• traveled 6 years ago
We stayed at this hotel in May, the second time in July. It seems that with the influx of tourists, the hotel seems to have been changed. 1. The bed is dirty. For 2 weeks - did not change. 2. Housekeeping - disgusting. Shampoo, gel, t / b, clean towels were tedious to beg every time. Surprisingly, they came to clean the room at 9 am.
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We stayed at this hotel in May, the second time in July. It seems that with the influx of tourists, the hotel seems to have been changed.
1. The bed is dirty. For 2 weeks - did not change.
2. Housekeeping - disgusting. Shampoo, gel, t / b, clean towels were tedious to beg every time. Surprisingly, they came to clean the room at 9 am.
3. Upon check-in, they DEMANDED $ 10. For what, until the end of the holiday, they did not understand.
4. The bathroom stank of sewerage. The hood was not turned off for days.
5. On the day of departure, at 7 am!!! ! asked to vacate the room!! ! We left the room at a quarter to 12, but during this time, they came 5 times and reminded.
6. At the reception, bracelets were ripped off and $ 8.6 was torn off for the water that the son went to get from the cooler in the restaurant !!! ! When trying to take a picture of the smart guy at the reception, he bashfully covered his badge and face with his hands.
7. Rearranging sunbeds near the pool is strictly prohibited. A trained person will come running and will yell for a long time and put them back.
P. S. in Egypt, far from the first time, they wrote objectively. Here the Sea is a miracle: corals, fish, stingrays, turtles and Dugong. Everything is here! But the merit in this is nature, not the Egyptians.
1. The bed is dirty. For 2 weeks - did not change.
2. Housekeeping - disgusting. Shampoo, gel, t / b, clean towels were tedious to beg every time. Surprisingly, they came to clean the room at 9 am.
3. Upon check-in, they DEMANDED $ 10. For what, until the end of the holiday, they did not understand.
4. The bathroom stank of sewerage. The hood was not turned off for days.
5. On the day of departure, at 7 am!!! ! asked to vacate the room!! ! We left the room at a quarter to 12, but during this time, they came 5 times and reminded.
6. At the reception, bracelets were ripped off and $ 8.6 was torn off for the water that the son went to get from the cooler in the restaurant !!! ! When trying to take a picture of the smart guy at the reception, he bashfully covered his badge and face with his hands.
7. Rearranging sunbeds near the pool is strictly prohibited. A trained person will come running and will yell for a long time and put them back.
P. S. in Egypt, far from the first time, they wrote objectively. Here the Sea is a miracle: corals, fish, stingrays, turtles and Dugong. Everything is here! But the merit in this is nature, not the Egyptians.
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Hello, dear friends, like-minded people and travelers! I want to share my impressions about my 18th vacation in Egypt, the 9th in Marsa Alam. Impressions of Marsa Alam, with rare exceptions, remained very good, regardless of the number of stars of the hotel. We stayed at the end of November with my husband.
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Hello, dear friends, like-minded people and travelers!
I want to share my impressions about my 18th vacation in Egypt, the 9th in Marsa Alam. Impressions of Marsa Alam, with rare exceptions, remained very good, regardless of the number of stars of the hotel.
We stayed at the end of November with my husband. I wanted to visit the Shams Alam 4 * hotel for many years, precisely because of the reef. This is one of the most southern and remote hotels of Marsa Alam. If you fly to Hurghada, then the transfer to the hotel can take up to 6 hours. In addition, the price of the hotel has always been high. These 2 factors stopped. When a direct flight to Marsa Alam appeared (albeit for a very short time) from Kyiv, we decided that it was fate to get to Shams Alam 4 *.
Transfer:
Flight Kyiv - Marsa Alam 4 hours. Registration was completed in a few minutes. Very comfortably. It's a pity that direct flights have been canceled again.
Tourists from our flight were divided into several buses according to the geographical location of the hotels. We went south in a big comfortable bus. On the way we stopped at several hotels, 1 time I had to return, because. neither the driver nor the guide knew the way, they passed a couple of hotels where tourists had to be dropped off. Transfer to the hotel took about 2 hours. We didn't have time for breakfast.
Check in:
Didn't check in right away, room wasn't ready. Immediately put on bracelets and sent for a walk. We settled in an hour later.
In the hotel all the rooms are the same, all with a sea view. The main difference is the distance from the restaurant and the floor. We asked for a room on the second floor.
Rooms:
The architecture of the rooms is unique - the ceiling is a very high dome made of unfinished brick. It looks beautiful. The front door has a stained glass window that closes from the inside. You can talk with a visitor without opening the door, it's convenient. The room is comfortable, Arabic style. The furniture is heavy, made of wood, and does not seem cheap. There is everything you need. 2 beds, a large wardrobe with a sufficient number of trempels and shelves, a safe, a table, a flat-screen TV (it is possible to watch films from a flash card), mirrors, a bedside table, a table, a mini-bar. The night curtain helps not to wake up with the first rays of the sun. The beds are comfortable, the bed is clean. The bathroom is large and has a hairdryer. The plumbing worked well. Cosmetics (2 caps, hand soap, shower gel, shampoo, body cream) were replenished without prompting and in sufficient quantities.
The balcony has a mosquito net on the door, it is very convenient. 2 wicker chairs. Pleased with the presence of a rope with clothespins. The sea view from the balcony is amazing.
Cleaning was carried out qualitatively, there are no comments. But the room requires general cleaning: you need to wash the curtains and wash the tiles in the bathroom.
Hotel area:
The territory is quite large. The architecture is unusual, the main building and buildings are unique. There is a small pool and an artificial waterfall. The hotel is quite old and just surrounded by greenery. All plants are well maintained and watered. The lawn grass is green and trimmed. The work of the gardeners is excellent. White herons roam the lawns. The area is pleasing to the eye. The hotel is in the desert. The nearest hotel is more than 1 km to the north, and in the south the Wadi Gemal National Reserve begins for many kilometers to the port of Hamata.
There are 2 shops with souvenirs and oils on site, prices are appropriate. There is a small mall across the street from the hotel but it doesn't compete with the shops. The owner is the same.
Nutrition:
The food at the hotel is good, there are many healthy options.
