Date of review:
Overall, we made the best of our two week holiday and had a really lovely time. My first impressions were "OMG, what have we done". However Tunisia grew on me. I tra
vel with my husband and 8 year old daughter. The outdoors area of the hotel is fantastic with 3 large swimming pools big enough to cater for the 2500 people on site. You did need to get up early to get a sunbed, I mean people were getting up at 5.30am, but this was not a problem as I just went back to bed for a couple of hours before breakfast. The entertainment pool is fun with a great animation team. We spent most of our time in the other pools though as they were shallower for the little one. The hotel itself is a bit dated and the rooms are really small. We had 3 beds almost pushed together and there was no hair dryer. The balcony is tiny but you get a fantastic view of the sea. Unfortunately we were 6 floors above the bar which did get noisy some evenings. The maid service was excellent with clean sheets and towels every day. The evening entertainment is not quite up to speed yet, a bit cheesy and even cringy. The animation team put on shows such as Greece, The Lion King and are miming the words!! We enjoyed 4 shows out of the possible 14. We think a disco would surfice to dance with the kids. The children liked it however. The restaurant is very busy, the food was piping hot and there was a lot of choice. My daughter lived on pizza and pancakes. The tables/chairs are back to back but it didnt cause a problem. Our waiters were both very helpful and friendly and we kept the same table for the whole fortnight. Tunisia is a tipping country, so the more you tip the friendlier they are. Tips for the waiter and maid is fine, but tipping for the blue mat on your sunbed is a con in an All Inclusive holiday. It was Ramadam whilst we were there so that was the excuse for the rudeness. 10 minute transfer from the airport was fantastic, but don't expect to see anything out the front of the hotel but taxi's waiting to take you places. We went to Sousse and Port El Kentoui for £10 each way (cheap as chips)! We went to the Aqua park which was great for the little one and El Jem for a bit of culture followed by the pirate ship - a fab day out. We made some fantastic friends and had a great holiday.
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Date of review:
this is a holiday if you are wanting a relaxing time and cant be bothered checking out different bars restaurants, going to mad nights out and that suited us just fi
ne. we will be back to this resort and to this hotel it is basic but as long as your not looking for 5* in a 3* then this is perfect.
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Date of review:
The Sahara Beach has got great pools and an adjoining beach for those who wish to laze about and top up their tans. If you want a sun bed near one of them however yo
u have to get up with the lark to have any chance of success. I suppose having 1000+ rooms in the resort lends itself to this sort of scramble.
The entertainment provided by the numerous members of the animation team during the day was very good but during the shows at night it was quite amateurish although they tried hard.
I found the food for breakfast fine but lunch and dinner were not so good and on quite a few occasions we settled for bread and some fillings.
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Date of review:
I have to say that this was a fantastic 2 week break for me & my hubby,(very fussy eater!) Fantastic fight with Thomas Cook, easy transfer! We landed in the early ho
urs but allocated rooms very quickly. Our room was small but sure as long as you have somewhere to sleep, shower etc. Have to say they were a little tired BUT SPOTLESS! Our maid Iesha cleaned every day & made wee animal designs with our towels. Flowers in a vase for our anniversary & a bowl of fresh fruit for my hubby on his birthday! The staff, from the reception, bar, cleaning, dining,pool were so friendly & extremely helpful, I really can't fault them. Food was excellant and I cannot fathom how anyone can complain about any of it because there was something to suit everyone. The potatoes were actually better than we have at home! My hubby never complained once about the food, and our waiter was fantasticc, he had our drinks sitting for us as soon as we appeared.The reps were so there at all times & very visible which is the first I've ever had on any holiday. I will definitely be back here. Trying to talk hubby into taking me back for a week in October!!! Sahara Beach you do a great job!
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Date of review:1 Sep 2011
The Sahara beach hotel, is one of the best hotels that i have ever been to. The staff are warm and welcoming. The entertainment through out the day and especially at
night is supber, you can reallyy tell how much time and effet they put into their work. My favorite annimation show was the lion king. The club for the older teenagers and adults is a nice way of spending the rest of the night after a show. The medina in souse is a good way to spend time and to experence the local culture well as as the number of trips avialiable from the hotel. I am returnig to this hotel next year and i would reccommend on going and experiencing tunisia for your self.
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Date of review:1 Sep 2011
The hotel Saraha beach is one of the best hotels that i have ever been to. The staff are welcoming and friendly and are always willing to help and assist where ever
needed. The entertainment is absolutley fabulous, the annimation shows are excellent, my favourite show is the annimation version of the lion king. The entertainment in the day is also amazing and the annimaters provide activities for all ages. The hotel rooms are clean and well maintained and are of a decent size, The rest of the hotel is as well looked after.
The hotel club is a good way for the older teenagers and adults to spend the rest of the evening after the shows. The food is varied and they provide food for every ones tastes. The medina in souse is a good way to experience the local culture and a good way to meet the local people. A fun activity for both adults and children is quad biking. I am returning next year to the Sahara beach hotel in tunisa, i would recommend this hotel to any one who aske and would strongly recommend for them to go and experience tunisia for themselves.
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Date of review:1 Sep 2011
Tunisia was an experience to say the lweast. The Hotel was "ok", you will get by fine. The weather was nothing short of awesome. We flew with Thomson airlines and th
e flight was first class. Not wanting to sound unkind the rooms were poor in this hotel and the restaurant offering was average however the pool & outdoor areas are superb. Considering the price we paid it was well worth the cost.
Enjoy!
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Date of review:1 Aug 2011
WORST HOLIDAY OFMYLIFE, THE FOOD WAS HORRIBLE AND COLD SAMETHING DAY AND NIGHT BUT WITH DIFFERENT NAME. ROOMS TINY . STAFF RUDE AND ARROGANT ALWAYS GOT A HAND OUT FO
R MONEY THE POOL AREA WAS UNCLEAN AND STAYED THAT WAY FOR TWO WEEKS,DAUGHTER GOT FOOD POISONING, BEACH WAS FILTHYAND THE AMOUNT OF FLIES HANGING ROUND WAS AMAZING, YOU COULDNT PUT A CUP IN YOUR HAND FOR ONEMINUTE WITHOUT IT GETTING COVERED IN THEM. ALL IN ALL ATOTAL WASTE OFHARD EARNED MONEY I WOULDNT GO BACK FOR A GOLD PIG
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Date of review:1 Aug 2011
This was 12th visit to the hotel. Staff friendly. Food has really gone downhill and was hard to find something I liked.
Date of review:1 Aug 2011
W went to this resort with no expectations. It looked great in the broucher but who knows. 3Stars abroad can vary so much but for this resort it was at the top end.
We took our 8 year old son with us and he was spoilt for choice of things to keep him occupied, a little to much that we thought he would just come back in time to catch the plane. He was upset to leave due to not having enough time in the week to play on all the activites.
The Thomas cook staff could not have been more help full if they had tried full of life and making you feel welcome at every moment nothing was to big or little for them.
The amount of experditions that were on offer suited every bodies taste in culutre or just a good old fashioned Bargin.
On the beach to this hotel reasonably price water sports were available for all. Each activity we went on had it's own photographer takig pictures you would miss available to by outside the restuarant with no pressure at all and for a good price.
The holiday was outstanding. The Rooms are basic with no TV we did not find this an issue however as we purely used it to sleep in.
Drinks and food were great and what with being school holidays we thought it would be over run at the bar. The staff worked hard and i think the longest i queued for a drink was about 3 minutes.
Oh this hotel also had it's own animation team for the evening which was amazing if you go i recommend the Lion King show if it is on.
Don't be put off by some web reviews so people expect the Ritz for half the price but was a holidday i will keep close to my heart.
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Date of review:1 Aug 2011
had a lovely week in this resort had everything you could possibly need only left the resort to go on a couple trips organised by thomas cook reps. the resort reps w
ere first class. only 2 disapointments was towels left on sunbeds very early around the main pool by selfish people reserving them sometimes not coming back till mid-day .and entertainment not brilliant on couple nights.
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Date of review:1 Aug 2011
My family and I had a great time at the Sahara beach. My teens were in their element the animation team were fabulous and provided daily fun packed activities for th
em, even my 10 year old was so busy with his friends he didn't go in the kids club. The rooms are basic and really you cant expect more for a 3star but the activities were of a higher grading which meant you didn't really mind that there was not much else in the rooms other than the basics, they were cleaned daily too. we had lovely views of the sea and the surrounding coast line which made the sunset even now after 2 weeks a sight to remember. I would say overall well worth every penny for a fab family break.
