Iberostar Sahara Beach Hotel, Skanes, Tunisia
Hotel Information
Recent Price: £67
Hotel Class:
Hotel Description:
The Hotel Iberostar Sahara Beach is located directly on the magnificent beach of Skanes between Sousse and Monastir, surrounded by a 22-hectare garden area. The Iberostar Sahara Beach Hotel has 8 bars and cafeterias, including one on the pier, one Piano Bar, bars by the pool and on the beach, as well as a 24-hour-bar. The Iberostar Sahara Beach Hotel also has a large and modern discotheque. loading...
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Iberostar Sahara Beach Hotel Reviews
" what a DUMP "
Submitted By: garyandy
where do i start only two words to describe this hotel "complete DUMP" we have just returned from this rancised hotel two weeks of not being able to eat the rubbish food the hotel needs to knocked down, we arrived at lunchtime photograpthed at what can only be described in a shambolic way reception staff in shirts that looked like they had slept in them and smealt like they had, firstly greeted by men in equally dirty uniforms and smelling of bo, once checked in you were again greeted by the men in blue suits i can your case to your room in a very pushy attitude,after him dropping bag of in room it was time to look around the room all of 1 sec so small while the man in the blue suit is standing waiting for a tip hang on you can take any money with you and only just arrived he sulked off muttering, closed the door to have a look round the room bathroom first, now this hotel is old but the bathroom had a plastic sink with cigarette burns in it no plug, towels stunk old musty like they had seen better days,bath was filled with mastic at the bath and mould was growing in it shower hook broken.
resturant
food what a joke no choice and what there was, was rubbish bacon well god nos what they do with that then u get a waiter come up to you bearing in mind this is at 8 oclock in the morning smelling of body odour "rank" we complained to the rep who said she wouldhave a word she never need they just moved him the flys were aloud to jump all over the food they had the blue fly catchers but they were full of flys dead about 5 foot over the food the only saving grace was the ommelette fellow very nice but the frying pans he cooked them in were rotten probably as lod as the hotel itself, by the way this is not an IBEROSTAR hotel.
over all the food was not edable
the waiters linger around you as you leave the table telling you it was the last night on your table waiting you guessed it for tips,no way hosay
the toilets around the hotel were dirty and very smelly
all i can say about this hotel is DO NOT GO THERE THE STAFF ARE RUDE THEY STINK TO HIGH HEAVEN IT IS A COMPLETE SESS POOL WITH RATS ROAMING ROUND THE DIRTY POND UNDER YOUR WINDOWS
resturant
food what a joke no choice and what there was, was rubbish bacon well god nos what they do with that then u get a waiter come up to you bearing in mind this is at 8 oclock in the morning smelling of body odour "rank" we complained to the rep who said she wouldhave a word she never need they just moved him the flys were aloud to jump all over the food they had the blue fly catchers but they were full of flys dead about 5 foot over the food the only saving grace was the ommelette fellow very nice but the frying pans he cooked them in were rotten probably as lod as the hotel itself, by the way this is not an IBEROSTAR hotel.
over all the food was not edable
the waiters linger around you as you leave the table telling you it was the last night on your table waiting you guessed it for tips,no way hosay
the toilets around the hotel were dirty and very smelly
all i can say about this hotel is DO NOT GO THERE THE STAFF ARE RUDE THEY STINK TO HIGH HEAVEN IT IS A COMPLETE SESS POOL WITH RATS ROAMING ROUND THE DIRTY POND UNDER YOUR WINDOWS
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" LUVD IT AMAZING!!! "
Submitted By: cinderz
I have read the reveiws and is quite shocked by some of them!! i went to tunisia with my 4 year old daughter and a fantastic time!!!!
Was shown to my room after 10mins of the card making and the room was amazing was on 7th floor but the veiw was stunning!! the room was pretty basic but im only sleepin in ther why would u need a flash room!!
The 1st day was a bit of a shock coz u had tip the sunbed man bt the trick is u tip for the 1st 2days make them happy den cum to an arrangement where u can pay dem at the of the your stay n they will save ur sunbeds for you without you getting up so early!!
The entertainment team was superb MAGGY, RITA, LALA, SAM, RICO ,DROGBA, WILLY ,ZEKO KAMARO ,MO MO,MEDHI AND BARBIE!!!! they had every one laughing and they really care about the kids!! my daughter was able to walk off and never had to worry about them its so kid friendly!! the kids club was amazing my daughter luvd it they differnent activities every day frm pirate day to go karting around the hotel!!
the food was pretty average but dere was sumfing for everybody are waiter habeeb was amazing had r drinks waiting on the table everyday when we went to our table!!
we went on two trips which was the camel caravan who i booked wid the man near the piano bar was actually amazing left bout 8.00am came bk after 11am!! u get to kiss the camel whic was actually quite funi. my daughter luvd it!! we also went to the zulu evening which was amazing the food was lovely my daughter lapped it dwn the soup was yummy!! u got to watch real zulus shaking wat there mama gave dem was well worth £52!! the zoo was amazing u was able to get up close and personal with the animals for a few dinars!!
if ur young or evn just like to party u must go to the foam party it was so much fun loved it so much the foam was above my head and i am 5ft 9 so can u imagine it was a lot of foam!!
the night shows were great big shout out to kamaro he done the michael jackson show!! he was so amazing it was unreal he dances just like michael it was great!!! it was raing and still everyone waited for dis show highlight of the holiday!!
The kids disco was amazing aswel they got all the kids up n dancing!! my daughter has cum back singing french songs even i learnt te songs and moves they were great!!!!
I even learnt belly dancing with barbie and took part in the show luvd it fanx barbie!!
This holiday was great really u sud all go coz i had a great time n would go bk to sahara!!
Was shown to my room after 10mins of the card making and the room was amazing was on 7th floor but the veiw was stunning!! the room was pretty basic but im only sleepin in ther why would u need a flash room!!
The 1st day was a bit of a shock coz u had tip the sunbed man bt the trick is u tip for the 1st 2days make them happy den cum to an arrangement where u can pay dem at the of the your stay n they will save ur sunbeds for you without you getting up so early!!
