Marhaba Beach Sousse

I have just returned from a week at the Marhaba Beach Hotel in Sousse and find it difficult to understand how anyone can critisise this hotel. They must be very hard to please. Although the weather was not quite what we expected, being not very warm and extremely chilly when the sun went in, I have to say that we had a most enjoyable holiday. I do, however, understand that the previous couple of weeks had been very good which was obvious from the sun tans on a number of guests. The hotel was very comfortable, the food was excellent and you could say there was far to much of it, the hot buffet was piping hot and the variety of food on offer was superb. It was impossible for anyone to go hungry. Breakfast started at 6.00am. which was very useful if going on a day trip as these invariably started early. The hotel staff were very attentive and friendly and plenty of them. The rooms were comfortable and clean and ours appeared to have been recently decorated. On the whole a very pleasant and value for money experience.

The rooms are dull and dingy. The dining room is drab, with food that is either tasteless or downright bad. Worst of all, the front desk staff is unhelpful and rude. Avoid this place!

Myself and my wife have just returned from 11 days in the Marhaba Beach Hotel - 11 days that felt like 11 months...I have never been as glad to get on a plane home as I was after this holiday.

The hotel is in no way four star accommodation - not in Uk terms anyway, much nearer 3 star at best. The majority of the staff were extremely rude, arrogant and on several occaisions attempted to short change us, until we caught them out. On one occaision a bar worker actually started shouting at my wife cos she offered to pay with a 10 Dinar note!! They want tipping for everything...and I mean everything. Food is ok, although it is not a restaurant and more like a school dining hall - don't you dare try and change your table! The entertainment (if you can call it that) is terrible...cheesey organ player singing a selection of German and English ballads. Transvestite night, Karaoke, Belly dancing...It was bad...sad...and mad.

I think we got a slighlty better room than the norm, with a great view of the pool and coastline. The maid service was good and she put flowers in the room on occaisions and did some interesting creations with towels (hearts and stuff).

All little consolation for the nightmare which is Sousse...which is little more than a slum and did not feel safe to walk around. Certainly single females should avoid this at all costs. Weather was good, but you will get no privacy whether on the beach or by the pool. You are hassled constantly either by waiters or hawkers selling cigarettes, fruit, rugs etc etc. your room is your only sanctuary. If you stray out of the Hotel boundary the attitude of most of the locals is equally as bad and if they cant make money out of you they aren't interested in you, other than to mutter what could only be insults.

The Medina in Sousse, as previously reported by other entries on this site, is not an enjoyable experience - any hopes of browsing through the shops are dashed within seconds as you are repeatedly hassled, often quite aggressively, and to be honest, most of what they sell is cheap crap and every shop/stall has the same stuff. There are no bargains to be had as brochures would have you believe and they start with prices which are just so high it is ridiculous. It is far easier and safer to buy from the government run Sula Centre which sells exactly the same stuff and the staff leave you to look in peace.

My wife and I are experienced travellers and she has lived in Goa for many months, neither of us has ever experienced a place like this...it is truely a hostile, money orientated, god forsaken place. My advice is steer clear...consider two weeks half board in Hades you'll enjoy it more.

Just got back from the Marhaba Beach Hotel in Mid Sept - Have to say that £369 for 2 weeks stay with H/B is fantastic Value for money.

Weather V.Hot - however it rained for half a day, but being english i quite enjoyed it!

We spent most of the holiday on the beach (50ft away from pool) and around the pool, however i strongly recommend the 2 day sahara adventure trip, it costs approx £60 and you visit el jem (worlds 4th biggest roman collaseum), star wars and english patient film sites and ride a camel on the sahara desert - a brill experience.

The ONLY negative i can give this holiday is the tunisian people are very money orientated - i had 2 occasions on this hoiliday where the hotel staff triend it on for money (incorrect bills, and waiters hanging around for tips, also watch yourself in the sousse medina - remeber to look with your eyes NOT your hands otherwise you will be there all day.

