Hotel Le Tivoli Reviews

Le Tivoli hotel would be excellent rather than very good if it had mini-fridges in the rooms, not so many steps, better evening entertainment and was a little nearer the beach. But a really great holiday - better than expected. Our flight arrived in the evening (Sunday) and during the shortish coach ride to the hotel we were disappointed that the rep (Rachel) didn't give more information. Attractive and very clean hotel. To get to the bedrooms you walk through the lobby to the pool and the accommodation is in four buildings around the pool - nicely painted blocks with lots of plants hanging down. Our room was for three people and very spacious with nice big bathroom and veranda. It was kept very clean. But no mini-fridge! The TV was OK with English-speaking channel. There was aircon, also a safe you pay for. Anything which needed fixing was done within minutes - e.g. missing chair on the balcony, and stronger bulbs in one lamp. Lovely large pool with plenty (in November) of sunbeds and parasols, and a good café. The male reception staff and our waiter were charming, but the two female receptionists unfriendly. The lift in our block didn't work all the time we were there - not important as we were on the 1st floor, except when departing with 2 heavy suitcases! There are 2 tennis courts (payable, equipment provided) and free table-tennis by the pool. You can change money in the hotel at almost any time, for a similar exchange rate to elsewhere. There was no emailing facility.

The breakfast/dinner restaurant (in its own block, up lots of stairs) is large and there's a big buffet for both meals. Breakfast you can have cornflakes, lots of breads, (fatty) bacon, sausages, eggs, salad, fruit etc etc. Dinner - lots to choose from. Wine and beer available. Very friendly waiters. We didn't go to the special Moroccan (Friday) meal (pay extra) but were told it was poor and no atmosphere.

Evening entertainment in the Tivoli consisted of one man playing an electric organ in the lobby, but we did dance to it one evening despite the dreary tunes. Being on half-board we ate in, but went a couple of evenings to the Hotel Amidil (v. impressive) where there's a 3-man danceable band until 11 p.m. You can go to any hotel and just buy a drink. Opposite the hotel the Mogador does good cheap food, and down the road 'Le Mauresque' is an attractive bar/restaurant.

There's a good supermarket opposite the hotel where you can buy water, wine etc and bring it into the hotel discreetly (hidden). The nearest beach is perhaps 5 minutes walk away and about 7-10 minutes to 'Palm Beach' where you pay a modest amount for 2 sun-loungers + parasol for the whole day, and where there is a café and toilets. As it's cordoned off from the beach you don't get hassled by vendors. The sandy beach is enormous and fairly empty (November) and is patrolled by police on quad bikes. The sea is shallow and not warm. Walking to the beach you pass lots of small shops (some fixed-price), so it always takes longer than expected. You can take a trip on a small train round the town, also visit the 'Vallée des Oiseaux' (small zoo).

Don't miss the welcome meeting with the rep (Mohammed) as you'll get lots of useful information, a map and the usual excursion details. As advised by him, leave your shopping until the end of the week, when you know what you want and what you should pay.

The first two days were overcast but warm and the resort and beach didn't look their best, but the rest of the week it was sunny and hot (30C), very pleasant as it wasn't sticky - and no mosquitoes in the evenings.

The first afternoon (Monday) we went on a half day coach tour round Agadir. It started OK by going up the hairpin-bend road (scary) up to the ruined Kasbah on the hill overlooking Agadir. There there are lots of camels with riders, who you have to pay to take photos of them. It's quite picturesque with a good view of the city. But the fishing port was closed as it was a public holiday so we didn't go there, and the souk was also closed! The guide then took us to a café opposite a shop selling jeans, t-shirts etc and that's where we had to spend the last 45 minutes or so! So not a worthwhile trip as you could go up to the Kasbah by taxi. Next day we went by taxi to the fishing port and a local latched on to us and conducted us round showing and explaining everything. It was very interesting but at the end we were persuaded by him to pay him the equivalent of £5 each!