In the main restaurant, the choice is not large, but you will not stay hungry. Breakfasts are standard: scrambled eggs and scrambled eggs are fried, there are vegetables, yoghurts, sausages and sausages, cheeses, pastries, toasts, fruits, jam, honey, etc. Lunches and dinners are more varied, there is meat and fish, various side dishes, 2 types of soups, salads and chopped vegetables, and herbs, a lot of sauces and dressings for salads and other dishes. I liked the spice corner. Prepare pasta according to your taste. Fruit selection is not great. The chef controls the quality every day, and most importantly, eats the same as the guests. The restaurant is large, there are enough places, some of the tables on the street overlooking the sea. Drinks are brought by the waiters, you do not have to wait long.
Snacks: in the bar on the beach almost the whole day in a wood-fired oven they bake thin pizza like Margherita on the stones, delicious. And the smell from the stove is special. In the evening, desserts for tea are laid out near the lobby bar and pancakes are fried. There is ice cream, very edible. You can eat all day, you won't go hungry.
I liked the way things were with water: upon arrival, we had water in the room. Then the waiters brought water in bottles of 0.6 liters per person at lunch and dinner on request. And there was no need to run around with an empty bottle and get yourself a drink.
Bars:
There are 2 bars on the territory: a lobby bar (it is also by the pool) and a bar on the beach. Both have wonderful sea views. In the bars, natural coffee and tea bags of several types. Tonic and soda from cans, bottled beer is not bad, the lobby bar has white and red wine (I liked red more), a standard set of local strong alcohol (normal quality for Egypt).
Service:
In general, the impression of the service was good, but there were some not pleasant nuances. I will describe this topic in detail:
1. Receptionist: professional and friendly staff. All requests were responded to promptly. 2 times asked the engineer to help us deal with the TV. The engineer came within a few minutes.
But the impression of the work of the Receptionist was spoiled during the check-in by a not very pleasant incident. When we arrived at the hotel and were checking in, the worker began to tell us that he would give us a room in which they put only the most important and respected guests, and no one else. To a direct question from my husband about how much money he wants for this, he replied that we would give how much. People, we are the 18th time in Egypt!! ! How many times do you think they tried to cheat us in this way for money?? ? Or only 1 receptionist in all of Egypt turned out to be so smart and cunning? As a result, for 10 dollars. USA (the hand did not rise again) we became the happy owners of the most ordinary room on the second floor and a spoiled first impression of the hotel.
2. Lobby bar: very good service. Excellent bartenders Mohammed (served in the evening) and Mohammed (brewed wonderful coffee in the morning). There were no problems. Served quickly and with a smile. Thank them very much!
3. Beach bar: great. A wonderful positive bartender and a very good cook who cooked pizza in the oven. Thank them very much!
4. Beach: on the beach, a worker laid towels and mattresses, he also moved the sunbeds into the shade. The beach is very quiet and calm. No one imposes excursions or massages. It pleased.
5. Housekeeping: we had 1 cleaner for a few days, then he was replaced by another. On the second day of stay, the cleaner brought flowers to the room. They cleaned very cleanly, towels were changed, toiletries were replenished, creative things were made from towels. Always asked if we needed anything. Thank you! There are no comments. True, sometimes they came to clean up very early, but this is not a problem.
6. Main restaurant: served well, tables were served quickly, drinks were brought quickly.
But there are not pleasant moments: some chefs allowed themselves excessive attention with a violation of etiquette in relation to female tourists. Such behavior towards me angered even my very calm and not jealous husband. Dear service staff of hotels and restaurants, the next time you want to afford too much in relation to tourists, please imagine your wife in their place, and you will immediately understand what is allowed and what is not. By such behavior, you show disrespect for both tourists and their husbands. The service in almost all the hotels of Marsa Alam, where I have been, is distinguished precisely by an intelligent attitude towards women.
Animation:
Was completely absent. No animator, no entertainment. Even quiet music in the evenings in the lobby bar was not. Even traditional oriental evenings with hired dancers of dance with skirts and belly dance once a week. For me, this is a significant drawback. During the day there is the sea, and in the evening there is nothing. The hotel is in the desert. It was very boring in the evenings.
Sea:
That's why you should definitely visit this hotel at least once. The most beautiful coral patch between Shams Alam 4* and the neighboring hotel in the north. We go about 1 km to the neighboring hotel, go down the pontoon and sail towards Shams Alam 4 *. At the pontoon, the abyss of the sea opens up. We have never seen such coral architecture before. In terms of living creatures, the coral did not surprise me with anything, but how beautiful the coral itself is! What living colors and how many varieties of coral!! ! There are several coral islands in Shams Alam 4 * bay, you can’t review everything. Green turtles live in the bay, at the same time they counted 4 pieces, maybe there are more of them, I won’t say. Turtles graze not deep at all 2-3 m, one of the individuals of huge size. They are absolutely not frightened and are not afraid of a person. They say that sometimes the dugong comes, but we were not lucky. In order to consider all the riches of this bay and the surrounding reefs, even a month is not enough. At the end of the holiday, the weather turned bad, it was possible to swim in the bay, but apart from the sand, nothing was visible.
There is a diving center right on the beach. We contacted the staff about the tour. We were offered to sail on a yacht with divers on some reef. We did just that, it was Shaab Sharm reef (worth a look for a change). How convenient it is when there is no transfer to the port, and the yacht leaves directly from the hotel's pontoon. It was a good experience.
General impression of the hotel:
This is one of the most remote hotels in Marsa Alam, who needs a break from the hustle and bustle - you are here. I really liked the fact that in architecture, design and landscape the hotel has its own unique style. I liked the feeling of comfort in the room and on the grounds. Liked the view from the balcony. Liked by many employees for quality service. Slightly spoiled the impression of single unpleasant episodes in the service. Very lacking evening entertainment, very boring.
The sea crosses out all minor flaws. This coral is worth seeing at least once.
Have a good rest, if you have any questions, write, I will answer!
I want to share my impressions about my 18th vacation in Egypt, the 9th in Marsa Alam. Impressions of Marsa Alam, with rare exceptions, remained very good, regardless of the number of stars of the hotel.
We stayed at the end of November with my husband. I wanted to visit the Shams Alam 4 * hotel for many years, precisely because of the reef. This is one of the most southern and remote hotels of Marsa Alam. If you fly to Hurghada, then the transfer to the hotel can take up to 6 hours. In addition, the price of the hotel has always been high. These 2 factors stopped. When a direct flight to Marsa Alam appeared (albeit for a very short time) from Kyiv, we decided that it was fate to get to Shams Alam 4 *.
