ПростоНАРОДНЫЙ отель Захабия Simply PEOPLE Hotel Zahabia

Before I get into the details, here are a few things to note:
Do not settle in building number 5! Never!
There are corals and the beach is normal. There are conditions for snorkeling!
Drinking water will have to be spent additionally.
The safe at the reception is free of charge and nothing is missing.
Food (in my opinion) is not worse than in 5 and 4.
And now the promised details.

I was satisfied with the rest in my first Egyptian trio. Let me remind you that according to the Soviet grading system at school, 3 meant satisfactory, that is, not good and not excellent, but satisfactory. This is my favorite rating: 3 plus, I'm used to it. And this trio suited me, because it has pluses! The hotel is not big, nice, the territory is elongated: the buildings (rooms) are surrounded by picturesque courtyards with pools, the gardener works for 5! Beautiful territory. HULLS. When checking in, the manager extorted pennies for the settlement, but not from everyone, but somehow selectively. Promised a “nice room overlooking the pool”. I must say right away that there are 99% of the rooms with a view of the pool, so it's not worth paying for it. People who lived on the first floor with a “pool view” watched the fun (with noise, of course) until late at night... It's worth paying if you are offered rooms that do not face the street (they are on the right, adjacent to another hotel). I’ll explain why - those on the left (also overlooking the pool) have access to the gallery and there the thinnest doors and walls and all the sounds of the street are heard perfectly: motorcycles without silencers, honking taxis, rumbling sobbers. But this is a trifle! There is a muezzin! He starts praying at 5am - LOUD! Have you seen the movie "War of the Worlds"? When these terrible alien machines pursued the main character - T. Corn and terribly howled! That's right - the Jericho trumpet starts to howl and you wake up "in a cold sweat" - the Martians attacked! Then a mournful prayer, then something in chorus, then another sermon. . . about an hour. . . And so it should be 5 times a day! But, really, it was more often! We couldn’t sleep even at lunchtime: it happened several times. Thanks to the reviews, I had with me both earplugs and headphones with an audiobook, and this saved me... But I heard someone who returned to the room in the morning after entertainment in the hope of sleeping, was woken up soon and screamed wildly to nowhere on the gallery - “shut up you”! But this will not help, the mosque is not visible at all, this is a broadcast on the speakers and maybe even on the recording... Therefore, tell building No. 5 - no, no, no! Maybe it’s not so much heard along the edges of the building or on the ground floor, but our room overlooked this damned street, along which the sound stream beat right into the thinnest door with cracks....I had to use this inconvenience as an alarm clock.
THE ROOM, of course, is old, everything is very “old”, but this is a trifle, I didn’t settle in Versailles. But a great loggia, overlooking the pool, of course. The beds had to be moved and they were not moved apart! But these beds are terribly hard! The phone not only was, but also worked. The TV also worked, but did not differ in the variety of channels. Tortured with a fluorescent light bulb above the mirror in the bathroom - it blinks and loudly, often, often cracks... Nonsense? Oh no! A flickering crack, again. . . like the torture of partisans by the Nazis. . . even through closed eyes hits the brain. They called, but they couldn’t get a visit from a specialist... On the eleventh time, I already started talking on the phone with nervous short phrases: an electrician, a light bulb, help... apparently a woman’s frightened call + the word “electrician”, they worked... A boy came running with bulbs : ). . . That's why he ran away - the wrong bulbs! In short, he tweaked something there, it didn’t work out, so he replaced some bullshit, and life became brighter. Maybe for nervous perfectionists, this would be a blow, since the details of the decline are visible, but for us, accustomed to smelly cat porches, trash cans in the city center, salty dirty slush in winter, lepers in the subway, and generally complete unsanitary conditions around at home, all this is simple does not play a role in any way....As for the air conditioner, they didn’t use it somehow, it’s winter, after all... : )
BATHROOM. Worked, washed. What else is needed? Until they could use the light bulb above the mirror, they used another one - it works together with the hood: it buzzes. Acceptable, don't forget to turn it off. The shower cubicle is small and uncomfortable: you turn on the shower and everything spills onto the floor. Why did you think there was a strange mop there? And everything is thought out - you drive the spilled water into a special hole in the floor with a mop! Quite tiring and ineffective, so we decided to change the technique of washing the body: I ​ ​ had to hold the shower in my hand and direct it into the depths of the cabin so that it would not spill out, since there was no sense from the curtain. The cleaner gave out soap and shampoo (in a disposable bag). Soap - bright pink, like plasticine. Then there were bars of white - more like soap. Some who did not take soap bought it, since it is scary to wash with this hotel. We always take soap, including household soap, and I advise you to do the same. Shampoo, it’s also better to bring your own and preferably with a balm to make combing your hair easier, since there is no hair dryer in the room! So combing after washing your hair and drying tangled hair will not bring joy. But everything dries perfectly on the balcony - he went out, the wind blew, smoothed the tangles with his hands (if there is no comb) and almost everything! So better take your hair dryer with you (+ soap and shampoo)!
CLEANING. Every day - a little noticeable: a set in the bathroom and cleaning the bed. There was a charade with towels. There were 4 when we checked in: 2 large and 2 small. Then it changed all the time: 2 large ones, 1 small one, then 3 small ones, 1 big one, then something else... We were worried, but in vain - by the day of departure, there was again a complete set. At the same time, people said that someone was not given soap and shampoo, and someone was brought extra towels. More about towels: they give out a special registration card for beach towels - everything is written down in it !! ! You won’t be able to take it twice - the whip-boy clearly controls everything: when they took it. At the same time, you need to somehow guess in order to decide whether you want to use the wiping by the pool or on the beach: it is difficult to combine if you do not carry it with you. If you took it on the beach and handed it in, they won’t give you fresh ones by the pool. If you took it by the pool and then passed it, you won't be able to take it to the beach on the same day. In short, we went with towels and rarely handed them over, dried them on the balcony - there are wonderful dryers! For this hotel 5! In 4 and 5 there is no such thing, it is considered that if you allowed yourself 5, then you have money for laundry, why do you need a dryer? And here, without fools, I washed sushi on the balcony with amenities. Without hypocrisy, I respect it!

