My sister and I have just returned from the Houda and had a brilliant holiday. Having read reviews of a few people who stayed the same dates as us (last 2 weeks of June) it seems they were staying in a different hotel We did not find the food repetitive at all The only repeated things were chicken pie and chips - obviously for people who do not east anything but "British Food"! There was an excellent choice each day of at least 2 or 3 types of fish - including marlin and fresh tuna We even had enormous prawns There was chicken/turkey/beef/pork/lamb prepared in various ways, vegetables of all descriptions either steamed boiled or roasted There was also a "pasta" bar with 2 or 3 types of pasta The salad bar was superb and the cakes were gorgeous Someone staying for 14 days could easily eat something different every day. Also having used the snack bar I never ever had burnt pizza As far as drinks are concerned, I thought normal(!) people do not go to hotels to get drunk but to enjoy themselves I only saw queues of about 10 people at the bar but the staff were very quick There were some people who obviously drank too much and were loud but thankfully not too many The drinks may have been weak (only some of them though) but they were free and the cocktails were very nice
All the staff were excellent and always smiled and happy to help The hotel was very clean and the surrounding gardens were beautiful for those who chose to walk around instead of holding up the bar The pool area was excellent I we never had any trouble finding sunbeds and didn't need to put a towel on a bed at 7am and not use it until after lunch - as many Brits did, not only guests from "other countries"!
The animation team were excellent and put on some really good professional shows each night They seem to work 14 hours a day entertaining adults and children, and organising volleyball and aerobics in the pool They are a credit to the hotel
One thing at the Houda we tried was the massage and reflexology - absolutely fabulous and about a third of UK price and ten times better!
I cannot praise this hotel enough I have travelled a lot from 2* to 5* hotels, and cruises, and I can honestly say that this holiday rates as one of my top three It is excellent value for money and anyone who complains about the hotel, or the food, is obviously after "money back" or a professional complainer. For the money we paid for this holiday I feel we got more than value for money and I would recommend it to anyone

Husband and I stayed at Houda earlier this year. It was our first trip to Tunisia as we had been put off by other peoples comments. How I wish we hadn't waited.

Clean and inviting, on the first day of our holiday it felt like home. Plentiful seating in the public areas meant staying inside away from the wind wasn't a problem.

The friendliness of the staff was beyond belief, especielly Adel (mee-too) and the restaurant manager. We never found a queue in the restaurant or bar, but then we weren't the ones queueing to get in and complaining that the doors had opened 30 seconds late.

I personally cannot digest milk, and my husband has to avoid peppers, this can be a problem on holiday but it is one we live with. At Houda however it wasn't a problem. Having once asked one of the chefs if a dish contained either offending item, I was told each evening if there were any dishes to avoid. This is not a hotel where anyone should go hungry, and indeed it is the first holiday I've been on where there isn't one on the transfer coach moaning that " they've eaten nothing all holiday!".

Downsides. It is little out of town, but that can be positive too as you don't get all the lager louts (holiday makers not tunisians) the minute you walk out of the hotel, and it is a cheap taxi ride into either Sousse or Monistir. In my opinion Monistir is better, especially the fixed price shop.

Secondly, don't book your excursions off your holiday reps. There are people in the lobby who do the boat trips, horse riding and camel trips a lot better and a lot cheaper than the reps. The reps will tell you they're not insured, but they have to be to get a licence to trade in any hotel.

Really, I can't wait to go back. I'd love to stay forever, even work there except I couldn't live on their wages.

One final comment. We were told that the tip boxes tend to get split between the managers. If a member of staff deserves a tip, give it to them directly albeit discreetly. Loose change which we wouldn't think about is a lot of money to them. You have to change your money back at the airport, and they don't change coins. We left ours for our favourite staff.

ok so its a 3 star hotel so we wasnt expecting the ritz! Arrived about 11.00am and was told we couldnt get to our rooms untill 2.00pm as that was check in time, thats Not good with 2 babies at 6 months old, anyway Finally get our rooms, Very small very basic, Me and my partner had No problem, My sister Booked a *family* room and she had the exact same room as me , One Small Room with En suite, She had 1 double Bed with a set of Bunk beds and a COT all in one small Room, Very Cramped, Surely family rooms Should have at least 2 rooms? instead of 5 people in 1 room? asked to moved But was told Hotel was full!!

Pool area Was excellent!! Clean and Good fun, although one of us was up at 6AM every morning to grab a spot!! Yes were as bad as germans But i can tell u by 7.00am the pool area is Full!

Snack bar Was same Every day Burnt Pizza and Chips! great For kids not so good for adults, Drinks are VERY watered Down and often ran out. Your only aloud 2 drinks Per person and when ur served drinks in a small plastic cup that makes ALOT of trips.

Main Resturant, Very Busy with people jumping Ques I saw alot of abusive being Thrown around, Food was always the same, Dull tastless and Boring, we went all inclusive and ate out Most nights beacuse of this.

The best thing about the hotel is animation team they are Excellent, Make ur holiday enjoyable, and Good fun! Danny rocks! and there soo good with Kids, the Shows at night were good fun and the dances around the pool were Great!! All good fun..The slides, shoots etc.. were Brill, If it wasnt for aniamtion team and the pools We would have asked to move!!

The safari bar down road was great Lovley with Air Con and the Drinks were not watered down and we managed to get a bit tipsy, althought Quiet with 12 of us we managed to have a laugh..

We went on a trip with Fritz camel riding and horse riding was good although there were only 5 Horses to Over 50 People!

Take mozzi Spray i got Bit all over, speshally With young Kids!

We took a trip in to Sousse Town and Found some Lovley shops! And Lovley places to eat , only 15 Dinas Well worth the trip to get u out of the hotel for a night, Hight recommend it...

All in all All 12 of us had a great time as a family beacuse we made the best of things, Now im not Stuck up or anything im only 26 myself the ages ranged from 6 months to 50 and we all had a great time even though the hotel wasnt all that (or the food) we made the best out of it.. I would Definalty go back to tunisia as the weather is SUPERB But perhaps a different hotel...

Feel Free to contact me if u would l iek to ask me anything, I will give an honest opionin.

Went to this hotel the last 2 weeks of may with my boyfriend. This was one of the best holiday's i have been on and i didnt want to leave! The pool area is lovely its very clean and there are plenty of sunbeds but as the holiday went on there did seem to be less. i have read a few reviews sayin the pools were cold but when its hot thats just what you need!
The food is ok kind of what you expect from a buffet style restuarant when your on holiday, quite a lot of stews and a lot of turkey but there was always sumfin different and there is qutie alot of choice.
i have been on quite a few holidays that are all inclusive and when u get there u end up paying for things, not in this hotel everyfin is free, there is quite alot of choice but i found the spirits didnt really get me drunk but the wine definately did!!
The evening entertainment is based around the disco and there is one show every night and then a disco after which goes on until 2 o'clock but not much else to do. The animators did take us to a little bar outside the hotel called safari and that was ok but not very busy maybe its because we went out of season, as we were the only ones in there!!
The animation team are excellent and really make u feel welcome and entertained and without them i may have found this holiday boring.
The rooms arent much but u only sleep in them so we werent really bothered, the only thing i wud say is there was no airconditioning and as it was actually very hot was very uncomfortable at night. They sed that they did not but it on until june and the rooms were also not very well lite and the beds alittle uncomfortable!
Other than that i really enjoyed this holiday and have already booked to go bk in july. its great value for money and really worth a visit!