Transfer:
Flight Kyiv - Marsa Alam 4 hours. Registration was completed in a few minutes. Very comfortably. It's a pity that direct flights have been canceled again.
Tourists from our flight were divided into several buses according to the geographical location of the hotels. We went south in a big comfortable bus. On the way we stopped at several hotels, 1 time I had to return, because. neither the driver nor the guide knew the way, they passed a couple of hotels where tourists had to be dropped off. Transfer to the hotel took about 2 hours. We didn't have time for breakfast.
Check in:
Didn't check in right away, room wasn't ready. Immediately put on bracelets and sent for a walk. We settled in an hour later.
In the hotel all the rooms are the same, all with a sea view. The main difference is the distance from the restaurant and the floor. We asked for a room on the second floor.
Rooms:
The architecture of the rooms is unique - the ceiling is a very high dome made of unfinished brick. It looks beautiful. The front door has a stained glass window that closes from the inside. You can talk with a visitor without opening the door, it's convenient. The room is comfortable, Arabic style. The furniture is heavy, made of wood, and does not seem cheap. There is everything you need. 2 beds, a large wardrobe with a sufficient number of trempels and shelves, a safe, a table, a flat-screen TV (it is possible to watch films from a flash card), mirrors, a bedside table, a table, a mini-bar. The night curtain helps not to wake up with the first rays of the sun. The beds are comfortable, the bed is clean. The bathroom is large and has a hairdryer. The plumbing worked well. Cosmetics (2 caps, hand soap, shower gel, shampoo, body cream) were replenished without prompting and in sufficient quantities.
The balcony has a mosquito net on the door, it is very convenient. 2 wicker chairs. Pleased with the presence of a rope with clothespins. The sea view from the balcony is amazing.
Cleaning was carried out qualitatively, there are no comments. But the room requires general cleaning: you need to wash the curtains and wash the tiles in the bathroom.
Hotel area:
The territory is quite large. The architecture is unusual, the main building and buildings are unique. There is a small pool and an artificial waterfall. The hotel is quite old and just surrounded by greenery. All plants are well maintained and watered. The lawn grass is green and trimmed. The work of the gardeners is excellent. White herons roam the lawns. The area is pleasing to the eye. The hotel is in the desert. The nearest hotel is more than 1 km to the north, and in the south the Wadi Gemal National Reserve begins for many kilometers to the port of Hamata.
There are 2 shops with souvenirs and oils on site, prices are appropriate. There is a small mall across the street from the hotel but it doesn't compete with the shops. The owner is the same.
Nutrition:
The food at the hotel is good, there are many healthy options.
In the main restaurant, the choice is not large, but you will not stay hungry. Breakfasts are standard: scrambled eggs and scrambled eggs are fried, there are vegetables, yoghurts, sausages and sausages, cheeses, pastries, toasts, fruits, jam, honey, etc. Lunches and dinners are more varied, there is meat and fish, various side dishes, 2 types of soups, salads and chopped vegetables, and herbs, a lot of sauces and dressings for salads and other dishes. I liked the spice corner. Prepare pasta according to your taste. Fruit selection is not great. The chef controls the quality every day, and most importantly, eats the same as the guests. The restaurant is large, there are enough places, some of the tables on the street overlooking the sea. Drinks are brought by the waiters, you do not have to wait long.
Snacks: in the bar on the beach almost the whole day in a wood-fired oven they bake thin pizza like Margherita on the stones, delicious. And the smell from the stove is special. In the evening, desserts for tea are laid out near the lobby bar and pancakes are fried. There is ice cream, very edible. You can eat all day, you won't go hungry.
I liked the way things were with water: upon arrival, we had water in the room. Then the waiters brought water in bottles of 0.6 liters per person at lunch and dinner on request. And there was no need to run around with an empty bottle and get yourself a drink.
Bars:
There are 2 bars on the territory: a lobby bar (it is also by the pool) and a bar on the beach. Both have wonderful sea views. In the bars, natural coffee and tea bags of several types. Tonic and soda from cans, bottled beer is not bad, the lobby bar has white and red wine (I liked red more), a standard set of local strong alcohol (normal quality for Egypt).
Service:
In general, the impression of the service was good, but there were some not pleasant nuances. I will describe this topic in detail:
1. Receptionist: professional and friendly staff. All requests were responded to promptly. 2 times asked the engineer to help us deal with the TV. The engineer came within a few minutes.
But the impression of the work of the Receptionist was spoiled during the check-in by a not very pleasant incident. When we arrived at the hotel and were checking in, the worker began to tell us that he would give us a room in which they put only the most important and respected guests, and no one else. To a direct question from my husband about how much money he wants for this, he replied that we would give how much. People, we are the 18th time in Egypt!! ! How many times do you think they tried to cheat us in this way for money?? ? Or only 1 receptionist in all of Egypt turned out to be so smart and cunning? As a result, for 10 dollars. USA (the hand did not rise again) we became the happy owners of the most ordinary room on the second floor and a spoiled first impression of the hotel.
2. Lobby bar: very good service. Excellent bartenders Mohammed (served in the evening) and Mohammed (brewed wonderful coffee in the morning). There were no problems. Served quickly and with a smile. Thank them very much!
3. Beach bar: great. A wonderful positive bartender and a very good cook who cooked pizza in the oven. Thank them very much!
4. Beach: on the beach, a worker laid towels and mattresses, he also moved the sunbeds into the shade. The beach is very quiet and calm. No one imposes excursions or massages. It pleased.
5. Housekeeping: we had 1 cleaner for a few days, then he was replaced by another. On the second day of stay, the cleaner brought flowers to the room. They cleaned very cleanly, towels were changed, toiletries were replenished, creative things were made from towels. Always asked if we needed anything. Thank you! There are no comments. True, sometimes they came to clean up very early, but this is not a problem.
6. Main restaurant: served well, tables were served quickly, drinks were brought quickly.
But there are not pleasant moments: some chefs allowed themselves excessive attention with a violation of etiquette in relation to female tourists. Such behavior towards me angered even my very calm and not jealous husband. Dear service staff of hotels and restaurants, the next time you want to afford too much in relation to tourists, please imagine your wife in their place, and you will immediately understand what is allowed and what is not. By such behavior, you show disrespect for both tourists and their husbands. The service in almost all the hotels of Marsa Alam, where I have been, is distinguished precisely by an intelligent attitude towards women.
