catch of the day, sorbet and fruit and finally mint tea. It is 24TD each about £12 a bargin! the beach was also spotless and raked every night we walked along the beach and the hotel next doors beach was covered in debris and litter. The staff at the beach were very friendly and it is good to tip when they bring over your sunlounger. YOu do notice that everyone wants to sell you everything in Tunisia you do need to do a lot of ignoring and saying no thank you, it took a little bit of getting used to it but by the second day you will be fine it is nothing to worry about just a different way of selling. We felt very safe in Tunisia I didn't find it threatening for women at all as some reviews have mentioned. The evening entertainment is limited so if you are looking for nightlife like Ibiza or Magaluf it will probably not be your thing however we did so much during the day visiting other areas of Tunisia and also a bit of sunbathing that a relaxing drink in the evening was all we needed. This is a great hotel to stay at with excellent facilities from here you could lounge around all day by the pool or at the beach or go out on many day trips.

I stayed in this hotel last july with my boyfriend and had a great time!! the hotel was so very well presented and very clean...nomatter what time of the day or night you are in the lobby you will always see a cleaner! the standard of the rooms is not as high as the rest of the hotel but they are clean and i think thats all that really matters...at the end of the day who wants 2 spend most of their holiday in their room??? another thing is the only tv channel in english is bbc news 24! the balcony was very large, we didnt get a view of the pool and the sea we got a view of the front of the hotel and the surrounding area but i didnt find this a bad thing because we had the view of a most beautiful sunset!!! The food....what can i say...amazing! at the begining of the holiday you are allocated to your table which you sit at the whole way through the holiday with the same waitor...ours was so very nice and polite and very very helpful...this was probably because he was anticipating our tip which you are recommended to leave each time but they are happy with 1 or 2 dinar which is 50p-pound of our money! The Drink...if you like wine your fine...if you like beer its okay...very strong but only two types of beer in the country so you cant have a change. The pool area was great, a small tip to the man allocating the sun loungers assures you a great space! the shopping centre was just off the pool area which is very good but anything that says its an english pub isnt...the only thing that makes it english is maybe an england football top hanging on the wall...thats it!! The beach is just across the road down an entry which smells very like cat pee but the beach is fine once you get on, the hotel has its own allocated cordened off area. be prepared to be hasseled by people selling things anywhere you go...you need to learn how to say a firm NO THANK YOU!! the medina is a great place to go shopping but again you WILL be hasseled, its a great place for souviners but definatle barter! they will start off at 60 dinar and be down to 6 dinar by the time your walking away! the medina is only a very short taxi journey away and the taxis are very cheap! We rented a fridge for our room which smelt a bit iffy and we couldnt think why it wasnt getting cold after a long time being there...silly us...when you enter the room you have to insert your keyring into a slot to activate the electricity so when we werent in the room the electricity was off...so no wonder the fridge wasnt cold!! we ended up disconecting the key from the keyring and leaving it in the slot! the entertainment was great...a fabulous mixture from magic tricks to dancing to singing and bingo (which you may think is boring but we are a young couple and tried not to miss it) which payed off because we won on our last nite and won about 70dinar!! great! The weather was so so so hot, one day it was about 38 degrees which was very uncomfortable but if you love hot weather this is the place to be! There is a man going round the hotel all the time taking souvenier photos which we bought on the first few days because we didnt want our picture up for everyone to see...the man realised this and followed us with the camera because he knew we would buy!! A great feature was a man who was so very talented at drawing...you just hand him a photo and the next day you pick up a portrait with a perfect likeness to the photo! great value for money!! What a great hotel!!! fabulous food!!! Fabulous service!!! great facilities!! only downfall is the drink! would definatly go again if i can get used to drinking beer and wine!!! i would definatly recommend...if you go have a great time..we did!!!