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Date of review:1 Aug 2011
I'll never go back to Tunisia after 2 awful holidays there. Our last stay was in August and from the moment we arrived I felt harrassed by the hotel staff who want m
oney off you for everything. The pool staff in particular who charge for the sun bed mattresses even tho I saw the rep tearing a strip off one when a holiday maker complained. I never asked for a mattress as you'd be given the evil eye if you didn't comply with the staff and I couldn't be bothered to argue. Even our room cleaner asked me to being him coffees everyday and hung around expectantly. On one day he even asked me to bring him tuna pizzas from the snakck bar. I did as he asked as I was worried what he might do to my belongings if I didn't.
The hotel in general was dirty and dated. My bathroom was badly in need of repair. The restaurant was grimy, hot and a breeding ground for lord knows what with flies and birds flying freely in and out from outside.
Needless to say I was ill with a stomach bug for most of the holiday even tho I was careful what I ate and used only bottled water. Only on the penultimate day did I ask myself if the hotel was watering down the orange juice and stop drinking it. Ta da, I got better. My daugter got an ear infection from the pool (as did other children we met). The hospital has a nurse on site and a regular doctor which was a god send - but I know ask myself why!!! I think I know why, because that many people are ill they need them! And it's a good money maker for the doctor - 50 dinar just to see him.
There was enterainment every evening which was not too bad - sometimes! It is hotel run and as usual you get the enthusiastic ones, the odd talented ones and then the rest going through the motions. The Thomas Cook kids clucb staff were helpful but didn't split the clubs into age groups so my 8 yo was playing with 4yos and she found the activities babyish so wasn't bothered about going to the club which was a shame.
The worst part of the stay is the 3 times daily walk of torture to the restaurant which isn't mentioned anywhere in the brochures. You have to walk through a retail area of Tunisian chaps selling everything from camel rides to perfume bottles, jewellry to photographic sessions for the family. It sounds nice but OMG you get hassled and I'd dread the walk. Some would even follow you round the hotel trying to track you down if you evaded them.
All in all it was a holiday I wanted to leave from the day I arrived and it got worse and worse. The hotel is a 3 star and I think that is being generous.
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Date of review:1 Aug 2011
Just came back from 2 weeks at the Sahara Beach we travelled through Thomas cook, we were told this was a family holiday and there was lots to do for the kids. When
we arrived there were no reps to greet us and nearly was escorted on the wrong bus, i should have know from then but i gave the holiday a chance hoping it would be a great holiday. Once at the hotel, the staff were very friendly and our room was very nice, i had read previous reviews which had said very basic , but ours was very good. Tipping started as soon as we got to the airport but we were aware of this and tipped the staff at the end of the holiday. I was very excited about the holiday but it did not cater for the needs we asked, we asked for a hotel that was brilliant for the kids, but the entertainment was very poor. Our first day we sat at the entertainment pool which was fine for a little while but the kids could not swim in this pool as it was too deep, the children aged 10,9, and 2. There were 3 pools in the complex 2 was for the younger children but there was no entertainment around these pools. Then the night time came and the entertainment team did not interact with the new people who had arrived unless you sat around the big pool. when the show finished at 11pm we were excorted to the hotel where you could have a drink but needed to pay after 12pm. This was the same pattern for 14 nights very boring. There was a kids disco but not very good. The hotel staff was very nice and it was ashame because thomas cook entertainment let the whole place down. The hotel staff a 8 out 10 entertainment 0. They only seemed to be interested if you were spending money. We went on the camel ride not through thomas cook which was brilliant well worth the money. we also went on a shopping trip which i did not enjoy hassled all the way around. Thomas cook need to change the brochure as this is not for younger families may from teenagers as the entertainment was aimed at them. Thomas cook states there was football coaching and street dance for the kids but when we got there told the children were too young. We were missold the holiday and would not go back i just feel sorry for the hotel and staff because like i have said they were brill. We also got some items stolen but to be honest that can happen anywhere. A number of families we spoke to complained about there not being anything for the kids. The food was nice could of been more varied but i really liked what was there. We did meet some nice people if that was not the case i would have been back home a lot eariler.
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Date of review:1 Aug 2011
Good weather and the staff were great,very helpfull , But the evening entertainment was very poor most of the other guests played cards of an evening. The animation
team were useless miming to all of there shows which included lion king, aladin and grease, the micheal jackson show was rubbish . The main shows did not start until 10 pm which was too late .There was no background music at all either day or evening in the hotel and no other entertainment in the hotel . And nothing for teenagers to do during the evening. but there was a few games and music around the pool during the day.
We would go back again if they improved the evening entertainment.
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Date of review:1 Jul 2011
hotel was lovely, food not very good for children, beer only just palatable, entertainment excellent, need to be up at 5 a.m. in a morning if you want a sunbed, men
selling goods on the beach are very annoying
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Date of review:1 Jul 2011
If you want a resort where the staff of a hotel couldnt do enough for you then this is the place to be. They are helpful and enthusiastic, sometimes borderline harra
sment but easily tolerated once you get out to one of the hotels many pools and you are not bothered. The facilities including the hotel, toilets, pools, beach are all clean and well maintained.
My 8 year old daughter came with us this time and she had a blast. A different pool each day, a small water park and the beach at the other side of the main pool what more could you ask for.....reasonably priced water activities, parasailing, jet skis, bananna boat ...... all there as well as the other excursions offered like the camel caravan (managed not to get married this year). Word of warning its not like the movies but still very enjoyable.
All in all a very enjoyable and relaxing trip, would definately go back again !!
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Date of review:1 Mar 2011
great holiday great hotel great weather this is the eighth time i have been to this hotel 14 times to tunisia in all the only gripe i have is with thomas cook on thi
s holiday i booked for four people to travel from stansted as the flights were comming back late arrive stanstead after 11pm and i have a 3 hour drive home and being over 65 it is too long a day. so booked our freinds on this flight and we paid more to to fly out and back during the day only to have it changed 5 times and up on same flight at the extra cost of £150.00 so next year we decide to fly from norwich in the day time but a month after booking a email to tell me flight and airport have changed to stanstead 0600 flight out this is third time this has happend i do not think there is any other flight only the one from stantsed between 0600 and 0700 the other flights are just a con.as you can only go to this hotel with thomas cook other wise i would not book with thomas cook again.
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Date of review:1 Mar 2011
Hotel sahara beach tunisia after all the trouble in Tunisia i was a bit wary of the reception we would get well we had no problems at all the hotej staff and in gene
ral the public was.However the usual hassle with locals in the Medinas.The food at the hotel was good so were the grounds the real gem was the beach bar the food was fab the salads and burgers chips and the pizzas were excellent as was the main dining at night.Breakfast was a bit hit and miss eggs were and cereals no english beans sausage or bacon this did not bother us as i only have toast at home but a really good break tina the rep was very good and anything you needed shr could help with
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Date of review:1 Dec 2010
The hotel we were in, the Royal Miramar in Skanes, offered tremendous value for money and the staff were polite and helpful. However, the food was bland and often co
ld, especially at breakfast but a good choice. Beware the local rep who was full of misinformation and only seen on arrival and departure. The Sahara trip was again, great value for money and fun with a very informative and helful leader. The hotel offered a good base to get out and explore the local towns and villages but could have been rather like a tourist ghetto if you didn't make an effort. You need at least ten days to see most of the local sites and longer to get a real taste of the country and at the prices on offer out of season this is a very realistic proposition.
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Date of review:1 Nov 2010
Hotel accommodation good, facilities goog, hotel itself good, infact all aspects of our holiday were good, except the food. on arriving the resturant offered a good
selection of food, although not much in the way of veggies,or fruit. We arrived on Sunday to Roast beef and yorkshires but no roast potatoes, typically english, in fact the ionly thing that looked like potatoes were chips! If you are adventuras and try the local foods , the wife tells me it was good, however by Wednesday the hotel seemed to be shutting down arround us, the food became very limited not only in the main resturant but the beach bar also, and by the time we departed the following Sunday the breakfast selection was non existant. On the hole this proved to spoil a very good holiday, the people and staff were very frendly, the reps were very knowlagable about the local area and in general the hotel grounds were very clean and tidy, We were recommended this hotel by people who had been earlier in the year and they say they had no problems with the food...so what went wrong?
