Marhaba Beach Hotel

1 reader found this review helpful

We spent a week half-board and had a lovely time. Mind you, the hotel was three-quarters empty in the pre-Christmas lull, so we didn't feel any stress or rush. What it must be like at the peak periods is something we slightly older tourists wouldn't wish to contemplate. We really liked the slightly old-fashioned colonial feel to the hotel. The food was excellent - copious and varied. There were so many waiters we had almost individual service. One slight quibble: the waiters tended to take away plates the very second you laid down your knife and fork. We were impressed by the special treatment on the last night - flowers on the table - although cynics might say that this was just the staff setting themselves up for a tip! We did hear from the waiters that the Russians in the summer are rude, boorish, elbow others out of the queues and pinch large quantities of food to take out. No sign of this at our quiet time, though. There wasn't much in the way of animation: a good piano-tinkler on a couple of nights and a rather forlorn and goose-pimpled belly dancer on another. We didn't mind missing out on this. We met a chap called Ricco, one of the chief animators, on the last night, on his return from holiday: he looks as if he could be quite fun with a younger crowd in high season.
The gardens and grounds, including the stretch of "private" beach, were immaculately kept. The cleaning staff were excellent. We made friends with our maid and are in touch with her and her family through email. One receptionist was slightly objectionable at the beginning, when he tried to change our money at rates advantageous to himself, and kept hassling me to buy flowers for my wife at prices I subsequently realised were obscenely inflated. Other clients complained to the rep about him: Thomson lodged a complaint and - coincidence or not? - we never saw him again!
Our rep - Colin Jackson from Dundee - was very good - funny, informative and efficient. We went on the two-day desert trip and recommend it highly, though you need a good day to recover afterwards. Take warm clothing in winter.
Sousse itself was fine, full of bustle. we found it really helped to try to make contact with the people in French. This opened up several fascinating conversations. After all, this is why you go on holiday isn't it? So the Marhaba beach is not really for your lager louts. There's enough room for them elsewhere.
Roderick and Sylvie Slater, Edinburgh

1 reader found this review helpful

if you like sitting by the pool all day using your all inclusive status to the max dont go to tunisia if you are prepaired to make the effort to get to know the people and places in tunisia then you will be surprised how warming the locals are the souk will blow you away every one of your senses will be tested yes you will be hassled to go into stalls but thats what soukes are they aint sainsburys you know the people of tunisia dont have a state benefit system like some of the lucky brits who no doubt milk the system to get on holiday my wife and i are going back to sousse for the third time in 2009 and again to the marhaba beach we will again do the two day desert safari and travel about taking in all tunisia has to offer and believe me it has lots if you are prepaired to make the effort you wont be dissapointed

1 reader found this review helpful

What a fanastic holiday. Great staff, rooms, food. Very clean and everyone is so friendly and helpful. Animation team are outstanding, miss you all especially Rico - gutted to be home thank you for making my holiday so amazing. Beautiful beach, great weather and definately going back next year - wish I could have stayed longer.

What a fanastic holiday. Great staff, rooms, food. Very clean and everyone is so friendly and helpful. Animation team are outstanding, miss you all especially Rico - gutted to be home thank you for making my holiday so amazing. Beautiful beach, great weather and definately going back next year - wish I could have stayed longer.

1 reader found this review helpful

Service - all staff very friendly and helpful
Food - good range to suit all tastes, nicely presented and plenty of it
Rooms - clean, nicely furnished and good maid service & air conditioning
Grounds & pool well kept, a short walk through to beach
Animation team work hard to keep everyone entertained both in the day and evening and activities are good fun.
Good value for money.
Only down side is the building work going on opposite the front of the hotel and our original room faced this - it was too noisy to leave the door open - however we were moved to a room with a pool view and went on to have a fabulous holiday

