Tour Khalef Hotel, Sousse, Tunisia

Hotel Information

Recent Price: £53
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User Rating:
8 / 10
(53 User Reviews)
Hotel Class: Tour Khalef Hotel Studios ReviewsTour Khalef Hotel Studios ReviewsTour Khalef Hotel Studios Reviews

Hotel Description:

Set among subtropical gardens, this traditionally-styled accommodation is part of the four-hotel Marhaba complex. Popular with both mature couples and families who'll appreciate the facilities of a large complex, there are plenty of activities on offer.
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Tour Khalef Hotel Reviews

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" Had a great holiday. Would recommend... "

Had a great holiday. Would recommend this superb hotel. Nice food, friendly staff, clean hotel. Ideal destination for a hotel based holiday - outdoor pool great for children - shallow pool and main pool.

Children loved the kids club. Wonderful golden beach on the doorstep - the only drawback on the beach is the locals - but a firm no detracts any unwanted sales men! Lots of culture. Hotel is situated with other hotels all part of the same chain - nice to walk around other hotels and use their facilities including a large 25m indoor swimming pool!

Can't wait to book again! PS Tip the waiters (and it doesn't have to be much) and you'll have them running swiftly round after you!

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2006
  • Board Basis:Full Board
  • Tour Operator:Portland Direct

" Very cheap holiday with 3 sisters and... "

Very cheap holiday with 3 sisters and mum. Food always hot, service with a smile. Rooms very clean with fresh towels every day.

Entertainment each evening, more enjoyable by joining in which we did. Belly dancing good fun even if we did look a bit silly, but hey were on holiday.

Loved the beach, water still warm once we braved getting in. Went camel riding booked through the man by the beach, great experience very relaxing .

Markets and shops a must. We have got haggling down to a fine art. Locals are very friendly.

Will definitely go back in the future.

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Dec 2006
  • Board Basis:Full Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Is not my first time to go to... "

Is not my first time to go to Tunisia, but I’ve learn a lots of things since I been in hotel Tour Khalef. That’s why I want you to be ware when you decide to go there.

1. The waiters, you get services as much as you give tips. But they try always to give you a coin change rather than a note! You have to understand?

2. The entertainment, Bingo every night, no complain, but if 20 people they buy ticket worth of 150 dinar (£70) and the wining money in the end 50 dinar (£23). I am wondering where is the rest of the money? You can ask the entertainment Manager.

3. The hotel Bazaar in the swimming pool, they charge you the double price of the item if you want to buy, exactly the jewelry section. If you want to buy something, always divided the amount they offer you by 2. Don’t worry they will back to you if you leave.

4. The hotel disco, if you have a girl friend or wife make sure they next to you all the time, don’t offer a drink to any body or accept from somebody, because it will end of going back to the hotel room by yourself. For some people, that’s their job.

I want to say this, is not all bad in Tour Khalef, you can find nice people they care about you without tips. Also the beach is stunning and the climate it’s always warm. I still want to go back to Tunisia, because now people they know me and I will never get ripped off.

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  • User Rating:
    6 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Feb 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" I stayed at this hotel for 10 nights,... "

I stayed at this hotel for 10 nights, the rooms are really clean and tidy. I stayed in room 3062.

The food was lovely! Though the breakfast always stayed the same. One dish I do recommend is the spaghetti bolognaise! The best thing is to get the early because the Russians are rude and pile up there plates and push in, the have no manners at all!

The resort is great, the swimming pool was freezing but the beach was lovely and clean!

I definitely recommend the two day Sahara! It is a great experience you will never forget, worth the money! And also the Zulu night is fabulous!

I will definitely go next year but the only down point was the all inclusive bar in the lobby, there was only one man serving and he took ages sometimes there would be 6+ people in the queue !

The Night entertainment in the lobby was great! From belly-dancing to magic shows and there is bingo every night, if you go, watch out for the mini disco the songs are hilarious! Watch out for the "sexy" dance

Good luck for your holiday!

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Nov 2006
  • Board Basis:All Inclusive
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" This was our second year to Tunisia... "

This was our second year to Tunisia at around the same time. This time we stayed at The Tour Khalef.

This Hotel is not possibly the 4 star rating it is advertised as, but is clean and well serviced. Our room 1302 on the top floor with a balcony was in a good position view wise, but a bad spot noise wise. Any event held on the huge marble paved area outside was a pure "noise-trap" one night the function went on till 3am in the morning which was a nightmare.

