More about Hotel Saadia
The Saadia Hotel
by TripAdvisor Member BigJimR
Just arrived back from Tunisia. We stayed at the Saadia Hotel. Read a few reviews before we went (2 couples), and didn't expect much. Read reviews again on return. I would agree with some..........the ones that say 'it wasn't great', but it was okay.
The rooms were cleaned by cheerful cleaners. It seems to be (by reading all reviews and being there in person) that if you are half/full board you will get good service. If you go AI, then don't expect anything other than being deliberately ignored by the two bar staff (who are there to serve approx 800 guests).
We tipped regularly, which is the only way to get good service, no - I mean any kind of service! In Britain we tip good service - in the Saadia you have to tip bad service, we found that the most annoying part of our holiday.
The animation team were good though. They smiled ALL day and continually kept the holiday spirit going, especially good with kids.
This hotel is mainly occupied with Germans, Dutch, Poles and Czechs. This was who the hotel catered for. The food was not great (we lived on bread and pizza), very bland, but they use herbs and spices not salt and pepper like us Brits. No lager louts or rowdy children by the pool which was, along with a glorious setting, nice pool a relaxing holiday.
Our overall opinion - we would definately not go back to the Saadia Hotel.
Meeting Chokri
by cheekymarieh
My first trip here was quite by chance and just a quick, cheap break before my main holiday of the year less than a month later. There had been a catelogue of problems in booking a holiday and my friend found a cheap deal to the Hotel Saadia in the Skanes area of Monastir.
It was while we were on this trip that I met Chokri. As we were leaving the hotel to come home we had exchanged phone numbers and addresses but the cynical side of me did not believe the words "I'll call you". Imagine my shock the following day when I came home from work and found a missed call on my answer machine.
Since then I have been back three more times to see Chokri. So for me, my fondest memory is actually of meeting a person rather than the place itself!
Where were you people staying? Doesn't sound like the Saadia!
by TripAdvisor Member RCW100
First of all WHAT? I don't have a clue what most of you people are on about! The hotel is definately not dirty! My boyrfriend and I witnessed the hotel being thoroughly cleaned on a daily basis, the maids were very good there up at the crack of dawn cleaning the floors of the entire hotel. Yes the rooms may be basic but they were cleaned throughly, sweeping and moping the floors, cleaning the bath and we received fresh towels everyday. So what they didn't change your bed sheets everyday, do you do that at home? No, its only you sleeping in the bed. The rooms also had air conditioning which was a plus. And the food? Closed down? It was fine! I can honestly say I enjoyed my dinner every night, it can be said that they didn't have a large variety of different foods but most importantly it was all COOKED PROPERLY not once did I become ill from the food in the resturant and I ate the meat on offer every night and the waiting service is very good. The pool area is absolutely brilliant, lovely pool and really nice surroundings, the gardens were looked after well. The entertainment team were a laugh, the good thing about them is that they make an effort with everyone to get involed in the days activities but if you don't feel like joining in they will leave you alone and not hassle you. I have now stayed at the Hotel Saadia twice and I can definately say I would go back again.
Disappointing
by TripAdvisor Member fourty
I returned from a weeks hols at the hotel saadia and have to say I was very glad to come home. I was very disappointed with the hotel room, it was dull, dingy, and the pillows were dirty, so I did not use them. The first night I discovered a dead cockroach in my room and had to ask the maid to remove it myself the next morning. I informed the reception of this.
The hotel was below my expectations and my teenage child was very unhappy for the entire week. If I had booked a 2 week stay I would have asked for a hotel transfere.
I 'm sorry to say I would not reccommend this hotel to anyone and it should be rated as a 2 star hotel not a 3 star.
The locals and hotel staff treated me very well and Tunisia is a beautiful country.
I will be returning to Tunisia to experience what I did not get to do but not to the Hotel Sasdia.
Crap!!
by TripAdvisor Member dime
7 of us are just back from a 14 night stay at the hotel Saadia. Not a lot of good things to say, rooms were basic but OK and had very good air conditioning, pool was OK, the entertainment staff worked very hard and were very friendly and enthusiastic considering they had to entertain daytime and most evening.
Now for the bad, from the day we arrived until the day we left we had constant diarrhoea which we can only assume came from the food which was bland, sometimes uncooked and never appetising or the chipped and cracked crockery which was dirty more times than it was clean.
We were all inclusive which meant the waiters wouldn't serve us as they were there for the 'paying' guests!!?? It could take anything up to 45 minutes to get served at the bar as the waiters were always served first and they usually ran out of glasses. When queuing for snacks the 'paying' guests were always served first which meant 9 times out of 10 the food ran out before you got served. Basically you were treated like a second class guest.
The hotel is in an isolated spot which meant eating or drinking down the road was impossible forcing you to stay in the hotel grounds where there was never enough seating for everyone, never enough glasses for drinks or plates and cups in the dining room.
Hygiene was none existent, when the barman passed your drinks it was usually with fingers dipped inside the glasses - which often sported someone else’s lipstick or even fruit from the previous drink of sangria. I even saw a barman open a cocktail mixer, test the contents add more spirits and then pour it into a glass for the waiter to take to a customer!
The beach was filthy and the sea was full of seaweed. Within 5 minutes of entering the sea my son, a young girl and a woman got stung by jellyfish; the staff in the hut provided by the hotel said to rub it with tomato when we got back to the hotel and that he was lucky because had it of been a couple of weeks later the jellyfish would have been a lot bigger. If this is a common occurrence why aren't there tomatoes in the hut and why aren't swimmers made aware of this fact?
Overall I'd say don't touch this hotel unless your dream holiday is to lie by the pool all day and sit by the stage for 3 hours before the show starts, which lasts approximately 45 mins and is mostly done by the entertainment staff, just to make sure you have a seat, even then, make sure you're not all inclusive or you'll never get served a drink.