4 readers found this review helpful

We have just returned from Marhaba Beach in Tunisia and I can say it must be one of the longest boring two weeks in my life! This is not a 4 star hotel in many ways and I have stayed in four star!
The food, and entertainment was the worse I have ever experienced, bear in mind this was not a cheap holiday. In addition where ever you went into Sousse, you were constantly approached by scroungers. Yeah people think staff and people are friendly but thats for a reason. They constantly want your money !
There was nothing to do in the hotel so the actual brochure is misleading ! The hotel was mainly catered for other nationalities rather than the english. This was displayed in the food ! The food was disgusting, served on dirty plates.
We payed for all inclusive but it wasnt at all,we had to pay for bottle drinks and any half qulity food. Four star my foot! the entertainment was crap, the animination team were kid entertainers, you would have a better time at butlins! they were just hopeless, disorganised and a complete and utter joke ! In fact I have put a complaint as one of the team was clearly under the influence ! Not really what I realy want to pay money to see. I will also be taking this matter alot further. Luckily I did not take my children.
When you walk out the complex you are constantly approached by dealers asking if you want to purchase drugs. Spoke to the Rep about this and she denied it !
Sousse and Monastair are dirty and only good if you want to buy a hubbly bubbly machine or a camal.
This particular hotel was only money making, they hear you take your money out your pocket.
I would not be going to Marhaba beach ever again and as far as Tunisa is concerned it is disgustingly dirty. As a woman over there you are constantly harrassed by the slimey men, I think they are hoping to find a wife for obvious reason.
Never Again , a waste of my hard earnt money

1 reader found this review helpful

just returned from 2 weeks from the marhaba beach hotel.firstly i must say my family had a fantastic time at the resort with the annimation team [abdul,ricco,ahmen,and sam ]constently keeping us entertained ,the beach was 1st rate ,and the rooms were ok .we orriginaly booked half board but after 2 days were upgraded to all inclusive free of charge because our rooms hab been double booked .we were put in a family room and given cards for the inclusive benefits .excellent we thought but here is my only complaint. if i had paid for the all inclusive package which other families had or did when they arrived,upgrading themselves,it was rubbish.the drinks are capped to very small measures ,and you can only order 1 drink per card every 5 mins .the food at lunch times in the snack and beach bars are only pizza or chips .in the end we still paid for a lot of food anyway to get something different.the food hall is a little cramped and watch for the many russians who think they can take over and push in and do what they want all the time.i would go back but will check about the all inclusive before i book

3 readers found this review helpful

l live in the north Tunisa and for holiday go to Sousse for the fun time . l was really not proud of my Tunisian men when l see they all day make annoy for the tourists and only for the money and the girls. They pretend to be friend of this people and when tourists go, speak behind the backs and speak not good people.
This is my first time in hotel as l stay with my family in my father's house in sousse but it will be the last ever l go to hotel as l was not pleased to be Tunisian at the hotel. This was good experience for me as l want to see peoples who work for their money and how they spend it as l want to be hotel owner when l leave university, but maybe not now.
English pepole very nice at hotel but not wise to tunisian way and lose a lot of money as they think the men are friends but are friends only for that moment!
When l open hotel it not in tunisia

Booked this holiday independently. The hotel was only £61 per person for the week half board so if you can get a cheap flight to Monastir it’s far cheaper than a tour operator.
The only extra cost is taxi transfer to the hotel which is 15 dinar (about £6) although the taxi drivers will start at 25 dinar (hold out for 15).
The hotel is 4 star, has spacious comfortable clean rooms, is right on the beach with free sunbeds, has an outdoor and a heated indoor swimming pool, a restaurant offering a good and limitless choice of food for breakfast (suggest elasticised waistbands).
If you want entertainment in the evening then this hotel may not be for you or any other in Tunisia. The hotel is ideally placed to walk into nearby Sousse either along the beach or road.
A Taxi or Petit Train can be taken to Port El Kantoui (about 2 miles) for 3-5 dinar. The staff of the Hotel cannot do enough for you. Plus`s - a great place to unwind for a week in the sun, great value for money.
Minus`s - not a lot to do especially in the evening.

1 reader found this review helpful

For a hot and cheap holiday this is a fantastic choice. However, for the money you pay the rooms are basic but the hospitality is brill.
You must be aware of the culture because it can be in your face. Everyone tries to sell you stuff and it can get quite scary.
The beaches are long and the water looks gorgeous. Always plenty of water sports to do in the height of the summer but does get quiet around September October and after that.
Taxis are very cheap and for a few quid you can travel along way.