Hasdrubal Prestige Thalassa & Spa Djerba — Hotel in Djerba Island

Update Jan 2025

I recently stayed at the Hasdrubal Thalassa Hotel & Spa, and while there were certainly some positive aspects to my experience, several issues left me disappointed given the hotel's prestigious reputation.

The check-in process was welcoming and efficient, setting a positive tone initially. I was greeted warmly with a thoughtful card and invited to a cocktail party, which was a lovely touch. However, the security at the gate was intrusive and unnecessarily thorough, asking questions as if they were airport security, which dampened the initial impression.

The room was spacious and exceptionally clean, providing a comfortable environment for my stay. However, the television was disappointingly small for the size of the room, and the showerhead was inadequate, with no flexibility, which is surprising for a high-end establishment.

The breakfast buffet offered a good variety of food, but the experience could be greatly improved. A single coffee machine caused long queues, and having two would be much more efficient. Additionally, while most of the staff were attentive, some lacked focus, which led to delays and a less pleasant experience. The presence of fruit flies on the food was particularly off-putting and needs immediate attention.

Unfortunately, the spa facilities fell short of expectations. The Thalasso shower had a sewage backup, leaving a pervasive and unpleasant smell that was not addressed during my stay. There was no inspection to resolve the issue, which was disappointing. Similarly, the elevator in the spa malfunctioned, and the door remained closed for an extended period, adding to the overall inconvenience.

Dining at the hotel's restaurants, Riviera and Alhambra, was one of the most disappointing aspects of my stay. The two restaurants were merged due to low occupancy, which resulted in a chaotic dining experience.

The server seemed inexperienced, unable to recommend any dishes, and insisted that "everything is good." This lack of professionalism was compounded by the fact that table water, not mineral water, was served—a glaring oversight for a luxury hotel.

The menu was riddled with spelling errors, such as "Kerkinaise" instead of "Kerkenaise" and "farfall" instead of "farfalla," which reflected poorly on the attention to detail.

The hygiene standards were appalling. A glass smelled unpleasant, and when I requested a replacement, the server changed only the glass, not the water. Worse still, I witnessed a server drop cutlery on the floor and put it back in the drawer instead of replacing it.

The food quality was inconsistent. A shrimp soup had no shrimp at all, and when I returned it, the item was still included on my bill. While the staff offered to address it "the next day," I refused, as I had no intention of returning. The restaurant experience did not meet the standards expected from a hotel of this caliber.

The presence of flies was a recurring issue, both at breakfast and in the spa. These details significantly detract from the overall guest experience. Additionally, the room's shower fluctuated between hot and cold water, making it difficult to enjoy a relaxing shower. The guard at the gate did not donhis job correctly and was mean. I complained to manager and left. I will never spend a penny...

We stayed four nights at Hotel Hasdrubal, and while the building itself is impressive, unfortunately the overall experience was very disappointing.

The hotel is clearly a property that might have deserved five stars fifteen years ago, but for the past decade there seems to have been little to no maintenance or proper care. The structure is beautiful, very large, airy, and the beach is decent. Rooms are extremely spacious, perhaps unnecessarily so, but everything feels old and worn out. The furniture was once of good quality, but today it is outdated, tired, and heavily used. Carpets in corridors and even in rooms are stained, giving the impression that no amount of cleaning can restore them. Cleanliness is not terrible, but the overall atmosphere is one of age and decay.

Even for the most basic items, guests need to fight for service. For example, during our entire stay as three people, we only managed to get one pair of slippers. Something so basic should never be a struggle, but here it felt like a battle just to obtain the simplest amenities.

Families with children will find almost nothing for them here—there is not even a small playground. The thalassotherapy center and spa were another disappointment: from day one we tried to book a massage but it was impossible, either because of lack of staff or because services were outsourced and unavailable. We never managed to use it.

Breakfast is another weak point. The variety is poor, the same limited items are repeated every day, and even getting a simple coffee can take 20 minutes because only two machines exist, one of which is always broken, forcing guests to queue in long lines. Staff in the restaurant are kind but completely untrained and inefficient, so service is painfully slow.

The reception staff, however, were the worst part. Service is extremely poor, rude, and indifferent. Upon arrival we received no briefing, no explanation of services, no information on breakfast times or hotel facilities. Communication is another huge challenge: almost nobody speaks English, and even basic questions require multiple calls. Out of ten staff members, maybe one could manage very basic English. If you don’t speak French or Arabic, expect a frustrating stay. Even at checkout, there was not a single polite remark such as “Hope you enjoyed your stay” or “Have a nice day.”

In short, this hotel falls far below any five-star standards. At best, it compares to a tired three-star property. The building itself remains impressive and clean from outside, but the service, maintenance, and overall hospitality are nowhere near acceptable. It also caters mainly to an older clientele, with absolutely no facilities for children.

I would not recommend this hotel to anyone expecting five-star...

We stayed at Hasdrubal Prestige Djerba 10 years ago and had an absolutely marvellous experience, everything was perfect, and we left with such fond memories that we couldn’t wait to return. Unfortunately, this recent visit was the complete opposite and left us extremely disappointed.

From the moment we arrived, the service was shockingly poor. There were no towels or slippers in the room. We called several times to request them, only to be told “coming” — they tried justifying by saying they were too busy with breakfast to attend to room service basic guest needs.

The room had no kettle, no coffee, no tea, no sugar, and not even a bottle of water on arrival. After insisting, we finally received some, but on the second day, there was again no water. When we called, the response was unbelievable: “Water is only provided on the first day, after that you can buy it.” To make matters worse, coffee and sugar continued to not be replenished during our stay: we had to keep asking, and still didn’t always get them. For a so-called 5-star resort, this is unacceptable.

Breakfast was another disappointment. We requested an ashtray from a waiter, and instead of bringing one, he simply pointed to an empty table and told us to get it ourselves. Seeing our shocked reaction, he went even further, saying outright: “I’m not bringing anything.” Such behaviour is appalling and completely unprofessional.

The beach, which should be one of the highlights of a Djerba resort, was the worst we have seen on the island; dirty, poorly maintained, and completely neglected. It is shameful for a hotel of this category to offer such a substandard beach experience.

The building itself is magnificent and the property is huge, but the maintenance is absolutely neglected: it feels like it’s been left to deteriorate over the years.

We came back expecting the warm hospitality and top-quality service we remembered, but instead, we found poor management, lack of basic amenities, a dirty beach, and an overall careless, even rude, attitude towards guests. This was not just disappointing.. it was...