Riu Park El Kebir Hotel

The transfer time to our Hotel was approx 2 hours so by the time we arrived we were hungry and tired. We went straight to reception where the Hotel Manager checked us in straight away and then showed us the way to the restaurant for a light bite to eat (off a buffet trolley) and something to drink (wine was on tap as well as several fruit juice type drinks). The bags were then taken to our room - ps they expect a small tip in ANY currency so don't worry if you haven't exchanged anything at that point. The hotel itself and the room was beautiful, with flowers on the bed and in the sink, very clean and tastefully decorated with a large balcony overlooking the sea.
The next morning we went for breakfast - here you were spolit for choice - cereals, fresh breads, fruit, cheese as well as a good selection of hot food freshly prepared in front of you at several cooking stations - be aware though - the bacon and sausages they have there is not at all like what we have here in the UK - the bacon is basically lumps of gristle and pork rind and the sausage is more like the tinned variety fried off - a bit strange but then again you are on the coast of North Africa!
The holiday rep meeting was okay - all the management introduced themselves to us and explained all of the facilities. The rep himself was a bit miserable though and throughout the holiday he didn't seem to be available much - maybe he was having a bad week, we just don't know ha ha! BE AWARE - don't bother with any of the trips! The rep really bigs them up and makes them sound great - they're not - they are absolute rubbish. We went on 2 excursions - one to Port El Kantaoui combined with a trip to the Coliseum and also a Wildlife park trip combined with a boat trip. The first trip took 2 hours to get there to see the coliseum ruins of which we had only an hour to explore, and the port took another hours (but it was on the way back) and we could only have a look around for 3/4 of an hour so you spent more time on the bus then anything. The second trip to the nature park was okay - you got to see lions, tigers etc but then the boat trip was appalling - it was mainly for kids. We didn't set sail for hour after actually getting on the boat, you were squashed up, a bloke dressed as a pirate did a couple of somersaults and then you got a horrible fish dinner!! Also, there was nothing to drink at all apart from tap water which you just couldn't trust so it wasn't great at all.
The main let down was the fact there was no alcohol - its a Muslim country unfortunately. Also, you were really secluded at the hotel i.e. no restaurants or cafes around to have a look at.
Hammamet was about 10mins away in taxis which were really cheap so that was okay. There are 2 medinas there - one in Jasmine Hammamet and then old Hammamet. The new one Jasmine was a lot better - it is purpose built, clean and tidy. The old one which was built hundreds of years ago as a fortress was very cramped and maze like. Word of warning here though - the people there are annoying, pestering and at times quite rude. They are trying to get you to buy something all the time and you feel as if you are unable to look at anything because of this. One guy actually trapped us in his shop until my husband threatened him! Ignore them completely - it feels rude but believe me - they have no manners in trying to make a sale! But then again, there are some bargains to be had. Brush up on your bartering!
Overall, okay but no nightlife and not enough to drink by any means. We definitely will not be going back.

