Lovely holiday for a 3* Hotel

Hi, sorry if this is a repeat but my last effort seemed to go wrong anyway here goes.

The important bits first, Bedding, towels, rooms and food areas were clean, the Reception + snack bar floors were being washed before 8am so if you were a late riser you'd not see this in progress.

The food was good, this is a sample of Breakfast : 3 or 4 cereals, hot + cold milk, bread rolls or french stick, jams, cold meat, cheese, tomatoes and other salad type things. Hot food was Eggs every day cooked in a different way i.e. boiled, scrambled, omlette, fried and something like very thick nursery bread, and there always seemed to be a vegetable dish like cooked tomatoes and one dayu we had hot pancakes filled with a sweet mixture and served in a lemony sugary liquid and if none of that tempts you there was always cake and a bowl of mousse/custard to go with it. There was always 2 types of cold fruity drinks to go with your Tea, Coffee or hot Chocolate.

The 3/4 course evening meals again were nice there was always something we could pick out even if it was just soup, fries and meat + cake or an orange. This Hotel is NOT for Bingo, Clubbing or Dancing fans and it is in a quiet area, thankfully. It's not ideal for very young children only because there are no secure or play areas so they can't wander off. Being beginning of March and geting into Holiday season the beach, gardens and bits of the Hotel were being tidied up. The rooftop bar has already been done and was lovey. This Hotel compares quite well to UK 3* except you swap English TV channels for a balcony and better weather.

Not Nice 'Dreams'

We arrived at Dreams at night time and maybe because it was night we were quite impressived by the lobby. There was a nice painted ceiling and after s efficent check in we were shown to our rooms which were well presented and beyond our balcony was the pool and then the ocean. In the morning in nwas raining and for the most of the week it was which confined us for a good part of the holiday to the hotel.

This was a problem as there was no entertainment in the hotel at all. We played pool a lot and used the indooor pool which was desent but a bit small. The food was stinking, tasteless, boring and not a great variety. Around the hotel is gruby but most of Tunisia is. There was a building being built facing us but that wasn't a problem. The sign at the top of the ehotel said 'reams' instead of 'dreams' and the hotel carpet was badly worn and ripped in places, not what you expect from any hotel.

The windows were dirty and they were covered by foil like curtains which made the hotel darker. The hotel is in no mans land between Sousse and Port el Kantauo. You have to get an annoying taxi to either resort. Souusse is dirty and uneventful were as Port el Kantauo is quite nice and touristy except for the shop keepers trying to get you into their shops. Overall not great unless you want to sun bathe all day in the middle of summer. Other reports are on my web site review-it.piczo[--] or email me for more info everton19@tesco.net

What's the problem?

Approached the Dreams Beach with trepidation following recent reviews: shabby, unfriendly, remote: so what did I find?

1. Shabby - work going on to redecorate. But for 3 star it was clean, and certainly didn't find the problems on previous reports. Room not perfect -m shower over bath not working but it was comfortable and cleaned daily.

2. Unfriendly - Oh God the bloody Britihsh abroad. Speak to the staff as if they were people (even try your little French) they were fine - nice people, good sense of humour and keen to talk. Helpful and fun.

3. Remote: 40 minute beach stroll to Sousse, 35 to Port el Kantaoui. Cafes local (avoid O'Connors bar), Hamman Sousse 15 mins up road- banks, cafes, Presse cleaners, internetcafe, Hole in the Wall for cash. Taxi to Sousse 2/3 Dinar (£1 or so).

What will you get: smallish hotel, reasonable food for the price, clean room, pool table, in and out swim-pool, beach bar, roof bar, small gym. If you want Hannibal Palace then pay 5 star prices. Outherwise ask what you'd get at that priceat home and enjoy yourselves you miserable gits- get out and meet the people and see some of the great country. Enjoy, you are on holiday!!!

A holiday to forget

Our 15 night holiday at this hotel was one we would like to forget. The only good point about the holiday was the weather. Bedroom floors rarely swept and never mopped, and towels changed very occasionally. The passageway carpet does not appear to have seen a vaccuum cleaner since being laid.

Two bars, one on ground floor(open till 12mn) and one on the sixth floor(open till 2am). The sixth floor ( during our stay) was inaccessible for 13 of the 15 nights as the lift was out of order.

The service at the ground floor bar was ok unless the local tunisians were in, then we were second class citizens.The windows throughout the ground floor were filthy. Whhen this was mentioned to staff they closed some shabby curtains over the windows. These remained closed during our stay. The food was atrocious with salad for breakfast and evening meal and the supposedly hot evening food was barely warm even if you were first into the restaurant (for the want of a better word)The doors leading in and out of the kitchen were filthy. Restaurant floor cleaned once.

Beach was littered but was actually cleaned on our last day. Definitely one to be avoided

Dooms beach

Hotel was very shabby and needs a make over.the staff were unhelpful and unfriendly.the hotel was at over an hour walk away from main places such as port el kantoui.the food consisted of salads at breakfast,lunch and tea.it was very repeatative and the buffet was never covered up.the restuarant had a leak from the ceiling as the swimming pool was above it.the hotel looks fabulous in the brocure,but its different in reality.theres only 1 bar across the road and a bar in the hotel itself.there was no entertainment for children or activities.