The entertainment team was superb MAGGY, RITA, LALA, SAM, RICO ,DROGBA, WILLY ,ZEKO KAMARO ,MO MO,MEDHI AND BARBIE!!!! they had every one laughing and they really care about the kids!! my daughter was able to walk off and never had to worry about them its so kid friendly!! the kids club was amazing my daughter luvd it they differnent activities every day frm pirate day to go karting around the hotel!!
the food was pretty average but dere was sumfing for everybody are waiter habeeb was amazing had r drinks waiting on the table everyday when we went to our table!!
we went on two trips which was the camel caravan who i booked wid the man near the piano bar was actually amazing left bout 8.00am came bk after 11am!! u get to kiss the camel whic was actually quite funi. my daughter luvd it!! we also went to the zulu evening which was amazing the food was lovely my daughter lapped it dwn the soup was yummy!! u got to watch real zulus shaking wat there mama gave dem was well worth £52!! the zoo was amazing u was able to get up close and personal with the animals for a few dinars!!
if ur young or evn just like to party u must go to the foam party it was so much fun loved it so much the foam was above my head and i am 5ft 9 so can u imagine it was a lot of foam!!
the night shows were great big shout out to kamaro he done the michael jackson show!! he was so amazing it was unreal he dances just like michael it was great!!! it was raing and still everyone waited for dis show highlight of the holiday!!
The kids disco was amazing aswel they got all the kids up n dancing!! my daughter has cum back singing french songs even i learnt te songs and moves they were great!!!!
I even learnt belly dancing with barbie and took part in the show luvd it fanx barbie!!
This holiday was great really u sud all go coz i had a great time n would go bk to sahara!!
Good for: City Breaks
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Walts 'n' All "
Submitted By: Win & Karen - Essex
Well, our first time to Tunisia and what an East meets West experience Tunisia is!. We found the culture as one of people being poorly paid and relying on TIPS to make a reasonable living for Tunisia standards. Here we go then.....
The hotel is 35 years old and 2 years (so I was told)was going to be closed down, but the decision was made to refurbish it instead, our good fortune, why? We stayed between 20th Sept. and 4th Oct.09. The hotel has 3 blocks of accommodation, 1 for Germans, 1 for French and the other for us Brits. The block closed for renovation was the German block, harrah!, no need to get up at some god forsaken hour to put your towels out. Because of this, the restaurant was only partially used and plenty of space for all.
They do not do British Breakfast but you will eat eggs in all sorts of ways. The bacon is/was naff (how about some good Danish rashers). There was a variety to cater for most tastes but known a heck of a lot better.
I'm going to skip onto something else now....
If you want a security locker, which is located to the left of reception in a room marked "Change", it cost 42 Dinar for a fortnight stay but you do get 30 Dinar back at the end, so costs in total £6 (£3 per week). You you get to the hotel, you will be photographed and given a credit card sized plastic card with your name, photo and stay details, which have been bar coded. So each time you want a drink (spirit,beer,cocktail,coffee/tea or water) you show your cards at one end of the bar and if its beer, cocktail, tea or coffee, you go to another part of the bar with your paper chitty to get your drink. Sounds complicated but it works very well and service is fast and with a smile.
There are NO shops within walking distance of the hotel. So if walking around shops, this is what it costs to get into Sousse. By local bus ( bus stop is just outside the hotel to the left on this side of the road) it cost 0.760 of a Dinar, so for 2 people 1.8 Dinar (about 75 pence in sterling.) Go by Noddy Train (those road train things, it cost 7 Dinar return per person) tickets purchased from reception. Taxis, do not pay more than 10 Dinar during the day. After 9pm the fares increasr by 50%, so be aware of that. Taxis take 10 minutes to get to Sousse, the local bus (which incidently runs every 30 minutes) takes 20 minutes, so if you like nice bumpy rides, take the local bus, great fun!!!.
Oh!, must tell you that 200 yards out of the hotel and past the bus stop to the left is a big Go-Cart track is this is your thing. Go to the first roundabout and look to your right, can't miss it.
The local bus is number 52B and will say Monistir on the front and will drop you off in Sousse by the Medina. Pick up is from the same place to get back.
A word of warning so you are aware!!! If a guy approaches you and says "hello, remember me from your hotel" no you won't and he isn't, just wave him away, he's only going to try and take you to a nearby shop.
You can buy english newspapers at the shop on the camp for 3.5 Dinar (£1.75) and they are usually 3 days old (on Friday you will get Tuesday's paper). The Sun,Express and Mail, all cost the same.
The guys who give out the sun bed mattress's will expect a tip when they carry them over to where you have decided to go. 1 Dinar (50p) is all that is needed and they are happy with that.
Go to the beach, the sand is the best the world can offer, honest guv. "WONDERFUL"
As you probably already know, there are no televisions in the rooms. Also, don't bother taking a radio as yo will only pick up Arabic and French stations. Better to take an iPod with speakers.
All the staff are friendly and welcoming.
The reps, Liz and Marina (Marina is a Kim lookalike from "How Clean Is Your House, but with black hair) were very helpful throughout our stay. They pushed the trips as is usually expected at the welcome meeting and could do more on what the hotel has to offer though.
There are internet connections behind reception and you can buy time to use these from the "Change" room I mentioned earlier. It cost 10 Dinar a card with login and password. It gives you about 30 minutes of time but you do not need to use the card time up in one go. When you finish, just log off and the time used on the card stops so you can use it again another day.
Take sterling travellers cheques. The "Change" room again will turn your £ into Dinar but only cash what you need, remember, the Dinar is worthless outside of Tunisia and you are not supposed to take their currency out, not that you get frisked at the airport - you wished!!.
Most of the excursions are up north so expect to be on a coach for about 4-5 hours for each trip, so space them out if you're there for a fortnight.