We booked the 2 day trip to Marrakech and got up 5.30 a.m. (Wed.) to have breakfast before leaving. Don't miss breakfast, and take food with you, because you won't get lunch until well after 1 p.m., although there is a short coffee stop on the way. It was very interesting seeing the scenery, the local people, the donkeys carrying heavy loads, pulling carts etc. For some reason I had imagined Marrakech was in the hills with snow-capped mountains behind but it isn't - it's quite flat, with not a mountain in sight. And the town itself as you drive in isn't all that attractive.
Once there we did an awful lot before lunch - first to a picturesque ex-Koranic school (Ben Youssef), then to the Bahia Palace, through the souk at a gallop (no time to look or buy) to a 'Herbal Pharmacy'. Here we were a captive audience and had to endure 30-40 minutes sales talk on herbal creams etc. The herbalist asked for volunteers to be massaged and we thought it was free, but at the end it had to be paid for! (25 dirhams - about £1.50). Finally we were let out and taken to a restaurant (tiled, musicians etc) where we had a typical meal. We were then taken to the lovely colourful Majorelle gardens (owned now by Yves St Laurent), back into the coach, then a fast walk through the famous square Jemaa el Fna. We could see snake-charmers, monkeys, musicians etc but no time to take photos. We were driven to the hotel Oudoya (with pool) outside the old centre and given an hour or so to change etc before returning to Jemaa el Fna (now in darkness and quite overwhelming with lots of smoke, restaurants, noise etc). We retreated from the hurly-burly to a café overlooking the action until it was time to go to the atmospheric Dar Es Salaam restaurant (we had booked 'Royal' - meal included - rather than 'Explorer' - do your own thing). It had been used in an old Alfred Hitchcock film 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' and was very Arabic in style with musicians, a belly dancer and woman dancing with lighted candles on a tray balanced on her head. The meal was similar to at lunch and alcohol was available (extra). Then back in the coach to the hotel.

Next morning after a good breakfast we set off early for Essaouira on the coast - a lovely white-walled ex-Portuguese arty town (I'd stay there another time, but it's more expensive than Agadir). The beach looked good. Again we raced through the souk behind our guide (who was always in a great hurry except when talking) to the ramparts, to a wood shop in a nice square, then to a really nice fish restaurant (Sam's) overlooking the sea in the port (lovely port - lots of fishermen, boats, seagulls, cats). Free time for an hour or so then back to Agadir, passing on the way lots of Argan trees with goats up them feeding on the nuts, donkeys, even camels pulling ploughs. Long coastal drive - so much undeveloped land!

We booked a half day trip to Taroudant (ancient town east of Agadir) on the Saturday morning and got up early to wait for the coach at 8 a.m. It didn't come and eventually, when the telephonist phoned Mohammed, we were told the trip had been cancelled! He said a note had been put under our door, but it must have been delivered to the wrong room. We were very upset, especially as he said ";It's not important - you've been to Marrakesh!"; (He was a serious, dour and not very friendly man). We insisted not on having the money back but on him sending us to Taroudant somehow and in fact he arranged for us to go by taxi. It turned out very well as the driver and his friend drove us round the walled town, escorted us round the souk and took us into the beautiful Palais Salam hotel (ex-palace). We saw hardly any other tourists in the town and thought it a very worthwhile outing.

We found the Moroccan people friendly and very appreciative that I spoke French with them. The government is trying to increase the number of tourists visiting the country and so is cracking down on harassment and is improving facilities. Be discreet in your clothing, especially when on trips.

I'd definitely go back to Morocco, but next time to Fez and/or Marrakesh under our own steam. We weren't impressed with 'MyTravel' however - the seating was cramped and there was not enough staff, so the meals were very delayed.

