La Gondole — Hotel in Sousse

Please note that my review has been written about a year after I and my breathtaking beautiful wife stayed here (June, 2012), so some of what I write might already out of date. My experience at La Gondale is quite unusual as we ended up staying there without an advanced booking. ||||Upon arrival into Sousse, we found that our hotel that we had book via an extremely popular internet based travel site to be closed for renovation. We pulled out our travel books and started searching for something near by. One of our books mentioned La Gondale and seeing we were close to it at the time, we decided to check with the staff regarding the availability of a room for a five night stay. Luckily, they had one for us. We initially got into our room and the manager felt it wasn’t nice enough for us, so he moved us a different one overlooking the sea. ||||Overall, I would say my feelings on the hotel are mixed. It seemed to us that we were two of no more than four or six guests at the hotel. The staff was happy to have us stay there but given that our trip was only 18 months after the Jasmine Revolution, it was hard to determine if the hotel was the problem or tourism was suffering as a result of the political uncertainty of the country. Regardless, the staff went out of their way to make us feel welcomed and enjoy our stay there. Everyone was extremely friendly and truly pleasant. ||||The best part of the hotel is Location, Location, Location! The hotel is directly across the main street from the beach, and not far from the Medina and train stations (to other places within the country and intercity train to Monastir) and there are many great little places to eat everywhere near by. There is also a small general store down the street with a reasonably good selection of Tunisian wines. The rooms were well furnished but a bit small and very basic. Note on the beach – the hotel has not connection to those who work on the beach. ||||On the other hand, there we so many small “issues” with the building that as a whole, they would have tested the patience of even the most hardy of travelers. The air conditioner did not work, which was not much of a problem as the cool breezes off the sea kept our room reasonably cool. Lights in the hallways were non-existent or burned out. We had to notify the front desk when we we’re in the restaurant, which was more of a storage area, for breakfast. Then, we would have to wait for 20-30 minutes before it was served to us and was the most basic of food – two eggs, bread, and croissants. The main street ran right below our room, which was very noisy all night. Beach partiers stated out until just about dawn, both of which made it difficult for a good night rest. The manager was looking for a tip for anything he did for us, even if it would be expected to be his job. I saw absolutely no evidence of a pool or gym, or other amenities. ||||Despite our experience, we nonetheless had a reasonable stay here and enjoyed our...

La Gondole Hotel Suisse,||||August 2010,||||Just returned from a weeks stay in what was described as a four star hotel but was really a low budget hostel. In fact we have stayed in nicer hostels on weekend breaks and definitely far better four star hotels.||||Restaurant||The restaurant was not busy and the first morning despite arriving 45 minutes before breakfast was due to finish we were told by another guest that they were clearing away. We wrongly assumed that there would be a greater selection on following mornings. Breakfast was the same every day Croissants. Pan au chocolat coffee, tea (if you asked for it) two cold drinks one which was red and the other light green but no recognizable flavour.||||Evening meal was four courses and was the same every night in that it was soup then salad then a meat course and melon 5 nights and cake the other two for dessert. The choice was take it or leave it.||The staff were pleasant but there was no attempt to help with bags or even let us know when our taxi arrived to take us to the airport. Some confusion at the start of the stay as the receptionist did not understand that we had already paid and was insisting on being paid again. This was resolved after phone calls and the director coming from somewhere else reading our receipt and saying it was OK we could stay at which point the receptionist told us we were welcome but as this was midnight and we had been sitting in reception for about half an hour while this was sorted out we were too tired to care luckily we had the proof with us that we had paid. Make sure you take all paper work with you and not just booking references..||The hotel was basic not close to other four star hotels we have stayed in at best probably a 2 star and over priced for what was on offer. Much of the amenities advertised did not exist eg internet in the room, pool, bar, satellite TV currency exchange private beach is actually a misnomer as it is a poorly maintained section of the main beach and the adjacent section is better in every respect for the same charge .Other guests complained but there was no explanation. ||The room was quiet and given a basic clean each day with towels being changed but rugs were not cleaned ...

the worst thing you could say would not make the idea of ​​this hotel (???) in a dark alley next to the worst stretch of the promenade of Sousse (danger zone) attended byonly not Europeans. ||Rooms at the minimum of cleaning, no fridge, 14-inch TV with only 3 channels (North African) and NOT buffet continental breakfast (a men brings a basket with a piece of bread, a bad croissant and a bland sort of jam, there are jugs with colored liquids without flavor they call fruit juice) and a horrible coffee. . The beach is very dirty (Tunisians throw everything on the ground and at sea, plastic glass bottles .. I can assure you there are no words to describe this open dump) and the beach, is not managed from the hotel so you must pay there. ||the second day they stole the briefcase in the room with ATM, money and ID card, and the manager when i have reported the thieft come in the romm and searched inside everywhere saying that the staff probably had hidden my things and then steal all the next day (is entered the room and checked everything, even inside my bags and under beds) and then tell me that he could do nothing and must go to the police when it was clear that it was staff. of course the day after I left the hotel to go to the hotel Tej Marhaba. ||do not go there even if it was the last chance available, in addition to being dirty...