In need of renovation

Just arrived home from Dreams Beach. Found the hotel staff friendly, but the hotel is in dire need of a total overhaul. It needs decorating and a good clean throughout. Everything needs dusting. There are planters with plants that have seen better days. The bedrooms were nice but could have been a lot cleaner. The bedding and towels were clean, although during our stay I had to request clean towels four times and more loos rolls twise. The corridors need the carpets replacing as do the lounge areas and the bedrooms. The outside gardens need landscaping and weeding. The pizza bar was not open and food was very limited on a lunchtime. The breakfast and evening meals although good, I never once left the table thinking that I had enjoyed my meal. On a very positive note my children of 12 and 13 had an excellent time and could not see the faults. It was my third visit to Tunisia as I love it, but I will not return to Dreams Beach and would not recommend it either.

Dreams Beach Hotel is OK

My wife and I and our daughter, 22, and son, 18, visited Dreams Beach Hotel in May 2005, we found the staff helpful and courteous and with a good command of English. Our connecting rooms were clean and of a good size, the double bed was enormous (6ftx6ft) and all the room and bathroom fittings worked, which is more than I can say for some European hotels that I have stayed at and for which I paid a lot more for the privilege. The building work across the road, as mentioned by another reviewer, is almost complete and certainly did not impinge on the enjoyment of our holiday, also the sign to the restaurant was reinstated during the week of our stay. All the amenities at the hotel were open during our visit, and we found them faultless, although we would have liked a little more entertainment in the evenings but, as it was the start of the season, I assume more will be available during the summer. As for the food, we felt it was on a par with other North African countries that we have visited and there was a varied selection of meats and vegetables but onlya limited choice of deserts. The beach, of soft powdery sand, was a mere 50 metres or so from the hotel entrance and was clean and the beach loungers were inexpensive to hire. Hammam Sousse, a fairly short transfer from Monastir airport, makes a good base for exploring the surrounding area - taxis are relevatively cheap if you agree a price before travelling - and our holiday company offered some very good excursions. We found the locals friendly, although some of the market traders were a little overbearing in good humoured way, but none were offensive and they certainly enjoyed a good 'haggle' and a chat after the deal was done. Tunisia makes an excellent holiday destination, with the all the allure of North Africa but with a European influence. For my money the three-star Dreams Beach Hotel came up trumps and I would certainly stay there again.

This is an ok place to visit if you are not bothered about night life

My friend and i travelled to Tunisia for a week long break and a rest. We requested a somewhat quiet resort and that is exactly what we got in the hotel, which is dead at night except for the locals who come in to dine after the restaurant has closed for hotel guests. Being two females alone, we were frightened to go out at night, as it felt like running the guantlet in the daytime never mind the evening. The men have no respect it seems for english women, and yes they barter to earn a keep, but some can be quite rude. We did however,get one or two apologies when we challenged them and/or ignored specific references of a sexual or insulting nature. There were many Germans in the hotel, but none friendly, in fact quite stony faced and serious, but for the fact that there were some really nice english people there, it may have spoilt it for us. It is a popular place for Germans, be warned! The hotel itself was ok, and yes it is in an area where there are lots of other hotels which remain unfinished, but building work is ongoing. this did not bother us at all, because we were right next to the beach. I would like to visit again when it is all completed. Despite what i have read about the food, this was no worse than some of the hotels i have stayed in in England. If you are in a foreign place, you expect something a little different, otherwise do not go to a foreign place. We certainly did not expect them to serve fish and chips and mixed grill etc. The hotel rooms were dusty but beds clean and bathroom clean. People generally friendly and although i would not rush back to the Medina centre, i would certainly go back to the Soulla centre and to port Kantouai. This is a very small but beautiful place, and very clean looking.

If i discount the terrible weather that we had for the first part of our stay in Tunisia, and the hassle from the local men, i would give my holiday an overall rating of 7 out of 10. I got rest and quietness as requested and still managed to shop, try a few of the excursions and get even blacker than i was to begin with. Sometimes a holiday is what you make it and there was nothing so unnerving or terrible about the place that i wouldn't go back there again. (especially for the leather goods)

Friendly hotel

We stayed at Dreams Beach for a week in November 2004. The hotel staff were very friendly and helpful. The Head Waiter noticed me looking carefully at the evening buffet and asked me if there were any problems. When I explained about being vegetarian, he made it his duty to give me a guided tour of the buffet every night and brought me extra choices cooked freshly for me. The food was mostly local-style, in fact a lot of locals ate there each night of our stay. This might not suit everyone's tastes, but we found it really enjoyable and tried all sorts of new dishes.

I can't comment on breakfast as we aren't breakfast eaters so didn't bother getting up.

The room was clean, attractive and has a view of the sea as requested. All areas of the hotel were clean and well cared for. The hotel was walking distance into Sousse and Port El Kantoui, so suited us as a base to explore.

This hotel would suit anyone who is looking for a small, friendly and convenient hotel to use as a base for sightseeing and exploring.

Very disappointed

My husband I visited the Dreams Beach Hotel in September 2004 and were very disappointed. The hotel needs urgent renovation. It is situated in the midst of building sites. Right in front of the hotel is the public beach and parking. The indoor pool, sauna, etc., facilities were closed. The rooftop bar was empty. The hotel room was large but had dirty rugs, rusty bathroom fittings, tiny towels, etc. The food was awful unless you like being faced with egg and chips for breakfast and leftovers from the previous evening's buffet! The hotel was classed as three star! Would advise any future visitors to Tunisia to stay at four star plus hotels. Don't bother going to the Dreams Beach!