I will be glad to offer any more advice to any other people going at tigerpaul@tigerpaul.karoo.co.uk

we have stayed in this hotel twice and will return next year if possible.the people are very friendly and nothing is too much trouble for them.the food was excellant with a wide variety of dishes.the rooms were comfortable and spacious.the service was second to none.we had trouble spending all our money as everything over the is so cheap as in price wise rather than quality.the rate of exchange as of first 2 weeks in sept.2005 was 2.36td to ONE POUND.

I've just got back fom a fab week here, whatever you do, don't listen to any of the bad things people say about this hotel. It was clean, luxurious, all of the staff were really helpful and friendly and most importantly it had a brilliant pool area and was literally on the beach. The meals were really good. There was a huge selection of hot and cold food for breakfast at the buffet and then for dinner, there was a buffet starter with another huge selection, and a buffet desert. The main courses were delicious, dishes to suit everyone, so don't worry if you've got a week or 2 of evening meals, you shouldn't get bored! Sousse itself was a bit of a nightmare, girls, don't go to Tunisia unless you're in a big group or have a man with you, the harrassment is unbelievable. If you can overcome the awful men I guarantee you'll have a great time at this hotel.

My friend and I were in Marhaba beach just two weeks ago we went to our room that we had been given it was average the carpet was to near my nose and not the cleanest of rooms my friend went down to reception to see if there was any other rooms we tried to talk to the Thomsons reps saying we thought the hotel was not 4* could they help up they never got back to us. We ended up getting a nice room which i paid extra money for so my stay was more comfortable.

Just returned from the Marhaba Beach one week half board, very nice hotel with A/C throughout, boy do you need it!! Bedrooms a good size with balcony, towels changed daily good shower but not powered. Breakfasts were excellent with everything you could want, however Dinner was disapointing with a plated meal that looked like a school dinner but there was some buffet pasta, salads etc which i had most nights. Entertainment was poor with not much happening at night, but taxis are cheap 3 dina into Sousse, we used the Put-Put (see photo) which was very reliable about every 10 mins and ran untill 12.30 am 4 dina or 3 dina return. We stayed by the pool the first day but was too hot, crashed out on the beach the rest of the holiday chairs and sunshades are free. private beach which was fab. A lttle tip if you are a beach bum like us, give the lifegaurd a couple of dina each day and he will put the chairs out wherever you want them which is well worth it. If you want to eat out one evening Port EL kantaui is lovely with loads of restaurants all licenced Put-Put same price. All in all we had a very nice week staff very friendly. Hotel classed as a 4star but i would give it a 3 star+. There were only 2 things that we could moan about 1, evenings in hotel was boring No 2, when you go to the Medina in Sousse market/shops they are in your face constantly so you can't browse like one likes to do when you are away. Hopes this little review helps you enjoy your holiday as much as we did.

cheers

AL

Just back from a week in the Marhaba Beach and were very impressed. Hotel met all our expectations for a four star: clean, comfortable, friendly staff, good food, facilities. Advantage is that it's part of a complex with access to facilities of sister hotels - swimming pools etc. In own grounds near beach. Plenty of daily/nightly activities. Nice mix of international guests, mainly Russian and German. One small gripe - hotel-run kids club, while purpose built, wasn't very stimulating. Offered indoor activities like drawing and toys/games but no outdoor games. Supervisor was hotel employee who babysat rather than interacted with the kids. Second visit to Tunisia. Great location with guaranteed sun, sandy beaches, great food, friendly people and only three hour flight from UK.

Booked with just 2 weeks to go. We had no idea what to expect. What a delight we had in store.

We arrived in the early hors of the morning and were greeted by very efficient friendly staff. They booked us in very quickly and got our bags up to the room promptly.

The lobby was beautiful and very clean.

The room was a good size and had FANTASTIC views over the palm trees and sea.It was like arriving in paradise.

The meals were served buffet style in a beutiful dinning room. The waiters were very friendly and again efficient.

Towels were changed and rooms serviced daily.

Entertainment was varied but there was something going on every night and that was in March.

The outdoor pool was beautiful but a little chilly for me (Remember it was March!) The indoor pool was lovely and warm and was very large too.

The hotel has a private beach area that is watched over by a lifeguard.

It was a lovely hotel which I would recommend to anyone.