Royal Azur Hotel Thalassa

"We returned delighted from our stay at the Hôtel Royal Azur Thalassa in Hammamet, an address that combines quality and human warmth. The entire staff, from the front desk to the maintenance, dining, and SPA teams, were smiling, kind, and attentive, with a true sense of hospitality. The dining deserves a special mention: the buffet, which is gigantic, offers an impressive variety and abundance, worthy of a palace. The SPA also won us over with the excellence of the treatments and the professionalism of the qualified, thoughtful, and attentive teams, in an atmosphere conducive to relaxation. Beyond the services, we particularly appreciated the daily thoughtful gestures and the sincere kindness of everyone. A huge thank you to all the teams for this memorable stay. We warmly recommend this establishment and will return with pleasure as we indicated to Gigi, our charming contact at Thalasseo. Marie and Jean-Noël V."

"We are finishing another stay at the Royal Azur and, like last year, we appreciated the quality of the hotel, the kindness of all the staff, particularly those in the restaurant, who are always attentive and smiling. As for the thalasso center, a big thank you to the entire team of therapists whose competence and efficiency we salute. Special mentions to Donia for the foot reflexology and to Houda at the hammam for her invigorating scrubs! A special thank you to Delia and her constant concern to best satisfy the guests' wishes. We plan to return next year."

"Our stay at Royal Azur Thalassa was a mixed experience. While there were some things we really enjoyed, several issues with cleanliness, hygiene and customer service left us disappointed. Unfortunately, the overall experience did not live up to what we would expect from a 5-star hotel. **The beach - lots of rubbish everywhere** The amount of rubbish scattered across the beach was shocking. It was not just a few plastic cups, but all sorts of waste, including plastic bags, plastic bottles, bottle caps and even a shoe. There was also broken glass from bottles lying around, which is particularly concerning as guests walk barefoot on the beach. This is not just an eyesore but a genuine safety hazard. A hotel of this standard should make keeping its beach clean and safe a basic priority. **Flies everywhere** Another issue was the sheer number of flies throughout the hotel. They were everywhere and became a real nuisance, making it difficult to relax and enjoy meals comfortably. What was particularly disappointing was the apparent lack of action to deal with the problem. This is something the hotel management really needs to address. **Unacceptable toilet cleanliness** The beach toilets were absolutely disgusting. They smelled strongly of urine, and there was water all over the floor. They felt more like poorly maintained public toilets than the facilities of a 5-star resort. The pool toilets were slightly better, but they were still often very smelly all the time and not properly clean. There were also times when toilet paper was missing. Clean, hygienic toilets are a basic expectation at any hotel, let alone one of this category. **Disappointing service at the beach bar** The restaurant waiters were great and deserve a special mention for their good service. Unfortunately, the experience at the pool bar was completely different. One of the younger, shorter male staff members was particularly unwelcoming and off-putting, making us feel as though we were an inconvenience rather than paying guests. The taller older man was good though. However at the pool bar man wearing glasses also appeared to lack basic customer service skills. Hotel needs to train their staff how to deal with customers or hire staff that are professional. **Extra charges despite being all-inclusive** We were also surprised to discover that the jacuzzi, gym and salt water pool require additional payment, even for all-inclusive guests. This was disappointing and unexpected for a hotel of this standard. It would be helpful if these extra costs were made much clearer before booking, as all-inclusive guests may reasonably expect better access to the hotel's facilities. **What we did enjoy** It was not all negative. The weather at the beginning of October was lovely, with plenty of sunshine and comfortable temperatures. The sea was beautiful and pleasantly warm, making swimming a real highlight of the holiday. The pool area is nicely designed and was never too overcrowded, so it was easy to find space to relax. Another positive touch is that the hotel allows guests to keep their wristbands after checkout, meaning we could still enjoy food and drinks after checking out. This was appreciated. **Final verdict** Royal Azur Thalassa has some genuine positives, particularly the beautiful, warm sea, lovely October weather, pleasant pool area and excellent restaurant waiters. However, the rubbish and broken glass on the beach, flies throughout the hotel, unhygienic toilets and disappointing pool bar service significantly affected our stay. For a hotel presented as 5-star, we expected much higher standards of cleanliness, hygiene and hospitality. These are not minor details; they are basic requirements for a comfortable holiday. With better maintenance, more effective pest control and improved customer service, this hotel could offer a much better experience."