Hasdrubal Prestige Thalassa & Spa Djerba

The indoor saltwater pool and jacuzzi are really good. The rest of the place seems to have lost its charm and might have been amazing back in 1989 or so. If you don't mind the old atmosphere, come for the pools, but I wouldn't recommend it to younger people.

The building is magnificent and the property is huge, but it has clearly been left to deteriorate. The beach was the worst we've seen on the island, dirty, neglected, and poorly maintained. Breakfast was another letdown: when we asked a waiter for an ashtray, he pointed to an empty table and told us to get it ourselves. After seeing our surprise, he said outright that he wasn't bringing anything. Appalling and unprofessional. We had stayed at Hasdrubal Prestige Djerba ten years ago and left with wonderful memories because everything had been perfect. This return was the complete opposite. There were no towels or slippers in the room, and repeated calls got us only a promise that they were coming. Staff said they were too busy with breakfast to handle basic room service needs. There was no kettle, coffee, tea, sugar, or even a bottle of water when we arrived. After we insisted, some items arrived, but on the second day there was no water again. We were told water was only provided on the first day and we'd have to buy it after that. Coffee and sugar also weren't replenished reliably, so we kept asking and still didn't always get them. That's unacceptable for a so-called five-star resort. We came back expecting the warm hospitality and high-quality service we remembered, but found poor management, missing basics, a dirty beach, and a careless, sometimes rude attitude to guests. It was more than disappointing. It was heartbreaking.

We were a young couple and faced unnecessary complications as soon as we arrived. They nearly refused to check us in because our IDs hadn't been renewed, and required a marriage certificate. It felt discriminatory, especially when the hotel was full of elderly foreign guests who clearly weren't married. After we sorted it out, we found a suite that still didn't feel Muslim-friendly: there was no handheld bidet, or shattaf, in the bathroom and no qibla direction marked for prayer. We tried to have dinner dressed respectfully and elegantly, but staff wouldn't seat us inside the restaurant and directed us to the terrace. It seemed that only elderly white guests were allowed inside. We saw another Muslim family also made to eat outdoors for similar reasons. The terrace was overcrowded and very noisy, with a man singing loudly and creating a chaotic atmosphere. The food was cheap and not good, nowhere near five-star quality. There was also no gym or play area for children. I wouldn't recommend this hotel to young people or Muslims. It seems mainly geared toward older non-Muslim tourists and isn't kid-friendly. Overall, it was disappointing and not worth it for young couples or Muslim travelers.

We visited in mid-February 2025, and the generous breakfast buffet and reasonably priced a la carte menu had plenty to offer. The rooms are enormous, and the staff, facilities, amenities, and food were all top-notch. With almost nobody staying in the sprawling complex, it was a perfect quiet escape for relaxing. Some outlets and amenities were closed, but given it was off-season and there were so few guests, that made sense. I've read some other reviews, and those complaints seem ridiculous, as if people might complain that the beach is too sandy or the sun too bright. I rarely return to the same place, but I'll definitely come back here.