В Marina View Port Ghalib Hotel 3* смогли нас удивить At Marina View Port Ghalib Hotel 3 * we were able to surprise us

Hello, dear friends, like-minded people and travelers!
I want to share my impressions about our 16th vacation in Egypt, the 7th in Marsa Alam.
We booked the cheapest ticket using the Fortuna 4 * system from the Feeria Mandriv operator: from 04/09/2016 to 04/16/2017.
Transfer: Flight Kyiv - Marsa Alam 4 hours, very convenient.
I must say right away that they never rested in 3 * in Egypt and, frankly, they were afraid to settle there, despite the positive reviews of the Marina View Port Ghalib Hotel 3 *. Asked to go there because of the reef. I must say right away that the hotel was able to surprise us.
At the reception, Muhamed met us in a friendly manner, asked our wishes, even what kind of bed we prefer, gave a good room on the second floor overlooking the port. In the evening, a gift awaited us: 15 minutes of massage for free.

Room in oriental style, small but cozy, everything works, furniture is in good condition, possibly new. There is a small balcony overlooking the road, on the balcony there is a clothes dryer. The bathroom is also not big, from cosmetics only liquid gel shampoo 2 in 1. There is everything you need for a comfortable stay. We never saw our cleaner, but he cleaned with high quality, changed towels and bed linen in good faith, it was always clean. Thank you!
Externally, the hotel is not attractive and is located on the road. There is no territory and greenery, there is absolutely nowhere to walk. However, going inside, you understand that the hotel has its own character: pronounced oriental architecture and decor, beautiful furniture, quite comfortable, clean, persistent smell of vanilla in the lobby. There is a small pool in the backyard. And you can walk along the promenade in Port Ghalib, it is within walking distance.
Nutrition: this topic deserves a separate story. Before the trip, I read several reviews of the hotel, where tourists admired the food and even used the word "exquisite". For me, reading such enthusiastic things about food in Egypt in a 3 * hotel was strange. Here the hotel surprised us, surprised us very much. When we first came for lunch, we saw a very clean and beautiful restaurant. Tables were laid out like a good restaurant, starched napkins, a few knives, forks and spoons laid out according to restaurant etiquette. Bread and various condiments are on a separate table. There were no guests in the restaurant except my husband and I. As we were told, there are few guests in the hotel, and only a few people have the all-inclusive and half-board meals. Therefore, the usual buffet was neither for breakfast, nor for lunch, nor for dinner. We came to the restaurant, the waiter Syaber (he is also a porter, he is also a bartender) went to the kitchen, took out soup and bread, brought us drinks. Then the waiter watched when we finished eating the soup, went to the kitchen and brought a salad, then brought the main course, then dessert. While we ate, the waiter was in the restaurant and delicately looked when we finished the next dish to bring the next one. In the restaurant, only my husband and I and the waiter. Such an exclusive service. When we tried the dishes prepared in the restaurant of the 3 * hotel, we were very surprised. The dishes were not only delicious, but excellent. I have not eaten such cream soups in any hotel in Egypt, meat and fish dishes are very tasty, salads are unusual. The serving of the food itself is appetizing. The menu changes every day. Portions are huge. Kitchen at a very high level! Many chefs of 5 * hotels can learn from the chef of this hotel. Thanks a lot! The food and service at the restaurant was very good! I really hope that when there are a lot of guests, the kitchen will remain at the same level.
Beach: the hotel has its own beach, located at a distance of 1.2 km from the hotel. You can walk, but in the heat, to be honest, you don’t really want to, but you can take a transfer. 2 times a day, before and after lunch, guests are brought from the hotel to the beach and picked up at a certain time. Since there were 12 guests at that time, and almost no one was interested in the beach, they drove us to the beach in a comfortable car. Often on the beach there were only me and my husband and the bartender Raul at our complete disposal. The beach is not big, but it is no longer needed. There are several plastic sun loungers and folding umbrellas from the sun. Shower and toilet work. There is a bar, tables and chairs. The all-inclusive system on the beach works in a strange way: before going to the beach, you need to take coupons for drinks at the reception. Mukhamed gave them to us, gave coupons for water without any problems, but we had to beg for beer. He only gave 1 beer voucher per person. 1 coupon is 1 glass of almost non-alcoholic Egyptian beer. Do you think 1 bottle of 0.5 liters of almost non-alcoholic beer for two adults is a lot? I had to beg for a second coupon per person, it was not pleasant.

Sea: it was sunny for the first few days, the reef met with its splendor and abundance: we saw, in addition to a large number of various fish and bright corals, turtles, octopuses, squids, lionfish, you can’t list everything. Then the weather began to change and we witnessed a rare natural phenomenon - a downpour in the desert. The rain was very heavy, but not cold, falling several times a day for two days. The locals rejoiced like children. Within a few days the sky became overcast and the coral and its inhabitants were poorly visible, there was not enough light.
Animation in the hotel in its usual sense is not at all. No club dances, sporting events, contests or shows. In the evening, a few guests either sleep, or watch TV in the bar, or walk around Port Ghalib. A hotel for complete tranquility. To be honest, I missed the evening entertainment.
On the third day of our holiday, Mustafa, a hotel worker, approached us (he returned from vacation). His job was to entertain guests. First of all, he went with us to the beach, swam with us all the time, in conditions of poor visibility (I already wrote about cloudy weather), he found in the sea, dived and showed us various living creatures. Thanks to him, we saw a lot more. And tourists who swim poorly saw the beauty of the Red Sea only thanks to Mustafa. He literally dragged unsure swimmers across the sea. I have never seen such service in any hotel! I don't know where else there is a personal coral guide who is a great swimmer and also a professional lifeguard. Those. in this hotel, the lifeguard is not on the shore and sometimes whistles if you swam in the wrong place, but swims with you. The first aid kit on the beach is also kept by Mustafa.
In the evening, Mustafa offered us his services as a guide to Port Ghalib, helped us make purchases in the supermarket, entertained us with a conversation in the hotel bar. Thank him very much!
The general impression of the rest: the hotel certainly has an unforgettable character, the cuisine amazed and surprised in the best sense of the word, the hotel was liked by almost individual service at a very high level. There was not enough evening entertainment, but this is the concept of the hotel. Didn't like the story with coupons for the beach bar. If you want silence and solitude, do not like animation, are indifferent to walking around the hotel, go to the sea for a good reef, I can safely recommend it.
Have a good rest, if you have any questions, write, I will answer!