Tunisia 3rd trip........ Skanes and P E K....... thgis was a disappointment.

The good points: Lovely hotel, right on the beach, good pools, good food, clean, tidy, helpful but not english speaking staff.

Entertainment................ The rep (Thomson) does not visit, you have to phone for an appointment. Other than 2 day excurtions to the desert etc (did that last year, none offfered. Was offered the "reps" cabaret, some enjoyed it, i didn't the first time, not professional and the "drag show did nothing for me.
The Hotel entertainment is like something put on by school 6th formers.............. I nearly died of embarrassment when they did the Cletic irish dance night................ Irish Bricklayers could have dome better with their wellies on............. OK I had just seen Riverdance at cardiff but honestly, i was embarrassed by it all........... the topping was when a young girl did the tin whisle bit to Lord of the dance, through the sound system came Abide with me on highland bagpipes.... we were laughing so much we left as the germans and italians were more amused by us than the stage show...................

OK The place........... middle of knowhere like a building / bomb site. To get anywhere a taxi gets you to mahdia (fishing port and Madina (fair) 3 dinar.............. Train ride to Monastir 7 dinar ~ excellent and worth a walk about. Don't take a taxi to the train station walk to the main road, turn right (sign) walk 300 yards and rirectly oposite a 5 star hotel with flags outside you see a blue and white rain station.......... striaght to Monasit/Sousse/Tunis.

Only three shops......... 100 yards from the hotel, supermarket, pharmacy and gift shop (and a small cafe), there's a better gift shop near the rail station.

I wanted to see El Jem again, the rep didn't have a clue how to get there. This worked............. took a taxi to the main railway station in Madhia, bus station next door ~ but to El Jem ( 1 hour 9 dinar) great................

Keep Friday clear ~ market day (outdoors) in Mahdia over 500 stalls selling everything. agood place for gifts ~ haggling obligatory!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Warning............ it's full of Germans, italians (who have no volume control when they speak (non stop) and the french. Hotel staff have very little english, but they can certainly serve good food..............

The beach was great, I swam on three days, a bit cold but OK. The beaxh is clean, water clear, watched a new sewerage pipe being layed out to the deep bits of the beach, very entertaining, especially when a joint failed and the sea lost i'ts charm. Nice little cafe to the right (white and blue (don't use their toilets) smaller cafe to the left like a green tent, good capachino.

A good day is to take a taxi to madhia, see the fortress and walk back to the hotel using the sea front road and beach, does the tan good............ about 2 miles one way..........

I think that's all, If I can be of help - dafudd@gmail.com -plus- 500 photos on a kodak web site, open to view to anyone, just email me and ask...................

In brief,,,,,,, Madia is the last tourist spot in Tunisia and it shows............. I intend to return next year but to Skanes or Monastir.................. Hope you enjoy your trip and I haven't put you off.

Cofio'n Gorau (Best wishes) Dai

Absolutely fantastic hotel. The place was very clean and very friendly, staff speak most languages, french is the second language of tunisia however I dont feel that it was hard to communicate with any of the staff. The rooms were lovely and cleaned every day, the maids even took the time to place your pjs in a pattern on your bed. The waiting staff were very friendly and very attentive, the food was wonderful. There was a plethora of activites incl, the diving shack, the bannana boat, the rings, and the animation team provide other activities such as waterpolo and archery to name a few. They are very vivacious and work hard and are wonderful with the children. All the staff take time to get to know you by asking your name, where you from etc and will always say hello!

Thomson also provide tons of activities all of which are very good, the rep Emma was very helpful and very friendly and very helpful when my little sister got an ear infection. The hotel infirmary was also very helpful and looked after her instantly.

I would highly recommend this hotel, and this country. Yes the Medinas are very hectic and not some peoples cup of tea as you will get hassaled but enjoy it is part of the culture and really is good fun.

I can't wait until next year!!!

I did ask for advice on this hotel before I went as I was concerned as to the lack of information on the hotel and area....now I know why..........there are no English people there !!! in a hotel of 200 ish rooms there were only half a dozen UK holiday makers. I have no idea why Thomsons send people here, it is totally geared up for the European market and is very popular with generations of assorted italian, french and German families who arrive in large family groups and have a splendid time which is lovely for them, but does tend to isolate other guests.
The staff were mostly polite, but struggled with English and the actual location of the hotel is miles away from anywhere. I usually like to go for a stroll of an evening time, but there was no where to go to, just a long dusty road.
My comment TOO LATE refers to the tourist industry which apparently was quite lively about a hundred tears ago when Mahdia was the place to go, but now it is a very quiet fishing village and nothing much happens, you can spend a day there, but their would be no reason to return.
On the positive side the hotel location is very good and every morning we saw a beautiful sunrise and the beach was clean and safe. The pools at the hotel were always well kept and the Activity team worked hard to keep people occupied. The food was a total mix of all sorts so you could always find something nice especially in the pudding department ! So after 10 days I was content to go home very rested,brown and probably a lot heavier. I won't be returning to Madhia.

i recentley stayed at thallassa mahdia i should still be there but we got an early flight home because it was so bad.no hot water no wardrobe space and no heating that worked .we complained moved rooms twice nothing ever got fixed .beaches were disgusting dirty clothes and footwear all over the beach.entertainment was poor .there were supposed to be bars close by they were 1 hour by foot or 15 mins by taxi ,when you got there no bars sold beer hardly any shops and you got hassled where ever you went .hotel was in the middle of nowhere.we spent money going to sousse which was 1hour 30 mins by train just to get out of this dump .staff weren't very helpful unless you spoke french or german.this is a 4 star hotel i would recommend it be a 2 star and strongly recommend thomsons do not send customers here .nightmare.