Just returned from a family holiday at the so called 5 star El Mouradi Mahdia Hotel. This is no where near a 5 star, closer to a 2 star. My family has stayed at 5 star hotels throughout the world, including one in Hammanet in May (this was 4 star and far superior to this one). The hotel is very dated, from the reception area to the rooms. Whilst the reception area and the bar area in the flooor below may appear to be very stylish, it is behind the scenes in your room that things start to fall to pieces. The rooms may be very spacious but are very shabby and dated and in need of a major overhaul. One of our rooms developed a leak from the floor above, whilst the bath/shower had bad areas of mildew. The balcony area, whilst large was furnished with a small table and 2 chairs with a rusty clothes dryer in the corner. The wardrobe and fridge doors would not close properly. The corridors leading to the hotel rooms were an absolute disgrace, old, stained and ruched carpets with plain white walls. Arriving late at night this was our first glimpse of the hotel and due to lamp bulbs being our made the corridors even more gloomy and dank. This did not improve in daylight hours. The main restaurant where breakfast, dinner and lunch is served is large but badly organised. It is a free for all to find a table when you first arrive. This however did improve, thanks to a monderful waiter that a rapport was established with. The food whilst all edible did get a little boring, rice, pasta, chicken, turkey fish. The choice was large but catered more for the German sector. The exterior of the hotel again is very dated. The pool area is very nice, with a large pool and plenty of sunloungers. However, the gardens surrounding the hotel were an absolute disgrace and did not look as though they had been tended to for many, many months. The view from our rooms overlooked the sea and the garden area, minigolf (all 5 holes), boules. But the whole area looked like a war-torn bomb site. The beach whilst very narrow is pleasant(not the most stunning beach in the med as I have seen it described). The sea is beautiful. You can walk for miles along the beach, but are advised to look out to sea and not inland as the views of the mainland are appalling, run down and like a shanty town. The entertainment is poor, and the bar in the entertainment room does not open, hence one reason why the place was empty every night. The bar only opens up when the disco starts. This leaves one bar open all evening until 10.30/11.00. This in turn creates a large queue waiting for drinks, with no waiter service. The whole atmosphere in the hotel is run down, drab, dated and very quiet. Can I find one good thing to say about the hotel. Yes, it is fabulous if it were given a 2 star rating. Again, I must stress this is not a 5 star and comes nowehre near a 5 star. Would I visit the hotel again. A very definite NO.