The food is very good, but the menu is the same virtually each day but it is well presented hot and fresh. One week is quite expectable but two would be a little monotonous. The Russian guests & Romanians are rude and very pushy they will try to jump the queue at any given opportunity, but a good "glare!! & an Oye get back" works 99% of the time.

Once again in the afternoons the Romanians who lived by the pool or the bar let their children run around the hotel corridors and use the lifts as a play area! Without exaggeration these offspring were the devils children the only English they used was foul four letter explications.

The cleaning maids were excellent and made patterns with our towels/nightwear each day, considering their low wage we decided they did deserve a good tip at the end of our stay.

Likewise Charlie in the restaurant was a great happy cheerful waiter and was a great asset to the Khalef. The Bar staff were amiable if you constantly tipped them, or were a blonde twenty year old in a micro skirt! Otherwise they were quite sulky and tended to talk amongst themselves and try to avoid serving you unless you were a high roller.

For Families the animation staff were 100% efficient and truly enjoyed their chosen lot, the children just loved them. The hotel photographer was a very willing and pleasant young man and not one bit pushy and did his job with style and efficiency.

If The Tour Khalef was our first visit to Tunisia, we would possibly have not returned for a second visit. Tunisia as a country is great, and the Tunisians are a very happy people blessed with a great climate. Just hope this gives the first time visitor a truthful insight.

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  • User Rating:
    8 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Nov 2006
  • Board Basis:Full Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" We visited Tunisia for the first time... "

We visited Tunisia for the first time ever and was a bit apprehensive on going. on arrival things got a bit tense, you have to fill out a visitors visa so make sure you take a pen with you, unlike us, because of security measures. This end we had it taken off us. Once you have filled this card in you have to queue for nearly half hour to hand it to the police. You must keep the bottom half safe to give it back on the way home. Then we had people fighting over our suitcase to take it to the bus.

Once at the hotel, it was stunning. The porters the staff couldn’t do enough for you. The food was not that good, a bit predictable every night, really a week was plenty. rooms were lovely, air conditioned, sat TV but there are three blocks so I cant say what the other rooms were like but if you stay in the rooms from room numbers 3000 up you should be ok.

The gardens and pool were great also the private beach, we booked the Sahara select trip which was a 2 day excursion, well what hard work that was, we were 12hrs on a bus for the first day, stopping off at El Jem and a few others. Went to the Sahara on a camel, that was good watching the sun set. Got back to a hotel which in our country was like a holiday inn, where we had food at 21.00hrs then up at 4.30am for breakfast to see the sunrise.

In total we travelled 925 miles in 2 days don’t take kids we were lucky ours are all grown up Sousse Madena was a bit intimidating with the side streets where they try to drag you into their shops but what a culture shock if it wasn’t for the food it would of got 10/10.

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  • User Rating:
    8 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Sep 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" We have just returned from a week at... "

We have just returned from a week at the Tour Khalef hotel and i would like to say a massive thank you to all the amazing staff that made our stay warm and welcome.

As most people have said, there are a lot of Russians who use this hotel, and yes they do have no manners at all. They will push in, in front of you and pile several plates high with food which they will then leave! But as other people have mentioned, just turn round and tell them to go to the back of the queue and they will.

The meal times are a bit obscure and the early breakfast does take some getting used to, but all in all the restaurant facilities were excellent and the waiters friendly and helpful especially towards the English.

My only other gripe with the hotel is the Italian Animation team that frequent the pool area! All I can say is POSITIONE and MUSICA! I’m sure that anyone else who has been will know exactly what I mean!

We tended to use the facilities of the Marharba Beach hotel which were only about 2 mins walk from Tour Khalef. You do have to pay 1 dinar (<50p) for your loungers but the food from the snack bar is cheaper and the waiter service is better and most importantly, the decibel level is far lower!

If you do prefer an even quieter pool, we found that about 1 mins walk past the Marharba Beach hotel, there is a smaller pool which has no daytime entertainment so there really is something for everyone.

All the above pools are within the complex and you are allowed to use them as you wish so don't feel like you should only use the pool at Tour Khalef.

If you have booked with Thompson, and do go to the welcome meeting and decide to take any trips with them, please be aware that we found the CRUISE ON THE WILD SIDE trip to be far from what was explained to us.

We had an awful experience on this trip which included over 2 hours waiting for our boat to depart sat at a petrol station in the harbour! Food was unsuitable for children or anyone who does not like spices or fish!

