Dont entertain the Soviva,go to the Kanta,its a nice established hotel and just a couple of minutes walk from the marina.Yes you will get hassle,but a polite no thankyou is usually ok,there is a couple of fixed price shops just as you walk into the marina.

Definately the Kanta

Thanks for your replies, yes Soviva Resort has got some very bad reviews so won't touch that one. The Kanta does look very nice and the entertainment is good for us. I won't be going out at night so think I will be safe enough, it was just during the day if we wanted to take a walk out. Think it's dark glasses so I don't need to give eye contact lol. I also looked at Abou Sofione which looks very nice too!! anyone been here?? Emma x

Please don't worry about walking around at night as you will be quite safe. The natives aren't hostile and though they like to engage visitors in conversation they can be easily dissuaded if you ignore them and just keep walking. A few useful phrases are 'la shokran' (no thank you), 'la, gahli barcha' (no, too expensive) and 'ma andee faloos' (I've got no money) if you want to decline offers to go into shops or restaurants,

Emma,I am going to the Abou Sofiane in 5 weeks time after reading all the review sites.
My friend stayed here 2 years ago and she had nothing but praise for the hotel.
Its number 5 on Trip Advisor and has excellent reviews.
I dont normally like AIs but it was only £8 more a night than the Royal Kenz HB where I originally wanted to go.
I booked it with Portland and the agent gave me the web price which was £120 cheaper each than with Thomson who are the same company.

hi emma

hotel Kanta is my first choice when going to Tunisia but have also stayed in Abou Sofiane. Hotel Kanta has a better location in that it's just a couple of mins walk from the marina and supermarkets so you wouldnt need to worry about getting a taxi but its not on the beach whereas Abou Sofiane is about 1.5km from the resort (aprox 10 min walk along beach) or just hop in a taxi which are always available outside the hotel and are quite cheap.

Really as Aslemma says please don't be scared to walk around the marina at night or daytime as altho the locals may talk to you and will try to entice/hassle you into shops etc they generally are a friendly lot. I honestly can say I feel safer out and about in Tunisia than I do at home!! Im saying this as a 30 something singleton who has been to tunisia about 17 times with family and alone!

You don't mention what age your son is or what time of year you are thinking of going?

Jay Trip......hope you have a fab holiday and enjoy the abou sofiane!!

Hi,

I have gone and booked the Abou Sofione for beginning of June AI got quite a good deal so really looking forward to it now. Daniel my son, is 16 he likes anything as long as it's warm and not in this country lol.

Still dubious about the going out at night thing but with these replies think I'm warming to it.

When it comes to the money side of things is it right you just cash what you need at Reception?? how do you know if they rip you off??

Many thanks for all your replies no doubt I will be back on again with other questions for you all.

Emma x

i am on my coffee break from work so this will be a quickie reply

Yeah last time I was there you just changed money at the reception.......they will not be able to rip you off as the exchange rate is set by the government and no matter where you go to get it changed you will get that days rate.

Knowing now that your son is 16 I would say you have made the better choice as there is a lot more entertainment at the Abou Sofiane than at the Hotel Kanta.

Hope you enjoy your hols and look forward to hearing all about it when you get home!!

You can also get cash from the numerous ATMs in the area or at the Bureau de Change at the airports in Monastir or Tunis on your way in - the exchange rate is the same wherever you go. Officially the dinar is a closed currency so you can't get it outside the country, but I have got some at Stansted Airport in the past, though at a bad rate of exchange. If you have a transfer booked you won't need any cash until you get to the hotel. When you get to the airport your will be surrounded by porters trying to grab your luggage to take you to the coach - if you don't manage to ward them off they will expect a tip, but will settle for £1. If you use the loo at the airport the lady there will also hold her hand out, which is where "ma andee faloos" might come in handy.

lol so looks like I even need to tip to have a pee at the airport hmmm think I will hang on somehow. I know they do like their tips how much would you say? I read reviews about them trying to grab your bags and expect some money for it but think I can manage to carry my bags lol

Remember that a dinar is approximately 50p and that is quite a lot to them, which perhaps puts it into perspective. There are 1,000 millims to the dinar and the main coins are 100 millims - anything less (the tiddlers) are not worth worrying about and best used up as soon as possible. For drinks, taxis, etc. it is usually enough to round it up to the nearest dinar, though if you are going to be having a few drinks over the evening it can be cheaper to leave the bills on your table and pay at the end, adding a suitable tip then.