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Date of review:1 Nov 2010
Excellant Hotel Staff brill ,food brill ,bar service brill,pools and beech brill go all inclusive well worth it going back next year mid October tip at the end of yo
ur hols and a 10 dinar at your first visit to the food halls you are a king for the rest of your hols
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Date of review:1 Nov 2010
Spent a week at the Sahara Beach Hotel with my cousin,accomodation was ok as was food.Location was good right by the sea.Staff were very friendly and helpful.Not muc
h to do apart from sunbathing by the pool or the beach,also no evening entertainment until the Thursday night.People were complaining about the locals hassling them hey this is a poor country what do you expect,then think of the times you get cold called at home and if you just say no they leave you alone(although women did get more hassle than the men.Overall enjoyed the holiday might consider going again but to a different resort with a bit more going on
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Date of review:1 Oct 2010
Food was lovely and accomodation was great for the price. We had a problem with our tv which was fixed in acouple of hours. Staff were very friendly but on our first
night we arrived at 2am and were woken at 8am by a member of staff with a love note for my friend with her name on the note. The trip was booked in my name and we were a little worried about this but the rest of the trip was fine. Would recommend tours esp. camel tour. Hotel does not provide beach towels - make sure you bring your own - room towels cannot be used. Dont go on free bus tour offered by hotel - we ended up left on our own in a large shop being surrounded by sellers. All inclusive was very good. Ice-cream had to be purchased however it was only 50p a tub which was good value. All in all - good holiday and hotel!
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Date of review:1 Oct 2010
the rooms are ok the food and drink are very good the locals are very friendly and the grounds and swimming pools were fantastic
Date of review:1 Oct 2010
The hotel itself cannot be faulted, great facilities, great food, 3 huge swimming pools and on the beach.
The hotel is popular with families, however the complex is
so vast you can always find a quiet spot if need be. The drink is a tad of a let down as although its free as in all-inclusive it aint brill.
There is nothing what so ever to do in the evening outside the hotel, there is entertainment in the hotel for kiddies, but thats about it.
Thomas cook run a number of trips from this hotel and I would recomend the El Jem, an ampietheatre that apparently was used in the filming of Gladiator, a staggering size, this isnt a typical site full of rubble and the odd colomn, this is a huge 75% still intact and can be seen from miles away.
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Date of review:1 Oct 2010
My husband and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary at Saraha Beach. Our thoughts on arrival were a little dim as we had a long journey and by the time we got th
ere the hotel made us fill forms out. To top it off it is a closed currency so we had no Tunisian money at all and the porter took our bags and we could not tip him!
The hotel was very friendly and the pool area etc is lovely. The food was very good considering the hotels rating of 3*, plenty of choice and good quality. The entertainment was OK, more aimed at kids, it reminded us of a large caravan site. There was a night club but we never attended.
All in all it was a very good relaxing holiday and would recommend this location to anyone who wants a break away in a quiet location this is the perfect hotel
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Date of review:1 Oct 2010
I went with my husband, we had a very good holiday.
The hotel was very clean, the food was good, a lot of Tunisian food but we were in Tunisia, so no problems there.
The staff were friendly and most helpful, There were plenty of places to get hot, cold and alchoholic drinks, even some very nice cocktails. We loved the quiter of the three outside pools, but there was something for everyone. The indoor pool looked good but with such hot weather who wants to swim indoors.
The garden was lovely, and the hotels beach great.
We loved it there and would certainly recommend it and even go back ourselves.
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Date of review:1 Sep 2010
We had an amazing week in Tunisia, being the first time either of us had visited the country, and we would go straight back!
The hotel was close to the airport - onl
y about 5 mins on the coach, however you barely heard the planes taking off and landing in Monastir airport which was a bonus!
Food was brilliant - even for fussy eaters like myself - there was always something different and tasty - you must try the Tunisian buffet!
The staff are very friendly, our waiter in particular, and did not mind leaving a generous tip at the end of our stay. All staff expect a tip - so leave it until the last day of your holiday to use up your leftover Tunisian Dinars and coins.
Our holiday reps, Marina and Rhian were wonderful and always had the time to sort out your queries and book excursions - we would fully reccomend the Medina Ramble as it would be quite a daunting experience by yourself!
The hotel was well kept, even if a bit dated in decor, but the poolside and beach made up for it - going at this time of the year was perfect as it was 32 degrees all week, and the hotel was still busy with entertainment. The one thing I will point out is the entertainment in the evening is set - and it seems to be the only entertainment put on in the evenings, so you are always there for the kids disco and the shows, where as there could be a variety happening at once. But all in all, a brilliant holiday which we would both recommend.
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Date of review:1 Sep 2010
on arriving at the the sahara beach we were greeted by a porter at the door and taken to the reception area. we were given our armbands as we were fully inclusive an
d then taken by a porter straight to our room which was ready for our arrival.i was very pleased as we arrived at 9.30 am and i did fear that the room would not be ready.the room was bright and airy and very clean. throughout our stay the cleanliness of the room was maintained by an excellant cleaning team. food was good and a good range each day.puddings were to die for so dont go on this holiday if your watching your waistline. outdoor pools were all in good condition and kept to a high standard. all the staff at the hotel were more than helpful but, they do expect tips so listen to your rep for good advice. trips were good but buses were a little cramped on one occasion. historical sites such as el-jem and dougga are well worth the visit, you will be amazed at what you will see. the trip was long but would not have missed it. went to the zulu dancer night, great! the zoo was brilliant. i fed 2 baby elephants then we went for the evening entertainment food was good drink plentiful and entertainment first class.the holiday was good two weeks of sun and tanning no pressure relaxing holiday. good value for the money we paid.
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Date of review:1 Sep 2010
the hotel rooms are very basic,not all that comfy, fab view from balcony tho. swimming pools were great all of them and the beach is lovely the sand is so soft. the
bad points there was not much food variety in any of the restaurants, the staff expect to be tipped all the time and get rude when not tipped. the hotel is based in the middle of no where. on the plus side it was ideal for my 18 month son only 5 min transfer from airport and he loved pizza, chips, pasta everyday, its great for kids
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Date of review:1 Sep 2010
was really worried after reading a few nasty reviews but on arrival was very relieved. Evening entertainment for us was non-existent but there were a few bars and we
met some nice people. Did two evening trips one was the dreamgirls by the reps, we weren't over the moon raving about it as most of it was mimed and we got two drinks and then on had to buy drinks should've stayed in the hotel. The other was the light laser show and it was a good night out. Our room was kept clean, clean linen and towels everyday. We tipped the cleaner and our waiter everyday roughly about 2 dinar each. I liked the fact we had the same table and waiter for our stay as we got to know him. The food was really good we've done a few AI holidays one being 5 star and the others carribean and this hotel rated with us the best for food. The tunisian counter served pasta with sauce which the waiter would cook in the wok adding peppers and spices delicious. The cakes were lovely and usually I don't have a sweet tooth but someone recommended trying them and they were addictive. We got lovely photos done by the photographer who is pitched just outside the restaurant very reasonably priced. We would definately go back.
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Date of review:1 Sep 2010
only problem was the queue at check in.
lovely hotel ,although three pools , room was limited by the sheer number of guests.
entertainment pool was good for the unde
r 25s but the music blasting out was far too loud,
but a quiet corner could be found on the beach or at the other pools if you got your towels out for 7am.
good staff . food was good but started to run out towards 9pm. large gardens , shops on site.
slow service at the bars and small plastic cups for drinks . overall good value for money. cheap and cheerful. one block is being refurbished , lets hope they put in TV fridge and more drawers in bedrooms.
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Date of review:1 Sep 2010
Stayed at the One Resort not Sahara Beach. One Resort was superior to the Sahara Beach, and the One Resort was absolutely excellent, staff, excellent, food, excellen
t hotel. Full inclusive package was the best ever full inclusive, the bar and food available all night long 24 hours a day, ice lollies given to customers on the beach, free bar at disco every night. Buffett excellent, breakfast lunch and dinner. Very good selction on all services, wine with food.
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Date of review:1 Sep 2010
A late summer break with plenty of sunshine is exactely what we got, the hotel was looking a bit tired but clean and tidy, room was comfortable enough for the time s
pent there but the bath towels had a bad smell even though they were clean!!, Always plenty of food which was of a reasonable standard, local drinks were fine but plastic glasses? Plenty of sunbeds around the 4 fabulous pools.The 'animation' team worked really hard and actually put on some good evening entainment. The only real critism was no pool towel service oh, and the plastic glasses.
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Date of review:1 Sep 2010
had a great holiday. hotel good value for money, service good & a great place to relax. can not wait to go back next year .
Date of review:1 Aug 2010
My husband and I travelled with my daughter and her friend.It is the 3rd time we have stayed at the fabulous Sahara Beach.Although the evening entertainment was not
as good as on our other stays we all had a brilliant holiday.The pools are gorgeous,the beach is on the doorstep.There are plenty of choices of where to enjoy your all inclusive drinks both during the day and at night.Food was a good variety and our waiter was on the ball at bringing our drinks and making sure we were all happy.
