Port El Kantaoui, Melia El Mouradi Palm Marina

We just came back from this Melia El Mouradi Palm Marina hotel both very poorly,both me and husband had diarrhoea for all week,hotel is very beautiful,but not happy about food,had to watch what to eat,tea and coffee is rubbish-chipest what they use for tourist,entertainment very poor,its not good as in Turkey,never came back to Tunisia,international airport-toilets are dirty,not soap,not flush and had to teep cleners for passing toilet paper!People,dont go to Tunisia,I hated this place!

We booked our holiday a week prior to departure as a Panorama Super-Saver allocated on arrival...we chose the guaranteed Melia 5* and at Arrivals in Monastir were told we were at the Palm Marina in Port El Kantaoui. When we arrived at 4am the hotel check-in was quick and we were impressed by the pretty grounds as we walked into the grand marble reception. Our room was VERY big and I have been in a suite that was similar in size to this room. The room had a foyer area with lots of fitted wardrobes with a separate room off for a toilet; a separate room off for a large bathroom and a separate room off for a large bedroom that has a sofa and chair included in the room as well as a make-up type table/chair/mirror...we were very impressed! The hotel is very clean, towels in room are changed daily and beds made-up every day. The activities are a good balance with Water Polo, Archery and Beach Volleyball being played every day. There are two pools connected via some watery steps and both are very nice. Loungers were plentiful and you could go down to the pool at ANY time of the day and there would be a lounger available. The hotel also kind of owns the patch of beach directly in front of the hotel so it has its own loungers you do not pay for, but if you want a nice cushioned mat you would just tip the chap who brings it to you. Food was just OK however I always managed to find something I liked - Breakfast had everything you could want including croissants, pain-au-chocolate thru to cereals thru to fresh omelettes. Evening Meal was varied but I thought it was catered more towards the Germans. Also if you want to do a Parasail or Waterski they are all very reasonably price - we did two separate Parasails and a Waterski for £20 after a bit of haggling

Outside of the resort you could get big bottles of Water 20p/Coke 75p etc directly opposite in the Royal Kenz hotel (about 2mins walk!) Taxis are plentiful and cheap and the place everyone goes to is the Port which is about 10mins in the cab and will cost you between £1.50-£2 each way. In the Port there are lots of nice restaurants and lots of shops all selling similar things - they can be annoying but if you learn to WALK AWAY then they wont be too bad. If you want to do a boat trip book direct with one of the boats in the port as they are very cheap. We went on the 'Pirate Ship' and the guy will haggle right down to £5 each which is a morning at sea with food/drinks/fruit and a stop-off for a swim which was good fun and all we wanted. We got a cab to Sousse (25mins away and £3 in cab!) and didn't like the Medina (or market). Full of locals and not too many tourists and all are trying to sell you stuff which is basically all the same.

We had a fantastic time in Tunisia and would definitely go back to either this Hotel or the Imperial Marhaba next door as both were VERY good.

If you can get the Melia El Mouradi Palm Marina at a good price, do. But don't pay much more than you would do for, say, the Royal Kenz or Mouradi Palace. All three are much of a muchness, and the Palace is slightly nearer the main marina. The Royal Kenz is not beach located, but is directly opposite the Palm Marina, and I used their shop daily as it was actually nearer than the one attached to this hotel!!

We just came back from Tunisia (my wife, two children and I).

The weather was perfect! The waters impressive!

However, this hotel is not really a five star hotel. The main reason is that the suites and rooms seem to be more or less 3 to 3.5 stars and the service. The housekeeping and other staff tends to be unfriendly unless you substantially tip them every single day. Further, there is a shortage of bathroom and beach towels, so they pick them up in the morning, wash them and return to the room in the late afternoon. So you can be without any towels in your bathroom for most of the day!

The cleaning staff is in your room from about 11am until after 5pm, on and off, for inexplicable reasons. This is a main problem if you want to sleep in the afternoon or if you have small children who have to sleep in the afternoon. Again, you need to negotiate this one with the cleaning staff, for a daily substantial tip. :-(

When it comes to service, it is good to know that in this hotel '5-10 minutes' that you hear from the staff actually means you will be helped in 30-90 minutes.

All these shortcomings when it comes to guest services, plus a few major size bugs in the hall way, will make us not to ever come back to this hotel.