this hotel is very impressive , and has a lot going for it . every waiter , every maid ,all the staff in the resturant and the entertainment at night was absolutely great. i therefore cannot fault the hotel in any way. the hotel beach a short walk from the hotel is well kept and looked after by attentive staff, a lovely stroll along the white sands is a must. if the rooms in the hotel were slightly upgraded i am sure it could nearly class itself as a 5star but on saying that the rooms were spacous and very very clean . my only complaint was the constant and most annoying trend the shopkeepers have of trying to sell you something you dont want , if you just look in the direction of an item they are over right away if only they could loosen up a bit i am sure they would sell more. but what do i know its only an opinion. thank you all the staff for a great fortnights holiday

my partner and i booked last minute for tunisia and spent a wonderful week at this hotel. wished we'd just gone room only as the food does leave alot to be desired,so be warned. also changing your cash in the hotel takes alot of patience,we waited a day and a half,in the end kindly bank teller exchanged with me out of his own pocket as the bank had run out of cash!! we had fantastic weather,pool area guys are very nice and helpful,even without tips,so don't be put off. we visited a few of the local sites as this hotel is quite central to most places of intrest. we're going back again as soon as. steer clear of the food other than that,what a great place for sun n fun. massage well worth a visit within the first few days.

My family and I stayed at the Tej Marhaba hotel in Sousse. It’s quite an impressive building with a huge lobby and lounge. When we got to the hotel, we were kept waiting for an hour because the rooms were not yet ready. Since it is forbidden to take local currency out of the country, I found I needed to cash travellers cheques on arrival to tip people (you do a lot of that! Everyone expects a hand out), however the cash desk is only open for a few hours per day and the guy does not possess any sense of urgency. My ‘personal best’ in the queue was one hour and eight minutes. I booked a cot for my two-year-old in advance, however it didn’t materialise and I had to ask for one at the desk. A technician-type brought one to me in the room, however it had seen better days and I didn’t get any linen. Another trip to the reception desk sorted it. The pool was huge and great fun. The restaurant was a bit confusing – you have to hand a card to the waiter on arrival to get a table allocated to you. The meals were pretty good and varied, but you have to pay an extra 1.5 Dinar for a litre bottle of drinking water. And remember the hand-outs? Be prepared to grease he palms of every person who serves you in hotels, shops, cabs, buses etc. Don’t offer bronze coins, you are likely to get them thrown back at you. Service was quick and efficient – all the staff were friendly and approachable, however I couldn’t help feeling that some of them had hidden motives, i.e. the tip at the end of the holiday. The beach was a short walk away – very clean and lots to occupy your time, but you are constantly shooing-away itinerant vendors of souvenirs, cigarettes and fresh fruit. Taxis are cheap but agree the fare in advance and don’t let the taxi driver talk you into anything other than what you ask for. One chancer tried to persuade me that the Medina in Sousse was closed on a Saturday and that I should go to Monastir which is much further away (complete rubbish). Taxi drivers also vie for trade and they constantly solicit their services whether you want a taxi or not. If a total stranger hails you and tells you that he is an employee at your hotel and he’d be happy to show you around, ask him which hotel you are staying at – he’s probably chancing his arm. This is a common ploy to extract money from the gullible. A trip to El Kantaoui is a good idea. Horse-drawn carriages are quite a novelty, but again, agree the price before getting in the thing – and haggle. There is a nice harbour with good restaurants and souvenir shops. The shop keepers can be a bit tiresome though – they badger you relentlessly to come and look at their counterfeit Rolexes and Premier League kit. There is a water park there which costs 12½ Dinar (£5) for the day per swimmer. Non-swimmers go free. Hannibal World is a theme park with rides and attractions, however in May 2006, it was being re-furbished. A small zoo is also quite interesting for the children. Monastir was interesting – the shops have more than just singing camels and carved figures. The former president’s tomb was worth a visit – very impressive. Again, keep some change handy for the guide. Broadly speaking, I enjoyed my holiday, however I could have done without the constant harassment from street vendors, shop keepers and taxi drivers. The hotel was good – there are live entertainment acts on every night, plus dancing and bingo. The beach was good and trips to other locations were easy to arrange and quite cheap.