Animation:
Was completely absent. No animator, no entertainment. Even quiet music in the evenings in the lobby bar was not. Even traditional oriental evenings with hired dancers of dance with skirts and belly dance once a week. For me, this is a significant drawback. During the day there is the sea, and in the evening there is nothing. The hotel is in the desert. It was very boring in the evenings.
Sea:
That's why you should definitely visit this hotel at least once. The most beautiful coral patch between Shams Alam 4* and the neighboring hotel in the north. We go about 1 km to the neighboring hotel, go down the pontoon and sail towards Shams Alam 4 *. At the pontoon, the abyss of the sea opens up. We have never seen such coral architecture before. In terms of living creatures, the coral did not surprise me with anything, but how beautiful the coral itself is! What living colors and how many varieties of coral!! ! There are several coral islands in Shams Alam 4 * bay, you can’t review everything. Green turtles live in the bay, at the same time they counted 4 pieces, maybe there are more of them, I won’t say. Turtles graze not deep at all 2-3 m, one of the individuals of huge size. They are absolutely not frightened and are not afraid of a person. They say that sometimes the dugong comes, but we were not lucky. In order to consider all the riches of this bay and the surrounding reefs, even a month is not enough. At the end of the holiday, the weather turned bad, it was possible to swim in the bay, but apart from the sand, nothing was visible.
There is a diving center right on the beach. We contacted the staff about the tour. We were offered to sail on a yacht with divers on some reef. We did just that, it was Shaab Sharm reef (worth a look for a change). How convenient it is when there is no transfer to the port, and the yacht leaves directly from the hotel's pontoon. It was a good experience.
General impression of the hotel:
This is one of the most remote hotels in Marsa Alam, who needs a break from the hustle and bustle - you are here. I really liked the fact that in architecture, design and landscape the hotel has its own unique style. I liked the feeling of comfort in the room and on the grounds. Liked the view from the balcony. Liked by many employees for quality service. Slightly spoiled the impression of single unpleasant episodes in the service. Very lacking evening entertainment, very boring.
The sea crosses out all minor flaws. This coral is worth seeing at least once.
Have a good rest, if you have any questions, write, I will answer!
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The first time we visited Shams Alam in May 2008. Then it was our second tour to Marsa Alam. And the trip left a lot of impressions. Now we are also delighted with the rest, but the road spoiled it. Now in order. The trip was scheduled for the end of March, we followed the special offers of TezTour, JointAp and TPG.
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The first time we visited Shams Alam in May 2008. Then it was our second tour to Marsa Alam. And the trip left a lot of impressions. Now we are also delighted with the rest, but the road spoiled it. Now in order.
The trip was scheduled for the end of March, we followed the special offers of TezTour, JointAp and TPG. We chose TPG, the price is unbeatable. Departure from Boryspil on March 26 at 14:00, UIA airline. Online registered the day before. We leave Dnepropetrovsk at 4-30. At 11-00 in Boryspil. The car was left at the Galant Hotel (on the way back we planned to spend the night there). We had lunch and took a taxi to the airport. At 12-15 we go to terminal D. Whoops, the flight was rescheduled for 19-30, for 5.5 hours. Judging by the schedule, 1 aircraft was out of action and, as a result, a shift in part of UIA flights. Looking ahead, I will say that the flight back was again delayed by 5 hours. That is, the problem is chronic, it can be with any airline. But UIA forgets to inform about it in advance. We could well sleep and arrive at the airport by 17-00. UIA - rating "2".
We arrived in Hurghada at 23:00. There was no one at the airport except for our flight. In half an hour we passed the border control, bypassing the service of the receiving party "Fleshtour" (for $ 2 - gluing a stamp? ). Near the airport, a bus with a guide Ahmed is waiting for us. Another couple sat down in Wadi Lakhmi. Let's go at 00:00. On the way, we stopped in front of Quseir, drank coffee and again on the road. At 4:30 we are at the hotel. Days on the road.
HOTEL.
Remembering the first time in Shams, I know that the path to understanding with the hotel team lies through bakshish. If you forget, you will be politely but persistently reminded.
So - reception. The night porter Ibrahim offers room 802. I wrote a letter asking for a room on the 2nd floor. Throws up his hands. $10. OK. Everything is fast. The janitor grabbed a bag of equipment and a suitcase and rushed off. We're in room 812. $3. Quickly brings sandwiches and fruit. Shower and sleep.
Woke up and looked around. There are 40 people in the hotel - all Germany. Almost everyone lives in buildings 8.9, 10. The Italians with the Bravo club moved to Fantasia. Silence and peace. This is a plus. The food has become worse, this is a minus. But plus, more minus (for us). Little has changed in the hotel in 8 years. Good old Egyptian management. At the reception, the same Mr. Fathi. At the restaurant Mohammed Ali with Yousef. Souchef became the chef. And no amount of redecoration and replacement of plumbing will change the traditional Egyptian hospitality, based on the simplicity of character and bakshish.
Rest has begun. We sailed from the Gorgonian pier and saw a dugong and a 1.5 meter barracuda. All OK. We are in Shams. The next day Khamsin blew. You can't see anything in the water. We went south along the coast, on foot. 2 km and we are in an oasis, palm trees, acacias and all that. People do not particularly visit this place, clean and beautiful.
We walked to Gorogonia, from the side the hotel is more than 60% full, there are probably more Germans than Italians. Life in the hotel is in full swing, animation, shops, kids. By the way, many guests of Gorogonia came to Shams beach to swim with their children. Sand and a gentle entrance - something that is not in Gorgonia.
In the future, the weather improved, the air is 26-30. Water 22 - 24, in the hydra it is the most. I do not describe the sea, everything has already been described before us. The dugong was not seen again, it grazes at least 100 m from the shore, there are traces of it. Turtles and stingrays graze, but in the windsurfing area, in this part of the bay, they swam in the morning. Oh, and the little shark, by the way, is still in the bay. But no longer near the central reef, it is shallow there now.
RESTAURANT. There are few people. We had a table assigned to us. We arrive - already covered and the drinks that we prefer were waiting for us. The food is modest but delicious. Fruits are chopped. The confectioner tried, the wife was delighted with baking.
BACK. Guide Flashtour on the way to the hotel left a phone to find out the time of departure. Mail, obviously a problem for them? . Picked up 7.5 hours before departure. On the way, the guide reports that the flight is postponed for 5 hours (in fact it turned out to be 3.5). Since the registration did not start, our bass and the second bass from Marsa Alam were brought to the Lilliland Hotel (without feeding). According to the bartender, there are 80 people in the hotel. 2 rooms - Germany. 1 - Poland. The rest are Ukraine and Belarus. Those. almost empty.
