Anyone been to Tunisia?

Bargain_Bunny

suzanna wrote:

we only brought lunch out once as we packed rolls and other breakfast things in my handbag at breakfast and had them for lunch and then back to the hotel for dinner so we did not spend much at all.

Shocked that some people can consider this stealing. We do it all the time - if its a buffet breakfast and you take too much and aren't going to eat it, its only going to end up in the hotel's bin. No different to going to e.g. a Pizza Hut buffet and asking them for a takeaway box for any remaining slices on your plate (something I've seen them offer to do).

Filling a large bag to the brim is obviously taking it too far, but a couple of rolls each that you could've forced down on top of breakfast but would much rather eat in an hour or two is not going to land anyone in jail.

Travelman - asking Brits to take back food they've loaded in their bags and getting "great delight" from it? That's perverse in my opinion. What happened when it was returned, they gave the rolls, fillings etc to other people? Classy place. Or was it binned and the discomfort you caused led to that food being wasted?

I'm sure as a rep you really helped make sure your customers had a relaxing and fun holiday. :rotfl:

khizman

didnt you know?
reps arent there to help you, they are only there to sell packages to make the holiday company money!!
well all the ones i have encountered are like that.

in morocco - welcome to morocco etc etc
spends 5 mins talking about where you are and whats where
then spends 60 mins talking about each of the 7 activities they offer, all of which are overpriced, I am talking triple the price of what it should be, I will explain later.
We go to him and tell him that we want to go to marrakesh and are there any trains running there, he just says that there may be but he doesnt know, I then asked him where we can get a bus and he just said taxi will be safest as on coaches and buses you get mugged and locals only use them (yeah right) and booking a tour to marrakesh will be easiest.

I was annoyed at this point so I went and asked the hotel reception, they mentioned 2 different bus companies, one was run by the same people that run the trains in morcco and the other was just some private company but they were both proper organisations with prebooked tickets, seat numbers etc.

I went to the bus station and they wanted 320 DH for 2 people return which is 20 pounds for a 3 hour journey, there were plenty of locals and tourists on the bus, in no way was it dodgy.

I went to an internet café where I went to the ibis website and booked the Ibis hotel which was right next to the train station (this is where the bus drops you off) and that cost £25 per night for a double room. We stayed 2 nights so the total was £70

The rep told us to go with him at a bargain price of £150 each, FOR ONE NIGHT!! now thats a rip off, Granted I would have to pay my own meals and transport and have no tourist guide but I doubt all that would have come to £230!! the thing i found most worrying is that 6/7 people from our hotel actually went on the trip to marrakesh.

These kind of things is where the companies make their money, they get you there cheap then rip you off once your there.





Another rip off is the "transfers" when booking they asked us to pay £20 each for the transport, I declined it knowing we would try something else. We got there and got a taxi, the rates for the airport are fixed at £10 each way, thats half of what they charge. The taxis are known as grande taxis (they are big mercedes ones) are only allowed at the airport, they usually drive intercity, outside the hotel everyday there were 2 parked outside, I could have taken them but they poached for tourists, one thing I hate, so I went to the taxi stand in town and got some random Taxi and asked him to come to my hotel as he obviously does work for a living rather than trying to rip off some unsuspecting tourists.

1 rant left!

I was asked to pay £10 for in flight meals, I declined that extra too and decided I would just buy a meal deal from the airport for £2.99 or take something from home, when on the plane they gave us food anyway and said all flights serve food, I wondered what was going on there, was the agent trying to rip me off??

actually thought of another thing...

My mum has an addiction to tea and must drink it at least twice a day, the hotel wanted 16dhs (£1) for a cuppa, which is a rip off, so I went outside and they were no better, it bieng a tourist resort, they wanted 10 (62p), in marrakesh we paid 5dhs,
I went to the hypermarket and bought a kettle for a fiver and used that! he he.

whew, just thought I would share some experiences.

Mancboy1_2

So all in all, Tunisia is a sh*thole that should be avoided at all costs, very good advice in my opinion, i actually felt the same way when i went to Marmaris in Turkey, and that was only for the day on a trip from Rhodes.

PS: and if some stuck up jobsworth tried to show me and my family up in a hotel, i can promise you they wouldn't do it again!!

TRAVELMAN_2

Can't say Tunisia is a s******e as a previous poster said. Everyone has good/bad experiences & it's just the culture that people find different.

In my opinion if people are TOLD prior to departure about the tipping, etc then they can be better in a better position to decide A)-If they want to go there...B)-If they are prepared for the situation.

