Marhaba Beach Hotel, Sousse, Tunisia
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Marhaba Beach Hotel Reviews
" FAB "
Submitted By: IDREIDAdvice: GOOD FUN IN THE MEDINA AND GREAT WEATHER
Activities:
Good for: Beach
" Amazing ! "
Submitted By: cherrychipsAll i can say is that it really is an amazing place to stay for everyone! The beach is great, and you get used to being hassled, as long as you're friendly to the locals they will be friendly back.
The pool is very clean and safe, and the animation team can always be seen working around the pool and stage area, either laughing, chatting or getting everyone off of their sunbeds to join in with some stretching or water aerobics! Special mention to Rico, Abdul and Maike who are the most genuine and lovely people, great entertainers too.
The resort is good if you want to get involved and move around alot, but also has places to relax and be at peace if you just want a quiet holiday as well. It caters for everyone. The staff work so hard it's unbelievable! Tip big because they deserve it!
Advice: You will get hassled alot, just remember they're only trying to make a living
Activities: We went to El Djem which was great, great food everywehere you go.
Good for: Beach
" Marhaba Beach Do's & Dont's "
Submitted By: Jon & DeniseDo speak politely to staff, if you have a problem it will be resolved by the staff, or reception or management-they want you back-and many many people return time after time.
The 'all inclusive' system causes a few problems as tour companies pitch it as more than it is-you will pay a little extra for a couple of things, but it is still excellent value. Coke is proper bottled coke, local alcohol is very good, especially muscat, but the 'free' pizza is basic for example. Please understand though that you will want to have your meals in the excellent dining room, and really, probably won't want to eat the other 'freebies' anyway.
The animation team which really means Ricco and Abdul are great guys, throughout the day you can join in with something like stretching, aerobics,petanque,water polo etc etc etc, and the evening shows are a great light hearted laugh (and we are not old foagies)
You should tip ! The staff are often university educated and multi lingual but of course wages are low in the country. A general guide is half a dinar for drinks, a dinar for a sunbed or two (per day), a dinar for dinner in restaurant, 5 dinars for maid at end of holiday, a dinar or for porters-you get the idea. It would be typical for example for the man behind your bar to tip when he goes for coffee........
The tipping culture is not explained by reps. If you are the sort of customer who thinks you've paid once so that's that, you may be better off in a hotel that caters for mainly russian guests. If you allow a couple of pounds a day for tipping, you will understand why so many people return. We got bought a few drinks by the locals for example-treat as you would be treated yourself !
The location of the hotel is excellent, the noddy trains are great, best to arrange a price with taxi's in advance. A trip from Sousse to Kantoui for example should be about 5 dinars for the car load in a yellow cab, don't be 'shy' be polite and firm, if they argue just walk away for another cab............
The medina in Sousse is more friendly than many, but of course you must 'play the game'. It will be cheaper than the Soula centre, but it's up to you to get a good deal by negotiation. Perhaps look in government shops first to get an idea of price, then save minimum 1/3rd in medina..........
For a beach holiday hotel with good food the Marhaba Beach pretty much nails it, plus there are loads of trips available to explore the country. You may get a better deal from the hotels man than theenglish tour companies, who's knowledge is generally poor. But if you want to play safe book at your welcome meeting.
Oh yes, have a massage (no, no extras available) in the hotels gym/pool/massage fitness centre-they are great.
A word of warning about tennis, the man who generally runs the courts seems as though he belongs in a different hotel, probably a different country. When he's rude to you complain immediately to reception or demand for the manager.
Most guests probably don't play tennis though do they.....................................
Advice: Go there, don
Activities: No point in eating out, the best restaurant is at hotel, the reps eat there -
" Beautiful Tunisia "
Submitted By: debbie bayleyThe Hotel and country were very clean. The staff extreemly friendly and helpful. The beach was beautiful and the entertainment just that - entertaining! The only downside was that the weather was dissapointing and the food, although quite edible was not what we imagined would be traditional and the menue did not change therefore it became a bit boring.
The trips we took were very good value and the guide very well informed. All in all we had a great break and would go again but later in the year
Advice: The beach and noddy train are great
Activities: went to great fish resteraunt in Tunis but cant remember name! El Gem ampitheater and Carthage great
Good for: Beach
" 3rd Time Lucky "
Submitted By: rosemccThe food every morning and evening is beautiful. I am a very fussy eater and I never went hungry, there is a very wide selection. Our waiter (who has been every year) Mouldi is one of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet,. We keep in touch with him throughout the year and he keeps us updated of news in the hotel and his family.
The entertainment is great. There were a couple of shows that you have to pay for but they are no more than 5 pounds and you would pay more than that going outwith the hotel complex.
The animation team are fantastic as always. Rico, Khaled, Abdul and Aymen made our holiday special. They had all sorts of activities going on during the day,l darts, water arobics, water polo, arabic lessons. They always had tome to come and sit and have a chat with you and are very funny.
I would never dream of going to another hotel and if you are looking to experience somewhere a bit different i think Tunisia is somewhere you should consider. i Honestly cannot fault the Marhaba Beach, its staff, location, food and entertainment.
Already booked for 2009!
Advice: Haggle! Even the taxi drivers, they like a bit of banter and you can get the price right down.
Activities: Port el Kantoui...its beautiful during the day but its really special at night.
Good for: Beach
" Xmas 2008 at Marhaba Beach "
Submitted By: tartanzebraWe had an action packed week and met lots of really nice people and I am glad that we went to Tunisia - without a doubt much more fun than staying in England for Xmas!
Advice: Sousse is interesting to see but once is enough
Activities: The amphitheatre at El Djem was definitely worth a visit
Good for: Beach
" Great holiday "
Submitted By: roderickslaterThe 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
Advice: be open. Speak to people.
Activities: Desert trip.
Good for: Beach
" take the blinkers off "
Submitted By: renaultextra" What a fanastic holiday. Great staff,... "
Submitted By: Miss D Bolton" What a fanastic holiday. Great staff,... "
Submitted By: Miss D Bolton" Service - all staff very friendly and... "
Submitted By: Mrs A CoupeFood - 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
" We have just returned from Marhaba... "
Submitted By: Mrs P T TiernanThe 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
" JUST RETURNED FROM 2 WEEKS FROM THE... "
Submitted By: Mr PR CORNELIUS" l live in the north Tunisa and for... "
Submitted By: Mr Walid ZouariThis 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









Tipping is a major issue for some people who stay at this hotel. But i follow the same rules I follow at home I tip generously for good service and I found that the staff are genuinely grateful for tips.But remember that 350 denar is the typical wage in Tunisia these people deserve our generosity. Our waiter was a sweetheart who could teach many a snooty waiter in Ireland a lesson in service nad hospitality.
I found the animation team to be pleasant guys but not great entertainers, a lot of their shows are old hat.
I will return to this hotel in the future it is a friendly if not especaially grande
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