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Date of review:1 Aug 2010
I will start by saying that we all had a lovely holiday. The food was very nice and always piping hot with lots of choice. The pool areas were really good. We tended
to stay near the free form pool as the animation pool could get a bit loud for us. Now for the down sides of the hotel. If you want sun loungers you need to be up around 6 o'clock and lots of people were getting beds from 5 o'clock. Most of the staff are very rude. The nicest staff can be found in the restaurant. We had to complain to our rep about not having hot water to shower almost every night of our 14 night stay. she said it was because of how many people were using the showers. We go on holiday every year and have never had to shower in COLD water. The staff expect to be tipped for anything they do for you whether they deserve one or not it is expected. The dining room was very very overcrowded and their system was a farse. They allocate you a table for your whole stay but some people choose to ignore this and sit at any table. This has a knock on effect when you arrive at your table and have to be moved to someone elses. Sometimes the queues for the food were very long too. The brochure advertises this hotel as a 3 star plus but we wouldn't agree with this.
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Date of review:1 Aug 2010
We had a fab holiday, 2 girls aged 27 and 28 years old. Had no problem with men on resort as some people had warned us not to go with no males in our party but we we
re fine. The hotel itself could do with a good pain and the rooms coulr do with updating but that did not spoil our holiday there. The pools and grounds are totally fantastic. Food was good, not brilliant choice but always found something to eat and actually put on 5lb whilst away, but that could have something to do with their lovely pancakes and choc sauce served at every meal time!!!! The entertainment was so so. Bars were good, never had to que and measures of spirits ate about a triple. I would go back here again.
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Date of review:1 Aug 2010
Enjoyed our holiday, Marina and Rhian our Reps were very helpful, even when a standin Rep cocked up my daughters' birthday cake. Rooms were clean and big enough for
what we used them for, views from balcony were awesome. Food was tasty and plentiful, staff at hotel were helpful and polite. First time we have been all inclusive kids thought it was excellent. Would recommend horse riding along the beach 1st thing in morning was relaxing and fun. Pools were amazing and kept very clean, ok sunbeds were a problem had to get up early to get one. The entertainment crew certainly earned their money they always seemed to be on the go.
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Date of review:1 Jul 2010
Went to this hotel 5 years ago for our first holiday without the kids. Hotel is a bit tired looking, waiters very friendly, guys who get the mat for the sunloungers
are friendly (if you tip them). None of the staff get paid very much so expect tips! Didn't find the quality of the food and drink as good as last time we were there and the bars shut earlier than the stated 12 midnight on the two occasions we stayed up late!!! Beer in the nightclub is the same as is on draught but comes in a bottle and costs 4 Dinar. Pools are great location on the beach is great, beach bar for lunch is good. Overall good holiday if you want a good suntan with average all inclusive food and drink at a reasonable price this is the place to go
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Date of review:1 Jul 2010
My husband and I just came back from the Sahara Beach in Skanes, and I was a bit dubious having read all the reviews before going, which were very mixed. But, I have
to say that it was excellent. The transfer from the airport takes 5 minutes, and checking in was very quick, with hotel porters taking your suitcases to your room immediately. The rooms are twin, and spotlessly clean, small bathroom with shower in the bath, toilet and basin, more than adequate. Plenty of room for clothes etc. All balconies, although small, have fabulous sea views and views of garden, the higher the floor the better the view, we were on the 6th. The hotel is fab, 3 very good size outside pools, with 1of them being a massive one with waterfalls etc. The restaurant food was fab, good selection every day, and we stayed for 10 days and I didnt get bored of it at all, which I usually do. The beach is golden sand, with 24 hour security on it, and the part outside the hotel is lovely, however very seaweedy, if you walk on the beach though ether side of the hotel, then you will see that the Tunisians take no pride in their beaches and there was a lot of litter on the shoreline all around, very unpleasant. Although there is a "tip" culture in the hotel and indeed everywhere you go, a Dinar, which is abou 47p is more than enough to tip, and the service you receive is excellent. All the staff in the hotel are friendly and hard working and the standards of the hotel are good, maybe a little tired, but who cares? I would recommend this holiday and would say that anyone can find something to complain about if you look hard enough, but at the end of the day eny holiday is what you make it, and I would say this hotel is a very good choice for both couples, and families.
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Date of review:1 Jul 2010
first time in tunisia. could not fault the hotel its a three star so the food was 3 star . maids kept the rooms clean with fresh towels every day. staff worked hard
to maintain the hotel. we spent most of the time on the beach, again the staff worked hard to maintain their beach area, but if you take a stroll the beach is full of rubbish . the watersports are good vaule for money 50 dina for paragliding but you can get it down to 40 dina, about £20 for 2 people. we had a great time. but i suppose its what you make of it . great weather.
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Date of review:1 Jul 2010
The Sahara Beach is a busy and multicultural hotel that is a 10 minute transfer from the airport. There is a lot to do for families and couples young and old as the
hotel provides good entertainment throughout the day at the 'Entertainment Pool' and puts on some very comical evening shows, which offer a welcome rest bite for parents.
The pool area and beach are pleasant and of a good standard, however, you will need to be at your sun bed with your towel and 1 Dinar (more about the tipping system below) between 06:15 and 06:45 at the latest if you want a parasol.
The food area is clean and of a good standard. Most of the food is self-serve and this can get busy so expect a short wait. The food is of a good standard and there is a fairly good selection that includes some local dishes. I recommend the fresh omelettes, pizzas and pancakes.
The bar service is good and the local beer, which is also included in the all inclusive package, is actually quite nice.
The hotel itself is tired and when you see how many people pass through there you can understand why. The rooms are basic and often smell heavily of cigarette smoke. Nevertheless, you will see cleaners throughout the day keeping the hotel pretty clean.
The hotel has some lovely gardens, which are well worth a walk through and also offers tennis, football, basketball and crazy golf as free activities.
Overall, the hotel is functional for those who want to relax on the beach and around the pool. If you have children there is plenty for them to do so that you can focus on winding down. If you are happy to make do and have a positive approach to what the hotel offers you will really enjoy your holiday here. If you expect a night in the Ritz you will be disappointed. Do not expect the same level of customer service from the staff as you get in the UK because you will not get it. This is due to cultural differences and language barriers, however, I found that if you make an effort with the staff (including tips) then they were a lot more responsive.
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Date of review:1 Jun 2010
Gorgeous location of hotel - amazing sea & pool views.
Went with husband - bit apprehensive as read some negative comments about this hotel but we would go back tomo
rrow if we could as we enjoyed it so much.
Rooms are basic but very clean - only sleep in there anyway so perfectly adequate & view from balcony is amazing.
Food is fine - plenty of choice - try & be adventurous & taste the Tunisian dishes but if not to your taste there are freshly made pizzas, omlettes,soup,salad & crepes so unless you are very fussy you will enjoy.
Drinks & bars are very good - only time we had to queue was when the England match was on. Measures were very generous - especially if you take the time to have a chat with the waiters - they are all v.friendly & have a great sense of humour! This was the case with all the staff - waiters & cleaners. It is handy to tip them - 1 dinar coin (less that 50p) is enough to tip your restaurant waiter, cleaner & pool man each day. For less that £1.50 a day it will make the difference to your hol - also saying thank you' in Tunisian (pronounced "shookran") is very much appreciated (& is the reason they are generous with your measures of alcohol!)
The pools were perfect - one lively pool with all the animators, one pool with waterfalls & a queiter pool so you can take your pic. We always got a sun lounger but if you want one right next to the pool then you will have to be up early!
Beach is also lovely - security guards from hotel make sure you are not hassled from beach sellers & there is an all inclusive bar on the beach.. Animators do a great job with the shows & the kids but if I had to complain it would be that there are too many young lads instead of a mix of men & women animators. Young lads as they are, they tend to give all their attention to the young girl guests instead of making sure all sexes & ages are looked after! Not too much of a prob but if you want to join in you just have to grab their attention away from the girls - they are great with the younger kids though.
Facilities are v.v good - plenty of bars to grab a drink or coffee, tv lounge which showed all the world cup matches, 2 pool bars - one also serving snacks, beach bar, games room, tennis, archery, mini golf & also a small wildlife park - would recommend a walk round as some gorgeous birds in there & some very tame ducklings!
. The gardens, pools & court yards all around the hotel are maintained to a very high standard & the bars & restaurants are modern & comfy.All ths staff were very friendly - whether you tip them or not, as long as you make the effort with them & are courteous. So we would highjly recommend this hotel to anyone (we are couple in our early 30's) but there was a great mix of people - young, middle & old & everyone we spoke to seemed to really like the hotel. We would go back anytime!
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Date of review:1 Jun 2010
first time to tunisia was very pleased with the resort,i travelled with my husband and 14year old son.rooms clean and basic ,food varied,and very enjoyable.could hav
e done with a bit more variaty of entertianment in the evening.hotel staff very polite and freindly.if you want a relaxing holiday this is spot on
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Date of review:1 Jun 2010
My wife and I would like to very highly commend Philippa Knight to Thomas Cook.
