Tej Maharba Reviews

Just returned from 7 nights in Sousse, first time in Tunisia.

Hotel rated 4*plus in Panorama brochure but only a 3* by British standards. Best bits first.. staff very friendly and couldnt do enough for you but this could be because you have to tip for everything, drinks, meals, sunbeds, but when its only 1 dinar (50p) you dont begrudge it. Room clean, bed very comfortable, but then we do like a hard bed!towells and sheets changed EVERY day.

Maids and cleaners in evidence all day and most of the evening too.Food choice was good but it was the same choice every night, turkey, veal and fish, but they do have lots of lovely salad dishes. Drinks in the bars are very limited, cant get anything like Bacardi,Malibu or any Alcopops like Smirnoff Ice etc.

Now the bad bits..what a fantastic outdoor pool but what a waste that no-one can go in it because it's too cold! No heating in the pool and although we had 2 days where the weather did reach 72-74, the pool was too cold to set foot in. The indoor pool on the other hand, was far too hot, felt like trying to swim in a Turkish bath, and was cloudy and murky with wires dangling in the water! The pool furniture is dirty and broken and the garden area where you sit is littered with cats poo and cigarette ends!

Evening entertainment was a let down unless you like ballroom dancing and saxophonists! We did have Kareoke two nights and this was the highlight of our week! Taxi's were very cheap but you do have to haggle, and always fix the price before you get in. A trip to Monastir, 25klms away cost us just 12 dinar(£6.00) Finally, a few words of caution, when you arrive at the airport, a load of Tunisian porters will descend on you and try to take your luggage to your coach. If you choose to let them, dont feal obliged to tip them, they are paid by the airport to do the job. On your return to the airport, once you have checked in and you go up the escalator to Departures, you will see the banks where you have to change your dinars back to sterling. Dont make the mistake that we did and get rid of everyting, because when you get into the departure lounge and want to use the phones to call home, they only take dinars and we didnt have any left!

All in all, we enjoyed our week mainly because the people were so friendly but we wouldnt choose to go to Tunisia again.

Hello,

Ele and myself (Andrew) were looking for a nice relaxing 'couples' holiday that wasn't as touristy as Tenerife but wasn't going to cost the earth like the Malidives either. We originally thought Egypt but then settled for Tunisia. The package cost £259 each (discounting a flight meal and insurance which, we managed to get from moneysupermarket for £8 each - bargain) from Birmingham just starting high season, so we thought we got a very good deal. This was of course booked online as the travel agents were looking for their usual commission would have cost us £30 each.

As we didn't opt for a meal on the plane, we provided our own sustenance in the form of 'cr*p food' - kettle chips, pepparami's, sweets etc. This food was just the ticket for an early trip to a foreign land. They (First Choice) put all the people that didn't opt for plane food at the back of the plane. Only 1 set of people from this section bought headphones to watch or listen to'Vicar of Dibley' or 'Radio Fab'. I thought we a section were quite tight for not shelling £3 out on these but now I look at it as a blessing! Anyway I had my trusty puzzle book to keep me occupied and Ele was watching the sky as we zoomed along at 40,000 ft odd feet.

I have to say the scenery is the best I've ever seen (When Ele's fat head wasn't blocking the window haha) as it was a beautiful day and the flight path was across France, down through Italy, the lovely Corsica and Sardinia and then across the Med to Tunisia. The landing makes Tunisia look like a baron wasteland country and for the most part it is. You can certainly spot the man made touristy areas from above.

Right we arrived and changed some currency into dinars at the airport as the exchange rate is a standard rate throughout the country. We thought the hotel would 'stroke' us in no uncertain terms for commission. It really is negligible the difference, you just don't have to queue at the airport. Oh almost forgot if you smoke 2 points to remember. 1. Buy your favourite brand at the airport e.g. mine is B+H. In Tunisia they only really sell Marlboro, which, taste like they are made with hay and literally rip your throat to shreads. 2. They had a deal on the plane, buy 200 get 200 free so about £24 for 400. I made the mistake of just buying 200 in duty free for £24

There are countless numbers of baggage carriers at Monastir airport who apparently get payed already for carrying your bag but I slipped him a dinar anyway (about 45p converted). Get use to this you'll be doing it a lot. bus journey is about 30 minutes and then you arrive at your hotel.

The hotel from the outside is very nice but all the odd numbered rooms face the busy main road. The key is to ask for an evened numbered room facing the pool and ocean 500 times better. We had this view anyway but we could have payed £60 each yes each to guarantee this! I think this would be difficult in very high season for free.