Entertainment is very poor for adults but probably great for kids (Oh! there is a larege games room with arcade machines, pool,snooker and table tennis tables). Adults will need to entain themselves most night, with the very odd exception. This hotel cries out for some decent adult entertainment of an evening due to its location at it comes up so very, very, very, very short, pity.
Would we go to Skanes again, no, due to location.
If anyone would like to contact me, I am more than happy to answer any questions on thing I may have missed. I can't say I'll know the answer, but what have you got to lose!
win_harrison@hotmail.com
The hotel is 35 years old and 2 years (so I was told)was going to be closed down, but the decision was made to refurbish it instead, our good fortune, why? We stayed between 20th Sept. and 4th Oct.09. The hotel has 3 blocks of accommodation, 1 for Germans, 1 for French and the other for us Brits. The block closed for renovation was the German block, harrah!, no need to get up at some god forsaken hour to put your towels out. Because of this, the restaurant was only partially used and plenty of space for all.
They do not do British Breakfast but you will eat eggs in all sorts of ways. The bacon is/was naff (how about some good Danish rashers). There was a variety to cater for most tastes but known a heck of a lot better.
I'm going to skip onto something else now....
If you want a security locker, which is located to the left of reception in a room marked "Change", it cost 42 Dinar for a fortnight stay but you do get 30 Dinar back at the end, so costs in total £6 (£3 per week). You you get to the hotel, you will be photographed and given a credit card sized plastic card with your name, photo and stay details, which have been bar coded. So each time you want a drink (spirit,beer,cocktail,coffee/tea or water) you show your cards at one end of the bar and if its beer, cocktail, tea or coffee, you go to another part of the bar with your paper chitty to get your drink. Sounds complicated but it works very well and service is fast and with a smile.
There are NO shops within walking distance of the hotel. So if walking around shops, this is what it costs to get into Sousse. By local bus ( bus stop is just outside the hotel to the left on this side of the road) it cost 0.760 of a Dinar, so for 2 people 1.8 Dinar (about 75 pence in sterling.) Go by Noddy Train (those road train things, it cost 7 Dinar return per person) tickets purchased from reception. Taxis, do not pay more than 10 Dinar during the day. After 9pm the fares increasr by 50%, so be aware of that. Taxis take 10 minutes to get to Sousse, the local bus (which incidently runs every 30 minutes) takes 20 minutes, so if you like nice bumpy rides, take the local bus, great fun!!!.
Oh!, must tell you that 200 yards out of the hotel and past the bus stop to the left is a big Go-Cart track is this is your thing. Go to the first roundabout and look to your right, can't miss it.
The local bus is number 52B and will say Monistir on the front and will drop you off in Sousse by the Medina. Pick up is from the same place to get back.
A word of warning so you are aware!!! If a guy approaches you and says "hello, remember me from your hotel" no you won't and he isn't, just wave him away, he's only going to try and take you to a nearby shop.
You can buy english newspapers at the shop on the camp for 3.5 Dinar (£1.75) and they are usually 3 days old (on Friday you will get Tuesday's paper). The Sun,Express and Mail, all cost the same.
The guys who give out the sun bed mattress's will expect a tip when they carry them over to where you have decided to go. 1 Dinar (50p) is all that is needed and they are happy with that.
Go to the beach, the sand is the best the world can offer, honest guv. "WONDERFUL"
As you probably already know, there are no televisions in the rooms. Also, don't bother taking a radio as yo will only pick up Arabic and French stations. Better to take an iPod with speakers.
All the staff are friendly and welcoming.
The reps, Liz and Marina (Marina is a Kim lookalike from "How Clean Is Your House, but with black hair) were very helpful throughout our stay. They pushed the trips as is usually expected at the welcome meeting and could do more on what the hotel has to offer though.
There are internet connections behind reception and you can buy time to use these from the "Change" room I mentioned earlier. It cost 10 Dinar a card with login and password. It gives you about 30 minutes of time but you do not need to use the card time up in one go. When you finish, just log off and the time used on the card stops so you can use it again another day.
Take sterling travellers cheques. The "Change" room again will turn your £ into Dinar but only cash what you need, remember, the Dinar is worthless outside of Tunisia and you are not supposed to take their currency out, not that you get frisked at the airport - you wished!!.
Most of the excursions are up north so expect to be on a coach for about 4-5 hours for each trip, so space them out if you're there for a fortnight.
Entertainment is very poor for adults but probably great for kids (Oh! there is a larege games room with arcade machines, pool,snooker and table tennis tables). Adults will need to entain themselves most night, with the very odd exception. This hotel cries out for some decent adult entertainment of an evening due to its location at it comes up so very, very, very, very short, pity.
Would we go to Skanes again, no, due to location.
If anyone would like to contact me, I am more than happy to answer any questions on thing I may have missed. I can't say I'll know the answer, but what have you got to lose!
win_harrison@hotmail.com
Advice: Nice hotel but crying out for some TLC, which it is currently getting
Activities: Seeing the Roman Ampitheatre and Mosaic visits
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
Submitted By: Dawn Speakman
Just came back from a fabulous 2 weeks at Sahara Beach. We've been all over the world in 4 star accomodation so wasn't sure what to expect of 3 star.
The little touches missing were pool towels, a fridge, hairdryer, Tv, but hey! What it lacked in a 'star' it made up for elsewhere!
We had an absolutely fabulous time and we got much more than we expected. We paid only £1,220 for 2 weeks all inclusive and anyone who moans about what they would have got for that money expects too much.
The grounds were well tended, the pool areas immaculate,the beach was beautifully clean. Yes there was a bit of rubbish at the waters edge but the hotel does not own the sea unfortunately!!!
The food is the best I have ever had on any holiday and that includes America and any other country with a 4 or 5 star rating.
We didn't have a lot to do with the animation team as we are in our 40's but they made a lot of young people very very happy. The team were all very polite and always said hello in passing and when in 'comedy mode' would always stop and pose if they saw you with a camera. The evening shows were the best ever and we thoroughly enjoyed the Lion King and Aladdin.