Finally, if you do decide to go here, a couple of money saving tips for you.

1.Buy your water from the shop outside the hotel. Water in the hotel is 2.2 Dinar (£1) for 1.5 L where as its 0.7 Dinar (40p) for 2 L outside.

2. Use the taxi phone office outside hotel then turn left to call home. Hotel phone booth call to England was 5.5 dinar (£2.60) for 2 mins, taxi phone call to England 3 dinar (£1.50) for 5 mins

3. Be wary of the taxi service outside the hotel, they do not use the meters and will try to sting you on price as a rough gide Sousse centre should cost you about 3 dinar and Port el Kantoui about 5 dinar. My best advice is to agree the price before you get in the taxi.

Hope your holiday there is as good as ours, we would definitely go back to this hotel and would gladly recommend this hotel to anyone.

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Excellent family holiday choice,... "

Excellent family holiday choice, loads of entertainment, staff are just brill.

On complex with 3 others hotels all are big the Tour Khalef has over 4000 rooms. There are 2 nightclubs on complex, loads of water sports as is on beach.

Food was amazing, loads of choice.

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  • User Rating:
    10 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2006
  • Board Basis:All Inclusive
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Hotel and facilities were very good,... "

Hotel and facilities were very good, especially the very large bedrooms. Position of hotel for the beach was fantastic. All staff found to be very polite and friendly.
Entertainment was lacking all round with none for teenagers, but luckily the sister hotel (Marhaba Beach) fulfilled all of our needs.

The main problem were the Russians, they had no manners etc especially at meal times which degenerated into a free for all-worse than a "Butlins holiday camp" in the 70's.

Showstopper trip was good, but not worth upgrading to privilege package as normal tables and drink allowance would have been sufficient. Zulu evening very good apart from continual harassment for tips from waiters.


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  • User Rating:
    8 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jul 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" My wife & daughter went at the... "

My wife &amp; daughter went at the end of May 06 &amp; there is some good and bad news.

Bad news:- while we were there, there was a 2 sittings in operation at meal times, breakfast 7-30 to 8-30, 8-30 to 9-30 and evening meal 6-30 to 7-30, 7-30 to 8-30, continental breakfast available from 6-30am. We got the first sitting which meant if we wanted breakfast we had to get up at 7am, bit early for holiday!

Russians have no manners for queuing, but a few hand signals puts them right.

Good news:- hotel rooms excellent, maids, waiters brilliant, reception &amp; bar staff a bit rude at times.

Hotel facilities good, entertainment poor (but we didn't mind), kids disco followed my music. We would recommend a trip to Port El Kantaoui after 8pm, go to the water fountain in the centre very busy but very enjoyable. Go by "TUK TUK" great fun (open 6 seater taxi), 8 TD while we were there, about £3.30.

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  • User Rating:
    7 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:May 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Portland Direct

" Before visiting Tunisia I was... "

Before visiting Tunisia I was bombarded with negative comments - everyone feeling it would not be safe. This assumption was wrong (although I probably wouldn't venture too far on my own). The resort was nice and the weather was hot and sunny. We didn't have any trouble with the locals.

The hotel was very clean and the staff all friendly. The bar prices were reasonable - about 5 dinars for 2 beers which is about £2.50!

We didn't go on any daytrips as we just wanted to relax by the pool, which was nice, if not a bit chilly! The rooms were sizable and the maids made sure we had clean linen and towels everyday and even arranged the bedding into different shapes.

Now to the negatives. The hotel is probably more suited to older people, as we found out! The entertainment was not exactly overwhelming and the food was not varied much at all. There was a mad, hostile rush of Russians constantly and this made it difficult to get anything! (9/10 they would take mountains of food - whilst mumbling something to you - and then leave it.)

The beach was lovely, golden and clean - the only downside was the steady stream of locals hard selling anything from cigarettes to food (makes it difficult to take in the scenery).

The airport was so hot and smoky and was not the most pleasurable experience.

If I were to go again I would definitely go on trips to the Sahara and eat out more!! If you want friendly service with a smile, it's always best to tip!

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  • User Rating:
    7 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:May 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" This hotel is amazing! The people are... "

This hotel is amazing! The people are all lovely, the hotel room is lovely and entertainment is fab! Something for everyone! I’m going back in 8 weeks time for 2 weeks and I cant wait. It will be my 3rd time there within 7months, so that’s how good I think it is!


