Hotel Golden Soviva Reviews

The rooms were fine, clean and large.The food was often cold, repetitive and bland.Thompson didnt tell us that it would be full of rude Germans, Russians and cheks pushing and jostling when they feel it suits. Everyone but no-one expects a tip and are not shy in asking too. Do not go here on an all inclusive expecting to drink a lot of alcohol as you have to firstly queue for a ticket then go to another bar for a drink, lager(alcohol free) is served in 3rd pints! and you can only get two drinks per bar visit,so if you have kids you will have to queue twice at each bar! Came back with Salmonella or c-diff yet to have results from hospital.

Although the hotel was very good the food was ok you feel a bit akward as all inclusive every time you order anything they scan your band as it as a bar code on it makes you feel a bit weird. Resort itself ok not much happens apart from the usual grief from the traders souse just down the road BEWARE OF PICK POCKETS

This was our first visit to Tunisia and after reading the reviews for the Golden Soviva we were very aprehensive. we went all insclusive for 1 week as a last minute deal for my 21st birthday.

When we arrived at the airport we changed a small amount of money as you can change more at your hotel if need be. Afer doing that we were then very taken back by the men waiting to take your baggage which you have no choice but to let them do so. They ask for your coach number and literally run to your coach and then hold out there hand for a tip. we gave them 2 dinars which is roughly 80p.

When we arrived to the hotel we were very shocked as we had travelled past beautiful hotels and the outside of the golden soviva was very disapointing.Once inside it was not that bad, but we had to fill out some forms and wait about 10 minitues for our all insclusive bands.The porter then took our bags to our room and once again a tip was required.Once inside the room we realised that the hotel was in fact ok. We had a double and single bed in our room and all were clean. The only downside being the bathroom which was fine but a little shabby. Oh and the air con does not work.

The pool was great and there were plenty of sun loungers but i think this was because it was low season.the staff and animation team were excellent and some of the nicest people we have met they work very hard to make sure you have a good holiday no matter what your age. There is a great range of things to do on site for all ages and we were never bored considering that it rained for the last 3 days we were there. The beach is beautifull and only a 3 min walk away would deffinetly reccommend to all.

The final thing i can say is that if you have booked to go you will have a fantastic time dont worry!!!!! we did and we want to go back now that we are home!!!

Just returned from a thoroughly enjoyable one weeks last minute holiday to the Golden Soviva in Tunisia. As many other people on this site we were very apprehensive and decided to go with an open mind.

The hotel was very clean and the rooms were cleaned everyday. The staff were very friendly and nothing seemed too much trouble. My youngest daughter aged 10 loved the entertainment team and unusually participated in most of the activities on offer e.g. mini golf, darts etc. We used the pool in the sister hotel most of the time as it was better for the children as it had huge waterslides which the children found great fun.

We went on a half board basis and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food which was varied each night. My 10 year old daughter can be quite fussy but even she enjoyed the food too. If there is not much you fancy on one particular night they would be happy to make a spagetti bolonaise, ommelete or pancake whilst you wait. Freshly made pancakes and ommeletes were also available at breakfast. We have been going abroad twisce a year for the past eight years and my husband always gets an upset stomoch although this did not happen in Tunisia.

We went on the 2 day Sahara trip which we found to be excellent and well worth the money, even though we were exhausted after two 5.30 am pick ups.

The marina is worth a visit as it is beutiful with some good shops and restaurants. We also went into Sousse shopping one day and you can get some very good deals if you can cope with the contant hassle from shop assistants. The souvenirs were about half the price of the ones in the shops opposite the hotel.

There was not a lot to do just outside the hotel as far as bars and restaurants are concerned so if that is your thing then maybe Tunisia is not the place for you.

All in all a very good value familiy holiday and we would definitely return in the next few years.

We stayed at this hotel in December 2003, two years ago and have a terrific holiday. We were so pleased to get a booking there this time and counted down the weeks and hours.
But we were absolutely dissapointed !!

We should have had a hint when we found that we were the only two on the whole plane that was booked at this hotel. We were greeted very nicely as the counter staff remembered us and were given a choice of rooms, we thought this was because we were now labelled ";";returning guests";"; but this was not the case, alas, it was because the hotel was empty. 14 guests only. Because of this everything was closed. The outdoor pools, the entertainment, the games room, the shops (in the hotel) and as you cannot bring goods in, like snacks, drinks, bought from outside of the hotel (they take them away from you at the gate)we were very upset especially as we had to endure 3 days confined to the hotel because we had gales and torential rains. The rain shorted out the sky dish so all this time stuck inside with not even a television !!!

We had to change rooms during the gale in an emergency as the patio doors to the balcony were not fixed to the wall properly and were in danger of being blown in on us. The second room was a shambles compared to the one we just left, and we had to go to reception with a list of complaints including leaking toilet which didn't flush, lights not working, air conditioner( heater) not working, dirty handmarks all over the window, and i do mean ";DIRTY"; looked like sandy handpainting. The repairs were carried out post-haste. Took the filter out of the heater grill and threw it in the loft space, jambed the main room electric switch permantley on with a piece of toilet paper, fixed the loo with a piece of string etc. We were offered yet another room but that one had bare wires sticking out of the wall where a light fitting should have been, and drawers missing.

We decided to have a swim in the indoor pool (that was only open limited hours). This was in a bad state too. Two of the three ladders into the pool were off limits which left only one other, this actually fell apart while a man was useing it, luckily he was not hurt. Most of the showers did not work and we had to wait for the one that was. There were no lights in the pool toilets and as there was no windows, could not be used. No wet clothes were allowed anywhere else in the hotel, so if you were took short (my wife was) you had to queue for the shower, get dressed and climb 2 flights of steps to the main building.

The rooms and corridors were cleaned twice in our two week stay although the towels were changed daily we used our own beach towels as the hotel ones were like sandpaper and dingy greyish.
The food was absolutely dreadful! Cold and repetitive. Chicken and rice every night and i do mean every night. very little else on offer so we lived on omlettes and pancakes. The Chef told us he was on a very low budget and as the bird flu was getting very close, chicken was cheap (25p each)We also had to share the dining room with all the young labourers who were not only dirty but extremely noisy and messy. Nobody was ill but i suspect it was because not a lot of it was consumed by the quests.

By the second week there were less guests about 10. Three of those were single girls that booked but were on retun trips to see their tunisian boyfriends and as such did not stay at the hotel.
The one little bar that was open in the closed down for repair sister hotel Soviva club, had run out of Vodka, and Gin among others and we were told not being restocked as not enough guests.
This hotel had the title ";holidays from hell"; a few years ago but i think it is doubly qualified for it again.
The staff were really sweet and apologetic about everything and explained that it was the new owners fault. Most of the staff were layed off, everything was to a minimum. A lot of the staff were looking to get out of this hotel.
It was a 4* but we would have got better at a 1*.

We spoke to some people on the coach back to the airport that had been booked at the Soviva but their holiday company took it on themselves to transfer their booking elsewhere.
We went to the nextdoor hotel for one evenings entertainment, which started with a game of bingo. The announcer was making fun of our hotel, and said that the second prize (about £30 english money) could buy you an extra weeks holiday at the hotel next door which is known to everyone local as the hotel ";SURVIVER";.
We complained to our holiday Rep and when we returned home, wrote to the holiday company.
After our complaint was looked into, we were given an exceptable refund.
This hotel apparently is good during main season (when its full) but stay away after September through to June.
This is only a few of the things we found unexceptable. It would take me hours to list them all.