The hotel holds up to 3000 guests but you'd never know that. There is plenty of room for everyone. And sack the sunbed stories!!!! In early Sept when we were there you could get a bed at midday! You only had to go out early if you wanted A SPECIFIC BED!
Didn't like the queueing system for the bar, didn't like the tiny bath and didn't like the safety deposit boxes being in reception but the rest of the holiday more than made up for it and I think we got excellent value for money.
I didn't read any reviews before I went and I'm appalled that some people can condemn this lovely hotel.
So many people we met were on return visits, one of them on her 16th year! and in May 2010, I will be one of them cos I've already booked!
Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111
The little touches missing were pool towels, a fridge, hairdryer, Tv, but hey! What it lacked in a 'star' it made up for elsewhere!
We had an absolutely fabulous time and we got much more than we expected. We paid only £1,220 for 2 weeks all inclusive and anyone who moans about what they would have got for that money expects too much.
The grounds were well tended, the pool areas immaculate,the beach was beautifully clean. Yes there was a bit of rubbish at the waters edge but the hotel does not own the sea unfortunately!!!
The food is the best I have ever had on any holiday and that includes America and any other country with a 4 or 5 star rating.
We didn't have a lot to do with the animation team as we are in our 40's but they made a lot of young people very very happy. The team were all very polite and always said hello in passing and when in 'comedy mode' would always stop and pose if they saw you with a camera. The evening shows were the best ever and we thoroughly enjoyed the Lion King and Aladdin.
The hotel holds up to 3000 guests but you'd never know that. There is plenty of room for everyone. And sack the sunbed stories!!!! In early Sept when we were there you could get a bed at midday! You only had to go out early if you wanted A SPECIFIC BED!
Didn't like the queueing system for the bar, didn't like the tiny bath and didn't like the safety deposit boxes being in reception but the rest of the holiday more than made up for it and I think we got excellent value for money.
I didn't read any reviews before I went and I'm appalled that some people can condemn this lovely hotel.
So many people we met were on return visits, one of them on her 16th year! and in May 2010, I will be one of them cos I've already booked!
Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Direct Holidays
" Fantastic Holiday "
Submitted By: sue watts
Well, this was one of our best holidays ever. On arrival initially we thought the room was rather small, but when we saw the view from our balcony that more than made up for it. Although this ia a large hotel, overall it was surpisingly quiet and very clean. Overall the staff were very friendly, and not at all pushy ( as we had read in some reviews). We had 1 small problem in our room and that was sorted out imediatley. Food was good, something for all. Grounds and beach were amazing. I can't think of 1 bad thing about this hotel and will definately be going back.
Good for: Beach
-
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Sahara Beach "
Submitted By: vegnomeat
Just returned from a 10 day Holiday at the Sahara Beach Hotel
Good points. The entertainment staff were excellent
Bad points. The food was poor, the accommodation is very tiny (if their are three of you don't even consider sharing one room)
You need to be up at 7.00 am to get a lounger, staff will provide you with a mattress for the lounger, but god help you if you don't tip them every day. They could teach the Mafia a thing or two about extortion. Don't be tempted to tip them for the whole week in one go, they will just come back every day for the same amount.
Drinks, a very pathetic and time consuming system exists. Stand in a line for beers, get beers and then stand in another line for wines and spirits, then stand in another line for soft drinks and or coffees. The Snack bar that serves food all day is as far from the majority of the loungers as it is possible to be.
Trips, don't book the Carthage trip. You don't actually get to Carthage, instead they take you to the ruins of some Roman baths and you still only get 45 minutes to explore. Sidi Bou Said is just a shopping centre with white houses and blue windows. You leave the hotel at 6.30 am and get back at around 7.00 pm, only 3 hours are actually spent exploring.
Location, absolutely poor, there is not one place within walking distance for you to go to.
Extras, forget 3G coverage for mobile data, no live sports (agreed, for some that may not be an issue, but for me it is) nearest cash point is a 10 minute taxi ride away.
Good points. The entertainment staff were excellent
Bad points. The food was poor, the accommodation is very tiny (if their are three of you don't even consider sharing one room)
You need to be up at 7.00 am to get a lounger, staff will provide you with a mattress for the lounger, but god help you if you don't tip them every day. They could teach the Mafia a thing or two about extortion. Don't be tempted to tip them for the whole week in one go, they will just come back every day for the same amount.
Drinks, a very pathetic and time consuming system exists. Stand in a line for beers, get beers and then stand in another line for wines and spirits, then stand in another line for soft drinks and or coffees. The Snack bar that serves food all day is as far from the majority of the loungers as it is possible to be.
Trips, don't book the Carthage trip. You don't actually get to Carthage, instead they take you to the ruins of some Roman baths and you still only get 45 minutes to explore. Sidi Bou Said is just a shopping centre with white houses and blue windows. You leave the hotel at 6.30 am and get back at around 7.00 pm, only 3 hours are actually spent exploring.
Location, absolutely poor, there is not one place within walking distance for you to go to.
Extras, forget 3G coverage for mobile data, no live sports (agreed, for some that may not be an issue, but for me it is) nearest cash point is a 10 minute taxi ride away.
Advice: Go to Sousse
Activities: None
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" An honest opinion "
Submitted By: lgoalby1989
This is the honest opinion/review of a couple who are in their twenty's that stayed at the Hotel Sahara Beach, we read these reveiews before we booked, they were very mixed so we decided to go with an open mind to this hotel and do a few trips too, this is what we made of it.
If your looking to go to Sahara Beach in particular please dont go in high season e.g. when the children are off school for holidays, you will not be able to get a sunlounger in the morning by the pool unless you get up at 4am! Me and my boyfriend got up at 6am everyday to ensure we got a sunlounger, we still could not get one by the pool with a parasol so had to resort to the beach, which was lovely and a lot quieter. My opinion is that the hotel facilities themselves were not sufficient enough for all the guests that were staying at the hotel. The sea wasnt very clean there was a lot of litter floating around in there.
The card system of which was run if you were all inclusive was not very thought out by the people in the hotel. After having a tiring plane journey and coach transfer you have to queue up in reception and have your photo taken for your card which was quite tedious when all you wanted to do was go to your room and get sorted.