Just back a couple of hours from the Abou Sofiane in PEK

To anybody that has booked or are thinking of going to the Abou Sofiane I would now be able to say that they will have a great stay.
The hotel has definitely improved over the last 18 months since our last visit with a new reception and main bar area, new toilets at the pool and most importantly better quality of food.

The staff are probably the nicest I have ever met in a hotel and work very hard for you and try very hard to please you, the animation team are all brilliant and great fun.

Out and about the marina and centre of PEK is a 15-20 minute walk along the beach or a 20-25 stroll along the road or take a taxi form just outside the main gate for 4-5 Dinar.

PEK is perfectly safe to walk about in both during the day and night and there is no need to have any concerns regarding safety, I must also just say that the 'hassle' you receive from the local shop keepers is not aggressive and is quickly stopped by a polite 'no thank you' or 'La Shukran'

There are also plenty of fixed price shops that make your shopping even easier without having to haggle.

I am off to this hotel in 5 weeks and after reading your post I am really looking forward to it.
The recent reviews on Trip Advisor are very good and this was a deciding factor in choosing it although I prefer HB.
Its our first visit to Tunisia and its somewhere I have always wanted to go.
After surviving Turkey,Tangiers and Sharm I am sure we will enjoy it.

Hia Emma, me and my son went to Tunisia 2yrs on the run, (he was 14the 1st time) I felt very safe walking alone with him and going out and about, day and night time. Some Tunisian men in the hotel, did try the chat up line, (from young guys, to some my dads age, and older I was 36) but it was all in good jest, it wasn't in a horrible way (hope that makes sense).
We always changed our money at the hotel and always got a receipt, (so I think it is more than what they dare do to rip you off ) When it was our 1st visit 3years ago, I posted on here, and Aslemma, (Thanking Aslemma ) kindly gave me a link were I could print of a money chart and it was easy to work out the currency that way, and that also gave me a rough idea of what money I should get when I changed it.
When you get your luggage, guys will come up and yes, they take your luggage, and ask you what coach stand, as I had no dinars, I just gave the lad a pound coin, which he was very grateful for.
Tunisia from what I gather is a place you love or hate, I loved it, and hope you and your son have a fab time

Roo

Hi Roo,

Many thanks for taking the time to post on here for me. The place sounds really good and thanks for info about being safe. I know that I will get some attention but think I can deal with that. As for the luggage thing that sounds ok as I won't have had time to get my money changed so as long as they will accept £1 in our money no probs

Once again thanks for taking the time out.

Emma

You can get a Currency Cheat Sheet under Holiday Tools at the top right of the forum.

luci

Emma, the currency is fixed so you will get the same rate wherever you change money, we usually take some £ Sterling (ensure it is English notes) and change it at the hotel reception, to start you off there is a small money exchange in the airport just at the baggage reclaim area so you can get some Dinar there. There are also plenty of ATM's in PEK so you can also use them to get cash if required.

I had a problem with the lady in the airport toilet, I was standing doing a... well you know what when a mop appeared around my feet (I hadn't dribbled honest) when I looked around there she was beside me mopping the floor, mighty fast exit for me let me tell you just as well she didn't put her hand out.

If you can manage your luggage and don't need a porter just be firm and say no (La Shukran) and they will leave you alone, don't feel obliged.

Here is the currency sheet mentioned http://www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet?user=holidaytruths&lang=en

Graham

Hi Graham,

that sounded so funny. I will print the sheet off that is posted many thanks

Emma

If you think 'la shokran' sounds funny Emma, don't try saying 'only' as the word sounds something like fuquat!!