I can't get my first choice of hotel and am thinking of the Marhaba where I've stayed a couple of times in the past and see that the latest reviews of it are very good. The problem is it now only seems to be available on AI through all the companies I've looked at. I've never stayed AI as I spend so much time out of the hotel. Can anyone give me advice on a couple of points. Firstly, what does the AI include? Secondly, and even more important, are there bars where you can take visitors for a drink? I have friends who will be in Sousse at the same time. When visiting friends at a hotel in PEK earlier in the year I had great difficulty in actualy getting through the gate. The very officious security guard tried to stop me, saying it was only for guest, but after ringing through he passed the phone to me and I was allowed in 'for a few minutes'. Incidentally I felt they shot themselves in the foot with this silly rule. Quite often people go into a hotel for a drink, have a look round and like the look of it so much they decide to stay there themselves in future.
AI at Marhaba Hotel Sousse
10 Posts
Back to Sousse in October I can't get my first choice of hotel and am thinking of the Marhaba where I've stayed a couple of times in the past and see that the latest reviews of it are very good. The problem is it now only seems to be available on AI through all the companies I've looked at. I've never stayed AI as I spend so much time out of the hotel. Can anyone give me advice on a couple of points. Firstly, what does the AI include? Secondly, and even more important, are there bars where you can take visitors for a drink? I have friends who will be in Sousse at the same time. When visiting friends at a hotel in PEK earlier in the year I had great difficulty in actualy getting through the gate. The very officious security guard tried to stop me, saying it was only for guest, but after ringing through he passed the phone to me and I was allowed in 'for a few minutes'. Incidentally I felt they shot themselves in the foot with this silly rule. Quite often people go into a hotel for a drink, have a look round and like the look of it so much they decide to stay there themselves in future.
I can't get my first choice of hotel and am thinking of the Marhaba where I've stayed a couple of times in the past and see that the latest reviews of it are very good. The problem is it now only seems to be available on AI through all the companies I've looked at. I've never stayed AI as I spend so much time out of the hotel. Can anyone give me advice on a couple of points. Firstly, what does the AI include? Secondly, and even more important, are there bars where you can take visitors for a drink? I have friends who will be in Sousse at the same time. When visiting friends at a hotel in PEK earlier in the year I had great difficulty in actualy getting through the gate. The very officious security guard tried to stop me, saying it was only for guest, but after ringing through he passed the phone to me and I was allowed in 'for a few minutes'. Incidentally I felt they shot themselves in the foot with this silly rule. Quite often people go into a hotel for a drink, have a look round and like the look of it so much they decide to stay there themselves in future.
Interesting point aslemma, :the Abou Sofiane in PEK was the same, guests only and you couldn't buy a drink for visitors.
actually now that I have just engaged my brain you would know that as I think it was that hotel you were visiting 
Well generally if the hotel is all AI there would be problems getting a guest in for a drink, however if there is a mix of board basis you can have guests in and pay for their drinks, this applies in nearly all AI hotels everywhere as they don't want guests providing free drinks to non guests.
actually now that I have just engaged my brain you would know that as I think it was that hotel you were visiting Well generally if the hotel is all AI there would be problems getting a guest in for a drink, however if there is a mix of board basis you can have guests in and pay for their drinks, this applies in nearly all AI hotels everywhere as they don't want guests providing free drinks to non guests.
When we popped into the Marhaba a couple of years ago, as we stayed in the Tour Khalef, they had brought out the AI, the waiter said if we wanted to purchase drinks at the Marhaba, we could go to reception and purchase a pre-paid card, then we could use it at the bar, even though we weren't staying there. AI consists of your 3main meals, and drinks, but some AI differs, eg only certain drinks, and it ends at a certain time. In my view, if you are going to be spending a lot of time out of the hotel, I would not personally go AI.
Hope that helps a little bit
Roo
Hope that helps a little bit
Roo
You're quite right Graham and I must say I wasn't impressed, though the hotel did look very nice. I agree with you Roo and have never felt the need for AI - yes, I like a drink as much as the next girl but prefer to pay for it as I go. I also think AI can encourage those who feel an urge to drink the bar dry with the inevitable consequences. If I can buy a card at reception that would be one way, though obviously not ideal. That said, more and more hotels in Tunisia are going for that option and my choices are becoming more limited.
Personally as moi said Alsemma, we only go h.b, as like yourself, I enjoy a drinky like the next person, but choose to pay as I go, but it has been known, one year me and son went away (to Canary Islands, the only drinks that passed my lips were soft drinks, ) people still don't believe that to this day, lol.
Although, on our recent trip, I did try a bouka (unsure of the spelling) and ohhh boy, I think if I would have drank all of it, I would have been on the floor or dancing round the palm trees
I do hope you manage to sort out a hotel for your forthcoming holiday, you lucky mare, lol.
Roo
Although, on our recent trip, I did try a bouka (unsure of the spelling) and ohhh boy, I think if I would have drank all of it, I would have been on the floor or dancing round the palm trees
I do hope you manage to sort out a hotel for your forthcoming holiday, you lucky mare, lol.
Roo
Thanks Roo. I'm sure I'll get myself sorted before October. I can't stand boukha or thibarine as I don't like figs or dates but give me a glass (or three) of cedratine and I'm a very happy bunny. (Sorry Graham, I know 
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Which Marhaba did you stay at as I see there are a cuople and we're looking to book next year. Are they all pretty much the same standard?
I've stayed at all three over the years but always HB; Marhaba Beach 4* in '07, Marhaba 3* twice, ('05 the last time) and once in Marhaba Club 3*. They were all fine though I admit the Beach was the nicest. The Marhaba has had some very good reviews recently. When I was there the rooms were undergoing refurbishment and lifts were being added to the outside of the hotel. Watching the men work would have given British H&S officials nightmares 
You could use the pools etc. in any of these hotels. The Tour Khalef is also part of the same group and I had a quick look round that when I was in Sousse in April and it looked very impressive, though I can't speak for the food or service.
You could use the pools etc. in any of these hotels. The Tour Khalef is also part of the same group and I had a quick look round that when I was in Sousse in April and it looked very impressive, though I can't speak for the food or service.
I think the problem the staff see with letting guests who aren't staying in to an AI hotel, is they are worried that visitors will kind of slip through the net and go mad at the buffet & bars, in theory it shouldn't be able to happen, as eveybody is normally wristbanded up, but I guess it's not a risk that most AI hotels want to take and they probably dont have enough staff to keep checking people's wrists. 
Yonks ago we were one of only 2 families staying self catering in an AI complex on Gran Canaria and we wanted breakfast one day in the AI restaurant and it was nigh on impossible to pay. In the end we went back to making our own in the apartment each morning.
The pre-paid card sounds like a brilliant idea.
Doe
Yonks ago we were one of only 2 families staying self catering in an AI complex on Gran Canaria and we wanted breakfast one day in the AI restaurant and it was nigh on impossible to pay. In the end we went back to making our own in the apartment each morning.
The pre-paid card sounds like a brilliant idea.
Doe
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