Tipping- this isn't as annoying as other people on reviews have made out, yes you have to tip your waiter a few times a week, not every night, or if you liked you could give him a bigger sum at the end of the week or before you leave. We gave our waiter Salem one or two dinar about 3 times the week we were there. If you go on trips and drive past the houses and see where these people live you will understand they will be very greatful for it. With drinks sometimes you will have to queue at the bar to get a ticket for your drink, then queue at another bar to recieve your drink e.g. coktails, this also is quite tedious and annoying the cups they give you are small plastic cups or a very small wine glass so by the time you have drunk your first drink in 5 mins, you have to get up and get another one, me and my boyfriend went up about three times until we had six drinks on the table so we could have a chill for a bit.
You get your own table in the restaurant and you have this table permanently during your stay, if your in a couple like we were, we were told we were going to have to share our table with another couple, though we never met them during our time but were always hoping they wernt there so we could sit alone, you do want privacy at dinner and its not very personal having some strangers come and eat dinner with you.
The men down the 'shopping centre' on the way to the restaurant arn't too bad for bugging you, they will say hello to you and once in a while they will tell you to 'come and have a look in my shop' if you dont want to just firmly say no and walk to where you originaly wanted to go. Do try and haggle if you want something, dont pay the rediculous prices they 1st suggest to you, they wanted £85.00 for a fake diesel bag, look at it, see what you think its worth and stick to that price with them, they'll soon come down, though they wont be happy about it.
Food- The food in the restaurant isnt brilliant, despite what the other reviews have said, yes there's a man who makes omelettes and pancakes and pizzas, the pizza's arnt great there on like a realy thin pitta bread base. Basically if you dont like eggs or a lot of meat your buggered, we went with an open mind, im not a fussy eater and I tried everything the buffet had to offer on the 1st and 2nd nights, I ended up having a bad stomach, whether that was food from the restaurant or food from the trips we attended I am unsure, but even if you are first to dinner at 6.30pm like we were because we didnt want the food to be sitting around for a while, there were still files buzzing around all the food and there were loads all over the bread.
Rooms- Your not in your room very much, so it doesnt really matter that it doesnt have a tv etc it would be nice to have a fridge to keep your water chilled but unfortunatly there wasnt one, the aircon worked and was good at keeping you chilled. As far as im concerned the rooms were clean, nothing to grumble about them and the maids were always smiling and would greet you on your way down the corridor.
Night entertaninment- Is ok to pass the time, it isnt the best thing ever, usually run by the hotel staff, the traditional night was quite good and we were told the michael jackson show and grease was also good. There was a light show when we were at the hotel but we got fed up after ten minutes and left. There were lots of families always sitting in the Skanes bar 'tv room' playing cards, chatting and having a drink. I'd take some playing cards with you and get the children to take their DS's or PSP's. They sometimes put a film on in there but you cant really listen to it if you wanted to becuase of the background noise from all the families.
day entertainment- From what we saw this was the best for the teenagers/kids they will really enjoy the activities and stuff put on by the animation team, there was one guy who was hillarious, there is a game about midday with a surfboard and a rope going down the middle of the pool, and you have to balance on the board across the pool jump over the rope and then land perfectly on the board regaining your balance, its hillarious to watch people do and the commentator is so sarcastic and funny.
Trips all organised by first choice inc travel- We did the Zulu evening trip which was a trip to a zoo and an african zulu dinner show, the only thing about that is that you had to eat whilst you were watching the dancing and it would have been nice just to watch it all without having to have your head down noshing halfway through it. You can get quite close to the animals in the zoo and there is a shop with wooden african gifts which are quite nice to buy and are cheap. The food was traditional African and quite spicy so maybe not great for small children.
We also did the pirates and gladiators trip, the tour guide we had for going around the amphitheatre was excellent, a lot of general knowledge about the country and you could actually understand his english. we had an hour around the ampitheatre on your own to explore and take pictures etc, there are some blokes that have a stall selling food and drinks if your need them and there are a few stands when you walk up to the ruins, people will try and give you a scarf and say 'free' but dont even give them a chance to put it near you and walk around them, because they'll want money for it, when you come off the coach they'll be some young kids trying to sell you a map and a postcard for 3 dinar, if you dont want it, just say no and walk on. There are a few good stalls nice small mosaic tiles for gifts you can take home that arnt heavy in the suitcase and saffron is cheap over there too. The tour guide before you go to the ruins will take you to the first african house with original mosaics, they will charge you 1 dinar to get in, this isnt included in the trip and we were not informed of this until we actually got their either.
The pirate ship is the worst trip, the rep will sell it to you to make it sound amazing like 'there is a barbeque on board and you can sunbathe on top deck' if you do the ampitheatre trip first you wont even be able to get on top deck never mind finding room to sunbathe. Below deck we were squashed on like sardines and were literally sitting on the other persons lap next to you and the 'barbeque' was an aeroplane food like tray with 2 tiny spicy sausages, 1 bit of bread, a tiny bit of tuna, a horrible salad thing and a tiny bit of meat like a small lamb chop. My boyfriend managed to get up top deck as you are able to jump off the boat and have a swim so he went and did that. Drinks on board were unlimited but the bar was unattended and you had to go and get your own drinks. by the time we got back to the hotel I was starving.
I would not reccomend this holiday if your a couple, theres not that much you can actually do, the resort is in the middle of nowhere and even if you wanted to get away from the hotel food and go somewhere else for dinner you would have to go out of town.
If your looking to go to Sahara Beach in particular please dont go in high season e.g. when the children are off school for holidays, you will not be able to get a sunlounger in the morning by the pool unless you get up at 4am! Me and my boyfriend got up at 6am everyday to ensure we got a sunlounger, we still could not get one by the pool with a parasol so had to resort to the beach, which was lovely and a lot quieter. My opinion is that the hotel facilities themselves were not sufficient enough for all the guests that were staying at the hotel. The sea wasnt very clean there was a lot of litter floating around in there.