The resort of Agadir is very sprawling but easy to get around by taxi or Noddy Train. The 4 star Tivoli hotel is a little on the edge but there are several nice restaurants within a couple of minutes walk and it is about 3 minutes walk to the beach. The hotel is lovely - nice large swimming pool with separate kiddies pool and lots of sun loungers and parasols with free cushions. The restaurant is a buffet and did not only cater for the German/French guests, i.e. you could get bacon and sausages for breakfast (along with the obligatory cheese and meat slices!!). Each night was themed, i.e. Italian, Fish, Moroccan and the desserts were delicious. Only fly in the ointment was that they charged an additional 100 Dhirams per person for the traditional Moroccan evening (dancers, etc) and this applied to children also so we decided not to bother although apparently it was very good. If funds allow book a suite - a very large V-shaped room with a huge bathroom with walk-in shower and separate bedroom/living areas.

I can recommend a restaurant called Le Mauresque just a minutes walk down the road towards the beach - a delicious huge fish platter with salad cost just £7 and a traditional tagine with salad cost £8 (which my husband said was to die for!). Also, for tours (a lot cheaper than the holiday company prices) book with Hafidi Voyages (again only a couple of minutes walk from the hotel). We paid approx £50 for all three of us for a full day tour (and as it turned out we were the only people so it was a private tour!) into the sand dunes of the Lower Atlas mountains and to a town called Tiznit. The guide (Said) even carried our very heavy(!) 4-year old on his shoulders through the sand dunes because it was burning her feet!! And then he invited us to his home for lunch the following day to meet his family.

The souk is an experience (in comparison to Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, etc) as it is not just tourist focussed but is actually the shopping destination for the locals as well so there are mountains of fresh fruit and vegetables, spices, clothes, shoes, household equipment, jewellery, furniture and electrical goods, etc as well as the stuff obviously made for the tourist markets.

All in all a good holiday - although the weather was not brilliant for July as the Atlantic coast can bring in quite cloudy weather.

Transfer time from the airport is 30 mins which is good. Hotel is big and spacious, rooms are spacious and regularly cleaned everyday, only problem was the energy saving lighting system, lights kept going off at night in the hallways! Lots of stairs in the hotel, not AT ALL suitable for those with walking difficulties, hotel is not really pram friendly either, prams had to be carried down a big flight of stairs. Meal choice was fairly limited. Very limited entertainment at night, more geared towards the older generation. Staff very friendly and helpful though.

Overall a nice hotel but would say its more a 3 star rather than 4 and more suitable for the older generation. Not really many excursions, took a day trip to taroudant, can't see what all the fuss was about was NOTHING there DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY! For all you shopaholics, there is a huge market nearby called the SOUK, definately worth going to.

All in all, Agadir is a really lovely place would definately go back again but probably to a different hotel.

This hotel was awful.

The food was cold and basic,with added flies for extra. The rooms were nice, but we had a leaky shower, which soaked the hallway carpet through, which the staff didnt really seem to think that it was a problem. Would not recommend this hotel if english, as this seems to cater more for the french. The staff were not friendly nor helpful.

As for Agadir itself, superb, great for people with kids or just like a relaxing holiday. The people are friendy and up for a laugh not rude at all like some places i,ve been. Would defo go back there. The souks are not that could, can easily get ripped off if you're not sure how to haggle, so be warned, didnt do any excursions, so cant really give any advise as stayed at Occcidental Carribean Village All Inclusive so yes you've guessed it, stayed around hotel most off the time as we went with friends with young children ages 7, 5 and 9months entertainment great. Would recommend this hotel to anyone, the rooms are basic, but clean and besides there is so much going on that you never spend time in them anyway. The food was also great didnt stop eating, enough choice for everyone. Go you will enjoy it.

There is little wrong with Le Tivoli except the food in the evening. Breakfasts were good but the evening meals had a limited choice and were poorly laid out .We ate out four of the seven nights we were here. The rooms were large and clean in four story blocks with lifts. There are lots of steps that could create problems for those with walking difficulties or pushchairs. Sun beds were not a problem but as the season gets busier there may be problems. The staff are helpful and friendly. It is a short walk from the hotel to the resort centre