Like Carlsberg I don't do reviews, but if I did it would read something like this:
If you are expecting a 4 star hotel do not come to this hotel.
If you are expecting a modern hotel that is not in need of an extensive update then do not come to this hotel.
If you are a fussy eater do not come to this hotel, you will go hungry.
If you like access to snacks all day do not come to this hotel, snack bar very limited opening hours.
If you like a nice, modern, clean pool that is a reasonable size with easy access then do not come to this hotel.
If you are unsteady on your feet take extreme care on the side paths around the hotel they are poorly maintained and are broken or very uneven.
If you are expecting to use the sister hotels and do not wish to pay for food and drink then do not come to this hotel.
If you like a nice speciality restaurant don't come to this hotel. Worst environment and food I have had in any hotel. Avoid the steak unless you need your shoes repairing...not only was it un chewable, it was un-cutable. We were not unlucky with our meal as others had simmilar experiences.

The main (and only) dining room is crammed and server area is small and like a school or medium business canteen.
You often have to cue for the food but by the time you reach the food often it has been emptied by the many hoarding north African guests. which the hotels seems to be now mainly catering for.
Salads are quality and poor choice, unusual food choices on servery, soups very average, the staff are hard working but management poor. Windows not cleaned in months, typically - unserviceable toaster not replaced for over a week, complaints over the horrendous food and service for the new year eve meal arrogantly rebuffed and ignored.
The outdoor pool is one of the poorest pools I have ever seen in any standard of hotel. It is small, has some strange raised lip around the edge with a significant drop to the water meaning that the only sensible way to enter it is via old unstable metal ladders.
Indoor pool is smelly and shabby. The wellness (sauna) area is in need of a complete update and does not provide a relaxing experience.
Reception staff or maintenance poor - typically - requests for TV retuning ignored despite reminders.
Generally the hotel entertainment areas are too small and the entertainment a lot lame so take cards etc.
Entertainment staff do the minimum required, repeated requests to get the volleyball out for a game were ignored.
The hotel has been poorly maintained. Typically, bathroom "80's" tiles poorly grouted and woodwork repainting covering tiles, many paths not maintained correctly and are dangerous.
On the plus side the cleaning staff and waiters are hard working (undermanned) especially if tipped.
The gardens are nice, the Sousse beach is pretty and the view from room over the bay good.

Overall the hotel is in need of complete update and rework of the site. Rather than providing the absolute basics in terms of cuisine and dining experience, it needs to offer a far wider food choice at a higher standard in superior surroundings (main restaurant v.poor and should have a purpose built speciality restaurant rather than sharing it with the snack bar). We will not be returning to this hotel and I will challenge the 4 star ratings given by our tour operator. We asked for change of hotel after the first days, we were offered an "upgrade" to 3star hotels that were better, but would have had to pay an additional GBP300 to 400. But the fact that we were offered upgrades to 3 star hotels by our rep speaks volumes on the current state of this hotel! Of the positive reviews, they cannot have been to "real" 4 star hotels or are "friendly" with the hotel and staff.
It should be downgraded to somewhere between 2 and 3 stars to reflect the overall standard or complete update quickly carried out.
You have been warned

Have been to this hotel many times in spring or autumn, last time April 2013. It`s not got the finish we would expect re bathroom etc. in Europe BUT it has a charm of its own. Food was much improved and some seafood dishes were very good. So lovely in its own grounds and a great beach, best place for swimming in the sea. Service consistently good for a lovely start/finish to the summer. Entertainment is not for us at all we tend to go to local non-alcohol music venues...

We stayed here last year and had the best holiday ever - so much so, we rebooked for this year the day after we got home.

This year we found the standards in some areas had deteriorated substantially, especially the food. The best meal we had for a fortnight was the meal on the plane home which I think says it all. Although there was a good selection, it was nearly always cold with meat that couldn’t be cut and half-cooked vegetables. The standard of food at the pool bar was far inferior to last year but the desserts in the main restaurant were still lovely.
The pool didn’t appear to have been cleaned very regularly and neither were the toilets in the communal areas which were constantly dirty and without toilet paper.