We visited the Tej Maharba in April 2006 having read the reviews on Trip Advisor, I would like to simply tell it the way my wife and I found it. The reception staff were perfectly affable as were all the staff we came into contact with however I would agree with previous comments that they will always be looking for that extra dinar coming their way and never miss an opportunity to be helpful from that angle. The meals were pleasantly surprisingly very good, plenty of variety and reasonably well organised in a large dining room set on two levels, your table is allocated when you arrive so no searching for a seat. Fruit is unfortunately limited to oranges so anyone having a dietary need for fruit best look outside the hotel. The indoor pool is as warm as stated just like a bath but the adjoining Gym is somewhat tired looking with the equipment having seen better days AND you have to pay 5 dinars to use it, just walking into the area generates a visit from the supervisor to take your money. Rooms are large and comfortable, towels & sheets changed daily although the carpet never saw a vacuum cleaner in the 2 weeks. The beach is a short stroll away with plenty of sun beds but you have to be firm with the ever present sellers of camel trips etc. Previous reviews mention the problem with being hassled on the street to buy goods, take a taxi etc. This can be intimidating but we found a firm "No Thanks" will allow you to walk away, just dont feel guilty this is their normal way of life to haggle and they expect to be rebuffed and their services refused. The evening entertainment comprises the band followed by Bingo with Fakirs, Magicians and Belly dancers appearing on successive nights. Smoking is a growing pleasure in Tunisia and there is a permanent haze in the Entertainment Area so not for the non smokers. However the hotel is well situated in Sousse and any drawbacks mentioned certainly wouldn't prevent us recommending it, just the opposite, just accept this is a very tolerant Muslim country mingling with Western values and that makes for an interesting mix. Very pleasant to go out of an evening and seeing guys enjoying nothing more harmful than coffees and cokes, certainly no intimidation in evidence during the 2 weeks we were there. Basically well worth a visit.

Me and my dad spent 2 weeks in the tej marhaba and thought everything was at the top standards for example, when we asked the waitor for something he was allways polite, kind and helpful. ROOMS-Great in the room there was a polite cleaner who changed the sheets, towels and if u had used all the soap she would put a new bar on top of the sink. FOOD-Lovley a taste from all over the world, there was french fries to spagehti to a Tunisian delaciy. SERVICE-Fantastic,laughing,joking,happy,and all roude lovely. KIDS-Alot of things for kids to do from tennis to billiards to swimming to table tennis. I would reccomend this hotel to everyone

just returned from a two week holiday at the tej marhaba...in a word...wonderful. we were treated like royalty from the moment we got there.. we went 25th march for two weeks and weather was fabulous..like a very good british summer..got a great tan.!! food was good, something to suit every palate, must try the fresh pancakes made to your specification...and the pancake chef is very dishy too.. all the staff were very pleasant very helpful and work hard for their money. rooms decor..fine..yes bathroom style a bit dated but rooms were imacculate...fresh bed linen and towels every day . having everything on hand in the shopping centre was handy too.. lots of great excursions to go on if you want to, superb boat trips, africa nights.. trip to sahara..see where star wars and gladiator were filmed..ride on a camel etc.. no need to rush down to beat the germans to the sunbeds there are plenty and they are patrolled by the staff..they will get you free mattresses for your lounger but a wee tip of a dinar is greatly appreciated and its only the equivalent of 45p but its a lot to them, about 10% of their daily wage.. My only complaint was the outdoor pools were freezing but if your a keen swimmer the indoor pool is lovely and warm..i dangled in the baby pool with my books for the fortnight but couldnt brave an outdoor swim. The entertainment was ok, hotel band did mostly easy listening stuff and most nights there was something on entertainment wise to amuse you, and Stelios of easy jet fame is apparently alive and well and doing the bingo at the tej every night ..his accent when announcing the numbers kept us amused the whole fortnight..need to see for yourselves.. Would say this area is brill for couples looking to relax and for the more mature clientel or families with toddlers who are happy playing in the pool but not a lot there for ages 5 to 15 i'd say.. just my opinion though.. I loved every minute of my stay at the tej...and anyone who didnt are just too --- fussy..if you smile at people they will naturally smile back..i heard a gruff old man speaking to the staff like they were his slaves rather than waiters when he was shouting about the lack of bread when he appeared for breakfast with 10 mins to go..made me ashamed to be british..i hope they dont think we are all so rude.. remember..their first language is arabic, their second language is french, english is only their third language..but most staff managed to converse also in german and spanish, how many of us go over seas and can easily converse in their language..they put us to shame.. if you are looking for a nice warm relaxing holiday in a wonderful hotel, with good food good facilities, good entertainment(if over 25)mind you there is a late night disco available for the younger dudes..and be looked after and treated like royalty..then go to the tej marhaba.. i'm hoping to go back later this year