We booked our holiday via 'on the beach' and therefore had no representative at the r
esort.
We stayed at The Houda Skanes Palace Hotel, Monastir, Tunisia which is where Philippa is based.
Despite she was extremely helpful to both of us and displayed a professional manner at all times.
I have been on numerous holidays and cannot recall anyone being so helpful.
I would add this is the first time we've given feedback but feel compelled to do so on this occasion.
Please confirm this review is received by Philippa.
Mark & Maxine
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Date of review:1 Jun 2010
Me and my partner went to Tunisia on the 23rd June 2010 for 7 nights all inclusive, i was abit apprehensive as to what to expect as i had never been on a package hol
iday before and had read very mixed reviews on the hotel. We arrived at 10am and were given a free drink, our wristbands and a form to fill out. The process was quick and easy and you could tell the hotel deal with this system day in and day out. We were told our room would be ready for us in 1 hour which considering most hotels won't let you check in until 2pm, we thought was very good.
We took a wander down to the beach and were pleasently surprised at the size of the pools, (as you walk past these to get to the beach). The beach was extremely clean, with a couple of bars (1 all inclusive, 1 not) and a shop selling inflatables and snacks. We loved the fact there was a patrol on the beach which stops sellers from bothering you.
When we went back to reception we were taken to our room, it was small but a nice enough size for the 2 of us. It was clean with stunning views from the balcony of both the pools and the beach - exactly what you want to wake up to each morning. The only slight downside was the fact you had to hold the shower head the whole time you wanted to have a shower for. There is no television in the room but this wasnt an issue.
The food was of an average quality but was alot better than what i expected for all inclusive. There is a good choice of food, with salad, soup, pasta, cooked to order pizza and omlette and chips avaliable daily. There was always a fish dish, a meat dish and a tunisian dish avaliable also which was good to be able to try something new and alot of it was very nice.
The hotel offer alot of different activities such as darts, mini golf, tennis, archery etc all of which are included in the all inclusive package, they also offer horse riding, paragliding, speed boat hite etc all for a small fee. The only downside is that the tennis courts are in the full heat of the sun.
The hotel also has a park onsite with birds roaming around and in cages, which is very enjoyable to walk around.
There is also a photographer onsite who will do a photoshoot for free with you, you can then buy the photos if you wish for 6 dinar which is equivelent to £3, they are definatly worth it, we had 100 photos taken and brought 13 of them. We would of brought more but didnt have the money.
On the whole we throughly enjoyed our holiday, and would recomend anyone who has never been to Tunisia to go there, the only reason we wouldnt visit again is because for us there wasnt enough to do as we don't like spending everyday lying by the pool. We would definatly travel with thomas cook again and were throughly pleased with the service we recieved from both the reps and the hotel.
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Date of review:1 Jun 2010
Gardens, pools and beach were well tenered and clean. Ideal for children (plenty of entertainment.) Could do with adult entertainment bar.
Date of review:1 Jun 2010
I read all the review befor myself, sister and daughter went and started to think we had made a mistake. Well let me tell you now. It's not 5 star accomadation or 5
star food, but we were well fed and the rooms are good after all when you are on holiday you only get ready to go out in your room and then return to sleep in it. The food was alright for the money that was paid, we never went hungry, but there are alot of waste full people who pile up there plates and then leave half of it. The staff are very friendly and helpfull. We are all booking for next year so I don't know why people were so negertive. We loved it
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Date of review:1 Jun 2010
I had never before been to another country so the boyfriend and me picked somewhere that wasn't too far away. Monastir airport, Tunisia was only a 3 hour flight away
and then the hotel was only a 10 minute transfer bus away which was brilliant! When we arrived the hotel looked massive and it was a bit of a rush trying to get to your room. We were ushered off the coach into one room and then given a form to fill in and then back to reception to collect a key and your all inclusive wrist band. We weren't allowed to take our own suitcases up to our room which was a bit annoying as all we wanted to do was have a shower and change our clothes so we could go down to the dinner hall. We were starving! After we'd got our suitcases and sorted ourselves out thats when we began to relax and started to enjoy ourselves.
The food was different but interesting! Not everything is labelled so you do have to guess what your eating but almost everything we tried we enjoyed and I'm quite a fussy eater. If you like fish, a couple of nights of the week they cook a huge tuna which is absolutely delicious, served next to their country dish, couscous. We were allocated a table but told that we may have to share at some point during the week. We did eventually meet the other couple that shared our table. As lovely as they were, there was a 40 year age gap between us and they weren't keen on having their meals with us either so the waiters did sort them out another table. The waiters are all really nice and bring your drinks to the table for you every meal.
Not all of the bars are all inclusive but when checking in you are given a letter with a map of the hotel and what is included and what is not. The beer is quite nice and so are the cocktails but if you like spirits be aware that they do not believe in 25/50ml shots that we have in England! Your glass will be filled up 3/4 of the way with the spirit before you get the mixer! Overall our holiday was fantastic and you are right on the lovely beach which has water activities too. The pools are amazing and hardly ever packed in the water but you have to get up early to put your towel on a sun lounger!!
P.s. The beep beep beep song will be stuck in your head for ever after!
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Date of review:1 Jun 2010
what can i say we spent a week at this hotel and wish it was longer we have 2 young children 2 and 5 years old they had such a lovely time they already want to retur
n all the staff were lovely and very helpful Salem our room cleaner was great and kept our rooms lovely, Carmel our waiter was brill and always made sure we had all we needed and Muhammed and co doing photos were fantastic . the food court is clean and tidy and as for the food it was all lovely we didn't go hungry at all. we would defiantly return. also a great morning out is the camel trip and visit to a little village where a lady makes bread it is a wonderful experience and would recommend to all.
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Date of review:1 Jun 2010
From the moment we arrived. the welcome was brilliant, from the managers to the gardeners. Everybody has a smile and a greeting for you. The room was clean and kept
to a very high standard. The waiters were excellent remembering our order from day to day. The food was excellent and plenty every meal. The outside bar was was brilliant, but the best bar of all was the boat on the beach. Even though this bar was not included in the"All inclusive" deal it was worth every dinar we spent there1!. Was one of the best, if not the best holiday we have had.
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Date of review:1 Jun 2010
Complex was well cared for and lovely and clean. Ok if you have children as plenty to keep them occupied, but for adults there was only the bar and lounge to sit and
have a drink, could have done with an adult bar with entertainment. Tried going out to browse around the shops!!!!! but unable to do so as you are pestered the whole time, even the taxi driver took us where he wanted us to go (must have been his family shop). Felt uncomfortable being two women on our own.
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Date of review:1 May 2010
This was our first time in Tunisia and on arrival first impressions where good, the rooms were small but cleaned daily. The pool area and ground where fabulously kep
t. Staff where always smiling and looked after us well during our stay, they did however expect tips regularly in all areas, rstaurants, bars, pools and the beach, we would recommend no more than £1 (equivlalent to 2 dinars) at any one time, as this can soon add up. The buffet restaurant provided for all tastes, the cakes always went down well and the cous cous was great. The beach bar provided snacks in the afternoon as a change
(try the chicken kebab - Very nice!) The cream is also good!
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Date of review:1 May 2010
We spend one week in Skanes. Our hotel was the Sahara Beach Hotel, which was a very nice and clean. Every staff was helpfull and friendly. The Hotel has own beach wi
ch is amasing and clean as well. It was 8 km long and you can choose many sport activities there. There were 2 woman from Thomas Cook and they were very helpfull all the time. There was a show every night in the hotel and the animation team was very funny.
It was an excellent holiday, if we travel again our choose is Thomas Cook The organization was flawless.
Thank You!
Fruzsi&Csabi
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Date of review:1 May 2010
I booked this holiday on the Thomas Cook website & only later read the reviews which made me a bit nervous about my holiday but I have since been & come to the concl
usion that people like to complain for the sake of complaining! The hotel was great, I have been to better hotels but for the price I could not fault it.
Activities - There was so much to do you didn't actually have to leave the hotel! In the day you could do activities with the Animation team who were excellent, we played mini golf, water polo, aqua aerobics & there was so much more to be done! In the evening there was shows put on every night which were great for all in the main, the Michael Jackson show especially!
Food - I thought the food was excellent, yes there was chips every night but there was also Tunisian foods & lots of variety, I am a fussy eater & never went hungry & my boyfriend likes to try new foods & wasn't disappointed either. The only problem was that I ate far too much haha! The drinks were also good, I liked the little cocktail bar in the evening!