FLIGHT. Our flight is the only one at the airport. The control is very tight, with searches. It was forbidden to bring water into the customs zone. Fortunately, in compensation for the delay, a free piece of parodic pizza (a piece of tortilla + a little cheese) and 0.5 cola or water. The bus took us to the field and …. The luggage that we checked in at the counter is on the field. The nervous steward explains, it's for your safety, take each of your luggage and put it on the cart. So, they say, they will not be able to throw an extraneous bag. Okay, but not everyone can put luggage on a mountain of suitcases. The negative is gradually accumulating, the flight attendants are unprofessional and slightly rude, a hard landing. Taxied, waiting for 5.7, 8 minutes, they can’t roll up the “gut”, the cap apologizes for the services of Boryspil, why apologize there - we are in the Motherland.
The trip was scheduled for the end of March, we followed the special offers of TezTour, JointAp and TPG. We chose TPG, the price is unbeatable. Departure from Boryspil on March 26 at 14:00, UIA airline. Online registered the day before. We leave Dnepropetrovsk at 4-30. At 11-00 in Boryspil. The car was left at the Galant Hotel (on the way back we planned to spend the night there). We had lunch and took a taxi to the airport. At 12-15 we go to terminal D. Whoops, the flight was rescheduled for 19-30, for 5.5 hours. Judging by the schedule, 1 aircraft was out of action and, as a result, a shift in part of UIA flights. Looking ahead, I will say that the flight back was again delayed by 5 hours. That is, the problem is chronic, it can be with any airline. But UIA forgets to inform about it in advance. We could well sleep and arrive at the airport by 17-00. UIA - rating "2".
We arrived in Hurghada at 23:00. There was no one at the airport except for our flight. In half an hour we passed the border control, bypassing the service of the receiving party "Fleshtour" (for $ 2 - gluing a stamp? ). Near the airport, a bus with a guide Ahmed is waiting for us. Another couple sat down in Wadi Lakhmi. Let's go at 00:00. On the way, we stopped in front of Quseir, drank coffee and again on the road. At 4:30 we are at the hotel. Days on the road.
HOTEL.
Remembering the first time in Shams, I know that the path to understanding with the hotel team lies through bakshish. If you forget, you will be politely but persistently reminded.
So - reception. The night porter Ibrahim offers room 802. I wrote a letter asking for a room on the 2nd floor. Throws up his hands. $10. OK. Everything is fast. The janitor grabbed a bag of equipment and a suitcase and rushed off. We're in room 812. $3. Quickly brings sandwiches and fruit. Shower and sleep.
Woke up and looked around. There are 40 people in the hotel - all Germany. Almost everyone lives in buildings 8.9, 10. The Italians with the Bravo club moved to Fantasia. Silence and peace. This is a plus. The food has become worse, this is a minus. But plus, more minus (for us). Little has changed in the hotel in 8 years. Good old Egyptian management. At the reception, the same Mr. Fathi. At the restaurant Mohammed Ali with Yousef. Souchef became the chef. And no amount of redecoration and replacement of plumbing will change the traditional Egyptian hospitality, based on the simplicity of character and bakshish.
Rest has begun. We sailed from the Gorgonian pier and saw a dugong and a 1.5 meter barracuda. All OK. We are in Shams. The next day Khamsin blew. You can't see anything in the water. We went south along the coast, on foot. 2 km and we are in an oasis, palm trees, acacias and all that. People do not particularly visit this place, clean and beautiful.
We walked to Gorogonia, from the side the hotel is more than 60% full, there are probably more Germans than Italians. Life in the hotel is in full swing, animation, shops, kids. By the way, many guests of Gorogonia came to Shams beach to swim with their children. Sand and a gentle entrance - something that is not in Gorgonia.
In the future, the weather improved, the air is 26-30. Water 22 - 24, in the hydra it is the most. I do not describe the sea, everything has already been described before us. The dugong was not seen again, it grazes at least 100 m from the shore, there are traces of it. Turtles and stingrays graze, but in the windsurfing area, in this part of the bay, they swam in the morning. Oh, and the little shark, by the way, is still in the bay. But no longer near the central reef, it is shallow there now.
RESTAURANT. There are few people. We had a table assigned to us. We arrive - already covered and the drinks that we prefer were waiting for us. The food is modest but delicious. Fruits are chopped. The confectioner tried, the wife was delighted with baking.
BACK. Guide Flashtour on the way to the hotel left a phone to find out the time of departure. Mail, obviously a problem for them? . Picked up 7.5 hours before departure. On the way, the guide reports that the flight is postponed for 5 hours (in fact it turned out to be 3.5). Since the registration did not start, our bass and the second bass from Marsa Alam were brought to the Lilliland Hotel (without feeding). According to the bartender, there are 80 people in the hotel. 2 rooms - Germany. 1 - Poland. The rest are Ukraine and Belarus. Those. almost empty.
FLIGHT. Our flight is the only one at the airport. The control is very tight, with searches. It was forbidden to bring water into the customs zone. Fortunately, in compensation for the delay, a free piece of parodic pizza (a piece of tortilla + a little cheese) and 0.5 cola or water. The bus took us to the field and …. The luggage that we checked in at the counter is on the field. The nervous steward explains, it's for your safety, take each of your luggage and put it on the cart. So, they say, they will not be able to throw an extraneous bag. Okay, but not everyone can put luggage on a mountain of suitcases. The negative is gradually accumulating, the flight attendants are unprofessional and slightly rude, a hard landing. Taxied, waiting for 5.7, 8 minutes, they can’t roll up the “gut”, the cap apologizes for the services of Boryspil, why apologize there - we are in the Motherland.
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• 5
It was not possible to break out on vacation before November. There was a strong belief that in Egypt in November the water is cool (for me 24 degrees is cool, because I like to swim for hours). I decided to go to GOA. I accidentally looked at the site with the water temperature in Marsa Alam - TWENTY EIGHT DEGREES!! ! Naturally, the Red Sea is out of competition.
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It was not possible to break out on vacation before November. There was a strong belief that in Egypt in November the water is cool (for me 24 degrees is cool, because I like to swim for hours). I decided to go to GOA. I accidentally looked at the site with the water temperature in Marsa Alam - TWENTY EIGHT DEGREES!! ! Naturally, the Red Sea is out of competition.