Khizman-aside from the isue of the bad Hotel I'll bet if you were aware of the tipping, etc....you'd have probably gone elsewhere???

Bargainbunny-you liken taking food from the restaurant secretly as being like a 'pizza hut takeout??!' Difference is..that 1) You ask them for a takeout, 2) there are no signs saying 'do not take out' (as in 99% of Holiday Hotel restaurants clear signs saying 'no food to be taken out of the restaurant), 3-You are not seccretly hiding your peperoni deep crust in your handbag under the table!!!! Also I'd bet no one would 'take' food from an English Hotel breakfast....!!!!

if the signs ask you not to take food out of the restaurant then that is the Hotels rules. Remember....you are a guest in some one elses country!

& yes....I DID get great pleasure from asking people to take the food back. If the rules ask you not to take food you don't do it. You take a few pence down to the local shop & buy the rolls. Come on moneysavers....there's being a savvy moneysaver like Martin or someone who is downright anal & tight to an almost psychotic degree! A few rolls....a few pence...secretly hiding them under the table....words fail me.

flis21

I was really looking forward to my holiday and came on here to get a few pieces of advice if anyone had been before. What did I get? People saying that it was horrid / abusing my choice of holiday destination and having rants about stealing from hotels.

Well, I can't change my holiday booking now. I am looking forward to experiencing another culture and I am not planning of 'stealing' from any of the locals. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't get ripped off.

Thanks for ruining my excitement for my holiday. Definitely will not be posting again if I book another holiday.

TRAVELMAN_2

Fliz-I've been times to Tunisia & it's been GREAT every time. I think it's a FAB destination! Sure....you have to give out the odd tip & be aware of the way it works over there but forewarned is forearmed!

So....if someone tries to carry your bags straight away at the Airport to the bus a firm 'no' is needed. Same if they're trying to get you in to their shop-just say something like 'tomorrow tomorrow!' & smile or just say you're flying home today!

With this board you will get 'extreme' views sometimes.....the poster saying 'all of Tunisia is a 'shi****e' is bordering on being racist! Fab beaches-Hotels now are of a very good standard & interesting excursions.

Don't take any notice of people saying its crap! Have a look at http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=27 for informed views on the area.

The tail end of this discussion has been about those sad & tight enough to furtively steal bread rolls, etc from the Hotel restaurant.....I THINK TUNISIA IS BRILL...don't let it ruin the anticipation of your well earned jollies!

Chris

suzanna

Travelman

Do you sit at your computer all day thinking of ways to try and sell holidays to the unsuspecting moneysavers and offend people who have gone on one with out you giving them a quote?????

You have branded me a theif and called someone else a racist. I hope that people think twice before asking you for a quote for anything in the future now that they have seen what you are like (bitter and twisted come to mind).

Flis21

I am sorry that this thread has turned nasty and i was only trying to be helpful in my orignal post. I am sure you will have a good holiday as long as you dont meet a rep like travelman.

I wont be posting here again.

Suzanna

TRAVELMAN_2

Suzanna,

I've not been a rep for 10 years! Also, I do think someone saying 'all of tunisia is a shi****e' is bordering on being racist. I think Tunisia is great!

Don't take it the wrong way...but I still think it's not the done thing to take food from restaurants furtively-especially as Hotels clearly state 'no food to be taken from the restaurant'.

The comments that have upset the OP are people so vehemently saying Tunisia is c**p without really backing it up...hence my last post about Tunisia.

Chill out! 'Bitter & twisted' is a bit extreme....I just find it offensive when people take food from Hotel restuarants secretly & when it's clearly against Hotel rules. I don't think anyone would dream of doing it in the UK.

Chris

Cardew

Totally agree about furtively stuffing food into handbag; it is crass behaviour.

Talking about bad giving us a bad name, I also find it embarrassing when people(especially kids) pile their plates with mounds of food from the buffet(cos its free and I need to get my money’s worth) and hardly touch anything. Then go and do the same with some more food.

funnylittlewoman

Poor Flis

I hope that you have a great holiday in Tunisia. You've got the benefit of some views and opinions that you would not otherwise have had and no doubt you will make up your own mind on this destination and, hopefully, share your views with others to help them make an informed choice.

If you can stomach any more opinions, take at look at https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk. You can search by location and hotel and read reviews and ideas that others have posted. It's always important to keep an open mind but you can pick up some good tips. I find it interesting to read the range of feedback available. Some people have very strong views don't they?

Best wishes.
FLW