Next point about the hotel is the receptionists. They do speak English but they are more fluent in French so if can speak the basics they will appreciate it a lot more. They look after yours bags and will eventually take them up to your room. The view from the room is wonderful and many hotels would be hard pushed to beat it. The layout of the back of the hotel is like a poor man's Taj Mahal with the pool and surrounding area with the sea in the back ground. The room itself is equipped with an adequate bathroom, plenty of hanging space, a radio for those who speak Arabic I think and a TV to match. The one channel you will watch on this is BBC world, like news 24 with a weather report from all over the world. The bed is huge and the cleaners will come and change the sheets and pillowcases every day. Not sure why they started us off with 3 sheets and a blanket on the bed, it's not exactly snowing outside! We gave the cleaners a £3 tip on the last day we were there; French is all they speak so don't expect 2 much. The room is quite clever because you need the key to work the electric; this took me ages to work out.

Food. This turned out the most disappointing experience about the hotel, but I suppose you can't really expect 5 star food for the price. The menu is repetitive and dull. Put it this way if you like a Donner from the kebab shop this is the place for you. Breakfast was probably the highlight of this experience as the did fresh crepes every day and Ele was always getting 'hard boiled' eggs, either 3 mins or mins done.

For the main meal (which, you have to wear trousers for if you don't already know) there was a selection of meats e.g. veal and salad of all descriptions. For pudding or dessert they have little and I do mean little selection of cakes and treats. These were very nice as I recall. As I say the main point is repetitiveness. What you can do is swap your evening meal ticket for a lunch ticket. This is a very good idea as you can get your lunch veal etc and go out for a meal in the evening.

We went out for food most nights, ask the rep Deborah I think what restaurants are good. There is a restaurant called Bonapartes just hang a left as you leave the hotel on the roadside. This is renowned for Steak so I had fish and Ele eventually found some cous-cous in this restaurant (which, apparently the island is renowned for). The other restaurant (whose name escapes me) is very good apparently for fish so I had steak. (Just head towards the back of the hotel through the shopping centre and instead of going right towards the supermarket go right for about 200 yards on your left) We met Jim and Nichola who Ele's knows from the UK and we all went here for a meal and several bottles of wine and starters and the bill came to £100 for all for us, so quite reasonable. The last thing I will say is a little gem of a place called L'Escargot where Ele and myself went on the last night. This restaurant was fabulous and the food and wine were some of the best I've ever tasted. Go to this place and you'll not be disappointed. This leads neatly on to entertainment

Don't go Sousse or Tunisia for that matter if you expect entertainment of a high standard. Expect Butlins in February. There is quaint little bar joined to the hotel called ";The Rose and Crown"; If that doesn't get the English tourists in I don't know what will. Nice green study leather strewn throughout the bar but it just doesn't feel right in temperatures of 30`C. Since this a Muslim country don't expect cheap pints. £2.50 odd as the locals don't drink a drop inside the country so it's a specialist item. This 'pub' did have Karaoke on a Monday night but I was to pissed to remember it, I apparently wasn't very good. In the hotel lobby there was a 3 piece band playing most nights but if you don't like the Gloria Estafan feel and Hotel California sang really badly you won't sit there longer than an post dinner drink. G+T with Gordon's will cost about £4 in the lobby. But what else are you supposed to spend your money on if not alcohol. On the whole there is b*gger all to do apart from making friends and getting p1ssed.

Lastly when Jim and Nichola were down from Port-el-Kantouia we ended the club that is at the end of the mini shopping centre. I think we were the only intoxicated people there and it showed. Just locals in here but as a special incentive - free popcorn!!! N.B. The pool table is on a slant and useless to play. Ele was in a bad way as she had 10 too many G+T's, very funny to watch her the next day. Not much else to do at nighttime and boredom eventually kicked in.

There are trips organized by all tour operators which, will take you out into the desert for a small fee of course. I think the main one people go on is the ride across the Sahara on a camel for 2 days and seeing some camel trains. Ele and me thought it was a bit steep for going on a coach getting dropped off and seeing a few camels but whatever lights your candle. The other main trip is about £90 pp and that's going to see the set of Star War's and Gladiator or life of Brian were filmed. Money well spent? Ele thought we should go on something so we booked to go on the Bedouin Feast (£18 PP) She thought it was cultural I was more interested in the free wine provided. Unfortunately Ele on the day that we were supposed to go had lay out on the beach and fallen asleep, and subsequent sunstroke ensued. She was sick as a dog. Needless to say we couldn't go. I felt so sorry for her so to cheer her up I went out and bought a colouring in book and some crayons. Yes that's right she's 22 but a kid at heart. So the moral of the story is, if you don't like sitting by the pool and ordering beer then spend some of your hard earned cash of touristy trips.

