Bel Azur Thalasso and Bungalows

"Stayed at Bel Azur between 17th and 27th April. There were many negatives but a few positives. The reception staff are without doubt the rudest most unhelpful that I have come across in 50 years of travelling. I arrived with a lady that I had met on the plane and then bus. Her room was ready when we arrived at just after 12.00. So were everybody elses who were checking in. Mine was not. Fine explain that, even apologise. Nope, I got an angry finger repeatedly jabbing at a sign which said check in at 15.30. Id had no sleep the night before and was left to wonder around in the heat in English weather clothes. No direction to a restaurant nothing. So after finding food, I returned to the nearest seat to reception to go to sleep. Suddenly my room was ready. Was shown to it by a porter and immediately noticed a sewage smell. Room 438. Opened the patio doors to ventilate the room and could smell t outside on the patio. Went to reception where the same less than helpful person said that he would sent somebody. Some hours later nobody had appeared so complained to a different member of reception staff and a lad with a spray was sent. Things improved but the smell was back the following morning. Went to reception and got the same person who had been rude to me on check-in. He suggested a change of rooms. I was shown another room which faced the pool. Gentle music in the background. So I changed to that room. Pool music starts at 10.00 and gradually ramps up in intensity and volume. It stops at 12.30 for lunch and starts at 15.00 and again increases in volume until it stops at around 16.40. To say it was loud in my room is an understatement. Its impossible to talk in the room when its at its loudest let alone have an afternoon nap. I recorded it at 89dB on my balcony peak level and 85dB average against a background level of 60dB. It was truly horrendous. No aircon until May so so sleep due to the excessive heat. My room, 461, was on the top floor and the roof heats up. Its like an oven. I got a fan and then could sleep. Trying to nap after eating before the music started again at 15.00 was also impossible. Room 461 has the cleaners cupboard opposite it. I specifically booked a quiet room and ended up in what was probably the room most adversely affected by noise in the whole place. Food was samey day to day. Always found something but nothing was delicious. Drinks were ok but corners were being cut to save money. Last year the weekly "cocktail hour" on a Wednesday meant special cocktails in cocktail glasses. This year it was queue at the bar and get the same as any other time. Some nibbles were made available. The bar - always a queue to get a drink. I stood 22 minutes to get a beer on one occasion. Bar staff were overworked and not in the least cheerful or helpful. Room maids were helpful and tried hard. There was a free a la carte included with TUI. Not mentioned be the Bel Azur. Its in the Royal Azur next door and is worth going to. Book art the bar."

"My partner Samantha and I have just returned from a wonderful holiday at Hotel Bel Azur Thalasso & Bungalows in Tunisia. This was Samantha’s third visit to the hotel and my first, and it was also my first experience of Tunisia, so I was really looking forward to seeing why she loved it so much. Before travelling, I had read so many mixed reviews that I honestly did not know what to expect. I have holidayed in places like Turkey, Egypt, Costa del Sol and Portugal, so I came with an open mind and wanted to share our genuine experience. I have to say, the airport was the simplest airport ever, lol — really nice for a change and a great start to the holiday. On arrival, check-in was straightforward and we paid the hotel tax, which we were fully aware of beforehand. Our first room, however, was not what Samantha had experienced on previous visits. We arrived in the dark, and the areas we were taken through to reach the room were very dark and difficult to navigate, making it hard to follow the suitcase handler. When we arrived at the room, we both felt quite disappointed. It was not the sea-facing garden bungalow experience Samantha had hoped for and wanted me to enjoy. We went straight back to reception without even unpacking, and this is where the hotel really impressed us. The team at reception were amazing. They listened, understood the issue, and were especially considerate about the fact that the darker areas had been difficult to navigate. They explained that a much better room would be available the next day, and true to their word, the gentleman on reception looked after us superbly. He was kind, helpful and genuinely made us feel cared for. The bungalow room we were moved to was amazing. It was easy to find, close to all the facilities, and exactly the kind of holiday experience we had hoped for. The staff throughout the hotel were absolutely fantastic. The lower lounge bar staff were brilliant and even popped over to our bungalow during the day to bring us drinks, which was such a lovely touch. One particular gentleman there was lovely and deserves a huge well done. The reception bar team were also excellent, especially at night, working so hard to keep everything running smoothly even when dealing with some guests who sadly lacked manners or gratitude. The dining room staff were also superb. The gentleman who looked after us during meals always made sure we had drinks and made us feel welcome every day. As for the food, we thought it was amazing. I have seen people complain in reviews, but honestly, we loved it. There was a great selection with plenty of flavour. When travelling abroad, you cannot expect a Sunday roast or a full English exactly like home, but you can expect to try different foods and enjoy what is on offer. There were also plenty of familiar options, including fries at lunch, lovely pizza, great hot and cold meats, lush soups, easy portion desserts and a whole variety of tasty dishes. The drinks were also lush for an all-inclusive, which was another big plus for us. What really stood out to us was how hard the team work. The staff make such a huge difference to the overall holiday experience, and we loved seeing them each day. We made sure to let them know how much we appreciated them, because not every guest does, and they really do deserve recognition. I really hope the hotel managers or owners read this and show a well done to all the staff members pictured. There were also a few wonderful staff members we sadly did not manage to capture, but the ones in the photos went well beyond and truly made your establishment look and feel amazing. On the day we left, we had cuddles, handshakes and genuine goodbyes from the staff. That says everything about the kind of holiday we had. In fact, we loved it so much that we booked again for next year before we even left. So, should you go? Yes, absolutely. We had an amazing holiday at Hotel Bel Azur Thalasso & Bungalows. The hotel, the food, the bungalow, the all-inclusive drinks and especially the staff made it a fantastic experience. Like anywhere, it can only be let down by a small minority of people who think they are kings and queens and expect everything their own way, but thankfully most of the lovely people we met were kind, friendly and grateful. Thank you to the team at Hotel Bel Azur — we cannot wait to return next year."

"Honest review: we were happy with what we had for the money we paid for the holiday. * Food was ok, would benefit from being a lot hotter. Some restaurant staff were better than others. * Entertainment team friendly & enthusiastic, enough going on if you like that sort of thing. * rooms were ok, clean comfortable could do with updating. Cleaner did a very good job daily. 😊💐 * We had a sea view room with very small balcony. * Beach nice, as expected. 🏖️🏝️ * Long Queues at the top bar in the evenings. Seating arrangement had a strange layout. Not practical. * Fresh water pools lovely and deep, very cold with lifeguards. * Daytime restaurant inside toilet always clean and beautifully decorated by the toilet attendant. Small things like this make a big difference. Asset to hotel. 🌺🌸 * Kemal in the daytime bar was the hardest working person we met. He served us drinks beside the pool whenever we were there, and didnt stop running around waiting on everyone. An asset to the hotel. Made our holiday. ⭐️🍹😊 * On the last day we found out that you can share the facilities in the next door hotel to include à la carte dining. We were not told this by the hotel on check in or the holiday rep which was pretty disappointing. 😤 * We did the pirate ship boat trip which we felt was over crowded but ok. 🏴‍☠️ * Always managed to get a sun bed in the mornings. * Gardens were clean, pretty and well kept. 🪻🌼🥀 * The medina was an awful experience . Stall holders wouldn’t leave you alone and were very pushy. Did not enjoy. Tip: You must haggle! Overall we had a nice break."