The Entertainment programme is still the same as last year and should be on a rolling fortnightly basis so you don’t have to sit through the same thing on the second week of your holiday. I think a little imagination could prevent the whole thing becoming even staler than it already is.

That said, all the waiters, barmen, chambermaids, reception staff and animation team are still great and work very hard to make sure you have a good time.

I have marked it down on value for money. Having booked the holiday last September at the full price, we found ourselves in a hotel with many other guests who had got a deal and paid up to £500 less than us. As a result, the hotel, having reduced revenue, have obviously made cut-backs. The standards in the hotel are probably acceptable at a lesser price and represent good value, but having paid substantially more, we found them less than acceptable.

Overall, we were disappointed with our holiday after having looked forward to it for a whole year and would not return.

Hotel is nice from the outside but lacks a quality finish. The rooms are dated, bathroom has poor workmanship on tiling, painting and they are grubby looking and tired. The towels are changed daily, rooms cleaned OK. There are lots of nasty smells in the corridor, paint fumes when we were there.

Some staff were friendly and some rude and ignorant. I have never tipped staff so much in all the holidays I've had.

Would I stay there again? NO! Would I visit Tunisia again, never!

we had the best holiday ever,the staff friendly and helpfull, location was great, in the main restaurant was plenty to choice from hot or cold meals, plenty vegetables and potatoes not just chips,freshly made soups,you keep the same table throughout your stay with the same waiter which was good. prefered lunch at the beach snack bar the service was the best even down to serving drinks on the beach on your sunbeds. the beach was very clean, in the lobby bar was live music 3 evenings per week, was something going on every evening outside in the garden/pool area. the gardens are lovely.we did not want to come home even after 14 nights, shall be going back again.

Visited this hotel in 2005 and enjoyed our stay at half board. All inclusive tends to encourage drunken and rude behaviour.
The hotel was continually being cleaned, our room was good.
The food was "samey" and food outlets not fully serviced during the opening hours, never enough plates or bowls of the right temperature and a lot of cracked and chipped crockery and glasses, also dirty cutlery and crockery. Beach food was excellent, hot and fresh.
Location is excellent, easy to walk to Sousse or Port el Kantoui, close to good shops and beach.
Staff did not seem happy, some were quite rude and one particular member of staff was menacing in his demands for money, I felt quite threatened.
Much the same entertainment as 2005.

hi we stayed at the hotel marhaba beach, the rooms were ok but there was a step up to and off the bed, my mother fell down on her first night and bruised her face, arm, and leg, so we never went far, the staff were very nice, the food was ok, but you had to keep asking for them to put more out when the trays were empty, no staff botherd untill you asked, it was to cold in the outdoor pool so we tryed the indoor pool, big mistake it was realy rundown there was plants growing under the roof and it was very dirty, the side of the pool were not good, and the steps did not go down far enough,i think this pool should be closed, our room had a sea view but never had sun on the balcony, plenty of sunbeds round the pool and you can go on the beach, a couple of shops near by were fun to barter in, its not a 4star more a 3star

I returned from Marhaba Beach two weeks ago and still can't get rid of dreamy smile of happiness on my face.
I have no words to express what i think and feel about the hotel.
Surely it has its drawbacks, but they all become unimportant when you're becoming a part of the hotel. The best thing there is atmosphere. It makes you forget about all the disadvantages about the tips, the problems with AI cards (sometimes it didn't work), the need for small renovation etc.
I am 21 year old girl, and the main aim was surely having fun. Really i didn't have a minute when u was bored, i always felt bouncy and delightful.
The room and the beach are quiet clean. You should leave some tips for cleaning your room properly, but it's ok.
Food was various. I don't eat a lot of meat (actually i didn't eat it at all there), but if you like fresh yougurt, omelettes or crepes for breakfast, i can say that they were delicious. Vegetables, main dishes, desserts, fruits and wine were also nice.
Location is perfect. Very close to the town centre, especially if you take taxi.
Hotel staff is sooo kind and nice. I had my favorite waiters and they made me cocktails faster than to the others. Not because of the tips, because theu just liked me! So sweet.
Ani,ation team... No words. They are the best guys ever. Imagine - they work for the whole day, and do their job perfectly. I happenned to know some of them closer, and can say they are all so kind and cure people. Children liked them, adults liked them, old people liked them. Cabaret show is great! They performed like real actors. I took part in each activity from danses, indian show, games, competitions to bingo game and club danse. They really won't let you be bored.
I'm sure i will return to the hotel, i promised it to my friends there. I would recommend everyone who enjoys life, fun and joyful atmosphere to come at Marhaba Beach!
Thanks for attention!

