Marhaba Royal Salem - Family Only

Go further up the coast

This is the second time I've been to Marhaba Royal Salem, and the welcome we had was of being greeted like old friends. The staff here really do want you to have a fantastic holiday. Nothing is too much trouble and any little irks are efficiently resolved with no problem at all - they ask how things are, listen and respond. We decided that it would be better to have separate rooms due to one of us being OCD and the other ADHD! This was no problem at all - a new room found at a good rate and two much happier guests. We arrived before check-in, so went straight up to lunch. I want to compliment the young waiters in particular this week. They looked after us magnificently, were courteous and attentive, remembering our drink preferences from last time, making every meal feel like a special occasion. I'd like to give special mention to Ryan and (I think) Ahmad. They're an absolute credit to the restaurant team! The food is always beautifully presented, everything is safe to eat, and there's plenty of choice from salads to Tunisian specials. Our rooms were clean and our housekeeping ladies wore the most gracious smiles (despite the ADHD chaos!). Plenty of storage space, extra pillows, toiletries. There is a hairdryer in the bathroom, but I took my own as I prefer something a little more powerful than the average hotel hairdryer. As mentioned elsewhere, there's no kettle, but I personally don't think this is a problem because hot drinks (and water) are available from early morning to midnight, and you can take these up to your room in takeaway cups. The bar staff are on hand to provide plenty of bottled water (to drink and clean your teeth with). The hotel complex is a fair size, and lovely to walk around in the morning when it's still quiet, the gardeners raking the earth and the salty air from the sea evoke a calm before the fun starts as the day heats up. There are lots of activities going on through the day, with a timetable pinned up next to the restaurant. You just turn up and one of the fabulous entertainment team will be along to guide you through the activity you've chosen. I LOVED the archery. Big thanks to Bob and Chico for their patience and laughs - it really was the highlight of each day (especially when I got a bullseye!). Table tennis was a popular choice with 'Shakira', and she joyously took a dip in the pool with Mido's encouragement. I don't think anyone could fail to return one of Mido's infectious smiles. It would be good to have any additional day time entertainment/activities by the other pool listed in the Royal though (my only gripe!). There are plenty of trips available from the hotel, and I especially recommend El Jem (which I personally think is better than the Colosseum in Rome) and Carthage. The Berber villages are also interesting. You can get taxis into Sousse from the top of the driveway, but based on my experiences (including one which is going to take a while to get over), I would download the Bolt app (bit l