We've both been to Tunisia before, and particularly wanted a hotel that was at least 4 star - this was advertised as "4T+" but we thought only deserved 3 star.

Food was mostly OK, but often difficult to get to buffet, very long queues, especially for omelettes, crepes made to order - some guests with other tour operators were all inclusive and determined to get their moneys' worth!!

Also hard to get a drink in evenings - we tried both bars, ordered from 2 different waiters and after over an hour were still waiting, so we went elsewhere.

Hotel spotlessly clean, most of staff (maids & waiters esp.) were lovely, but man on reception kept trying to sell us jewellery ("I write your name in Arabic & make in silver, only 20 dinar...) and doorman wanted us to change pound coins to dinars for him (at extortionate rate!) You expect this in the souk, but not in a 4 star hotel!

Gardens & grounds lovely, pool & beach nice but entertainment in evening was dire - reminded me of Butlin's in the 1970's (awful singer with keyboard, bingo, kids dancing, "Miss Hotel" competition) plus tired drag act (at extra cost)

Won't be going back to this hotel, but will go to Tunisia again.

Hotel needs bringing into the millenium as some of the decor is very dated & dark. Hotel staff could not be faulted, friendly, helpful very good English.

Food o.k. buffet style but not much variation our waiter moudi could not do enough for us and was so pleasant & friendly.

Hotel & gardens were spotlessly clean only one complaint was the cats which bothered you when eating at the poolside cafe.

Entertainment was poor, resident keyboard player(1970`s style),bingo, belly dancer & mimed drag act. Hotel location irrelevent as there is nothing to entertain outside the hotels.

Our room was situated at the front & we did have some noise from the hotel nightclub,& taxi`s sounding their horns.

Weather was bad only two days sun five days of wind & rain.

Stayed in this hotel for 1 week beginnig of March .. although it was poor weather the first few days, we were still entertained by the hotel.

Staff very friendly food was nice but a bit repetitve after few days ... plenty of choice for kids too.

Complex well looked after even through the few renovations going on .. but nice to see some locals working.

Plenty of excursions can be booked through Smiley Miley Mohammad .. book some thing from him and he will not be as pushy with you.

Hi Everyone,

Just come back from a week in Sousse over Christmas, stayed at the Maharba Beach Hotel - fabulous holiday. Weather was changeable, few days of nice sunshine when we could wear tee-shirts.

Hotel is situated right on the beach - we had a wonderful sea view from our balcony window. First impressions of the hotel are excellent, with marble pillars and decorative ceilings. The staff cannot do enough for you (and enjoy a few dinars for their trouble)!

Our room was for 3 adults and although a little dated, it was clean and comfortable. We didn't spend a great deal of time in the room, so didn't really matter. The cleanliness of the hotel is excellent, with regular happy, smiley maid service every morning.

There were quite a lot of elderly people in and around the resort hotels and also a mixture of families and younger children - we only had one or two children in our hotel.

The Tunisians are lovely people and really are a happy and warm people. Beware of beach traders though and anyone for that matter who approaches you that you do not know.....they will try every trick in the trade to get you to buy something, or for you to part with a dinar, even just for a bit of advice !!

Hotel food was very good and quite varied - put on half a stone !

Moorish Cafe in the hotel is nice. The drinks are cheap, recommend the Ugni Tunisian wine, which is quite like a chardonnay - the house white is very vinegary. Also try the Muscat, which we didn't sample until the last day....this is cheap and really nice - 15.5%.

The indoor pool could have done with a bit of a clean but the outdoor one was really fabulous, although it was a little too cold to venture in. The Beach is clean and has beautiful cream sand. The sea is very safe for children.

Like all hotels in Tunisia, this hotel caters for everyone - I would however, not recommend it to Teanagers at Christmas, as it is a little quiet. If you want a nice relaxing holiday, where you are looked after well, then this is a good hotel to go to.

The location is excellent, only a short Taxi ride from the Medina for approx.

Just arrived back from Marhaba Beach in Sousse.

Lovely friendly atmosphere with only a short walk down the path, through the gardens to the beach.

Pool was nice, with plenty of shade under the palms and olive trees if required. My lounger was never stolen or moved for the 2 weeks and the pool attendant was always there with a mattress (1 dinar per day) as soon as we appeared in the morning.

All the staff were very nice and obliging (although you need to keep enough dinar coins handy as they will all expect to be tipped). Samir who was our waiter in the dining room for the two weeks was very friendly and helpful and spoke excellent English.

Rooms were comfortable, clean and towels and sheets changed everyday, except sheets on a Sunday. The only thing was the lighting is very dull in the rooms. Air conditioning was efficient enough.