The beach is very nice and very hot and many games of scatch were played here. Remember always tip 1 dinar whether by the pool or beach if you are getting given a sun lounger as they will treat you right for a long time after this. This cash goes a long way for them.

We took a trip to medina on a day that was cloudy and early to avoid the heat. Beside the medina in the heart of Sousse is a shopping centre that sells pretty much anything you will find in the medina. There are exceptions however like goat's heads, spices and fake gold. In theory the Government sets these prices and then you are expected to haggle for lower in the Medina.

Few things to remember here like don't give them any eye contact this will make them look like you are interested. Always haggle; I bought a chessboard for 12 Dinar (£5.50), the guy started at 55 quid! They literally would sell their own grannies. Ladies if you like fake Loius Vitton handbags then this is the place to go and speaking of fake remember all that glitters is not gold. You have been warned. I bought some Marlboro for £5 for 200 but couldn't smoke then cause they were too strong. You may here some key phrases in the market place for instance ";Cheaper than Asda";, ";Cheaper than Mark's and Spencers"; and my favourite ";You respect my price I respect your price"; These made me chuckle. If they had said ";Cheaper than Neto's"; maybe I would have bought some more things. Very, very hectic place, if you get flustered easily do not go.

In conclusion this is a good holiday destination that would suit you if you like to be tucked up by 11PM. Bit lifeless for me with not enough to do at night. But I suppose I wasn't expecting the clublife of Ibiza. The country itself runs because of the tourist resorts like Sousse and Hammamet and as hotels go this is 4 star with beautiful architecture inside. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who goes to Tunisia, as I would say that it would be one of the best, I just would have a few problems with the resort itself. If I were you remember to bring a travel plug/adaptor and a cd player you'll need it. AF

I hope you can sift through the babble and extract the usual info about the Tej Marhaba and this 'comprehensive' review has been of some use to you. I apologise that this review turned out to be a second war and peace.

The Tej Maharba hotel was great. The staff could not do enough for us and the room was large and spotlessly clean. The hotel has a shopping centre atached to it with bars, shops, cafes and even a club.

The hotel was only 20 mins walk into the centre of Sousse and less than 50p in a taxi, the taxi's were very cheap. There was a supermarket 2 mins from the hotel and it was easy to find our way about. There wasn't loads of enterntainment in the evening but the Rose and Crown pub and the Piano bar together with the staff and all the other guests provided us with plenty of entertainment.

The trips were valuse for money with First Choice and although the weather wasn't great (Feb) there was loads to keep us busy or lovely places to relax if we wanted.

The food was good, loads of choices although very similar each day.

I would recommend Sousse and this hotel.

Just returned on monday evenning 13th Jan

Had a great time hotel is very nice people are very friendly, rooms are a good size and linen and towels changed daily. Food was nice eggs cooked as you waited in the morning for breakfast. fresh omelletes also. The bread and croissants were delicious. Adam the flower seller came to sell his roses he is a 21 year old student what a character he will go a long way, we looked forward to his nightly visit cos he told us a lot about his country and its cultures.

you must do the 2 dat explorer trip £67.50 was well woth it/ we did 1000 miles in 2 days rode a camel on the sahara to see the sunset, were on salt desert to see sun rise, went into the berber homes wich are caves it was incredible we also went over the atlas mountains it was 2 days we won't forget. you will either like tunisia or hate it we loveed everthing i don't think our hotel is for the young people but for those who are not bothered about living it up it is ideal, we played cards and trivial pursuit in the american bar in the evenings because having had a good day all we wanted was to relax.

Take your own ciggies as you can only get marlborough and take plenty spirits you can barter or do as we did put some in a bottle to take out with us as no choice of spirits widely available although they do a nice pint of lager. we plan to go back to tunisia next year can't wait.

