I went to tunisia, and I liked it

I went to tunisia, and I liked it

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princeperch

Original Poster:

7,997 posts

253 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
So last year we thought we would go away for the may 2024 half term on a cheap break

Didnt want a long flight, and thought we would try all inclusive for the first time. The cheapest option by a country mile was sousse in tunisia.

Id never been before, but had been to Morocco which i assumed was vaguely similar.

Direct flights were 500 quid for 2 adults and 2 kids and a well reviewed 4 star hotel was also 500 quid.

We had a great week. The food was mostly good, and sometimes excellent. The swimming pools were clean, the swim up bar well stocked and staffed. The service you received was incredible, even more so if you tipped them a pound or two. Literally 2 quid. So yes i spent probably 100 quid during the week tipping the waiters, cleaners and bar staff but that was money well spent. Obviously in the uk youd be embarrassed to tip a pound or two but out there its a fair bit of money apparently!

The weather was glorious, the private beach spotless and secure and it was all in all a brilliant week away for about 1500 quid all in.

We enjoyed it so much we are going back next year. I suspect prices will rocket over the next year or two. Indeed the flights i booked the other day were 750 return rather than the 500 quid i spent previously.

I did a search on here before and all the reviews of tunisia were appalling so just thought id post this for a little balance.



Edited by princeperch on Sunday 14th July 09:35

Blackpuddin

17,072 posts

211 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
What a change from when I went there about 40 years ago, then it was a flyblown tip with bloody awful food and tat hawkers pestering the life out of you.

shed driver

2,324 posts

166 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
We went about 18 months ago. As you say the service was excellent, in fact almost too good. Place a glass down and a full one was there within seconds. It helped that the hotel was almost empty. In fact the first night we were there there were less than a dozen people in total! Very surreal.

Food was good and the seafood was fresh as the fishermen brought their catch directly onto the beach each morning where the chef was waiting!

We would go again for a week's cheap holiday.

SD.

Register1

2,279 posts

100 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
princeperch said:
So last year we thought we would go away for the may 2024 half term on a cheap break

Didnt want a long flight, and thought we would try all inclusive for the first time. The cheapest option by a country mile was sousse in tunisia.

Id never been before, but had been to Morocco which i assumed was vaguely similar.

Direct flights were 500 quid for 2 adults and 2 kids and a well reviewed 4 star hotel was also 500 quid.

We had a great week. The food was mostly good, and sometimes excellent. The swimming pools were clean, the swim up bar well stocked and staffed. The service you received was incredible, even more so if you tipped them a pound or two. Literally 2 quid. So yes i spent probably 100 quid during the week tipping the waiters, cleaners and bar staff but that was money well spent. Obviously in the uk youd be embarrassed to tip a pound or two but out there its a fair bit of money apparently!

The weather was glorious, the private beach spotless and secure and it was all in all a brilliant week away for about 1500 quid all in.

We enjoyed it so much we are going back next year. I suspect prices will rocket over the next year or two. Indeed the flights i booked the other day were 750 return rather than the 500 quid i spent previously.

I did a search on here before and all the reviews of tunisia were appalling so just thought id post this for a little balance.



Edited by princeperch on Sunday 14th July 09:35
What hotel was it ?

princeperch

Original Poster:

7,997 posts

253 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
Hôtel Marhaba Club

Tenacious

220 posts

5 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
Nice to read you had a good time. My sister went there about 20 years ago and on the second day got the two bob bits. Her boyfriend at the time said it was like Hansel and Gretel leaving a trail as she waddled from the bedroom to the bog.

romft123

918 posts

10 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
We stayed at Port El Kantaoui, Hotel Kanta in 1984 Was growing for sure but loved the place then.

The EU PGA tour was playing there that weekend, Sam Torrance winning at also staying at that hotel....most players stayed at the big one Hannibal Palace. Woosnam was bouncing off the walls, Torrance buying drinks for everyone....was fun. Then on the monday, I played the same course.....

montecristo

1,056 posts

183 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
I also really liked it. Friendly, relaxed, and more progressive than Algeria, Morocco or Egypt.

If you want a "Pistonheads" reason to go, you can visit the Star Wars sets.

Acorn1

831 posts

26 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
We stayed at the Rui Imperial Marhaba hotel in 2014.

Glad we didn’t go the following year, it was shocking seeing it on the news in 2015.

However, the hotel was lovely, excellent facilities and staff, we really enjoyed our holiday.

popeyewhite

20,997 posts

126 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
Stayed in Sousse about 40 years ago, had a great time. Water-skied, the lot.

Blackpuddin

17,072 posts

211 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
I was in Hammamet back then, it was horrid, pleased to hear things have improved.

Bluevanman

7,717 posts

199 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
It's not the hotels or the service that's bad, it's the attitude of the local people and traders when you leave the hotel.You are seen as a cash cow,you are pestered constantly and even molested if you're an attractive young blonde woman.That's what it was like 20 years ago when I went and as a result I'd never return

Blackpuddin

17,072 posts

211 months

Sunday 14th July
quotequote all
Bluevanman said:
It's not the hotels or the service that's bad, it's the attitude of the local people and traders when you leave the hotel.You are seen as a cash cow,you are pestered constantly and even molested if you're an attractive young blonde woman.That's what it was like 20 years ago when I went and as a result I'd never return
That's my abiding memory of it and I'm not even a woman, let alone an attractive young blonde one.