The card system of which was run if you were all inclusive was not very thought out by the people in the hotel. After having a tiring plane journey and coach transfer you have to queue up in reception and have your photo taken for your card which was quite tedious when all you wanted to do was go to your room and get sorted.
Tipping- this isn't as annoying as other people on reviews have made out, yes you have to tip your waiter a few times a week, not every night, or if you liked you could give him a bigger sum at the end of the week or before you leave. We gave our waiter Salem one or two dinar about 3 times the week we were there. If you go on trips and drive past the houses and see where these people live you will understand they will be very greatful for it. With drinks sometimes you will have to queue at the bar to get a ticket for your drink, then queue at another bar to recieve your drink e.g. coktails, this also is quite tedious and annoying the cups they give you are small plastic cups or a very small wine glass so by the time you have drunk your first drink in 5 mins, you have to get up and get another one, me and my boyfriend went up about three times until we had six drinks on the table so we could have a chill for a bit.
You get your own table in the restaurant and you have this table permanently during your stay, if your in a couple like we were, we were told we were going to have to share our table with another couple, though we never met them during our time but were always hoping they wernt there so we could sit alone, you do want privacy at dinner and its not very personal having some strangers come and eat dinner with you.
The men down the 'shopping centre' on the way to the restaurant arn't too bad for bugging you, they will say hello to you and once in a while they will tell you to 'come and have a look in my shop' if you dont want to just firmly say no and walk to where you originaly wanted to go. Do try and haggle if you want something, dont pay the rediculous prices they 1st suggest to you, they wanted £85.00 for a fake diesel bag, look at it, see what you think its worth and stick to that price with them, they'll soon come down, though they wont be happy about it.
Food- The food in the restaurant isnt brilliant, despite what the other reviews have said, yes there's a man who makes omelettes and pancakes and pizzas, the pizza's arnt great there on like a realy thin pitta bread base. Basically if you dont like eggs or a lot of meat your buggered, we went with an open mind, im not a fussy eater and I tried everything the buffet had to offer on the 1st and 2nd nights, I ended up having a bad stomach, whether that was food from the restaurant or food from the trips we attended I am unsure, but even if you are first to dinner at 6.30pm like we were because we didnt want the food to be sitting around for a while, there were still files buzzing around all the food and there were loads all over the bread.
Rooms- Your not in your room very much, so it doesnt really matter that it doesnt have a tv etc it would be nice to have a fridge to keep your water chilled but unfortunatly there wasnt one, the aircon worked and was good at keeping you chilled. As far as im concerned the rooms were clean, nothing to grumble about them and the maids were always smiling and would greet you on your way down the corridor.
Night entertaninment- Is ok to pass the time, it isnt the best thing ever, usually run by the hotel staff, the traditional night was quite good and we were told the michael jackson show and grease was also good. There was a light show when we were at the hotel but we got fed up after ten minutes and left. There were lots of families always sitting in the Skanes bar 'tv room' playing cards, chatting and having a drink. I'd take some playing cards with you and get the children to take their DS's or PSP's. They sometimes put a film on in there but you cant really listen to it if you wanted to becuase of the background noise from all the families.
day entertainment- From what we saw this was the best for the teenagers/kids they will really enjoy the activities and stuff put on by the animation team, there was one guy who was hillarious, there is a game about midday with a surfboard and a rope going down the middle of the pool, and you have to balance on the board across the pool jump over the rope and then land perfectly on the board regaining your balance, its hillarious to watch people do and the commentator is so sarcastic and funny.
Trips all organised by first choice inc travel- We did the Zulu evening trip which was a trip to a zoo and an african zulu dinner show, the only thing about that is that you had to eat whilst you were watching the dancing and it would have been nice just to watch it all without having to have your head down noshing halfway through it. You can get quite close to the animals in the zoo and there is a shop with wooden african gifts which are quite nice to buy and are cheap. The food was traditional African and quite spicy so maybe not great for small children.
We also did the pirates and gladiators trip, the tour guide we had for going around the amphitheatre was excellent, a lot of general knowledge about the country and you could actually understand his english. we had an hour around the ampitheatre on your own to explore and take pictures etc, there are some blokes that have a stall selling food and drinks if your need them and there are a few stands when you walk up to the ruins, people will try and give you a scarf and say 'free' but dont even give them a chance to put it near you and walk around them, because they'll want money for it, when you come off the coach they'll be some young kids trying to sell you a map and a postcard for 3 dinar, if you dont want it, just say no and walk on. There are a few good stalls nice small mosaic tiles for gifts you can take home that arnt heavy in the suitcase and saffron is cheap over there too. The tour guide before you go to the ruins will take you to the first african house with original mosaics, they will charge you 1 dinar to get in, this isnt included in the trip and we were not informed of this until we actually got their either.
The pirate ship is the worst trip, the rep will sell it to you to make it sound amazing like 'there is a barbeque on board and you can sunbathe on top deck' if you do the ampitheatre trip first you wont even be able to get on top deck never mind finding room to sunbathe. Below deck we were squashed on like sardines and were literally sitting on the other persons lap next to you and the 'barbeque' was an aeroplane food like tray with 2 tiny spicy sausages, 1 bit of bread, a tiny bit of tuna, a horrible salad thing and a tiny bit of meat like a small lamb chop. My boyfriend managed to get up top deck as you are able to jump off the boat and have a swim so he went and did that. Drinks on board were unlimited but the bar was unattended and you had to go and get your own drinks. by the time we got back to the hotel I was starving.
I would not reccomend this holiday if your a couple, theres not that much you can actually do, the resort is in the middle of nowhere and even if you wanted to get away from the hotel food and go somewhere else for dinner you would have to go out of town.
Advice: I wouldn't recommend Skanes, if your looking to go to Tunisia iv heard Port al kantoui is nicer.
Activities: Zulu evening was good, pirate boat trip was extremely dissapointing.
