Hi Linda 05<

With regard to your questions:

1/2) I haven't stayed at this hotel so can't comment directly.

3) I remember from other posts that other members of the forum have but they would find it helpful if you could say a bit more about what you look for from a hotel because what suits one person doesn't suit another if they have different expectations of what suits them.

4) Likewise it would help if you could say a bit more about what sort of information you're looking for here. For example, USA visitors to Scotland where I live consider it weird that they're allowed to smoke in Scottish pubs at the moment and no doubt visitors from mcuh of mainland Europe will probably think that it's weird that shortly they won't be able to after the smoking ban comes in.

5) Around the hotel complex no one will bat an eyelid at you walking around in shorts and a bikini top but if you walk around exposing that much flesh in Sousse itself, you'll attract a lot of attention. Whether it's OK or not really depends on how comfortable you feel with that but you'll definitely be contravening local standards of what constitutes suitable outdoor dress. At best the attention will take the form of stares from all the locals, at worst it could take the form of physical groping because you will regarded as dressing very immodestly by local standards. And because of this you won't be allowed to enter the precincts of any of the mosques or other religious sites if you go on any sightseeing trips. My advice would be to cover up more - you'll find more info on the 'Tunisian Tips' thread at the top of the forum.

6) Tunisia is still a cheapish destination compared to Spain and elsewhere on that side of the Med but you'll also find far fewer bars and restaurants set-up to cater for tourists too. There simply isn't the equivalent of 'The Strip' that you'll find in so many Spanish and Portugese resorts. I've aways found £200 for a week more than enough, including travelling around and doing a fair bit of sightseeing etc but I do also tend to go half-board too so I'm usually only buying one meal per day.

Hope this helps,

SM

Hi Linda,

You have probably now looked at the hotel review for which Briar has given you the link. I sometimes take reviews with a pinch of salt but my advice would be to get the hotel changed if you can. I've never stayed there myself but have met several people in other hotels who have been moved from the Sinbad because they were so dissatisfied with it and personally I would avoid it like the plague.

Apart from the service and facilities at the hotel itself, it is further from the centre of Sousse than is ideal for a young couple. In my opinion you would be better off in the Marhaba or El Hana complexes, or even the Royal Beach, all of which have decent reviews and are nearer the centre.

I think you will love Tunisia. You will find plenty of good advice on here and if you have any other specific questions just ask and I'm sure someone will be able to help.

I think it is Briar, I'd have to check with Pittie's map of Sousse. I only know that it doesn't sound like good news, unless there have been massive improvements in the past year, which I rather doubt. Whenever I book I always say "not the Sinbad".

Never mind Linda - that's the beauty of this site - you can know before you go. At least you have time to get the hotel changed if you think that may be advisable. Just tell the travel agent that you have heard many dreadful reports about it. I have met several people who were checking out other hotels prior to getting moved from there, but it is obviously less hassle if you don't go there in the first place. Have a look at reports on other hotels before you tackle the agent and make a few notes, so when they suggest somewhere else you will have an idea what it may be like.

I've looked on Pittie's map Briar and can't see the Sinbad but I know it's not in the main strip along the Corniche and think it is a bit further out.

On this map you can exactly see where you can find Sindbad Center.

It is between Sousse en Port el Kantaoui, closer to PeK.



You can find the Sindbad Center Hotel down on the left side.

Kind regards from the Netherlands,
Pittie

Thanks Pittie - I thought it was nearer PEK but was looking on the Sousse map which I printed off some time ago.

Gladly done !

Have a nice day !

Kind regards from the Netherlands,
Pittie

I have booked this hotel half board on 28/05 - 08/06/2006, it was so cheap I had to book.

Oh well, it can't be grottier than the apartment I stayed at in Sousse for one night last month.

Hi Kate,

I have visited with a friend of mine the hotel 2 weeks ago and it is not my favourite. The hotel is very very simple and I didn't find it clean. It is cheap but that's all !

Sorry to say, but we were glad we had choosen for Golf Residence Hotel, just a little more expensive.

Kind regards from the Netherlands,
Pittie

Hi
I have just posted a review of the Sindbad aparthotel located in Hammam Sousse.

I enjoyed my time at this hotel and would not hesitate to return again. It is a quite hotel, I am unsure if this is down to the fact that not many tour operators now use this hotel.

I forgot to add in my review that the blasted chickens have a habit of keeping you awake at night, but then I think I only stayed in my room 5 nights out of 10

Maybe the staff have changed, maybe they have had a radical overhaul, what I can say is that I found no correlation to the hotel reviews section and my actual experience in the hotel.

So if anyone is thinking of going, rest assured, it's clean, very clean, food is good and staff are pleasant.

Me and my girlfriend stayed in this hotel 2 years ago (during euro 2004) on a H/B Package. From the outside this hotel is nothing to look at especially when you see all the other nice hotels on the drive to yours as the other holiday makers are being dropped of before you. Most of them had big gates you had to drive through and big long drives to the front of the hotel, so when we had to cross a busy road at 9pm on our arrival we thought "OH NO".
From memory there are 2 buildings and in each 3 floors. The swimming pool is of average size and gets the sun all day. We got a room on the 3rd floor in the corner at the back (not the one facing the main road) and it was huge with a balcony, It had a good size bathroom, kitchen, fridge and working air-con. I believe the 1st floor has no balconies only the 2nd and 3rd floors. The hotel is very clean, food is fresh and varied and I found all the staff to be very pleasant and helpful. There are 2 bars in the hotel and you can sit outside the one downstairs at the tables and chairs.There is also a wee local shop selling essentials and one sells knick knacks and in it's upstairs it also sells rugs etc.
When we were leaving we had to book a room as our flight was late in the evening and this is where we saw the bad side of the hotel as we were only using it for 5 hours or so it was ok but to stay in this for a week or more, I would have complained, It was tiny and faced onto the main road and there was a loud buzzing/humming coming from the roof (maybe a generator). so noise would have been a problem in this part of the building from the roof and the main road.
You are only 5mins from PEK and 10 from sousse by Taxi, 2-3 dinar at most. The beach is less than a 1/4 of a mile from the hotel and was tidy and spacious. Outside the hotel and down to your right is street that has 2 or 3 wee restaurants ( The Italian one is nice, we ate there twice, try the mint tea).
Like you say if your only there for R+R and only need someplace to camp for the night, the sinbad was really OK in my book, You dont have the hassle of PEK's shops all the time if that doesnt interest you. There was no real entertainment at this hotel. hope you get some useful info from this and sorry for it being so long

Many thanks Briar I had a nice time there.

It's good to know you enjoyed your stay. As you say, perhaps things have changed recently.