You can have snacks throughout the day from the pizza bar and the restaurant when you are all inclusive and it is as many drinks as you like. Its really worth the money. The hotel and bar staff are very friendly and helpful.

Our Rep Nicola was lovely and would sometime come and join in and watch the entertainment. There is also a nightclub right next to the hotel which is very lively!

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  • User Rating:
    10 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Feb 2006
  • Board Basis:All Inclusive
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Tour Khalf is the best hotel we have... "

Tour Khalf is the best hotel we have used in Tunisia (it was our 4th trip). Room was well decorated, comfy and clean.

The large bathroom with bath and shower were good. Loads of food and a good choice even if the efforts at western cooking were sometimes a bit far of the mark. Staff were very helpful and attentive especially with regular tips. Hotel pool was cold, but the kids still enjoyed pool and play area.

Hotel prices not over the top as far as we were concerned. All in all a good holiday. When we go back to Tunisia, this hotel will be our first choice.

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  • User Rating:
    8 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Apr 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" This was our first visit to Tunisia,... "

This was our first visit to Tunisia, and were a little uncertain as to what to expect, but this certainly will not be our last visit.

Hotel was set in lovely spacious gardens, with a lovely clean pool area (only downside was that they served soft drinks around the pool in glass bottles!!!!!)
Getting a sun bed was never a problem either around the pool or on the Fantastic beach which is within 1 mins walking distance of the pool.

Lots of daytime activities going on in the day which you can take or leave, but we did get involved in almost everything and lots of fun...Last couple of days did get a bit noisy though as Italian animators kicked in with their morning entertainment, basically very loud music, so if you like a nap in the Sun take your earplugs.

The guys selling trips around the pool can be a pain, but i would recommend Smiley Mileys Camel trip (if you taking tots however it can get quite hot so its worth taking something to cover them up with and plenty of water).

Good variety of food in the evening, but not much for fussy kids, whose meals consisted of chips and pasta for 14 nights. Breakfast not really worth getting up for, but the pizzeria and beach bar start serving food at 11am typical lunch for family of 4 costs about £10.00 inc drinks.

Not much going on outside the hotel, a couple of supermarkets and restaurants, but taxis to Sousse and Kantaoui very cheap approx 3/4 Dinar ( always agree a price before getting in the cab as some will try and rip you off, we visited friends in Monastir and paid 15 dinar in the evening, they did the same journey and visited us and paid 23dinar)
Evening entertainment not up to much and repeats on a weekly basis, so if you are there for 14 nights it's a bit repetitive.

The animator, Mehdi, gives 110% effort with the poor equipment and props that he is supplied with, and welcomes audience participation, we got involved in games on a few evenings and had a great laugh, so I guess its what you make it!!!

One bad point, was that there is nowhere to get a snack in the evening, so if you eat early that’s it until breakfast - we did a trip to the supermarket and stocked up on Crisps for the kids to munch on...

Wine very cheap about £5 in the bar. If you drink red wine, a tip is to order a few bottles from the restaurant after dinner to take up to the entertainment area, and it works out if you buy 3 bottles you get one free... as its 25% cheaper in the restaurant.

Recommend a trip to the medina in Sousse, a bit daunting at first and you do get pestered, but we bagged some great bargains and found the experience quite amusing.
This is not Spain, and must admit that after going to Spain for all of our previous holidays, it was quite refreshing to actually feel like you are in a foreign country &amp; experience different culture. You really cannot spend your money here, we had everything that we wanted and more and still spent next to nothing...its not worth going all inclusive here.

Excellent holiday, great Experience, will definitely return to Tunisia and the Hotel Tour Khalef.

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  • User Rating:
    8 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:May 2005
  • Board Basis:Full Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" The hotel we stayed in was great, my... "

The hotel we stayed in was great, my 3 children loved it in Tunisia, they went quad biking, to the water park (aqua palace) just down the main road, camel riding, the beach was the best, &amp; was just on the doorstep from the hotel.

The sand was lovely as well, the swimming pool was great as well &amp; had just been recently finished, we only went for a week in the 1st week of May, but the weather was glorious, apart from 1 day.

Port al Kantaoui is worth a visit &amp; don't forget to visit the other hotels in the complex, we only went briefly &amp; a week wasn't enough! We are saving to go again! The food was quite good, especially the lovely fresh salads, we loved it.

Mohammed &amp; Ali Baba are annoying (you'll find them everywhere!)

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  • User Rating:
    10 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:May 2005
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thompson
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