EGYPT.
In Marsa Alam in November - air 28 degrees, water 28 degrees, fish like gems swim around, dolphins, great food - definitely PARADISE!
HOTEL.
Came to Shams Alam 2 times. The hotel staff recognized me and greeted me like family. The manager at the reception - Faty (name) offered a superior as a gift, although the standard was booked. He explained that it was necessary to pay extra 70 euros, but this is a gift from the hotel for regular visitors.
The cozy hotel has become even greener, even more beautiful. The staff is very friendly.
Internet is paid even at the reception.
ROOM.
Superior practically does not differ from the standard. The furniture and lamps are a little more beautiful, the dressing room is a little more beautifully decorated and there is a hair dryer. But in the standard - a bath instead of a shower. That is, it is absolutely not worth paying extra money for a superior. Two-storey houses, each with 12 rooms. All rooms have a sea view. From the second floor, of course, you can see more, but from the first floor it is more convenient to go to the beach through the balcony. I asked and got the first floor. In the bathroom set - shampoos, shower gel, soap, cream. The cream is of very good quality. Air conditioning in November is almost not needed. The room is not hot. Includes only two days in 7 days. Naturally, 1 dollar. rumba every day.
NUTRITION.
For breakfast - eggs (in any form), cheese, sausage, muesli, sweets, fruits (pomegranates, melons, grapefruits, oranges, grapes). For lunch and dinner - a dish from the chef - meat or fish. And a huge assortment of others. I liked that the sweets are cut into small pieces - you can take five different sweets, but it will turn out like one of our cakes. On the beach, in the bar - drinks and pizza. Pizza is almost always in a metal box. But tasty pieces are quickly eaten : -)
BEACH. SEA.
Shams Alam is good because the beach and the sea are suitable for everyone here. There is a sandy entry, a pontoon and a large number of reefs. There are always enough sunbeds and sun loungers. Reefs - on the right to the pier, on the left to Gorgonia, where the red flag is in the sea - a large island. Turtles between the reefs every morning. The dugong was not seen, although every morning they "trotted" in search. But in 2013, there was a dugong here. Fish of various colors and sizes, stingrays, crocodiles. It is interesting that this time there were a lot of hedgehog fish - long-spined (about 1.5 m) and short-spined (80 cm).
Not reaching the Gorgonia pier, 500 meters (landmark - a stick on the shore with a white rag tied into it, in which garbage is folded, next to small concrete blocks) entry into the sea 10 m of sand, then 20 m to swim over dead corals, and then BEAUTIFUL! Very rich corals with numerous living creatures.
There is a diving center and a surfing center.
ENTERTAINMENT.
Animation is designed for Italians. Therefore, only excursions with Olya.
If you want Luxor, then take it only from Olya. The tour operator drives through Safaga, gathering people along the way - it's very long and hard. Olya will take you directly.
DOLPHINS (only Sataya) - a must. This year, I could not resist was 2 times. The second time there were a huge number of them in general and they played with pleasure. Olya costs $70 this year. In the past it was 90 dollars. The tour operator 110 dollars.
Sharm el Luli is beautiful in that there is always excellent visibility and a calm sea - I have never seen more beautiful corals. Nearby in a tent, a Bedouin sells real coffee with ginger. He himself crushes grains in a mortar. Cup 1 dollar
Diving - again cheaper to take through Olya. Dive 50 dollars, and in the diving center 80 dollars.
FLAW.
Purely personal - no kettle with tea set in the room. I swam for 5 hours. In the evening or at night, sometimes it tickled in the throat - there was a lack of hot tea.
COMPARISON OF HOTELS.
Compared to The Three Corners Fayrouz Plaza Beach Resort 5 * Shams Alam is smaller, cozier, the beach is much better. But in 3 corners, the food is more varied and tastier seafood is cooked. The choice of cocktails is better. Animation in 3 corners is more interesting. But swimming in 3 corners on the third descent is not always possible, that is, beauty is not always available. And if you go to the Red Sea once a year for the sake of the sea, then Shams Alam is the best option for relaxation.
EGYPT.
In Marsa Alam in November - air 28 degrees, water 28 degrees, fish like gems swim around, dolphins, great food - definitely PARADISE!
HOTEL.
Came to Shams Alam 2 times. The hotel staff recognized me and greeted me like family. The manager at the reception - Faty (name) offered a superior as a gift, although the standard was booked. He explained that it was necessary to pay extra 70 euros, but this is a gift from the hotel for regular visitors.
The cozy hotel has become even greener, even more beautiful. The staff is very friendly.
Internet is paid even at the reception.
ROOM.
Superior practically does not differ from the standard. The furniture and lamps are a little more beautiful, the dressing room is a little more beautifully decorated and there is a hair dryer. But in the standard - a bath instead of a shower. That is, it is absolutely not worth paying extra money for a superior. Two-storey houses, each with 12 rooms. All rooms have a sea view. From the second floor, of course, you can see more, but from the first floor it is more convenient to go to the beach through the balcony. I asked and got the first floor. In the bathroom set - shampoos, shower gel, soap, cream. The cream is of very good quality. Air conditioning in November is almost not needed. The room is not hot. Includes only two days in 7 days. Naturally, 1 dollar. rumba every day.
NUTRITION.
For breakfast - eggs (in any form), cheese, sausage, muesli, sweets, fruits (pomegranates, melons, grapefruits, oranges, grapes). For lunch and dinner - a dish from the chef - meat or fish. And a huge assortment of others. I liked that the sweets are cut into small pieces - you can take five different sweets, but it will turn out like one of our cakes. On the beach, in the bar - drinks and pizza. Pizza is almost always in a metal box. But tasty pieces are quickly eaten : -)
BEACH. SEA.
Shams Alam is good because the beach and the sea are suitable for everyone here. There is a sandy entry, a pontoon and a large number of reefs. There are always enough sunbeds and sun loungers. Reefs - on the right to the pier, on the left to Gorgonia, where the red flag is in the sea - a large island. Turtles between the reefs every morning. The dugong was not seen, although every morning they "trotted" in search. But in 2013, there was a dugong here. Fish of various colors and sizes, stingrays, crocodiles. It is interesting that this time there were a lot of hedgehog fish - long-spined (about 1.5 m) and short-spined (80 cm).
