Shopaholic Sue's review of a holiday taken in 08/2010
Date posted review 23/08/2010

Holiday rating: Overall resort = Overall holiday =

A lovely holiday

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.

Your helpful tips for holidaying here

My daughter had an unforgettable canter along the beach on one of the hotels well looked after stallions.It was not expensive and she finished her ride with a swim in the sea which the horses enjoyed as much as the riders.(She is a very experianced rider but the stable does cater for all ablities).

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Shopaholic Sue's review of a holiday taken in 08/2010
Date posted review 23/08/2010

Holiday rating: Overall resort = Overall holiday =

A lovely holiday

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,...More

PYFAN's review of a holiday taken in 08/2010
Date posted review 16/08/2010

Holiday rating: Overall resort = Overall holiday =

WHAT A SHAME

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.

Your helpful tips for holidaying here

The Thomas cook rep has lived in Tunisia for 7 years and was really helpful. What a star.

Thomas Cook Response Thank you for taking the time to write a review about your recent holiday. Having read the content of your review we are sorry to see that you were disappointed with certain aspects of your holiday. We value our customer feedback very highly and rely on comments such as yours to allow us a real insight into the service we provide. We hope that despite this your holiday proved to be memorable and enjoyable and that we will have the pleasure of your company on a future holiday with Thomas Cook.

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PYFAN's review of a holiday taken in 08/2010
Date posted review 16/08/2010

Holiday rating: Overall resort = Overall holiday =

WHAT A SHAME

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. ...More

Thomas's review of a holiday taken in 07/2010
Date posted review 28/07/2010

Holiday rating: Overall resort = Overall holiday =

An honest review of Sahara Beach Hotel

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.

Your helpful tips for holidaying here

Understanding the tipping system here is essential. This is my guide to making it working in your favour. The staff will accept Dinar, Sterling, Euros and American Dollars. The going rate for a tip is 1 Dinar (approx. 50p) and 2 Dinar for excellent service. You will need to tip at least 4 Dinar a day: 1 for the sun bed man, 1 for breakfast waiter, 1 for lunch waiter, 1 for evening waiter. This is approx. 2 pounds a day, but can make a massive difference to your holiday. It is also worth giving your cleaner a few Dinar at the start of your holiday and tell her there will be more at the end. This usually ensures that your room is always well cleaned. You may also want to give bar staff a tip as this usually results in quicker service and more alcohol in cocktails and spirits mixers. If you follow that simple rule you will get a good level of service from all of the above and means your waiters will keep asking you if you would like more drinks.

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Thomas's review of a holiday taken in 07/2010
Date posted review 28/07/2010

Holiday rating: Overall resort = Overall holiday =

An honest review of Sahara Beach Hotel

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...More

Tunisian babe's review of a holiday taken in 07/2010
Date posted review 25/07/2010

Holiday rating: Overall resort = Overall holiday =

Return to Skanes

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

Thomas Cook Response Thank you for taking the time to write a review about your recent holiday. Having read the content of your review we are sorry to see that you were disappointed with certain aspects of your holiday. We value our customer feedback very highly and rely on comments such as yours to allow us a real insight into the service we provide. We hope that despite this your holiday proved to be memorable and enjoyable and that we will have the pleasure of your company on a future holiday with Thomas Cook.

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Tunisian babe's review of a holiday taken in 07/2010
Date posted review 25/07/2010

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Return to Skanes

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!...More

jaz's review of a holiday taken in 07/2010
Date posted review 23/07/2010

Holiday rating: Overall resort = Overall holiday =

Anniversary holiday

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.

Your helpful tips for holidaying here

Keep change handy for tipping,

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jaz's review of a holiday taken in 07/2010
Date posted review 23/07/2010

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Anniversary holiday

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 ch...More