TUI BLUE Palm Beach Palace

Disappointing Stay – Room for Serious Improvement I stayed at this hotel with realistic expectations, having visited other TUI and Hotels.com-listed properties in the past. Unfortunately, this was by far the most disappointing experience. Below is a detailed and honest review of the key aspects: ROOM / CLEANLINESS Housekeeping is available daily, but the cleaning was superficial. We found long hairs in the supposedly clean towels upon arrival. Shampoo and shower gel dispensers were empty, and when we requested refills, staff poured unknown liquid from water bottles into them. The texture and foaming felt more like basic hand soap. The floor was dusty, especially under the bed. The air conditioning unit leaked, and the balcony door could no longer be opened once closed from the outside – both inconvenient and concerning. Positive note: When we asked for a room change due to our original room being extremely far from everything (surprising given the price), the hotel quickly and helpfully arranged the move. SERVICE / STAFF Some staff members were friendly and tried their best. However, I experienced that you only get proper attention if you either complain firmly or tip in advance – not the kind of service dynamic expected in a hotel of this standard. A major issue was the hotel photographers, who took photos of guests without consent – even during watersports. I addressed one directly; he stopped briefly but resumed later. Many guests felt watched and uncomfortable. This behavior must be regulated by management to protect guest privacy. BEACH / EXTERNAL VENDORS The beach itself is lovely – clean and scenic. However, it was difficult to enjoy it fully due to constant interruptions by aggressive third-party vendors. These individuals clearly do not belong to the hotel staff, yet the hotel does nothing to manage or limit them. Guests are left to constantly fend them off, which seriously reduces the ability to relax. ENTERTAINMENT / MUSIC Some musicians were talented, but the entertainment was repetitive – mostly the same 80s/90s international pop hits. Guests would have appreciated more local Tunisian music to reflect the country’s culture. FOOD / DINING EXPERIENCE The main buffet was disappointing: underseasoned dishes, tough and sinewy meat, and very poor-quality pizza (bad dough and tasteless cheese). Positive highlight: the desserts and pastries were excellent and clearly made with more care. As for the specialty dining options: The BBQ “à la carte” restaurant was not à la carte at all – it was a self-service setup with food quality no different from the main buffet. Misleading and disappointing. In contrast, the L’Olivier restaurant was excellent in every way – great service, fresh ingredients, and authentic flavors. It was the culinary highlight of our stay and is highly recommended. The “late riser breakfast” offered at the Blue Flamingo snackbar (next to the BBQ area) was extremely limited – just some tomato and cucumber slices, old bread, low quality cheese, oat flakes and fruits. Definitely not a proper breakfast. OVERALL IMPRESSION Despite the beautiful beach and one standout restaurant (L’Olivier), the overall experience was disappointing. Cleanliness issues, inconsistent service, poor food quality (except desserts), intrusive photographers, and constant disturbances by outside vendors made it hard to truly relax. Having had good experiences with other TUI and Hotels.com properties, I found this hotel to fall well below expectations. I hope management takes this feedback seriously and makes improvements. Until then, I cannot recommend staying here.