Sousse Pearl Marriott Resort and Spa

"It was too slow when I want to do something as to check TV because it was not a problem"

"It’s such a shame that Marriott have left this 5* hotel without sufficient staff. On arriving at the Sousse Pearl we were impressed with the reception area, however the welcome received at reception was somewhat wanting. The receptionist told us nothing. We were given our All Inclusive wristband and ushered to the lift. The bell boy was pleasant enough but dumped our suitcases and ran. The aircon wasn’t working in the room (think it was turned off at a central control) and a lightbulb in the bathroom was flickering. It was like being at a rave. We reported both but nothing was done. We then had one of the legs of the only chair in the room fall off whilst I was sat on it. The chair wasn’t replaced until the day before we left, the same day that the light was finally fixed. Aircon was turned on and could be adjusted on our 5th night. We were also unable to use the hand held shower hose in the bathroom so could only use the rainfall shower which doesn’t always get to your nooks and crannies. Sorry, tmi. We never reported that, I was frankly bored of complaining. As per other reviews, the sun bed situation was a bit ridiculous, if you’re prepared to bribe the staff to fulfil all your wishes you really are dependent on people vacating the beds that they have commandeered and sometimes not even using. There is plenty of space for more beds and if there were sun beds stacked up close to the adult pool guests could help themselves otherwise the spares are kept down by the children’s pool, with a dodgy set of stairs to carry them up. The bar staff around the adult pool are also unwilling to ask if you want a drink, so heading to the bar is necessary, which is no hard shakes however there were people given preferential treatment due to the tips they were willing to hand out to the detriment of everyone else. It was actually embarrassing to watch the staff fawning all over them. I do believe the bar staff are doing themselves a disservice. The food is meh, I don’t expect much of All Inclusive catering as it’s delivering to the masses and you’re not going to please everyone. It was the same thing most days. Just as easy and cheap to eat out. The restaurant staff were expected to clear tables, set the tables, fetch drinks and generally keep the guests happy. Unfortunately some guests are extremely wasteful and regularly there were plates full of food covering the tables, this contributed to the flies. The waiting staff were run ragged. I did pass this comment onto Wafa the customer services rep. I think they try their hardest but it’s difficult, they really need to have bus boys to clear and set tables whilst the waiting staff can concentrate on service. On several occasions the cups ran out during breakfast, it feels like stores are limited. I have to admit that even with all the above, I had a very nice holiday, met some lovely people and did get to relax. Special mentions for Jawher in the Great Room, he greeted us everyday with a smile and always asked if we needed anything. The bar man on the beach was also friendly and delivered a service expected of a 5*. Lina the in resort EasyJet Rep was wonderful and had an extremely tough job. I really do think that a more realistic 4* rating for the Sousse Pearl would prevent some of the complaints."

"Unfortunately our experience at this hotel was extremely disappointing. What was meant to be a relaxing holiday quickly turned into a horror show, spending most of our week chasing for basic information and trying to get the standard of service and facilities we expected from a “5 star hotel.” We arrived at 12:40 and were told by reception staff to take a seat, given a welcome drink and told we would be informed when our room was ready. We waited 55 minutes without an update, eventually having to go up and ask when our room would be ready. After we complained, the manager explained check in isn’t until 3pm and that there is a rush to get rooms ready for guests before this time. When we were taken to our room there was only a double bed despite there being 3 of us. The aircon unit was also not adjustable meaning we couldn’t change the temp. The room had not been cleaned either. We were subsequently moved to a new room, but there was still toothpaste residue in the sink. At this point it was difficult not to question the standard of cleaning throughout the hotel. There was no amenities in the room and the mirror bathroom light did not work. The experience in the restaurant was underwhelming, tables were left uncleared and we weren’t offered drinks. This did improve throughout the stay. Another issue was the lack of clean plates, which often ran out at peak times and cutlery (using wooden spoons - no teaspoons available). We saw restaurant staff serving themselves using their hands, whilst the lack of clean utensils meant guests were mixing and matching tongs for dishes. There were also lots of flies around the food and when seated making the dining experience particularly stressful. The advertised snack section of 4-6 was also disappointing, whilst the staff tried to provide a service, there was such a rush for food that they often ran out quickly, by 4:15 there was a field of empty/dirty plates strewn across the restaurant and kids pool. Other things included: - A dirty beach (often littered with cigarette buts, empty bottles, general litter) - Lift buttons not working properly - Hotel is in a poor location with derelict buildings next to it - Damp smell on the sixth floor - Leaky lobby toilets. - Lack of air conditioning overall - Little to no sunbeds around the adults pool (unless you tip the lifeguards to reserve you one) - incredibly slow service in the main bar and soho lounge - Lack of concern around cleanliness (cockroaches in the main bar) I appreciate that the hotel staff tried to rectify these issues and cannot fault the bar staff, particularly the beach bar staff. It is clear that there is poor management and the hotel is unable to run properly. If you choose to stay here, be advised of the above and don’t expect the 5 star Marriott service."