Occidental Sousse Marhaba

The evening entertainment was spot on, and the place is fantastic value for money. But we saw staff building relationships with guests through Facebook, telling them how poorly paid they were, then starting online relationships after guests had left and asking or begging them for money. We heard similar stories from lots of people.

The lack of help when I became ill made a frightening situation much worse. Nobody arranged a doctor, offered medical care, or checked on me, and I had to manage alone while sick in a foreign country. I was still actively unwell and physically struggling on departure day, but I was told to leave my room. They wanted £60 for a short extension, which felt completely unreasonable. There was no alternative place to rest or sit comfortably while I waited for my transfer. I was left sick in the lobby with little compassion or understanding, adding stress and discomfort. I arrived on Monday evening as part of an all-inclusive package holiday, and there were problems from the start. In the room, half-empty bottles of water from previous guests had been left behind, there was no toilet roll, and no towels. It made me question the cleanliness and room preparation. By Wednesday afternoon, I had serious gastrointestinal symptoms. From then until we left the following Monday, I spent almost the whole holiday confined to my room, unable to eat, repeatedly needing the toilet, and feeling extremely ill each day. I strongly believe the food made me sick. It was never served piping hot and was often lukewarm, so I felt it was unsafe to eat. Back in the UK, I was rushed to hospital, where I needed 2 litres of IV fluids and pain relief. I was diagnosed with a traveller’s infection and dehydration, which confirmed the illness was serious, not minor. This was total hell for me. It was my first time in Tunisia, and after the care I received at this hotel, I never want to go back there. The experience has completely put me off visiting Tunisia. Illness can happen anywhere, but how a hotel responds matters, especially at an all-inclusive resort with international guests. Here, poor hygiene on arrival, food I considered unsafe, and the absence of medical support and basic empathy made everything much worse. Future guests should carefully consider what support they'd receive if they became unwell during their stay.

The hotel is in a peaceful spot just outside the town centre, with a very nice, well-kept garden. The beds were really comfortable, and the guest rooms were cleaned daily. Food options weren't huge, but there was enough for most people, and it was always tasty and fresh. We all had more than enough to enjoy, and we had a good time in Tunisia. For the price we paid, I can't fault it. Spending New Year in the Greek islands or the Canaries would have cost us three times as much. If the price stays the same or close next year, we'll definitely return to Occidental Marhaba. Outside the hotel, Tunisia in general seemed to need a deep clean. We saw rubbish thrown around everywhere, even on the beach outside the hotel. The hotel staff were there to do the job, but didn't seem keen to clean or raise standards. I noticed bored cleaners here and there, but unfortunately they weren't doing it properly. It may be part of their culture, I noticed.

The hotel is spacious, clean, and beautiful, and all the staff were lovely. I enjoyed my stay and hope to return in summer. There are two things I'd change. We visited in winter and tried the indoor pool, but it needed a good scrub. The floor was covered in grey, dirty water, and the tiny tiles made it hard to keep clean, leaving the grout pretty gross. Larger tiles might be easier to maintain. It says the pool is heated, but it felt pretty cold to me. The daytime snacks served after the buffet dinner has finished were absolutely terrible: cold, greasy chips, tomato sauce, cucumber sandwiches, and cold turkey fingers. The desserts and ice cream were great, but after hours of travelling and missing dinner, I'd hoped for something better than food that was basically inedible.