My boyfriend and I have just returned from a week in Sousse staying at the Tej Marhaba Hotel. It is a lovely hotel – very big and part of a larger complex which includes a few restaurants and a shopping centre. You don’t really feel invaded by the complex as it all lies behind the main part of the hotel. The staff are excellent – always on hand to help or get you a drink. The hotel do charge 5 DT to hire a safety deposit box and ask for a 10DT returnable deposit as well; it is worth using as you can access the box at any time without disturbing the staff. The room was great – very clean, with nice bathroom and a balcony. The maid comes every day and creates an amazing design with the blankets on the beds! The hotel has a lovely pool area (and indoor pool) and all sun-beds/parasols are free. There is also a private beach (across a busy main road) where sun-beds are also free. The bar area /reception is very large and open all day. The evening entertainment is rather cheesy and included a band who played covers followed by bingo and then a show put on by the entertainment staff. We went out a few times to eat and escape the waltzing on the dance floor and can highly recommend the Cristal Restaurant on the main square by the Medina and The Lido Restaurant on the sea front a little bit further down the front. Try the fish which was excellent in both places and really fresh. A main course will cost approx £7-10 per person. We stayed half board and got a buffet style breakfast and evening meal. The food was your usual buffet fare – various English dishes and a few Tunisian ones but there was loads of choice – we always found something good and every night was a different menu. The breakfast was ok but not amazing – there was a chef who would cook fried eggs or omelettes on demand and there was also a full salad bar (!), yoghurts, cereal or if you are feeling brave there is a Tunisian option. There was no fruit available apart from oranges or dates which was rather disappointing but you could pay for a glass of freshly squeezed OJ. Drinks are not included with the meals, apart from tea/coffee with breakfast so you do have to pay if you want anything else. We had a fantastic week at the Tej Marhaba and after doing a tour of other hotels (whilst picking up tourists on our excursions) we thought our hotel looked the best and was in the best location being in Sousse itself with the beach 5 mins away and the medina/centre only a 20 minute walk or 2 dinar taxi ride away. We would definitely go back and stay at the hotel again.

Rude, arrogant, unhelpful and unfriendly. This is the only way I can describe the front office staff at this hotel. Waited 4.5 hours with a sick baby for a cot to be delivered to our room (we had ordered it in advance). This is despite following them up every half hour. In the end had to go to reception and refused to budge until they produced a cot. The only reason we were given for the delay was that they were checking in other guests. Mind you the porters standing by the door didn't seem busy. Also despite requesting a fridge for our baby's medicine over a number of days it never arrived and we had to make do by keeping it in the fridge of the lobby bar. They just don't care. By the way if you're wanting to use the hotel's pools or beach then you had better bring your towel from home. They don't supply any at these venues and don't allow you to use the towels from your room. To be fair, the cleaning staff, food and restaurant staff were all very good but in all the hotel itself is certainly not a 4 star standard. There are a lot better hotels in Sousse to stay in than this one.