Skanes Serail

​There is one word to describe Skanes Serail: DILAPIDATED. It may have been a 4-star hotel when it was built in the 1990s, but 80% of the property hasn’t been touched since. When I pay for a 4-star hotel, I expect 4-star standards regardless of the destination—this place is a 2-star at most. Truthfully, the animation and entertainment team is the only thing keeping this entire hotel afloat! ​Rooms & Cleanliness: ​First Room (Room 323): Disgusting and completely unsafe. The hairdryer was a safety hazard, bathroom tiles were covered in black mold, and the bin was brown-stained with a broken lid. The view overlooked a wasteland and kitchen walkway filled with rubbish, broken furniture, and a makeshift hut made of ripped plastic sheets. When I requested a room change, I was initially told the hotel was full. ​ I lodged a complaint with LoveHolidays along with photo evidence. Two days later, I met with the Guest Relations Manager. When I showed him the photos and mentioned the hotel was severely dilapidated, his response was, "This is Tunisia, not Dubai"—which sums up the attitude perfectly. He was quite abrupt and intimidating, which made the situation even more uncomfortable. ​Second Room (Room 134): Moving rooms only offered a slight improvement. The 1st floor and reception appear to have undergone a superficial "renovation" in 2024, but broken and moldy tiles, broken curtains, and holed towels remained. The toiletries smelled horrendous, and basic housekeeping was poor—while the beds were made and towels replaced, the floors were never swept, and used cups were left on the bedside tables. I didn't bother complaining about the second room because I didn't want the hassle of moving again, and given how abrupt and intimidating the manager was, I didn't feel comfortable pursuing it further on-site. ​ ​Be prepared to queue at the pool bar as there is only one staff member working it. On a positive note, the bartender was very pleasant despite being overworked, but the pool bar staff and lifeguards seem to regularly argue amongst themselves in front of guests. ​Be prepared for the flies everywhere. I don't know why they are so bad here, but they are a bloody nuisance and swarm everywhere—around the pool, down at the beach, and inside the restaurant. You are forever wafting them away! Some of the restaurant staff looked scruffy, wearing dirty shoes and untidy clothing. As front-facing staff working around food, they should be pristine every day. ​Food was terrible. Even a member of the entertainment staff admitted the food was awful, and not a single guest I spoke with had anything positive to say. Given the state of the hotel, I didn't want to think about the state of the kitchen, so we survived on bread, chips, and rice for the week. The beer was fine and my son didn't complain about the soft drinks, though other guests mentioned the spirits seemed watered down. ​The onsite shops are filthy. The clothes, shoes, and ornaments—right down to the glass display shelves—are covered in dirt. It looks less like hotel shopping and more like a jumble sale of tat. ​The sunbeds do come with mattresses, which is a plus, but most of them are ripped or covered in mold stains. ​Spa: Although I didn't use it, I did look inside, and it is very pretty—it really stands out compared to the rest of the hotel. The water slides were fun for my son, but the equipment is worn and rusty, and the adjacent area looks horribly neglected. The private beach itself is nice, but stepping a few yards to either side reveals wasteland piled with plastic rubbish. It feels deeply ironic given the hotel has a small tortoise sanctuary claiming to protect wildlife from plastic. ​ ​There is nothing within safe walking distance. You can take a taxi, but feedback about the nearby town was equally poor, so we opted to stay on-site. ​The ONLY Positives: ​The animation and entertainment team worked exceptionally hard, were consistently friendly, and are honestly the only reason this hotel is keeping its head above water. ​The lone pool bartender was very pleasant despite being on his own. ​The White Party event was particularly enjoyable. ​ If you don't mind all of these issues and are happy paying 4-star prices for a 2-star experience, then you will be fine. However, I strongly advise looking for alternative accommodation. This experience at Skanes Serail has completely put me off returning to Tunisia.

I originally booked here for 1 week & extended my stay by an extra 2 weeks! This was purely because both myself & my children have been so well looked after & catered for! I’m the fussiest eater yet the food has been amazing for everyone. There is something different on each day for the kids whether that is in the day time or the evening! I especially have loved the mini club for my 2 year old as he is autistic & struggles to engage with people. The girls who run the mini club have been absolutely amazing with both my kids, so super friendly & always chatty & making sure we’re all okay! What a wonderful resort Skanes Serail truly is! Thank you all & we’ll see you again!

This hotel is absolutely amazing great staff and the food it unbelievable And the entertainment guys are fantastic Hannibal and Alax and luffi are brilliant Tunis’s is amazing place to come on holiday this hotel if your are coming to Tunis’s this is the place to come

Had a really good week hotel really nice and clean couldn’t complain f asked for a better animation team always made us feel welcome and very attentive got everyone involved in activities would come again just for them alone Hannibal always energetic and a smile on his face

The hotel is very clean, well laid out, and the staff are friendly, helpful, and welcoming. The food is standard all-inclusive fare, and overall, there are some very positive aspects to the resort especially the animation team. Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment has been the alcohol. It is being served and presented as alcoholic drinks included in the all-inclusive package, yet the drinks have been tested and found to be non-alcoholic. I have paid for an all-inclusive holiday that specifically states local alcoholic drinks are included, and this does not appear to be what is being provided. I have raised this issue with management on several occasions and tried to explain my concerns, but they have shown little interest in addressing the matter or resolving it. It is such a shame, as the cleanliness, layout, and friendliness of the staff are all positives. However, if alcoholic drinks are advertised as part of the all-inclusive package, guests should be able to trust that they are receiving what they have paid for. Better communication and a genuine response from management would make a huge difference. Sadly, this issue has taken away from what could otherwise have been a very enjoyable stay.