FOOD. We had All Inclusive. I was satisfied. Of course, there was no day of Arabic cuisine with their wonderful sweets, and every day is basically the same, but everything is delicious and without diarrhea. Constantly fish - almost always in batter and it's delicious. The meat was mainly in the form of meatballs, and of course chicken. Sweets are so-so - the same thing decorated in different ways, like jelly and mousses, something colorful. But croissants for breakfast: lovely! With jam - yum! By the way, they didn’t figure out what kind of jam is in 2 jars: apparently they add everything that is to the jars, and it turned out to be a date-orange-strawberry mixture! Spicy! From fruits: oranges and dates always! The melon was once (who tried it appreciated its taste and then some consequences). In this case, I’m for a separate meal - I don’t eat fruit immediately after a meal (so that without consequences), only as a dessert, separately, not earlier than after 30 minutes... Therefore, in hotels I’m not fond of eating fruit at dinner, unless I rub dates and eat later separately. And by the way: they sell a bunch of fruits nearby, so you can always get some fruit if you want. I also had enough vitamins in vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage. For garnish - pasta, rice, potatoes, beans. There were stewed vegetables and once - grilled vegetables. Yum! There were cheeses: such as "feta" and processed. "Feta" - each of us ate decently for breakfast with coffee: 50-60 hryvnia, and this is not a very expensive amount. So the hotel has already paid off! : ) Soups were liquidish, transparent (soups-puree somehow didn't work for me here). There is an important secret in eating soup in Zahabia - there are chopped limes in a salad bowl next to the saucepans with soups! This is on purpose - you need to squeeze a lime into the soup! And then instead of a liquid broth with vegetables, you will get almost a hodgepodge! Tasty! What pleased me was that there was a delicious, tender, tasteless olive oil (apparently the first cold pressing) for watering vegetables. Another secret: the butter in the “box” in the morning should be asked from the cook what makes the scrambled eggs, and ketchup (by the way, delicious Heinz) should be asked from the bartender. Indeed, drinks (except tea and coffee in the morning) are poured by the bartender into plastic cups. Well, for beer, apparently, this is important. But, for acclimatization and digestion, I recommend another drink that they know how to make (they couldn’t spoil it like wine and brandy) and for which such a glass is suitable: GIN! With sprite and lime - a cool cocktail! The bar also has a pomegranate "sauce" - you can add for color and sweetness. By the way, it also goes well in a cocktail with suza.
The pool bar is open from 10-30, so if you leave early, you will not be able to drink coffee, tea or something stronger.
Very nice managers at the restaurant and at the bar on the beach, they will help with a smile. In the evening, there is an influx in the canteen, they open the second floor - everything is there, except for drinks. With such an emergency, these managers do not shy away from doing the work of waiters. At the same time, they also manage to manage. Well done, and so are the chefs!
WATER. There are no free water coolers, and it is a shame to ask the bartender for water in a glass if there are other drinks. Although I once asked at the bar on the beach - something was wrong with this water... They wrote about it in the reviews and it's true....You have to buy water....But, what pleased me - there is hibiscus! A wonderful drink that not only stabilizes blood pressure, but lowers cholesterol! I recommend instead of beer, beer lovers forgive me.