Staff - I thought the staff were EXCELLENT but I can see why others might of complained about them.. Other people were so bloody rude to them! It really annoyed me all week, they speak excellent English & some manners really would be appreciated. I was polite & they were always polite back, they took the mick out of me for asking for small measures of vodka as they were very generous measures! We had a good laugh with them!
Area - The hotel is in a purely tourist area so not much you could walk to out from the hotel but the hotel does have a little train which is £3.50 return to Monastir & the taxi's outside the hotel are all official & it is quite inexpensive in Tunisia so getting around wasn't a problem. I would advise to visit Port El Kantaoui, it was about £20 return in a taxi & a very nice place.
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Date of review:1 May 2010
first can i say skanes is not a resort its just a strip of hotels so if you need to get out and about its a bus or taxi both clheap
hotel sahara beach is a great 3 s
tar hotel, clean but basic rooms , fantastic pools, and gardens,nice food and good family entertainment
i would reccomend this hotel for familys with kids, as adults would find the entertaiment at night a bit tame
if you just want a lazy sunshine hoilday its perfect and only 5 mins transfare from airport
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Date of review:1 May 2010
I stayed at Hotel Skanes Palace, also known as Houda Palace in May 2010. I had wonderful and lovely time. Skanes is an amazing place for relax. Beautiful sandy and c
lear beach, super nice staff, delicious food. I had holiday, which i've been exactly dreaming for. I hope I could come bach there next year. I miss Tunisia every day.
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Date of review:1 May 2010
We found the hotel to be nice and clean. Apon arrival we caught a taxi to the hotel as it is cheaper than the cost of transfer's. The Tunisian people are only helpfu
l if they are tipped. The rooms were very basic and our room is need of maintenance as is the exteriorof the hotel. The food was varied and very good no complaints at all. The drinks are also fine. The staff are only helpful when you tip them well otherwise you can be ignored till they feel like serving.I can only say the Thomas cook Reps were very helpful even more so when I had my wallet pick pocketed in Sousse. The beaches need to be cleaned up as they have the potential to be very nice but are not at the moment. The resort pools are lovely and the entertainment team good fun. There is alot of activities to keep everyone happy also a nice bird sanctuary on the grounds.
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Date of review:1 May 2010
Had a great holiday, fantastic hotel - staff and rep at the Hounda Palace
Date of review:1 May 2010
Stayed at the Sahara Beach in Skanes in may 2010 this was the 6 th time we have been to this hotel as we usually holiday 3 times a year.Hotel is really comfortable a
nd laid back Although the food could be better there was always something to eat and we have noticed that its getting better everytime we visit. Rooms are comfortable and clean and the pools and gardens are excellent Ive already booked for May 1011
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Date of review:1 May 2010
Me and my partner stayed at the Houda Golf and Beach Club in Skanes Tunisa, which is an All Inclusive resort, so everything we needed was right at our fingertips. Th
e reception staff were very friendly and helpful, the rooms were cleaned every day with fresh towels put in, the enterainment staff were amazing and put on fantastic shows in the evening, as well as doing games doing the day, like water polo and water aerobics, the food was fantastic with a poolside snack bar, the drink was also good. The Thomas Cook rep was very helpful and friendly aswell. There was internet access in the hotel so we could be kept informed what was going on at home. There was also a wide range of excursions going on. There is something for everyone to do at this hotel young or old. We had never been to Tunisia before, so we weren't to sure about going, we are definately glad we went and will be booking up to go again next year, this time we will take the children. Thank You Thomas Cook for a fantastic holiday.
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Date of review:1 Apr 2010
We actually booked through low cost holidays who actually dumped us on arrival and had not even paid the hotel in time for our stay. We were rescued by the Thomas Co
ok reps who let us sit in on their welcome meeting. The Hotel was only three star but the entire holiday was superb. The rooms are basic but spotlessly clean. The food was again basic but there was always something you liked and if not a choice of home made pizza pasta and omlettes were available... The entertainment was the best ever, even fantastic. My kids were 15 and 9 and both loved the entire holiday. So lets face it if the kids are happy all the time, so are we parents. The kids club was fantastic and the excursions were so reasonable. We are going again next year, this time through Thomas Cook.Then there was the volcano thing and Thomas Cook's reps were amazing. Although we were flight only they let us stay on for nothing even though Low Cost holidays were who we had booked through and basically washed their hands of us. There was lack of info given to the reps by head office but they were wonderful and if nothing else it has confirmed to us to never go through the cheaper company's again. All the news is negative about this disaster but Thomas Cook saved us from a week of sleeping at airports etc. Thank you Maheir, Marina and Christa and also Thomas Cook.
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Date of review:1 Apr 2010
Travelled to The Sahara Beach with my wife and 8 year old grandson. Having been to this hotel twice before, the first time 22 years ago I had no hesitation in choosi
ng this hotel. The check-in went like clockwork and again the view from our sixth floor balcony was amazing. Yes the rooms are basic with no TV but get a life, you're on holiday. We found plenty to do every day and met lots of great people. Our first stop every day was for breakfast where our waiter, Mohamed, was still there to serve us after first doing so 22 years ago, what a wonderful man!!!! Next it was off to the mini golf and tennis to be greeted by the nice old man who always said to everything 'no problem' and he meant it. After being beaten by our grandson we would retire to the pool which to be honest is absolutely amazing, I have been to lots worse in 5 star. The beach bar for lunch is the same each day but there is plenty to choose from but the chips are hard, watch out for the air conditioning.
I took a daily walk along the beach where you met the local beach traders who were selling cigarettes and Arabian headgear, they never gave you any grief and took a polite no for an answer and wished you well.
In the evening after passing the very polite traders and the photographer, who is amazing (at £2.50 per print) before arriving at the restaurant. The choice was plentiful but sometimes quite repetitive however it was always good quality and the facilities very clean. Before retiring to bed the Skanes Bar was always welcoming and the staff were always there to greet you with a smile. Overall this hotel offers exceptional value for money, is spotless throughout with very helpful and friendly staff. We never tipped until the last night and this didn't affect the way we were treated throughout our holiday. On our stay we didn't see anyone falling about drunk we just saw people enjoying their holiday.
We all had a great time in the sun at the end of April while it was still like winter in Scotland and would return in a heartbeat.
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Date of review:1 Mar 2010
Really nice hotel, brilliant for families, staff really friendly, entertainment was brilliant, Lion King show and Michael Jackson show amazing! Hotel run kids club w
as brilliant. We went the last week in March and the weather was fantastic, missed the rain by just a few days so would recommend going in April. Beach was lovely. Food was ok, lots of different things to chose from. Bar on the beach which is included in your all inclusive package which was great to have drinks and ice cream on the beach. Not really anthing outside the comlex and no shop or super market near by. Went to the Sahara Zoo which was good and only cost £50 for the 3 of us, also went on a camel ride. Will definitely be going back, met some really nice people.
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Date of review:1 Mar 2010
hotel sahara beach great relaxing holiday most of the staff very friendly they do like it if you give them a couple of dinars now and then .but we couldnt fault it r
eally food was pretty good i soon got the tastse for the locol beer .horse riding on the beach was very good so was the camel trip which you can book with the two men near the dining room
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Date of review:1 Jan 2010
We had a great holiday at the Sahara beach hotel, there was 8 of us mixed ages from 3 to 63 and there was something for us all.
I would recommend this resort to anyo
ne.
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Date of review:1 Jan 2010
Flight delayed 5 hours, we were however looked after by TC, vouchers for refreshments provided.
Arrival at Hotel: drink provided, registration forms completed, key p
rovided, cases brought to room.
Room: Air Conditioning didn't work, 3 telephone calls before repairman arrived. All balconies have outside lights,but they have all been disconnected.
3 single beds.: As we are a couple we asked for double bed room change, which was refused, despite being advised hotel was only 2/3rds full.
No fridge, TV or tea/coffee making facilities. Bathrooms small and dark, lights and suite needs replacing.
House keeping however was very good, room was cleaned to an acceptable standard.
Safe available for hire in reception, 36 Dinars per week, with returnable deposit of 30 Dinars. Money exchange also in reception.
Fixed rate of exchange in Tunisia, so no need to go hunting down best exchange rates.
Reception / Bar / Dining Room Staff: Generally If you approached them when they were talking/arguing amongst themselves, you were ignored until they had finished whatever they were discussing.
No smiles or conversation forthcoming unless you had a tip in your hand. With few exceptions.
Not truely all inclusive: Hot and Cold Drinks are chargeable after midnight.
Food: Breakfast: only plates available were sandwich plates,?
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner: Okay if you happy with same menu everyday: Chips/Pizza/Pasta/Unidentified meat and baked fish.
Hygiene questionable.
