Just back last night from the fabulous hotel Abou Sofaine.
Everything was as Graham reported in his review and the weather was even kind to us by being sunny every day with temps reaching 80f by the end of the week.
We had a shock in store on Friday when 400 Tunisians arrived for their bank holiday weekend.
we were told their holiday is free,supplied by the factory where they work in in Sfax.
I have been in hotels which were popular with East Europeans but I have never in my life seen anything like the way these guests behaved!
It started on Friday night when we entered the restaurant at 8pm and the place was full and looked like a giant food fight had taken place!
There was nothing left on the buffet but the tables were piled high with food,even tables that had been vacated.
The head waited took us and 4 other couples to the Al A carte restaurant which we had already been to earlier in the week.
He told us he had told British and French guests to come to the restaurant at 6,30pm for their meal before they let the rest in.
We hadnt been told but we along with all the other paying guests arrived at 6.30pm on Saturday night where we had a lovely peaceful evening meal.
Many arguments took place outside with the management and Tunisian guests when they were told they had to wait until we had finished our meal.
At 8pm the doors opened and it was like a rugby scrum.Within minutes the buffet was emptied by guest taking whole desserts and bowls of salad to there tables.
The same scrum took place at breakfast so they opened the pool bar for breakfast and the beach bar for lunch.
The al a carte also had a buffet on Saturday night.
The Theatre/Disco was also a nightmare as groups of young men danced with a glass in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
The room soon filled with smoke despite an excellent extractor system.It didnt just smell like cigarette smoke.
Ther children where absolutely gorgeous but left to wander around the hotel and small tots on their own near the pool.
The staff were really fed up and did their best to make sure all other guests got their meals before the food was demolished!
We were told by many to avaiod the 19th,20th and 21st of March.
We met some friends at the airport and they had the same problem in Hammamet.
It seems to be the larger AI hotels that are used by the freebie holidays.
I must say we met some Tunisia families before the influx and they were also disgusted by the behaviour.Many took photos and videos of the mayhem in the restaurant.
Unfortunately we were leaving when peace returned to the hotel at 1pm on Sunday.
I cant wait to go back but it wont be during the March public holiday.