Tracey, I don't remember seeing a laundry at the Hotel I'm afraid.
Nick

Opps ment to mention that too, thanks Nick, No, no laundry but I understood some maids we're happy to be paid to do it for you, Thats if you can understand each other enough to explain what you need doing! Glad you had a great time too Nick, Looking at returning some time soon?
JJ

can you tell me if there are safety deposit boxes in the rooms,and do men have to wear long trousers at meal times.
thanks in advance trasjohno

Hiya
I think the safety deposit boxes we're just to the side of the reception, we did not use them ourselves after someone mentioned that they saw a master key hanging up where they are, This may well have just been a oversite by one of the staff though, If you do use them just have a look first to be safe, I believe you had to leave a deposit think it was 10 or 20 TD. We left our passports & tickets locked up in one of our cases in our room, and I kept the key to the lock along with all our cash and cards in a small bag I had on me, and I didn't find this a bother as the bag spent most it's time burried at the bottom of a beach bag with books, sun tan cream and everything else on top of it!!!
As for the long trousers in the resturant I've read on different websites they have to be long but Hubby never wore them once, think usually it was polo type t-shirt and knee length or 3/4 length shorts.
Hope this all helps
JJ

Trasjohno, the safety deposit boxes were by reception. You are given a key, which in conjunction with a "master" key, only opens your box. You can only open your box with both keys. I used it and it worked fine - I would have prefered the box in our room though. Cost 30 dinars I think.

Thanks for that Nick, wish I knew that in advance...

Just returned from dar Kahyam.......have booked again for next year. Any questions please ask

i stayed ther in august and cant wait until i can go there again! it was really a beatiful holiday!

My family (2 adults + 2 kids, 43, 40, 15 and 8 year old) have booked for 2 weeks in August 2007. Having read lots of reviews this seems like it will be a great holiday.

This will be the first package holiday abroad we have been on, so for us everything is new. I am trying to cover all bases before I go, any help appreciated!

Can anybody advise on any/all of the following:

1. Tipping? How much and when?

2. Money? US$ travellers cheques or Tunisian Dinars? Where to change?

3. Cost of scuba diving? Where to do it?

4. We are planning to go on the 2 day Safari and the Pirates excursion, anything else?

5. Journey time from TUN airport? Our package includes a private taxi!

6. Is it worth taking suncream and beach accessories such as kids toys and snorkelling gear? Can these be bought on site?

Cheers

Dave

streetd, Might be seeing you there when do you go we are flying out from Gatwick on the 15th.

1. I tipped the maid 1/2 td each day, the bar staff a little each day and our waiter once when we arrived and the day we left.
2. It is a closed currency so you can't take in td, you can change sterling TC and cash just outside the hotel. We take a few £1 coins to tip the porters when we arrive at the airport and the hotel porter as well.
3. There is a scuba diving place just outstide the hotel dont know the price but quite cheap.
4. Pirates a good laugh but we like chillling round the pool.
5. We took coach from airport took 1.5 hrs.
6. Take your own suncream and lilos because expensive.

Also food could be better but really cheap to eat out.
Cant be that bad going back for the third time

Enjoy!

jooles, thanks for the advice. We'll be flying out of Gatwick on the 26th August for 2 weeks. When you ate out, how far did you go and where?

Cheers

Dave

We ate once in Hammamet which was very good think it was called Cascades, the rep recommended it and the other time a place about 5 minutes walk from the hotel near the Aqua Park, cant remember the name. There are a few places within walking distance from the hotel to try and more in Hammamet itself which is only about £3/4 in taxi (although can be alittle hairy in the taxi, I just closed my eyes!!)
I think the bowling alley also did food but didnt eat there but it was good night out.
We enjoyed the camels/horse riding which we did through Latif, he has been selling these trips at the Dar Khayam for years.
Might see you there as we come home on the 29th.

Jooles

Hi Streetd,
we cant wait to go back, 38weeks and counting.

Tips, we tipped our maid 20td at the end of the holiday, and a few paire of jeans.lol. Our waiter 30td. we also tipped taxi drivers around 2 - 3 td, and its worth tipping the waiters on the bar the odd dinar.

We just took cash and changed it at the bank, outside the hotel, everything is so very cheap.

We did the camel ride with latif, and will do it again this year and also the arabian night, which is a long journey, but good fun and cultural. Friends with us did the Saharah trip and enjoyed it.

coach about an hour or so, but in a taxi quicker, i would advise knowing how to say slowly please in french, as they do drive quite fast.

we normally take a case of lilos snorkelling stuff, and sunlotions, shampoos etc are very expensive over there. Maids really appreciate what you have left over.

can wait to go back, you will have a wonderfull time

38 weeks and counting

i will be back in 18 weeks!! i cant wait until that! :-) my last visit was so fantatic!

me,hubby & 3 kids stayed at the dar khayam aug/sept o6,i would never go back.done a lot of research before we went,and the majority was good.the rooms were basic but fine for sleeping in.maids made beds only never brushed floors.the food in the the resturant was vile,dirty cutlery,no teaspoons.we ate out a lot.entertainment was good for the kids but rubbish for adults.watch your daughters the staff are forever touching there bottoms and other places.i put a complaint in about one of the waiters for sexually harassing my daughter who was 13 at the time.one eveing my hubby,myself and a lady we had met ,were talking while having a drink by the pool one evening.when one of the bar staff came up, and as he was collecting glasses asked her if she wanted to go into the toilets with him for sex.she was gobsmacked to say the least.she was on holiday alone and they suss this out.if you are a woman alone some of the tunisian men think you are there because you want sex.saying that i did see a few older woman with young tunisian guys,(sad).got talking to the kids entertainer who my 9 year old loved,and he told me a lot of the staff have a new girlfiend each week and are engaged to 2 or 3 of them,and told me of two staff that had got guests pregnant i won't mention any names.lately i have read reviews on this hotel on other sites which have confermed the above.
don't go here if you want nice food and to keep your children safe,if your an old or young shirley valentine you won't go lonely.

we have booked 2 rooms there for June 07 but one thing i cant understand when im trying to get photos is in the pics on the thomas cook web site which is where we booked it shows the pool like a L shape with a separrate kiddies pool yet if you do a search on google it shows the kiddies pool joined to the L shape pool.

Both hotels are called the same and are in the same resort and both are sunset

Can someone explain this

Also even though we booked it through thomas cook on there website which shows the 2 pools saperate when we watched Tunisia on Thomas cook TV last night it showed the pools joined

Is it 2 different hotels or are the pics the same hotel but they have been updated

i tried to submit pics of the 2 differences but it wont let me as im a new member

I have tried to click on the web site in the hotel review section but can't seem to get connected! Does anyone know if this is the right one?

Thanks

New member, the pools are separate, the main pool is pblong shaped, and kiddies pool is square. niether pools are huge, but a nice size, you also have a fabulous beach that is very safe for children, hotel etc and staff are fantastic, we had a wonderful tiime and booked to go again, two days after we got back. age ranges for our family are 42,40,17,15,12,9