Beach/Pool Chairs: Be prepared to wake up 6am everyday if you want chairs and shades to play the save chairs by placing towels on chairs game.
Chair attendant will expect a tip everyday for bringing chair pads.
Beach/Pools very crowded, God help any guests staying when hotel is full up.
Shops available onsite, usual tourist purchases and trips available.
Strange system in reception bar: queue up for drinks, given ticket displaying what you want, queue again to be served drinks??
No ice in drinks unless you ask.
TC reps very pushy, if you do not book any trips with them you will be hunted down.
Overall a very disappointing holiday. Hotel Staff need training in customer service.
We would not recommend Sahara Beach nor would we ever return.
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Date of review:1 Nov 2009
I was very impressed with the hoilday overall to tunisa, the hotel sahra beach is a comfortable 3 star hotel that is very clean and the staff are very friendly and h
elpful and most people in tunisa do speak english. when we arrived at 8am in the morning the first thing they do is take your lugguage and you get ushered into a room where you get given a glass of lemonade and a form to fill in but as we started to fill in the form the guy thought me and my bf were german and gave us a german form, a bit of mis commincation but finally we filled in the form its just to say who you are and how long your staying for, you hand it in at reception and then you have to get your photo taken for a id card if you are all inclusive its all a bit annoying but once its done u can relax, our room was lovley very clean and a nice view of the pool and beach n clean towels n toileries provided. they clean your room everyday they advise you put ur personal belongs in a saftey deposit box in the bank but we didnt trust it so we took a big suitcase that u can lock wiv keys and a code and they were fine. as there currency is dinars its best to take out your english money at the airport in change it up in the bank in the hotel. we stayed for a week and loved it. you do get people wanting you to buy stuff from the hotel shops dont buy they rip u off just say no thank you and walk along. the all incluisve food was nice something for everyone. the excurison trips with thomas cook were really good a bit misleading in some places but very enjoyable and well worth it def check out the 2 day trip of the sahra you get to ride a camel go on a jeep see salt lakes mountians streams great photos. any shop u go to look in they will try n sell u everything but just say no thank you and they leave u alone. its there culture and how they do things you can pick up some great bargins in shops shop around first. the beach is lovely the waiter is helpful and has ur drinks on the table whilst u get ur food and he got me fresh mint tea leaves which was nice. i would recommend going there weather from 10nov onwards was warm n sunny arvange tempure 18'c upwards would def go again im 22 and would recommed it the animation team are fab and there isnt a geat deal to do in the evenings in the hotel but they do have shows on and stuff but do bring ds and cards n stuff wiv you if u get board easliy any one want to ask anything feel free have a happy hoilday. the driving is a bit dangerous they dont have traffic lights can be a bit scary but your okay bring repellant cos u can get bitten by mosies. go to port el katatoi- and go a boat trip 25 pounds for 2 people for a hour n they give u drinks n fruit and u can see under the water in the window box and theres a resturant called la mancha which serves beauitful food def go there for a specail occsion or really good grub.
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Date of review:1 Nov 2009
my name is roger sayers and i travel on my own to tunisia every year.i love the people i love the climate and i love the standard of accomodation .all the hotels i h
ave stayed in tunisia have been of an extremely hight standard but the sahara beach is just the best i have ever stayed in .
the hotel itself is beautiful,very big and spacious.there are places you can go to in the hotel where it is peaceful and quiet.the thing that really grabs you is the size of the place and how clean it is.it has everything that you can wish for,the reception staff are always polite .the only thing is that when you first arrive you have to have yoyr photo taken at reception to get your hotel pass if you are all inclusive.this can lead to a bit of confusion to start with but it is over in about 10 mins.the reception area has two bars one smoking,lots of seating,the entertainment hall is just off reception.it also has internet facillities which is £2.50 for an hour.
there is an office for you safety box and where you can change your money.you walk past reception through some double doors ,along a corridor that has the indoor olympic size swimming pool to one side ,entrances to the gardens along one side and a enclosed courtyard with tables and chairs on the other.you then head to the indoor pizzeria restauraunt ,hook a left then you walk down what the staff call commercial street.and it is a street.its a huge indoor row of shops and bars running down to the restaurant which is lovely and huge.to give you an idea of how big this is .it would take me 6 minuits to get from my room on the first floor to the restaurant.
as i say it has shops ,bars ,pizzerias,cafes,a cinema,entertainments room and a full size amusements arcade all indoors.that is to go with the massage parlour and olympic size indoor pool.
outside it is even bigger.it has two huge lake shaped pools out the back complete with islands and awaterfall.water gardens,a huge raised outdoor bars,landscaped gardens with eucalyptus and palm trees,it also has a bird park with peacocks ,emus ,water birds surrounding the hotel for a distance of about a mile and a half.it has two full sized tennis courts ,archery,and a horse riding stable.all on the hotel grounds.the hotel itself is set right back from the main road and to get to the hotel builing itself its a 10 minuit walk along a palm fringed road from the security gate.
the rooms are very comfortable but have no fridge or tv.they are kept spotlessly clean at all times.and the cleaning staff are very polite.as are all the staff.the food is great no complaints there .
above all from the moment you get there you are treated like royalty and are made to feel welcome.the only thing to watch is if you buy stuff in the shops as you still have to haggle.and the beach well it is out of this world.the trips are excellent. a bnrilliant hotel.
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Date of review:1 Nov 2009
The Sahara beach is an excellent hotel,
nice and clean, excellent friendly staff cant do enough for you.
This is our fourth visit to the sahara and we will be going
back next year.
Excellent variety of food something different everyday.
Pool areas lovely and relaxing.
Give the Sahara a try you will be surprised.
Enjoy
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Date of review:1 Nov 2009
We had a fantastic time in this hotel. Lobby and rooms are looking a bit old but we spent 99% of time outside of it anyway so it didn't matter. Beach & pool area are
great and you can get your drink (bottled water) in any of 4 bars. Food is very good but you have to be open to local dishes, it is not very easy to make guests from 4/5 different countries happy so we weren't expecting sirloin steaks etc. Freshly made pizza, pasta at night & crepes!!! in the morning are the ones to have. Our Thomas Cook rep Atef was absolutely brilliant. Very helpful, always smiling and very entertaining (cabaret show was so funny...). The best trip we went on was Sahara Explorer. It is 100% worth the money, camels & sunset at Sahara Dessert, crazy jeep trip, sunrise at the salt lake. We will not forget any of them. Overall this holiday was a great choice and a great value for money. We would recommend this to any person, couples & families. Oh yes.... bacon served at breakfast looks weird but apparently it is quite nice :) and the view we had from the balcony was like a postcard.
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Date of review:1 Oct 2009
The Iberstar Sahara Beach in Skanes was seriously disappointing on many levels. Of course it all depends what you expect from a 3 star hotel. The internet and brochu
re look amazing which really helps to sell this accomodation.
Although directly in the beach (which is good), it is not within walking distance of anywhere so you are literally stuck unless you get a taxi. The beach has lovely sand and very good for children. We could not paddle in the sea as there was a serious amount of muck (which looked like an oil spill and seaweed across the whole coastline as far as we could see).
I travelled with my 6 and 2 year old boys. We were in a triple room - although it had 3 single beds the room was not much bigger than the 3 beds put together!
The bathroom had cigarette burns in the plastic sink and top of the bath. The shower sprayed water all over the bathroom no matter how I tried to secure the shower curtain.
I had asked for a low floor being with children so this property should never have been offerred to us as the accomodation only starts from the 1st floor which was at least 50 ft up from the ground! The patio door was very easy for my 6 year old to open as it had no locking mechanism so I had to barricade the door with suitcases and chair so my visits to the bathroom were very quick as I was paranoid they would end up out on the balcony.
The "games" room was absolutely disgusting - many of the games were broken and very old with ripped seats and ashtrays full of cigarettes.
I was shocked at our first visit to the outside Beach Bar Restaurant and thought it would be nice to have lunch there instead of the inside restaurant. Buffet style - there was food all over the floor and the counters- obviously from people choosing their own food but the staff should have been cleaning up. The hot griddle unmanned and was facing towards the public so very easy for children to reach up and touch it. They were cooking prawns one lunch time on the griddle I was served with numerous uncooked prawns which I promptly gave back.
The evening entertainment was very good for everyone - the animation staff really worked hard. The main entertainment bar where everyone congregated in the evening had very old and worn decoration and furniture.
The choice of activities was pretty good - mini golf.tennis.archery.water sports.table tennis and more.
The outdoor pools were absolutely freezing cold - I only saw a couple of people in the water during a week there (perhaps the time of year had something to do with it). The boys were quite sad not to be able to go in. My 6 year old didn't go to the kids club so can't comment on this.
