A time away at the Barcelo in Tunisia (Barcelo Hammamet Hotel (Tunisia))

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Barcelo Hammamet Hotel (Tunisia)
Date:	25/04/09 (187 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good accomadation

Disadvantages: Maybe a bit tired

Earlier this year we went on Holiday to Hammamet Tunisia. Usually we camp or self cater. I had just come out of hospital and we needed a break so we looked on line and booked last minute the hotel Barceló. This hotel has recently got new owners it was once called the Miramar.

We flew into Monastir it took about 45 minutes by coach to get to our hotel. Tunis is about an hour or so the opposite direction.
This hotel is on the sea front 5k from the town centre of Hammamet. Although we hired a car as we wished to see more of Tunis off the beaten track it would be a good hotel to stay in with out your own transport. There is a tourist train /bus that runs from Hammamet town by the Medina to Yasmine Hammamet . The train stops in front of the Baqrcelo. Then of course there are trips that your tour operator will undoubtedl;y offer too . IF you wished though there would be no need to venture out of the hotel and grounds and the sea front immediately in front of the hotel.

First impresion
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The Barcelo is a low rise whitewashed hotel not unatractive.
My first impression on walking into the reception area was good a spacious clean area. Some of the staff had a little English. Some none but we managed. . There was the downstairs checking in desk and attached to that were the bar and a small banking room where we could change traveller's cheques or UK notes. There were lockers that you could rent so you could put your valuables in. The e reception area was well organised.

There is a variety of rooms available Wii fii is available in the reception and in the junior suites

Double
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The double room which we had I shall talk about this in more detail later

Appartment.

The apartments have 2 bedrooms separate shower and bath. a kitchenette and mini bar. They have a satellite television telephone a hairdryer, air conditioning. They have either a balcony or a terrace.

A junior suite.
There are decorated in Tunisian style have the bedroom and attached lounge. separate bath and shower a terrace or balcony, and mini bar, satellite
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This again decorated in Tunisian style. These have 2 bedrooms and a lounge diner. Three bathrooms! With two Jacuzzi type showers, hairdryer, telephone, mini bar, air-conditioning, kitchenette and satellite TV. Again they have either terrace or balcony



Villa
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THESE rooms are separate from the main building with a private swimming pool. They have two bedrooms, lounge diner a complete kitchen, two bathrooms, hairdryer, telephone, satellite TV, mini bar and air-conditioning

So there is an assortment of accommodation we had the double


Our accommodation, Double
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This room was on the first floor some doubles were on the ground floor. We accessed our room by stairs next to the reception. Opening the door there was a short corridor t one side the separate toilet there was toilet roll installed and a spare one too. Next to that the bathroom. The bathroom has a washstand and a bath with an integral shower. The shower was fine quite good pressure. The bathroom was clean not elaborate but more than adequate. We were left towels and some shampoo and soap. .
The opposite side of the corridor as a fitted wardrobe and shelving unit very spacious. The bedroom was quite large, fairly spacious with a large double bed the bead head was a wrought iron very attractive. On further inspection the bed was 2 single beds pushed together. In the bedroom were a couple of chairs a couple of bedside tables a mirror on the wall and a dressing table fitted unit underneath it. The décor was ok, the walls plain The balcony was big enough for two to sit with space there was a rail on one end wall I used this to dry my towel in the sun.
Overall the rooms were good. Perhaps they will need redecorating for next year but they were fine. The room quite comfortable.

After we had unpacked we walked around the hotel getting our bearings.


Restaurants and bars
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As we were so early season not all the bars and restaurants were open. There are 3 bars 3 restaurants. We had a drink in the small bar next to the reception attached to this there was a small café /restaurant although we had only booked half board we bought our 1st lunch there it was pleasant...

The hotel Barceló is not one huge hotel it is made of several buildings. To get to the main restaurant where we ate our evening meal we went outside past the swimming pool down some steps there was awning over most of the path so i9f it rained we would not get wet...
The restaurant quite a big building was self service. Wine was served at the table by waiters. We found the staff very helpful and pleasant...

There was entertainment in the bar areas most evenings. Amongst other entertainment was singing and Snake charming (I was not impressed with the snake charmer)
Food.
~~~~We booked half board as we knew we would not be around the hotel for lunch time. I think B&B half board, full board and self catering is available self catering in the Villa's.
we found the food very good although was not sure what to expect of Tunisian food we did expect it to be a bit spicier than that we were offered however maybe Tunisian food is not very spicy .



Breakfast .serves 7am -10am
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There were cereals, and hot dishes (some I was surprised to be offered for breakfast.), eggs either scrambled fried or boiled. Bread rolls, or toast and butter, jams. Tea, coffee or juice. There were other items available I can not remember them all.

Evening meal served 7pm -9pm
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Note we found that bottled water cost a lot in here much cheaper in outside shops, but officially you are not allowed to take drink bought off premises into the hotel



Starters
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A fairly wide range of starters were offered including soup starter. There were about 4 or 5 choices of main meal to help you too Fish a couple of nights different meats, pizza, or Tunisian casserole type dishes a vegetarian option was always available. There was always the option of salad. Accompaniments chips rice.
We helped ourselves tom portions as big or small as we wished and we did on occasion go back for more. There was plenty of food available.
Deserts well hubby and I always make the joke from Monty python its flan, flan or flan .... No that's not fair we could choose some sort of cake desert but we usually chose fruit.

The meals were good. The Barceló proudly states it serves its gourmet food. Not sure about gourmet but I enjoyed mine.
After 10 days though we were beginning to get served the same menus again and we thought maybe not enough variety in tastes. That might have been because we were early season and the hotel not full booked. The dining room was certainly no where near full


Swimming pools and sport facilities
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,
There are 2 swimming pools in this complex one outdoor one indoor a part of a water park this pool is heated. If you wished you could book a massage and Thalassotherapy {seawater health treatment.} There was a fully equipped gym by the swimming pool. There are tennis courts and mini golf too. Walking around the complex it was well laid out, low rise buildings. A few grassy areas. With trees and flowers.
We did not use these sporting facilities as we were not in the hotel in the day time we were out exploring Tunisia.



Beach
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The beach is a lovely clean sandy beach there is a bar/café on the beach just outside the hotel. Not opened when we were there in Feb. I think loungers and chairs available there. The beach is a long wide sandy one.
The beach is reached by a gate the gate is locked at night.

I really quite spoilt staying in this hotel. Although we did not stay in the hotel and make the best use of its facilities in the day. The facilities were very good and if you wanted you would not need to step a foot out of the hotel complex during your stay (except to get onto the beach)


Cost
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~ we booked last minute and I mean very last minute 2 days before we went it cost us £250 per person half board for a week. Including flights .to see prices for the time you want to holiday there are several web sites offering places one is http:-expedia.co.uk

I enjoyed our stay at the Barceló felt we got a good deal.

Summary: A hotel in a good position