Hôtel Ksar Dhiafa by Plaza Hotels & Resorts

There’s still a warm welcome here, but it feels like a hotel living on its past reputation. The restaurant is missing just about everything, and while the bedrooms are okay, they’re unfinished, with visible wires in the room. The shower didn’t work and there were no towels. The reality is a long way from the photos, and nothing else seems to be up and running.

The cafe has a particularly great view. The rooms were clean and tidy, and the service was excellent. A very nice hostel.

The room was quiet, with good water pressure and hot water. The bed was large and very comfortable. There weren’t many amenities, though.

The internet didn’t work. When we asked about it, the receptionist shrugged and called it “sh*t.” She then asked us to speak Spanish because she couldn’t speak English. I complained to Expedia about the awful experience and hope nobody else is made to stay here. My advice is to avoid Sidi Bouzid, “Sidi BS” more like. This place doesn’t deserve to be called a hotel. At check-in, the receptionist couldn’t find my reservation and gave me a look as if to ask what I expected her to do about it. Then she served two other customers and seemed to ignore me. After I kicked up a fuss, we waited more than 40 minutes before she gave us a room. She made us feel intimidated, as if we’d done something wrong, and I thought they might ask us to pay again. Thankfully they didn’t. The advertised room rate was €75, but I’d paid £28 through Expedia, and even at that price I felt short-changed.