Not reaching the Gorgonia pier, 500 meters (landmark - a stick on the shore with a white rag tied into it, in which garbage is folded, next to small concrete blocks) entry into the sea 10 m of sand, then 20 m to swim over dead corals, and then BEAUTIFUL! Very rich corals with numerous living creatures.
There is a diving center and a surfing center.
ENTERTAINMENT.
Animation is designed for Italians. Therefore, only excursions with Olya.
If you want Luxor, then take it only from Olya. The tour operator drives through Safaga, gathering people along the way - it's very long and hard. Olya will take you directly.
DOLPHINS (only Sataya) - a must. This year, I could not resist was 2 times. The second time there were a huge number of them in general and they played with pleasure. Olya costs $70 this year. In the past it was 90 dollars. The tour operator 110 dollars.
Sharm el Luli is beautiful in that there is always excellent visibility and a calm sea - I have never seen more beautiful corals. Nearby in a tent, a Bedouin sells real coffee with ginger. He himself crushes grains in a mortar. Cup 1 dollar
Diving - again cheaper to take through Olya. Dive 50 dollars, and in the diving center 80 dollars.
FLAW.
Purely personal - no kettle with tea set in the room. I swam for 5 hours. In the evening or at night, sometimes it tickled in the throat - there was a lack of hot tea.
COMPARISON OF HOTELS.
Compared to The Three Corners Fayrouz Plaza Beach Resort 5 * Shams Alam is smaller, cozier, the beach is much better. But in 3 corners, the food is more varied and tastier seafood is cooked. The choice of cocktails is better. Animation in 3 corners is more interesting. But swimming in 3 corners on the third descent is not always possible, that is, beauty is not always available. And if you go to the Red Sea once a year for the sake of the sea, then Shams Alam is the best option for relaxation.
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• 6
I rested at the Shams Allam hotel from 24.11 to 07.12. 2013, tour operator Pegasus. The flight with Nord Wind was excellent. New aircraft Airbus A-321, friendly stewardesses. The flight time flew by quickly. The big disadvantage is that Pegasus does not fly to Marsa Alam, so I had to fly to Hurghada, and from there it took 4.
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I rested at the Shams Allam hotel from 24.11 to 07.12. 2013, tour operator Pegasus.
The flight with Nord Wind was excellent. New aircraft Airbus A-321, friendly stewardesses. The flight time flew by quickly. The big disadvantage is that Pegasus does not fly to Marsa Alam, so I had to fly to Hurghada, and from there it took 4.5 hours by minibus to the hotel. As a result, I spent half the day allotted for rest at the hotel on the road. The same on the way back.
Upon arrival in Egypt, the representative of Pegasus was very helpful. It turned out that all my currency was in my luggage and there was nothing to buy a visa for. He helped me get my luggage before buying a visa - the problem was solved.
Next - transfer by minibus from Hurghada to the hotel. Travel time is 4.5 hours, which is quite difficult after a 4-hour flight. Arrived at the hotel at 10 pm.
The check-in went quickly, without an additional fee, in a standard room, where it was clean, fresh linen was laid and everything worked right away. Rumboy took things to the room, politely asked if everything was in order, and wished him a good rest. The room has two beds, refrigerator, air conditioning, TV, safe, balcony. The refrigerator, however, rattled like a tractor, so I turned it off at night so as not to interfere with sleep. Air conditioning is also quite noisy, but it was not necessary, as the weather was comfortable. Room on the 2nd floor of a 2-storey building, sea view from the balcony.
Meals: in the restaurant breakfast - 4.5, lunch and dinner - 3.5, sometimes 4. The breakfast menu includes scrambled eggs, pancakes, boiled eggs, cottage cheese, corn flakes, coffee, tea, juices, fruits. For lunch and dinner - mashed soups, rice, stewed vegetables, two types of pasta with vegetables and sauces, potatoes, chicken, sometimes goulash, fried fish, various sauces, fresh vegetables, fruits, in general, the usual set. You definitely won’t stay hungry and you won’t get poisoned, but you rarely experience the pleasure of food, although the taste and color.....
Of course, one cannot fail to note the work of the restaurant staff. The chef personally greets everyone with a smile. The cooks and waiters are also very friendly, smiling, they will definitely ask if everything is in order, and will help if something happens.
What was unusual was the lack of juices and tea in the restaurant for dinner. No, of course they were, but in the bar, which is 80 meters from the restaurant, if you want - good luck. Beer and wine were quite good for "all inclusive".
Sea at the hotel: beach line - 800 meters, the middle part of the beach - sand, left and right - reefs. There is a surf center on the left side of the beach. On the right - a pier and a diving center. The outer reef of the hotel, especially the right one, is very beautiful, there are coral trees, sponges, pipes and other beauty. In the bay of the hotel, 5-7 large turtles are constantly grazing with fish-sticks in the kit. Small barracudas chase every little thing, sometimes stingrays swim. On the outer reef there are a lot of small and large fish of all colors of the rainbow. I tried to pass the left reef to the end, but about 200 meters from the pier of the neighboring hotel, patience ran out, and due to the lack of a passage in the reef to the shore, I had to wade through shallow water over the reef. The right reef is much longer than the left, at times, and more diverse in terms of vegetation, it also did not pass to the end due to lack of time. I must say that I had to visit several bays, including Sharm El Luli and the Sataya Reef on the high seas, but I have not seen such a variety of living creatures (that is, fish) anywhere in our hotel.
Excursions: the hotel, of course, is cheaper than the tour operator. But the tour operator conducts a tour, that is, there is a guide who will definitely tell you something interesting
about Egypt, its history, culture, about the Bedouins, etc. This is a plus. In addition, if the guide promises a meeting with the Bedouins, a meeting with camels or other animals, it will definitely be, unlike hotel excursions.
Diving. Most Marsa Alam hotels have their own diving centers, professional instructors, a full set of necessary equipment, boats (boats) and motor boats. However, all of them are tuned to the Italian-German-English-speaking audience. That is, there are almost no Russian-speaking instructors. And when diving, especially when learning, it is extremely important to understand the instructor.
Diving training was the main purpose of my holiday, as well as snorkeling and diving trips to various beautiful places. Two wonderful people helped me a lot in this: Olga Terekhina and her husband, diving instructor Rami. They live in Marsa Alam and organize boat trips and diving lessons. Prices are lower than those of tour operators. I contacted Olga by email in advance. mail and agreed on everything. For training, they kindly provided me with a textbook and a laptop with video materials. Helped with a wetsuit and mask (my mask was unsuitable for diving). Training began immediately in open water - theoretical classes + 2 dives per day (5 in total) + self-study of training materials in the hotel. In the course of training, it is mandatory to pass tests, and at the end - the final exam. Everyone is very professional and serious.