Rated as a 4 star which it no doubt is, however when you look closely it all appears very tired and in need of refurbishing and decorating.

The room was presentable but the bathroom was scruffy and in need of complete renovation. Although the room had air conditioning this didnt seem to be as effective as it should have been. We had a sea veiw but our room was overlooked by a complete block of other rooms which gave us no privacy and we had to keep the curtains drawn at all times.

The dining room is large and on arrival you are allocated a table which is yours for all meal times, as a couple we had to share our table with complete strangers which could be awkward at times.The buffet area itself is close to other tables which does not allow a lot of room when the area is busy. The food is ok and you can eat as much as you like.

The beach is lovely with gently sloping sand, however if you want sunbeds with a parasol be prepared to visit the beach at 6.30am to reserve yours and tip the life gaurd as by 9am they are all taken. There does seem to be away of reserving them in advance but we could never work it out.

The entertainment was ok , usual cabaret acts and a man with a keyboard which all seemed to take place in the main foyer.

Everyone needs tipping all the time, usualy a dinar will do.
Dont change too much money as the only place you can change it back again is at the airport on your way home.
This is the fourth time we have been to Tunisia and the most dissapointing. Will definately not be revisiting this hotel.

This was my first time at the Marhaba Beach, although I have stayed at its sister hotels in the past.

The hotel is situated behind the Marhaba and there is quite a walk to the road up a steep incline, although you can cut through the grounds of the other hotel. It is also quite a walk into the Medina area - about 30/40 minutes, though taxis are cheap (never pay more than 3 dinars). The food was the best I've ever had in a Tunisian hotel with a wide choice and always served at the right temperature. They even have pork, which is beautiful, though I would give their bacon a miss! Eggs are cooked to order. I would have given them 5* but unfortunately, despite providing my own teabags, the waiter could never get it right, and also the mashed potato was more of a puree. The selection of puddings is absolutely fantastic and always plenty of fruit. Plenty of sunbeds round the pool so no need to reserve and you will be brought a mattress - no mention of price but a dinar tip is appreciated.

The staff were helpful and friendly and did not keep their hands out for a tip all the time. Amusingly though the little chambermaid came into my room just after 7.30 on the morning of Eid to give me a big hug and say 'fete, fete' and tell me she would not be in the following day - I quickly realised she wanted a tip early to help buy treats for her children!

The entertainment team were pretty useless, though the shows brought in from outside were quite good - the usual fakirs and belly dancers etc. We also had the Golden Girls which were surprisingly good. Having seen the fantastic Changing Ladies several times, and also the Dream Girls I was prepared to be disappointed but it was well worth the 10 dinars they charged. The children's part of the evening was shrunk to about 15/20 minutes and sometimes didn't take place at all. I noticed that apart from the staff, no Tunisians seemed to be in the hotel, whereas in others they seem to come in to use the bars etc. in the evenings. Be aware however that on a couple of occasions there was a man there offering free trips, and there was even a notice about these in the hotel. Do not be tempted unless you want to spend a couple of hours getting the hard-sell in a carpet factory - needless to say I didn't fall for it.

Rooms were comfortable with good beds and pillows and plenty of cupboard space, two armchairs and a table. There is a TV with a remote-control beside the bed. Two chairs and a table on the balcony. A hairdryer and shampoos etc are provided in the bathroom. Hot water was plentiful with good pressure. There is no safe or fridge in the room and no mention of being able to hire a fridge, though there were apparently safety deposit boxes in reception. As I never bother with them I didn't enquire as to cost.

I would certainly be happy to stay there again.