Food was excellent with enough variety at breakfast and dinner for everybody to find something suitable. The main course at dinner was waiter service with starters and sweet self service. Sometimes I chose to go back to the buffet for the main course instead of the menu meal. Tuesday evenings was Tunisian night with waiters in national dress and traditional Tunisian dishes on offer.

We ate at the snack bar at lunchtime in our hotel which offered a good menu plus excellent service in pleasant surrounding compared with the ones across in the other two hotels and the beach snack bar where the prices were the same but not as comfortable surroundings or service.

There is a steep, if gradual, climb from the hotel to the main road at the top but we discovered by accident that if you walk through the complex gardens, past the Marhaba Hotel, you can come out at the Marhaba Club and is a much more gentle walk.

The entertainment wasn't great the usual round of folk shows etc. (which you would see anyway if you go to the beach party on the Tuesday night) but on a few nights a week there was a keyboard player/singer who entertained in the open loung area which was pleasant. He also played during the candlelight dinner on Saturday night (no extra charge for this).

Excellent value for money was the Sahara Discovery two day trip which cost us

Have just got back and will be booking a room there for next year. The beach was excellent, the pool area in the Beach hotel was not used because the pool at the next door hotel was nicer, especially for the baby and it was just a short stroll away through the gardens.
the staff were excellent and really could not do enough for us all.
The food was nice however it did get a little "samey" after 10 days but the desserts were really really nice and there was more watermelon than you could imagine.
Our baby was 15 months old and she had a whale of a time there. the staff all loved her and were really good.

Bedroom was excellent and was air conditioned, also hired fridge which was delivered imm.
Cleanliness was superb, clean sheets and loads of towels every day.

Hotel location is virtually on the beach, via lovely gardens and the pool.
The staff from management down to the room maids are faultless, nothing is too much trouble, we had minor complaints and the hotel director mr slieman dealt with them immediately. and very thoroughly

Entertainment provided by the animations is poor, the private shows from outside, particularly, changing ladies, was fantastic., we have already visited this hotel twice and have already book for sept 6th 2005 via panorama, but hoping to visit before then in April/may 2005

Myself and my two daughters aged 17 & 12 spent a week at the marhaba beach hotel.The hotel was in a very good location being close to Sousse and Port El Kantoui.The hotel is very luxuriou, it has 2 swimming pools and is also situated on the beach. The beach is very clean with beautiful white sand, while siiting under the sunshades the waiters from the hotel bring you wonderful coctails of fruit juice, my favourite was the strawberry.We were half board and the food was absolutley fantastic with a huge variety for all different tastes.The hotel staff were very very nice, nothing was too much trouble.The entertainment was also very good one night we had a Tunisian night where the food was Tunisian and there was also belly dancers and other entertainers.
I was very sorry to leave this hotel and will definatley go back again, next time staying for 2 weeks

Rooms very clean.
Food fantastic - but not the service.
- Lots of arguments among the waiters.
- Lots of confusion to which table you sit on.
Receiption service and keep to their word - Poor.
eg - Ordered Fridge on 2nd day and upto when we left, no comments.
- Despite assurance 3 days before, they would not give us a room after 12.00 noon despite coach to pick us at 8.30pm. Only got it after lots of arguments.

Thomas Cook rep - too much rushing, and not giving more time to each hotel - No iteniary organised for excursions they organise.

We went to the Marhaba beach hotel as a party of 3, my younger sister, 18, my aunt and me! In one word it was fantastic!

The hotel room was clean, balcony overlooking the front of the hotel, mini fridge, TV (satellite), spacious; a double bed and two single beds and still space to swing a cat! Maybe the room could have done with some up-to-date decor and a bit more light but on the whole it was nice.

The food was lovely, buffet self-service breakfast and lunch and waiter served main meals. The starters were more than enough though, the whole time I was there I never ordered any of the main meals! Our waiters could speak English very well and we were all very well look-after!

The location was great because it was close to Sousse, Madiha market and Port-el-Kantoui. Taxis are very cheap so getting around wasn't a problem!

The staff are brilliant, really friendly and I felt that any problems I had were dealt with instantly.

Entertainment was fairly good, Ziad and Murad kept us well entertained with the good music. But I felt that the entertainment was irregular, some nights it was excellent and other nights not so great.

The hotel seemed more fitting for the older generation than the younger ones! Not completely a bad thing though but that's probably my only small complaint!

Nevertheless nothing would stop me from going back again because I loved the people there and I think that's one of the most important things about a good hotel!

The facilites were also of high standards, indoor heated pool, gym, sauna, massages (very cheap and very good) outdoor pool and the beach being half a minute's walk was also of great use!