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Superb "
Submitted By: LeSinge
I find it hard to believe that anyone could moan about this hotel. You will not find perfection anywhere at the price you pay for this holiday but this came close, in fact so close that we are going back next year which is something we have never done and had vowed never to do! I agree with all the plus points above and none of the negatives bar perhaps the quality of the Thomas Cook reps - which wasn't bad but I've met lots better and the shower in our bathroom having no means of suspension on the wall - but hey, big deal!! We were on the 7th floor and I thought,"Oh no!" but the lifts were fast and frequent so not a problem. We received no hassle from the traders outside the restaurant. They will ask politely but a courteous no thanks is all that is needed. If you want REAL hassle go to the medina in Sousse. I went with my son and we were propositioned lots but again if you keep your sunglasses on and say,"Sorry got to catch a bus" or, "Sorry in a real rush" that will usually keep them at bay. Having been to Morocco and Egypt (where one or two got really unpleasant in Sharm when we could not agree the price) you have to expect this. If you can't be bothered with it get a taxi to Monastir and go into air-conditioned government shop where all is priced and it is scarcely more expensive than the local shops. This was one thing that I really feel that we should have been told at the welcome meeting as well as the fact that there were jellyfish which can give a nettle type sting. Two young girls in front of me were advised to catch the bus to Sousse (which would take ages) and go to the Medina. I felt this was really not sensible (I went with my son) as potential hassle for two blokes needs a thick skin so what it would be like for two girls on their own I don't like to think. I would also recommend that if you plan to go to the Medinas you wear a pair of jeans so you do not look like a tourist. You have to remember that we are very rich people compared to most Tunisians so a 50p tip is hardly excessive - I found much more pressure to tip in the USA. El Djem is stunning (if history is your thing) but the boat trip which is sold as a joint venture with a trip to El Djem, called Gladiators and Pirates", is far too crowded. The staff at the hotel are fantastic. My son and I played football, got talking to one of our fellow players and ended up going to an African Cup game between Etoile du Sahel (in Sousse) and a team from the Congo with his friend who happened to be a taxi driver. A fantastic experience and very much less threatening than your average Millwall game! Djimi our waiter is a legend and the photographer is excellent. We had 190 photos, bought 12 (we could have said we didn't want any) and paid £25 for studio quality portraits. The entertainment people were fantastic and work really hard to make your holiday fun but only if you want - there is no pressure to participate. The food was what you would expect from an all inclusive holiday but loads of variety and saying that there is no English food is just not true. No there isn't English bacon (they do try!)or bangers or MacDonalds but there is plenty to choose from.
I would thoroughly recommend this holiday.
I would thoroughly recommend this holiday.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Outrageous "
Submitted By: Sarahh.x
I spent two weeks at Sahara Beach and it was the first time i went to Tunisia, i loved it. The amination team were amazing, especially Barbie, Maggy and Rico. LOVE THEMMMMM. The food was good, lots of choice and friendly waiters. Baz was amazing really helpful and kind. The evening entertainment was good for all ages as they made it good. I am deffinatly planning another holiday there. I would give the entertainment and animation team 110/10. And the rest of the holiday a 10/10. Thank you
Advice: be careful of the people in the markets.
Activities:
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" superb holiday "
Submitted By: pezza o9
just returned from a 10 night stay at the sahara beach,and what a great time we all had .ThMyself ,my wife and two teenagers 16 ,14 all had a great time.More positives than negatives.Only negative was the smoking in the bar and reception,which got a bit much especially with the heat.The food was good & plentiful something for everyone The waiters were very kind and helpful Outdoors there are 3 pools all very welcoming in the immense heat we experienced on our stay.Overall we had a brilliant time and would definitely return here again.The entertainers worked hard and long hours,and are a great laugh around the pools during the day.The rooms were cleaned every day and were immaculate and we didnt mind tipping the maid as she worked very hard.However we did find the porters rather in your face,grabbing your bags from you and demanding a tip which is difficult when youve just arrived late at night with no change.The bank wasnt open when we arrived as i explained to the porter ,and after about 2,3 minutes he left ,not very happy.they dont like you moving your own bags so be aware,unless youve got a pocket of change ,be ready to tip them .Its only about 1 dinar ,its not much ,but they can pester you.
Advice: Just about the porters demanding tips
Activities: Camel safaris
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" absolutely fantastic........ a must holiday "
Submitted By: katie whitrick
well this was our 2nd time staying at the Sahara Beach and once again it was superb. The hotel staff are extremely helpful and pleasant. The waiters are darlings. The food is excellent and so much to choose from. The 5 outdoor swimming pools are fantastic, so is the indoor pool. Just a skip and a jump to the white sandy beach where a blue sea is aeaiting. The hotel rooms are spacious and extremely clean. I could praise the Sahara Beach all day, basically you must go to this outstanding hotel, you wont be disappointed, i promis
Advice: love tunisia and the sahara beach we will be going again
Activities: the beach, the hotel and the tunisian people are fab
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Would go again "
Submitted By: lesleyasale
Just got back from fortnight all inclusive stay. 8 family members went ranging from me (53) to grandaughter (3) and 3 teenagers. Something for everyone to do. Only bad thing was monotony of food. Food itself ok but by second week getting fed up with same stuff for lunch and dinner every day. Pools brilliant and very clean. Rooms clean and service great, clean sheets and towels every day. Would recommend and would definitely go back.
Advice: Don't buy cigs in towns - fake and awful. Other souvenirs cheaper in town
Activities: African Dream a must. Noddy train an experience!!
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" OMG! "
Submitted By: KieronJohnson
Oh My God! 3 star, no way. 5 star is more like it. Everything was perfect! Food, room, entertainment, staff, everything! Whoever rated this place 3 star should look again. I would definately go back next year and, of course, I would recommend this hotel to anybody in the world looking for a holiday!
Advice: The best ever!
Activities: The beach bar!
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" loved it brilliant!!!!!! "
Submitted By: death
We spend two weeks at this lovely hotel. had a fantantsic time my self, husband, 16 yr old daughter, my twin sister and brother inlaw.