Flew from Teesside, arrived at hotel at ungodly hour of 4.00am, very fast check in by lovely staff. Cases rushed to our room. Woke up at 8.30 and went for breakfast, massive dining room full of ignorant Europeans flouncing round, definitely caters for them rather than the Brits. Lots of croissants, cooked meats. Cheeses, bowls of jam, honey, natural yoghurt, all uncovered and open to flies, coughs, sneezes, grubby hands. Nothing refrigerated, just sat on ice. Staff carrying massive tureens of boiling hot water/milk for the coffee with kids running in front of them, how no one was scalded, bacon, hideous. Sausage, horrific. Someone had the omlette and found a load of egg shells.
The pool snack bar is the worst health hazard. Cooked meats, slabs of butter, bread, jam none of them covered and all sat in 30 degree heat for hours on end. During the day you can only get drinks from this pool bar, self service. Lunch is always 3 different types of pizza slices, chips (scandalous) pasta, spaghetti, fish, and partially cooked beef burgers, I fed 3 a day to the gorgeous kittens who live in the bushes. The covered air conditioned snack bar opens at 12.00.
Pancakes and cakes are served about 4pm, kids are drooling into the chocolate sauce, again uncovered. 2 sittings for dinner, 6.30 and 8.30. We went to the early sitting you get the same table throughout your stay for dinner. The food was very repetitive, every thing was fried or deep fried, my husband has gastric reflux which he takes tablets for, he was starving all the time as the food was too greasy for him to eat, he had the runs the entire time he was there. It was too noisy and some nights was bedlam with kids running round, knocking food all over.
The best meal we had was in the small Tunisian style restaurant within the hotel. It was waiter service and you felt as if you had really had something substantial. The entertainment team worked really hard and were all lovely. They did a black and white minstrel show one night, we were quite shocked, some snobby English boys (the type only mummy would love) were very rude to the lads on the animation team and also tried to be aggressive to younger kids in the games room. They were under 18 and they were drinking alcohol like it was the first time they had tasted it (probably was) a few of them were giving much younger kids alcohol and it got quite nasty in the games room. His Daddy said he had paid full price and was entitled to alcohol, well I paid full price for my 13 yr old, but I wasn’t demanding his share of the alcohol.
The spirits are rough and need lots of mixers in them. Evening entertainment is not for teenagers, or most people really, very enthusiastic but soul destroying. Some people went out of the hotel one night but returned within 15 minutes, having witnessed 2 fights between the locals and getting dragged into shops and not getting out until they had bought something. The staff are lovely, the hotel is cleaned constantly but food hygiene lets it down. The pool is great but again these old Arab women get into it wearing long dresses, tights, shoes, headscarves, veils, the lot. Absolutely disgusting. I would not go back to Tunisia.

Excellent hotel. Very pleasant setting directly on beach. Plenty of loungers by the pool and on the beach. Not much going on outside the hotel but there a few shops and restaurants within walking distance.
Hotel itself is very clean and rooms have plenty of storage space. Food is very good and plentiful. Hotel staff are great and very pleasant and helpful. Any problems are dealt with immediately.
Nighttime entertainment poor but there are plenty of different seating areas to enjoy a drink. We felt our holiday was very good value for money and would return to the hotel.

I was very disappointed with this hotel. We arrived at the hotel where we were greeted by the hotel staff hassling us to take our bags.
Once we agreed we went into the hotel lobby where the manager greeted us with drinks. Once we went to take our bags up to the room we noticed that one was missing but we were assured it would be found by morning. We were escorted to our rooms and once we entered we found that there were only two beds and three of us staying there. We contacted the manager and he informed us that there were no extra beds available at that time.
We managed the night with just two beds. To cut a long story short our case was never found and my daughter was left with no clothes whatsoever for 2 weeks. The pool had to be evacuated three times due to it being full of human waste and Arabic women jumping in, in shoes and full clothing, head dresses included.
My daughter was taken to hospital with food poisoning and my husband with a severe ear infection from the pool and our friends also as items stolen from their rooms, I would advise anyone to seriously think twice before booking this holiday!

We arrived at the Riu Park el Kebir about 10pm. The manager was waiting with a drink for everyone. Check in was fast and efficient and we were given the obligatory hotel forms to fill in at our leisure as long as we delivered them to reception the following morning. A meal was laid out for us in the restaurant even though it was late.
The room was roomy and spotless. The food was excellent and plenty of variety and the restaurant manager was continually checking the food temperature with a thermometer. Wine in the evenings was out of a bottle, not watered down out of a cask and even the lunchtime wine from the said cask was good quality. All of the staff were extremely friendly and nothing was too much trouble.
The only down side was the beds were on the hard side and the animation team were very amateurish although they did their best. The hotel was about 2 miles from Hammamet itself but the taxis were cheap. I would certainly return to this hotel again.

We went with two young children (2 years and 8 months), What a fantastic hotel! The staff could not do enough for you especially the kids.
The hotel is stunning as is the beach, the room was clean and spacious. The food was great with a large choice of hot and cold meals. Plenty of choice for adults and kids. The pool areas were clean and safe for the kids.
The Tunisian people adore kids and they are quite open about expressing it i.e. kissing and cuddling the kids which they loved but I can imagine some people would not like it but there is no harm or upset intended it is the way they are.
We went into Hammamett one day it is a bit daunting as everybody wants you to go into their shop, just be firm but do look as there are some bargains to be had. I just kept thinking to myself that they are only trying to earn a living.
Highly recommend this hotel. You can’t go far wrong.