Questions for Sancho Proudfoot:

We are going to the Houda June 19th with First Choice-

What excursions do First Choice offer-we would like to have an idea as to what we would like to do so that we know how much spending money to take.

Any boat trips? Sahara Trips?

Also-did you check out the disco?

Thanks very much.

Hi jennakate

There is a large variety of excursions available, including 2 day Sahara Safaris, by coach or 3 day safaris by 4x4. The two day one is if I recall correctly, £68pp

Again, several boat trips are available, half day and full day. They have some splendid-looking replica pirate ships which do these trips, and the half day is around £11pp

You can also visit El Djem for the roman Colisseum and museum, Tunis, Sidi Bou Said, a very pretty blue-and-white village.

All the trips are explained in good detail by Issam whom you will meet at the welcome meeting; you can pay in Dinars, pounds, travellers cheques or credit cards.

As for the disco:

They open at 8.30 with a kids' disco, until 9.30, when the animation team take over. 9.30 to 10 is either bingo or tombola or similar, and 10 to 10.30 is their "show" - as per my review we weren't impressed. After that the disco starts; we were only there once when the disco was in full swing, and it was very much a late teens/early 20's style of music.

Thanks sancho

The photos look great. Don't know if I will do the paracending! As for the balancing acts. Is that a yearly display or weekly?

Shame about the mini train!

Tricia

Hi Tricia

The Balancing Act was part of the bedouin feast evening, along with horse riding, belly dancers, camels and so on; every week, just see your rep at the hotel!

Thanks for that Sancho Prodfoot-i look forward to some of the trips now that we can budget for them.

I was also wondering, is there a cocktail bar at the Houda, and if so, what are the cocktails like? And do they serve international brand soft drinks ie coke, pepsi, fanta?

Ive read a few posts saying that the drinks are really watered down-is this the case?

Thanks again

jenna kate

Hi Jennakate

yes, there is a cocktail bar (-ish). It is set up outside the main lobby bar in the lounge area, just by the doorway outside to the patio/outdoor entertainment area. The cocktails are included in the all-inclusive package. We only had a couple of them, they weren't to our taste, but many people did like them and had them regularly.

As for soft drinks, both at the lobby bar and the poolside bar there is a postmix dispensing machine - like you will get mixers from in your local - for you to serve yourself. The machines have coke, fanta orange and sprite. If the bar isn't too busy, they will also serve these from bottles behind the bar for you (if they are busy, they will tend to direct you to the machines).

I wouldn't say the drinks are watered down, but (for example) the beer is only 2% ABV, so it is fairly difficult to get really drunk, if that is your aim!!

Bottled water is always available from the bars, straight from the fridge, and again included in the all-inc package.

Hi Charlc, can't help you with new year booking but hope it's okay as I'll be there at the same time - going on 27th December. Maybe we'll meet up and be having a really good time.

Hi,

Me, my husband and our 2 year old daughter are due to go to the Houda golf & beach resort on 11th september. I just wondered if anybody knew whether there were mini bars in the room? The official website says that all the rooms have them in, but none of the holiday brochures seem to mention them!! Does anybody know whether there is

This was covered in a couple of threads below, but basically the answer is NO there aren't fridges/minibars in the rooms!

we're going to the houda 7th september
i would be greatful for any comments on the food. what's it like for fussy eaters?

Hi

We arrived back from Houda on 1 July 05, this was our second visit. We went the same 2 weeks the year before. My kids absolutely love it here, we are going to have trouble beating it I think.
You are basically on the beach (and it can look so different each day - some days there is seaweed others completely clear). My kids loved going on the pedeloes in the sea, and playing in both the main pool (which is great for toddlers because it has a slight slope into it at one end and so the little ones can paddle in and out), and they love the waterslides (which are based at another pool at the front of the hotel).

The food - well I started to panic because my children didnt seem to be eating much at all (but then again neither was i) - think it was the heat these 2 weeks were definately hotter than the same 2 weeks last year (some days in the 40s - and that was June). I personally think the hotel provides a good variety of food - there is always plenty of choice, both hot food/soups/tunisian dishes, (there is always spag bog on i noticed and you will always find chips and rice, and a good selection of other hot dishes, carvery etc , the salads and desserts buffets are fantastic!