We arrived at the hotel to be greeted by very friend reception staff and porter's. shown to our room a little small we thought at first. but that didn't matter only slept in them and showered . spent the rest of the time either on the beach or at the pool side or in one of the various bar's . All staff were very friendly animation team were brilliant , worked very hard. All the staff did down to the cleaner's and waiter's. There;s loads to do. Restaurant was brilliant never went hungry, loads to choice from pizza pancake chips roast beef yorkie puds and mash potatoes everything you would ever want.tunisian food as well,cocktails bar was brilliant ,Hotel could perhap's do with a liitle up dating , but was very clean and tidy. there are some brilliant shop's selling fake good's purses ,bags glasses etc , we like the sport's bar staff lovely. skanes bar really nice as got a large screen to watch football film's and sky new;s etc. bar near receptions really
good , The show;s at night could do with looking at. start at 10 and finish at 11 , but the bar's elsewhere where open to late finish serving all inclusive at 12 pm on the dot, but the measure are big very strong. The whole holiday was well worth the money. we did'nt have the transfer's form the hotel to the airport was really close. 10 dinar £5 each in a taxi each way for 5 people , i would recommend anyone to go to this hotel what ever age,There were mainly english and french people at the hotel but thought that there where more for the english than anyone else the french were fine,cant wait to go again sometime , beach is fantastic
We arrived at the hotel to be greeted by very friend reception staff and porter's. shown to our room a little small we thought at first. but that didn't matter only slept in them and showered . spent the rest of the time either on the beach or at the pool side or in one of the various bar's . All staff were very friendly animation team were brilliant , worked very hard. All the staff did down to the cleaner's and waiter's. There;s loads to do. Restaurant was brilliant never went hungry, loads to choice from pizza pancake chips roast beef yorkie puds and mash potatoes everything you would ever want.tunisian food as well,cocktails bar was brilliant ,Hotel could perhap's do with a liitle up dating , but was very clean and tidy. there are some brilliant shop's selling fake good's purses ,bags glasses etc , we like the sport's bar staff lovely. skanes bar really nice as got a large screen to watch football film's and sky new;s etc. bar near receptions really
good , The show;s at night could do with looking at. start at 10 and finish at 11 , but the bar's elsewhere where open to late finish serving all inclusive at 12 pm on the dot, but the measure are big very strong. The whole holiday was well worth the money. we did'nt have the transfer's form the hotel to the airport was really close. 10 dinar £5 each in a taxi each way for 5 people , i would recommend anyone to go to this hotel what ever age,There were mainly english and french people at the hotel but thought that there where more for the english than anyone else the french were fine,cant wait to go again sometime , beach is fantastic
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
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Airport transfer takes less than 5 mins, and the airport have sorted out the unofficial porters that plagued the place when we went 4 years ago.
Hotel check-in was smooth: take a seat in reception, fill in a form, welcome drink of lemon squash whilst you do it, have picture taken and given a plastic card that you show when you want a drink or snack, then a porter takes your bags to your room, yes he expects a tip but if you explain you've no cash all is fine.
The room was neat and clean, extra blankets and pillows in the wardrobe, plenty of shelf space for 2 adults. Not much of a view as we were on the 1st floor, but we could see the sea. There was a problem with the loo flush but that was fixed very quickly when we reported it to reception. Shower was ok once you got the hang of it, tends to go hotter and colder though. Air con and heating worked fine. Beds changed midweek and 3 fresh sets of towels during the week. (no beach towels so remember to take your own)
There was plenty to choose from in the restaurant, I don't eat meat and my partner is picky but we always had a choice. You may struggle if MacD's is your standard diet, but if you want your 5 a day you will be spoilt for choice. Most nights there was a carvery section (beef, pork, chicken), as well as at least 8 dishes there was also pizza, pasta and omelettes made whilst you waited. Didn't see any flies on the food at all, heard a few getting zapped on the blue light though! If you are after a full monty for breakfast you'll be disappointed: hotdog sausages and very streaky bacon go with the fried eggs, but lots of boiled eggs, tomatoes, sauté potato, choice of cereals, yoghurt, fruit and you could always have an omelette. DIY toast was a little annoying, had to be put through the toaster 2 or 3 times to get some colour on it!
5 bars for drinks and 2 for snacks (but only 1 was operational during our stay as the hotel was not full), supposed to show your card and get your drinks..... we only showed our cards once or twice though.
Evening entertainment was poor, the room it was held in had lots of pillars that blocked the view and seating was not enough for the numbers in the hotel - I suspect the entertainment is usually held outside in the summer but be warned if you take a late break.
Lovely pools, with a nice choice of being in on the action of just relaxing and soaking up the sun. Plenty of sun beds and staff would bring you a mattress (did look for a tip though, or you could collect yourself.
Shops in the hotel are overpriced and the staff could be very pushy, but just keep saying no and they leave you alone for the rest of your stay.
The staff are amazing! Every one of them we walked passed in corridors said 'good morning', they put UK customer service to shame! The waiters looked after us really well, refilling drinks and clearing plates as soon as they were empty (yes we did tip, but a pound a day is not going to break the bank and I like to reward good service). Nothing was too much trouble for them and you always got a smile even if they did not understand what you were saying to them :-)
Considering it was the end of the season we went (1.11.09) the hotel was not looking bad at all, yes there was peeling paint in a few places but I, personally, don't go on holiday to stare at the paintwork. Plenty of lifts, never had to wait more than 30 seconds.
Word of Warning, the pool was freezing!! but then it was November, we had about 4 days of lovely sun (enough to get a great tan) but also days of wind and about an hours rain. Sunsets before 6pm in November.
Our second visit to Tunisia was as enjoyable as the first, if you go you MUST see El Jem (google it), it's breathtaking, but keep your hand on your wallet, wear dark glasses and practise saying NO if you venture into the shops or markets, everything is 'cheaper than Asda' and 'lovely-jubbly'. Do take the Noddy train, it's an experience not to be missed - better than most fairground rides!
Advice: Skanes is a hotel resort, no town or shops to speak of
Activities: Must see the Sahara and El Jem
Good for: Beach