Amir Palace

Sousse Amir Palace - We had to wait for seven (7) long hours at the lobby of the hotel until we finally were given a room. We feel that during these seven hours we were treated as criminals as nobody could believe (even though we showed our receipts) that we paid like everybody else.

2. The hotel restaurant was a nightmare;

(a) We had to sit on a table with strangers because that is what the Food and Beverage Manager decided.

(b) Looking at the floor, we could see eggshells under our table but amazingly not on the first day only but the same dirt was there the whole week through. This could only mean that the restaurant floor was never cleaned for a whole week.

(c) When asked for tea and milk, we were given milk which was well past its expiry date and this could clearly be seen from the colour and reaction with the tea.

(d) Very often when we entered the restaurant our table was not prepared and we had to ask the waiters more than three (3) times and waited for sometimes even half an hour to get a fork, knife, glass and napkin (which was always stained)

(e) Once, when we went to get some food from the Buffet Table, our drinks vanished from the table and so we asked the waiter for another drink. To our surprise the waiter came with two (2) half empty glasses stating that these were the glasses we previously had on our table. We insisted that we wanted clean glasses not used ones as we could not confirm if these were really our glasses or not. The waiter insisted that we had to use the used glasses and did not bring clean ones.

3. When at the bar we asked for Coca Cola Light the Barman told us that this was considered as alcohol and so we had to pay for it!

4. The Room:

(a) On Wednesday morning we told the receptionist that we were out of toilet paper at the room and she promised that we would have some in a very short time. By the afternoon we had none so we reminded her and she said that the maid is going to give us. Thursday morning we were still without toilet paper, the room was cleaned but no toilet paper was put in the bathroom. We went again to the receptionist and even she was surprised that we were still without toilet paper. Then in the afternoon we were provided with toilet paper. What efficiency!!!

(b) We were never given Pool Towels.

(c) The sheets of the beds were stained five (5) days out of seven (7) we were there

(d) The bottles of shampoo, shower gel and soap that were in the bathroom were disgusting.

(e) There were no shower caps available

5. When we went to exchange money at the cashier available at the hotel reception on our fourth day at about 3.00 in the afternoon, there was a sign stating 'temporarily close'. The receptionist told us that it would be open again the next day.

6. When we booked the hotel we were told that the Amir Palace Hotel, being a 5 star hotel, was equipped with a gym, a sauna and a Jacuzzi. All 5 star hotels offer these services free to their residents, but not Amir Palace Hotel!! It was 10 Tunisian Dinars for each time you use them.

7. In the evening we had a pianist for 2 days, a duo for another 2 days and the rest there was absolutely nothing in the hotel!

8. Being a rainy day we decided to go to the indoor poor which from the brochure looked marvellous. The floor near the indoor pool has not been washed for ages and the ceiling glass was so dirty that you could hardly see outside.

Having said all this, I think that this is clear that what we have heard at the hotel, that Amir Palace Hotel is not really classified as a 5 star hotel but a 3 star hotel, is perfectly true.