There is a separate kids menu (restuarant opens earlier both at lunch and dinner, never saw chicken nuggets - but there were pieces of chicken, and little burgers, always pizza, chips and spaghetti bolognaise). Pizza hot dogs and chips are served at the pool side snack bar too as well as a small selection of other food.

There are no fridges or anything for self catering in your rooms.

I think it is a lovely hotel - the staff (be whatever) cleaners, waiters are all so friendly and the animation team just make your holiday. Fou Fou is great with the children!

Entertainment is basically the animation team puttin on shows - but dont be fooled they will have you laughing and the Grease show is very good! They do the normal bingo, tombola, Miss Houda etc too.

Think this hotel is great, if you want to just go and relax, and enjoy. We didnt actually go out the complex this time at all.
There is nothing much around it at all, but you can catch taxis outside the hotel to Monastir, Sousse. POrt el Kantoui is worth a visit - lovely little harbour - only 20 mins in taxi.

Oh - we also this time, jumped in a taxi at Monastir airport (after telling the rep), so much quicker - 10 dinars, and you will be at the Houda in 10 mins instead of an hour + later than the transfter coach, (the advantage of being before!)

All in all - I think if you go with an open mind about the food and dont expect it to be english - try different things (the tunisian dishes are lovely) you will enjoy it.

There are also a Tunisian and Italtian restaurant, you have to book to go to these. Both really nice, and it is nice to be waited on for a change! But be warned the waiters keep filling your glass of wine and you forget how much you have drunk!!

Really enjoyed it - hope you all have a lovely holiday! Wish I was going again!

Nicky x

good post nicky. glad you had a good time. do you plan on going a third time? it seems as though there are lots of return guests. i'm not expecting too much as you get what you pay for and i know what to expect from all inclusive. so i think i can safely put the bad reports to the back of my mind.
are most of the staff good with their english language skills?

Hi paula
Can i be really cheeky and ask how much you paid for your holiday?
We paid £338 each for a week going on 7th september. 2 weeks would have cost £486 going on the same date travelling from manchester.

Hi Toby,

We booked our holiday in April and after lots of shopping around on the internet, we ended up booking with first choice. For 2 weeks all inclusive starting 11th September from Birmingham, we paid a total of £1270 that was for 2 adults and 1 child. We also had a room upgrade to sea view in with that price!!
There were quite a few discounts when we booked so i think we got quite a good deal.
Can't wait now!!

Just for comparison purposes, when we went in May ( as above) we paid just £380 each, for 14 nights, including in flight meals and the (cheeky I think!) extra to be guaranteed to sit together on the plane.

Hi. Thinking of holidaying in tunisia next may 2007 for a week.
(school holiday week),

There would be me, my mum and my 14 year old daughter.

Thinking of going to Houda Golf and Beach Club, as it looks nice and the price/flights/Transfer time are fine.
(My Mum has been to Port E Kantouri, so she wants to go somewhere else). Me and my daughter have never been to Tunisia.

Anyone been to this hotel? Can you tell me if its Ok and easy to get out and about.?
In the eve we will be happy to be hotel based as long as we can visit other places in the day.

I take it the weather would be good that time of year?

Any advise would be helpful, if you think a different hotel would be better etc...

Thanks Lynne

hi lynne
we have just come back from the houda, well,

the hotel was very clean, our room was very dated needed a face lift shall we say (grnd flr facing the tennis courts)

the food was very much the same every day breakfast never changed. we didnt like the food much at all.

the pools were good the slides were at a seperate part altogether and those pools were nice and quiet but we did go beginning of oct.

now then......... there is now entertainment at night and there is nothing out and about.we got a taxi to monistir one day just for a change what an experience we witnessed a street robbery and the people were physically pulling my hubby into their shops it was scary we were back in the taxi within the hour.

we also got horse and cart ride to what we thought was a market thats what the guy said he took us to about four shops and they were owned by his family.

so for my true opinion i would go somewhere else.

hope this has helped you but i personally would never spep foot in tunisia again even if the holiday was free

pam xxxxxxxxxxxxx

lynne that was supposed to say no entertainment at night

sorrrrrrryyyyyyy pam xxxx

hi ya me and my family 2 children 9 and 6 have booked to this hotel in september 2009 wondered if anyone has been? really worried as read loads of bad reviews and know they are not always true!! Was thinking of changing hotel ? just wanna sit back and look forward to are holiday.
Any advised and commets would be grateful