Diane
West Bromwich
Would Give It a Miss
by A TripAdvisor Member
Stayed at the saadia hotel with the wife from July 5 until 13th 2006. hotel very good but bedrooms very basic, bedding changed twice in that time.
hotel staff very friendly and kind Had a problem with maid who used wifes perfume and medication went missing out of room That was on the 4th day.
HOTELS Prices a bit steep lager 4dinar bag of crisps 3.5 dinar had to take at least 5 pints back for being flat horrible, But always changed with a smile Food good choice and plentiful Entertainment haphaz\ard the same music day in day out no change.
Bring on September...
by A TripAdvisor Member
Well, after reading all the reviews about Saadia, my 4 friends and I were expecting to be faced with an infestation of cockroaches, flies, and in addition were prepared for any 'innapropriate' behaviour shown by staff. (As we were 5 females aged between 17-18, and had heard many stories of the staff becoming to forceful.)
However, Saadia was not what we were expecting, there was definately no cockroaches from what we could see, and even tho there were flies, they were not much of a problem. The rooms were basic but comfortable and of a good size. There was plenty of food that accomodated for all cultures...(Including Chips, for all the fussy eaters out there). However Drinks were very much dependant on your board basis, as being All Inclusive does limit the number of cocktails you can have, however there is plenty other choices including Wine (Red, White and Rose), Draught beer, Punch, Sangria, Coca Cola, Fanta and Sprite/Boga.
As for the staff, they are all FANTASTIC, in particular the entertainment team... Bobo, Chicho etc. They constantly keep everyone entertained with activities such as water polo, water aerobics, crazy golf, darts, kiddies disco etc... in fact its amazing how much energy they all have, working from about 9 in the morning all the way through until 11 at night, and they even make an appearance in the nightclub afterwards. In addition, if you do not wish to take part, they do not continue to pester you and leave you to get on with your holiday. In fact, they make the holiday ten times more enjoyable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All in all, Saadia is AMAZING, in fact 2 of us are returning in early september. We completely recommend this hotel to anyone, inclusing families with children and urge you to ignore any of the negative reviews, you will have a truly great time! We Promise!!!
North Africa? I thought we were in Butlins...
by TripAdvisor Member Pumpkin&Poodle
Where oh where do I start?
I've just got back from a this awful place and would like to post my experience to warn other like-minded travellers NEVER to go there.
My fiancee and I travelled to North Africa with the hopes of relaxing, trying new food and experiencing a different culture - oh how our hopes were dashed...
Okay, first things first. The hotel itself isn't that bad in terms of condition and appearance. It didn't help, however, that we stopped off, during the transfer, at a stunning 5* hotel before we arrived at the Saadia. The only way to describe this hotel is that it is very basic. Don't expect luxurious furnishings as it looks a lot like a hospital, the hallway carpets are dirty and the staff strangely all go around in white coats... The rooms are okay, the bathrooms are clean but the beds are very uncomfortable. The maids are wonderful and we gave them a generous tip for trying their best to make us comfortable by putting a double sheet over two single beds and plugging the gap in the middle with a spare duvet...how thoughtful.
Any way, the reason I have given this hotel such a bad review is because I believe that the resort itself is not what most travellers would expect to find in a place like North Africa. My fiancee and I had to keep reminding ourselves that this is where we were and not in erm...say...Benidorm? We had to endure very very bad, ear-piercingly loud entertainment from about 9:30pm until 12:00am EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. Oh, and might I add that there is absolutely NO escape from it, wherever you are in the hotel, you can hear it. We started off right above the bar, which made us nearly pull our eyes out,and then, we were moved so our balcony overlooked the entrance to the hotel - we could still hear the music. We could then also hear the music of the 3 surrounding hotels who had equally loud and horrific entertainment every night. When I say horrific I am referring to songs in the genre of 'The Chicken Dance' and 'Agadoo' (I am not sure if that is how you spell it so uncultured am I). Apparently, the lovely people of the resorts in Monastir (and probably Sousse for that matter) think that anyone travelling there would really, secretly, like to be in Benidorm/Butlins/Magaluf. (Did I mention that you can hear the boom boom of crap music from the beach in the daytime as well? Oh yes, it is constant, the sun seekers who would rather sit by the pool than on a beautiful beach need to have the music up loud to help them with conversation topics...and on our last day a group of inconsiderate ARGHS decided to put their radio on - ON THE BEACH - what is wrong with the sound of the sea I ask?!)
The food - all I can say is think of your worst EVER school dinner meal and x it by infinity. It was so bad. To sum it up - I ate bread and drank water all week. Oh, and I must mention that there was not a sniff of Tunisian cuisine there at all (I lie, maybe there was some cous cous once or twice) the main meals consisting of pasta with tomato puree and bad pizza. There are meat dishes too but they still taste like bad school dinner curry or stew. I was so grateful to get home to be able to EAT again. Also, being at the buffet breakfast and dinner is like being at a stampede - you gotta hurry to get a plate!
In summary, I would love to go back to a REAL part of North Africa (i.e. not one that is disguised as Benidorm) and wouldn't go back to Monastir or Sousse if someone paid me £1million.
Holiday from Hell
by TripAdvisor Member sssssssssssssssss
Just arrived back and have posted my letter of complaint. The hotel is dirty, the restaurant needs closing down food is not cooked and hygenie does not exist. A party of eleven arrived at 10.30pm and were greeted with only three rooms not five as booked and if that wasn't enough the restaurant closes at 9.00pm and therfore no food available on arrival. If at all possible I would recommend staying on the coach DON'T DO IT.
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