BEACH and CORALS! This is a fairy tale for those who like to snorkel, especially those who are beginners or bad swimmers! Everything is there: sand turning into small rocky accumulations, getting farther and better, and outside - a wall of corals with a shallow depth. The fish fascinated - here they are more sociable and have seen such that they have not seen anywhere else, even in Marsa Alam! Manta (small) swam in the shallows !! ! Well, stingrays, of course. Parrots and other fish - herds! We were visited by a squid in the shallows, as well as a light spotted murenka. Very varied! And something like huge pikes - or barracudas or bodies grown up to 1.50 meters. They are there all the time, barrage from the side of the depth, swim on the coral for cleaning. I'll post pictures, determine for yourself what kind of fish, but it was unusual to swim among huge pike-like fish! I really liked Coral and this is another 5 hotel! There are two beaches in general. One at the beginning - there is purely sandy. In shallow water you can swim to more interesting places. There is a choice - and it's great! Towels are issued on the first beach, there is also a decent bathroom and even a dressing room! with a huge mirror (which I did not notice in other hotels of a higher rank)! You can see the tan. There are showers. Volleyball court, paid beach cafe, shops (with intrusive sellers). It is interesting that there are no fences from the wind, only fungi and sunbeds with mattresses. The second beach is further, you need to go along a kind of "promenade" along the fence and buildings of the neighboring hotel to the pier. There is a second beach - closer to the corals. There is also a paid cafe, an inferior toilet and a shower room. The music is yelling, the animators are trying - boccia, darts, gymnastics, belly dancing, aqua aerobics. I discovered Bocha - an excellent tool for an even tan! Fruits are sold on the way to the beach and next to the hotel. The bar for "all inclusive" is only on the first beach, people run back and forth for drinks along the "promenade" and this helps to tan!
Animation is. Denis and Lera + a local guy. They work on the beach, as I said: bocha, darts, gymnastics, belly dancing, aqua aerobics, volleyball. In the evening, the show in the "shed" opposite the main entrance to the hotel. We went to the "fakir show" once, but the main pleasure was from the audience that came to the show - it's so fun to watch those who came! Great entertainment: these are not boring Germans for you. There are Russian-speaking and Arabs here - it's very cool! From the Arab ethno show (swimming in clothes in ice pools) well, their habits are also peculiar, to our “macho men” in vests, full of beer and other “hot” drinks that joyfully push each other into the pool at the bar. Or dressed as pirates, they drag the “birthday boy” right on the sunbed to the pier and throw him into the sea.
And also ladies.... mmmm.... ooooh.... those outfits and stilettos.... Fashion show! They flaunted to the fullest! I saw the embodiment of "Ellochka the cannibal", even the "Mexican jerboa" was with her! She really won - every night a new breathtaking outfit, not counting the beach fashion! Would love to see her suitcase! In general, there is nothing to break away from the common people, Zakhabia is the very thing for this! In general, it was not boring in Zahabia! As the animator Lera says - "Everything happens in Zahabiya! ".
They also entertained themselves by walking in the evening along the streets with shops. The first quest is "buy water as cheaply as possible. " Near the hotel - 6 liters for 2 dollars. We went in the direction of Sunny Days, there are just shops at the hotel. Since we bought 2 bottles (cooperation with neighbors on the floor) - then for a small wholesale: 7 liters for $ 2! In general, I drank such a 7-liter bottle myself for 8 incomplete days (and brushed my teeth too). By the way, it seems that water is also sold in the Zakhabia bar by the pool, apparently for the same price only 1.5 liters (but this is not accurate). Then they went to buy rags for $ 2 - less successful, but it's fun to bargain... and there are cats and kittens in the shops: you can pet them as entertainment! The hotel also has cats - very cute, purr well, and they are all Egyptian, graceful, not like ours. I regret that I didn’t take food (although I read about cats in the hotel in the reviews). True, the people took food out of the canteen and treated the mustachioed-striped ones, and I also repent - I took it out and fed it. Like the fish on the pier. Probably still impossible, but I somehow weakly believe that if I am fed only with cakes, that I will not want ordinary food, therefore I do not believe that fish will not eat their usual food if they are fed with rolls. Hunger is not an aunt. And ecology is a dark science, it is something changeable and incomprehensible. But the principle of evolution is clear, which provides for adaptation to the environment. This I smoothly approached the topic of politics - since this is our environment now, we must adapt in order to survive. It was possible to avoid this nonsense and not discuss "sick topics" who is right and who is to blame and why this is...

We in Zahabiya managed to live peacefully for everyone, so different! And it worked! Because the goal was common - to try to live well and cheerfully, in a world that will give us the opportunity to travel around this world! And there were no politicians with inferiority complexes to prevent ordinary people from living well, at least on vacation, for which we earn most of our work. So I'm quite happy with the hotel, we went there from the "last", even borrowed to see Egypt and the Red Sea one more time, we were afraid to go to the top three, but everything turned out to be acceptable (better than domestic service). It was surprising that people much wealthier than us did not choose 4 and 5, but chose Zakhabiya, the “triple”! And some of them are here for the first time. Perhaps those who write "bad" reviews in this way are trying to keep this hotel for themselves so that fewer people come? You just need to critically approach what is written: what do you need if you want to swim with a mask and bask in the sun in winter? A roof over your head (with amenities) and food (without poisoning) - it was all there! So what if it's old and dirty? In our cities, we live like this, and somehow we do not pay attention. Next time I won’t be afraid to go to Zakhabia — I liked it here, just take into account some of the “nuances” of the hotel service (which I described above) and everything will be great! If only there was peace all over the world!