5weeks long stay, hotel was good food was good,entertainment good except for the bingo animation caller who pocketed 65% of the money,collected 250 dinar and payed out approx 50 dinar one night,a good weeks wages when the game is played 7 nights a week..cashier beware of...... tried to short change all of us at some stage, anything up to 10 dinar, but the rep wasnt interested until i said i wanted the police involved then she saw the manager...said he makes afew mistakes...yeah right..maids very poorly paid and a tip is well erned by them.manager never saw in 5 weeks. reception very dozy put keys in wrong portholes.Tunisia is a good holiday, but sousse ..well our 2 lady friends were mugged and so were 11 other people in the 5 weeks we were there. she had to have a plate in her fractured arm..many pickpockets beware,ladies never wear a shoulder handbag keep, a small bag infront of you, men,watch your pockets, they had our mobile phone from ours.best area is the port of kantoui.

I and my friends visited this hotel in June to celebrate my birthday. I had read some of the accounts given on this site and wondered if we had made the right decision.

Boy were we right in choosing this hotel it was spotless, and the staff so friendly and courteous. The gardens and pool was wonderful. On our first day the pool man offered to get us our mattresses and every day we were there our sunbeds were ready and waiting for us after breakfast.

The food was brilliant and those who complained well I don't think they would be pleased even at Gleneagles. We had the same waiter every night so he knew what wine to have ready for us. On the night of my birthday they decorated the table for me which was a lovely surprise.
We went to the medina and carpet factory and my friends bought carpets which were fabulous. I bought a leather jacket which was made especially for my two year old greatniece. I just picked the style and colour and three days later it was delivered to the hotel.

Would I go back certainly in fact one of my friends Grace took her husband there in October and he also enjoyed himself.
If you intend going to Port El Kantaoui then take the Noddy train it is good fun and very cheap.

Pauline and I went to the Tej Marhaba hotel in Sousse, half board, and did we get a surprise!!!!

Although this hotel is a 4*, there are a few points I wish to mention.

Firstly, the entire hotel is very grandiose, and well kept. The in-built shopping centre is huge! The swimming pools, indoor and outdoor and well kept and are pleasant enough. The gym facilities are first class also.

What we found, however, was that the buffet service was pathetic. The same foods over and over, breakfast and dinner!!

My partner and I had food poisoning for the first 3-4 days of our weeks stay there. The rice may have been reheated, or they may have made some fresh and some old then mixed them together. Anyway we were ill and after wednesday we never ate from the buffet at all. Spoke to the rep about this but she shrugged us off. Useless!!

Anyway,we did find a lovely restuarant right beside the rose and crown pub, called the Sindbad. TOP NOTCH!!!! We lived on tomato soup (Perfect, even though I don`t like tomato soup I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this), and either Peppered steak or Steak Diane (Mushroom sauce). To drink we had cola or water with starters (there were aperitifs also) then a glass of wine with our main meal (I had 2!!) In total between 28 and 55 dinars, or about £22-27.50 for the two of us. VERY GOOD value for money. Beautifully cooked.

The only recommendation for breakfast I would make is the freshly made crepes, with sugar and lemon. Avoid the tea though, its terrible. Surprised I couldn`t find any fruit tea, like in Turkey though.

Anyway what made matters worse was that it rained for 5 of 7 days. The only 2 days sunny, strangely enough was the days we went our day trips to Tunis, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said (Thursday) then El Jem and the pirate cruise (Friday). Both of which were excellent.

Overall the people were friendly, despite one or two annoying you for camel/boat trips. I would come back to Tunisia, but not to Sousse and definitely not back to this hotel half board.

P.S. When walking anywhere its best you look straight in front of you and not turn your head to gaze at wares. The minute you turn your head the seller assumes you are interested and will try to hassle you into a sale. Only look at something if you intend on buying!!!

hotel teg merhaba is rated 4 star by thomas cook. i do not think it is we just came back on the 10 09 06 the weather was excellent,high 90s but we had no fridge in the room no tea or coffee in room and there wasn't any room service the laundray service was a joke i lost some clothes and i got somebody elses vest and knickers reception didn't give a toss the hotel bar ran out vodka twice and lemonade three times.the three tiolets in bar area were very poor condition with no hand dryers working,the kids at the pool couldn't even get an icecream or a icelolly.there was no directional signs to tell you where anything was as the complex is a very large area.

now the good pionts we were there half board and the food was good but the buffet bar was to small for the people that was there,the 2 poolswere excellent out door and indoor,good sunbathing area and i must mention the beach it is fantastic,about 10 minutes walk from reception it's the hotels private beach and we had no bother getting a bed and also the water sports are great paragliding,padillo's,canoe's,jetski the sand is just like kids play sand.overall we had a great holiday pity about the small things that let us down in the hotel

would i go back, yes to a different hotel