I kept asking myself all holiday "Are other people on this holiday happy with the standards?". I must admit I don't usually choose 3 star hotels but at last minute it didn't seem to be a concern. Are all other 3 star hotels offered by Thomas Cook the same as this?
Very disappointed!
It doesn't really give Thomas Cook a good name.
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Date of review:1 Oct 2009
We travelled midweek leaving around 8am which meant we had all afternoon around the pool and returned around 11pm so had an extra days holiday. The children loved th
eir first foreign holiday and can't wait to go back next year.
The hotel was a little tired but at the end of the season is to be expected. The staff were very helpful and very polite. The bedrooms were basic but as we only needed them to sleep in they were adequate. They were cleaned every day and when we asked for extra pillows they were delivered before bedtime the day we asked for them. The food was plentiful and there was something for everyone. The waiters were very good and cleared our table as soon as we had finished our meal.
There is a number of shops and stalls and a photographer just outside the restaurant. The jeweller boasts he is the inventor of the spinning ring, it certainly looked better quality than others I have seen. There is a leather shop as well as a supermarket. Prices are on a par with the shops in Monastir. The Kids Club was well used by the children who loved the T-Shirt painting and the Ceramic painting which they then brought home.
The Reps Liz and Mel were great and could always be found if needed and could answer any questions they were asked. The Reps show was fantastic.
On a down side we had less sun than we had hoped for as the weather had turned a little earlier this year. The outside pool was very cold and the sea was very rough, not that this bothered the children.
I was very surprised that when we were out shopping that we were not hassled as much as we were in Morocco.
I would definately recommend this hotel and resort and would go back again.
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Date of review:1 Oct 2009
We celebrated our 17th wedding anniversay in Tunisia. We arrived in mist, so we booked a trip to the sahara desert. This was a coach trip for 2 days, visiting variou
s sites, and riding camels, horse and carts, and a jeep 4x4 ride. Great trip. Amir was our guide and was very informative.
The wind blows off the sea in October so find a sheltered spot away from the beach. The food is OK . The staff like their tips but they don't seem to like helping or serving you. We had a waiter Freddie he was the exception to this.
The room had not enough sockets, due to health and saftey they do not have kettle, hair dryer, or TV. The coridors echo at night so screaming kids and banging doors in the early hours is common.
The airport going home is a nightmare. when we asked a rep from thomas cook where to go she said you'll have to go in and find out as there are delays. NO HELP There then. Such a CRUSH. no organsiation and such a stressful time as tempers flared as people were pushing in and through the ques. trying to find out were to go. Only saw ONE thomas cook blue shirt the whole time we were there. the opposition they was there in force. - Does Thomas cook not know how send peolpe home relaxed? Don't think we will be going back.
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Date of review:1 Sep 2009
stayed at the sahara beach for a week the hotel is massive has 4 pools 3 outside bars a night club games room and 3 bars inside. the staff were very polite and helpf
ul. the food was excellent rooms were very basic but thats all u really need as there is so much to do on the complex.
our reps liz and mel were excellent they arranged a few trips for us to go on .
the reps cabaret show was excellent a great night full of entertainment. the beach is beautiful with pure white sand . we really enjoyed our holiday and would go back again
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Date of review:1 Aug 2009
After reading reviews before we went on holiday I was was really hoping it was going to be as good as what had been written. Well I wasn't disappointed! The room was
a bit on the small side, but we only slept in it and used the bathroom, so wasn't a problem. Our view was better than I could have wished for. The grounds were beautiful, and overall I couldn't have wanted anymore from a hotel. Everyone was so friendly, and we didn't get hassled by the locals. I would recommend this as the best holiday ever. We loved it, and hope to go back next year.
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Date of review:1 Aug 2009
On first impressions the hotel and grounds seemed very nice,only after being there a while we started to notice a few problems.In our room we noticed the toilet was
leaking which we reported and they fixed straight away,not enough plug points in the rooms, no tvs,very minimul and basic.Swimming pools were very nice and pool area was kept clean,sunbeds were suposed to be free but if you didnt get up at 5.30am and reserve your sunbeds you had no chance of getting one for the whole day. men who fetched your mattresses wanted tipping every day.There was no where near enough umbrellas around the pool,and we were told off on the first day for moving one which we needed for our 4 year old daughter to shade her as temperatures where 120 degrees.As for food it seemed to be the same thing every day which wasnt very appertising,it was mainly eggs for breakfast chips dinner and tea,food wasnt very warm and signs to tell you what things were ,were mixed up with other things,The restaurant floor wasnt very clean and the one morning i had broken glass under the table and nearly put my foot on.Our waiter was very pleasant all week until the day before we left,as we gave him his tip then after that he didnt want to know us.This is a very busy hotel with people from all over,it holds 3000 guests so you can imagine this is not a quiet relaxing hotel.We were putting our daughter bed at reasonable times but people were coming in drunk at 3 in the morning screaming down the corridors.Apart from that the weather was lovely and we made some lovely friends.There was an alarming amount of people with stomach bugs,one lady we spoke to had been ill in her room for 5 days,which she put down to something she ate in the beach bar.
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Date of review:1 Aug 2009
This was our first family holiday in August so we were expecting it to be overbusy and packed everywhere! The hotel is large with 3 blocks and 3 pools. The boys imme
diatly took to it (age 11 and 14). The pools were large enough for people to swim and kids to mess around on blow ups and with balls without annoying each other!! There are plenty of sunbeds and shades so no-one was on top of each other even though the hotel was full. Unfortunately you did have to get up early to get them, towels appeared before 6am even thought signs said this was not allowed... The pool porters are very nice and helpful, putting mattresses out from 7am and if you tipped one early on they would save your spot and sunbeds each day.
We used the beach the most as it had a sea breeze, which as the temperatures were 40+ every day was very nice. There are beach porters too so we had one of them save our beds each day. The beach is beautiful and the sea is very safe for children of all ages. There is a roped in area to swim in which keeps it safe from holiday makers enjoying the many water sports availabe ( at an extra charge). My family took advantage of the free use of canoes but you do need to book early. The beach bar provided snacks and buffet lunch for those not wanting to use the large restaurant thoughfood could be repetitive.
We used the restaurant for most meals as it was cool and a welcome respite from the sun at lunch time. The food was excellent with choices for all ages. The freshly made omelettes on a morning were worth queueing for. My boys enjoyed the freshly made pizza and crepes. I tried everything on offer! There were traditional tunisian meals and plenty of sea food too.
We did all get a bit of jippy tummy but at different times, and we did have ice in drinks so... taking plenty of diareze was definatly a bonus.
As a familly we did not leave the hotel apart from walks down the beach. This was mainly because the boys wanted to be doing something in the hotel in the teen club. Ranging from football, beach volleyball, pool games... this gave us chance to just relax and unwind.
The reps were very helpful even having a box for people to leave anything they did not wish to take home. This was excellent and we were able to get sun lotion from it when we ran out. I took 14 bottles for a family of four but needed more. This was very expensive in resort so pack lots.
There was entertainment every night, some better than others but the entertainment team did work very hard. There were plenty of bars to relax in otherwise, round the floodlit pool or in the reception area. THe staff were very, very helpful and when our air conditioning in the room wasnt working properly they fixed it within an hour.
Would I recommend this hotel? Yes without a doubt. You can relax, unwind or join in the frequent activities on offer. Something for everyone? Yes
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Date of review:1 Jun 2009
Having changed our minds at the last gasp, we decided on the Sahara beach and were a bit worried about some of the reviews we read.
Whilst the hotel is in need with
a makeover and staff do look for tips it certainly did not put us off our stay at the SB. I travelled with my wife and kids (15 & 7) and within 10 minutes of arriiving at Monastir airport we arrived at the hotel - GREAT, no long arduous journey to the hotel (if you are going to SB, forget the bus, just order a taxi which will save you some time at hassle, and it only costs £4.)
If you are looking for 5 star treatment forget it but if you are looking a somewhere to chill out by the beach & pools then this is for you. The pool areas are beautiful with lots of space and variety. The food was also good with a varied choice (our 7 year old who is very fussy certainly did not starve here - The pizza's and pancakes were his favourites).
We we go back again, yes, but probably only for a 1 week next time to recharge our batteries and meet Bobo our taxi driver who really looked after us during our stay.The hotel was adequate and certainly met our expectations.
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Date of review:1 Feb 2009
We went all in and it was great service. plenty of food and choice good staff and helpful.
rooms and joining doors for the families which i thought was a good idea.
beach front fab....
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Date of review:1 Apr 2008
Loved every minute of it. Staff are really helpful. super beach. We went camel and horse riding, that was brilliant!! Already booked for april 2010, can't wait.
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