Monastir, Houda Golf And Beach Club Review

Overall Rating

Returning Home

Food
Entertainment
Hospitality atrocious
Accomodation
Facilities
Local amenities
Beach

HOTEL HOUDA GOLF & BEACH - MONASTIR, SKANES, TUNISIA

This hotel is not suitable for British or English speaking holidaymakers. It is geared towards the French, Italians and Germans. We had an awful time in this hotel. We were on a 7-day all-inclusive holiday with two other couples.

On arrival on the Sunday afternoon at the hotel and after dropping our cases into the absolutely filthy room, we returned to the reception area to ask about being re-located to another room. The air conditioning in three of the four rooms that we frequented had no working air conditioning and in the forth couldn't be used due to the diesel fumes. The rooms were only cleaned on request, we had to 'pinch' clean towels whenever we saw the replenishment cart and if you had the audacity to request cleaning, towels or toilet rolls you had to line their staffs' pockets to do this.

A family in the reception area actually advised; "go home again, get the next plane back, unless you want to become ill; this is a hell-hole".

My husband didn't (initially) want to get into this type of discussion as we had just arrived and hadn't had time to make up our own minds about the place; asides the filthy room, and corridors leading to the room.

To cut a very, very long story short, on day two my friend used the internet to try to get us flights home on the Wednesday, and this was before speaking and complaining to the rep at the welcome meeting.

Most of the supposed free facilities are not usable or are simply not available, mostly due to lack of maintenance:

Indoor pool had no water;
Gym equipment was missing vital parts or bolts to secure; Indoor Jacuzzi had to be paid for and was filthy;
Beauty treatment room's beds had fleas, and you had to bring your own towels;
The adjacent pool and games room never had anyone there to furnish the guests with necessary accessories;
The sauna stank of diesel fumes

This hotel is filthy, the food repetitive and below standard; hot food is mixed with food that has been lying out and swirled about with a ladle to mix. The dining room was more often than not filthy, and you had to 'line-the-pocket-of-staff to ensure you: 1) had a table & 2) that it was clean. At the late night buffet? - Chips and Pizza, the chef cooking was actually smoking a cigarette whilst doing so.

The evening entertainment staff on day two were actually re-enacting a play of a sexual nature with children present, more than half of the viewers actually got up and left the area. There was no day/evening entertainment as such; it was made up as they went along, and always of a 'vulgar' nature.

The pool was too cold to actually use, even in the heat that Tunisia endures. The beach was littered with cigarettes and empty bottles. It was not safe for a female to be alone on the beach at anytime, but especially early morning or late evening, as I was hassled by both members of staff and salesmen every time I was on the beach, this was also the case when all three couples were there, but to a lesser degree if accompanied.


The staff treated the guests abysmally; they were rude - slamming drinks down, and on 4 occasions in only 7 days the females in the company actually had to complain to get served at all.

The thieving was rife; we as a result of having to be moved to 4 different rooms keep our clothes in the cases, and had been advised by another guest "to keep everything locked-up as you'd never see it again". On this advice we did lock everything up, every time we had to enter the cases they were re-locked. On 3 different days we returned to our room and our cases had been opened. I was asked for money by a maid, who was ordered to deliver a toilet roll (1), this request had been made every day of our holiday, and she eventually delivered it on day 5, I had been taking them from the communal toilet in the bar area. I had beachwear to the value of approx. £60 stolen on the morning we left for the airport, but was unaware until my return to the UK.

One of our party had her jacket stolen, and when they spoke to the manager and complained it was not taken seriously; until one of staff were walking through the reception area actually wearing the jacket (he had bought it from one of the porters in the hotel).

All of the 6 of us were ill whilst on this holiday, not one of us seen the in-house doctor as there were language issues and trying to make yourself understood was a complete nightmare. Furthermore his 'nominated' medical room was 'viewable' by all passers-by; there was no door and a window, it was filthy, as was the coat he wore. He charged 37 Dinars for a consultation and upwards of 37 Dinars regardless of what was diagnosed.

I was ill day two and again on day 5; to date I have been ill with sickness and diarrhoea, lethargy and flu like symptoms. Since my return to the UK; here's a short list of what was diagnosed by an emergency visit by my GP:

Gastroenteritis
Ear Infection
Throat Infection
Pleurisy
Possible bowel infection (awaiting results of sampling)

I would not recommend this hotel to anyone, and especially to anyone travelling with kids.

There was rampant requests for money; I was asked in front of the other members of my party for money (upfront) to go to the concierge who took the bookings at the a la carte' restaurant on arrival, having booked our 10th wedding anniversary celebration there, keeping in mind it was already paid for as we were all-inclusive. As I refused to hand over money, and inferred to him that his manners were atrocious; we were treated like dirt plates were removed before food was finished. The waiter openly sighed whilst taking orders and thus the meal was an absolute disaster.

As illness was rife in this hotel you either have to travel to eat (in a recommended restaurant) or to starve. One of the guests was having anti-sickness injections for 12 days of his 14-day holiday, and had to pay 37 Dinars for each injection.

All in all to sum up, take plenty of cash to cover illness, and the bribing of staff, as this is the only way to get a supposed 'all-inclusive' holiday, be able to eat and drink elsewhere and to pay to be served and for the inclusion of 'Houda'n' politeness.

The representative placed between two hotels had arrived on the same day we had, so had no experience whatsoever of Tunisia, and informed us he had never in 11 years of working had received so many complaints.

I am happy for anyone to e-mail me if they too have visited this hotel (especially during August and September 04'), and wish to complain or are considering booking this 'holiday': AnnBC47@aol.com