The entire learning process with the exam took 4 days. As a result, I learned how to assemble, prepare for diving and disassemble scuba gear on my own. I did all the necessary exercises underwater, learned to breathe correctly, move correctly, studied the system of conventional signs for communicating with a partner, etc. A few additional dives at the end of the classes consolidated my skills, I began to feel freer at depth, I began to notice more interesting things around. As a result, I get an Open Water Diver certificate and can dive up to 18 meters.
It should be noted that diving is not only an exciting activity, but also a serious job that requires good health, concentration, and the ability to quickly pull yourself together in a stressful situation.
I think that open water classes can be started if you feel confident in your abilities, have at least some minimal diving experience (for example, hand in hand with an instructor) or a clear idea of what awaits you. If not, it's best to start with a pool or a small enclosed lagoon. In general, with strict observance of the instructions of the instructor, this wisdom can be mastered without any problems, the main thing is perseverance and perseverance in achieving the goal.
We also managed to visit bays with beautiful corals and various living creatures, and most importantly, swim with dolphins in the open sea. Perhaps this is the strongest impression, even stronger than diving. There were a lot of dolphins (according to the instructor, up to 70 individuals), with cubs, while they allowed to approach them at arm's length and behaved friendly. Sometimes they swam next to me, cut circles around, and played with each other. Feelings are indescribable. It can not be described in words, emotions go off scale.
But every vacation comes to an end sooner or later. Now I'm looking forward to my next vacation, I miss the underwater beauties of Marsa Alam, sometimes I dream of corals, turtles, dolphins. It looks like the sea is a lifelong hobby.
The flight with Nord Wind was excellent. New aircraft Airbus A-321, friendly stewardesses. The flight time flew by quickly. The big disadvantage is that Pegasus does not fly to Marsa Alam, so I had to fly to Hurghada, and from there it took 4.5 hours by minibus to the hotel. As a result, I spent half the day allotted for rest at the hotel on the road. The same on the way back.
Upon arrival in Egypt, the representative of Pegasus was very helpful. It turned out that all my currency was in my luggage and there was nothing to buy a visa for. He helped me get my luggage before buying a visa - the problem was solved.
Next - transfer by minibus from Hurghada to the hotel. Travel time is 4.5 hours, which is quite difficult after a 4-hour flight. Arrived at the hotel at 10 pm.
The check-in went quickly, without an additional fee, in a standard room, where it was clean, fresh linen was laid and everything worked right away. Rumboy took things to the room, politely asked if everything was in order, and wished him a good rest. The room has two beds, refrigerator, air conditioning, TV, safe, balcony. The refrigerator, however, rattled like a tractor, so I turned it off at night so as not to interfere with sleep. Air conditioning is also quite noisy, but it was not necessary, as the weather was comfortable. Room on the 2nd floor of a 2-storey building, sea view from the balcony.
Meals: in the restaurant breakfast - 4.5, lunch and dinner - 3.5, sometimes 4. The breakfast menu includes scrambled eggs, pancakes, boiled eggs, cottage cheese, corn flakes, coffee, tea, juices, fruits. For lunch and dinner - mashed soups, rice, stewed vegetables, two types of pasta with vegetables and sauces, potatoes, chicken, sometimes goulash, fried fish, various sauces, fresh vegetables, fruits, in general, the usual set. You definitely won’t stay hungry and you won’t get poisoned, but you rarely experience the pleasure of food, although the taste and color.....
Of course, one cannot fail to note the work of the restaurant staff. The chef personally greets everyone with a smile. The cooks and waiters are also very friendly, smiling, they will definitely ask if everything is in order, and will help if something happens.
What was unusual was the lack of juices and tea in the restaurant for dinner. No, of course they were, but in the bar, which is 80 meters from the restaurant, if you want - good luck. Beer and wine were quite good for "all inclusive".
Sea at the hotel: beach line - 800 meters, the middle part of the beach - sand, left and right - reefs. There is a surf center on the left side of the beach. On the right - a pier and a diving center. The outer reef of the hotel, especially the right one, is very beautiful, there are coral trees, sponges, pipes and other beauty. In the bay of the hotel, 5-7 large turtles are constantly grazing with fish-sticks in the kit. Small barracudas chase every little thing, sometimes stingrays swim. On the outer reef there are a lot of small and large fish of all colors of the rainbow. I tried to pass the left reef to the end, but about 200 meters from the pier of the neighboring hotel, patience ran out, and due to the lack of a passage in the reef to the shore, I had to wade through shallow water over the reef. The right reef is much longer than the left, at times, and more diverse in terms of vegetation, it also did not pass to the end due to lack of time. I must say that I had to visit several bays, including Sharm El Luli and the Sataya Reef on the high seas, but I have not seen such a variety of living creatures (that is, fish) anywhere in our hotel.
Excursions: the hotel, of course, is cheaper than the tour operator. But the tour operator conducts a tour, that is, there is a guide who will definitely tell you something interesting
about Egypt, its history, culture, about the Bedouins, etc. This is a plus. In addition, if the guide promises a meeting with the Bedouins, a meeting with camels or other animals, it will definitely be, unlike hotel excursions.
Diving. Most Marsa Alam hotels have their own diving centers, professional instructors, a full set of necessary equipment, boats (boats) and motor boats. However, all of them are tuned to the Italian-German-English-speaking audience. That is, there are almost no Russian-speaking instructors. And when diving, especially when learning, it is extremely important to understand the instructor.
Diving training was the main purpose of my holiday, as well as snorkeling and diving trips to various beautiful places. Two wonderful people helped me a lot in this: Olga Terekhina and her husband, diving instructor Rami. They live in Marsa Alam and organize boat trips and diving lessons. Prices are lower than those of tour operators. I contacted Olga by email in advance. mail and agreed on everything. For training, they kindly provided me with a textbook and a laptop with video materials. Helped with a wetsuit and mask (my mask was unsuitable for diving). Training began immediately in open water - theoretical classes + 2 dives per day (5 in total) + self-study of training materials in the hotel. In the course of training, it is mandatory to pass tests, and at the end - the final exam. Everyone is very professional and serious.
The entire learning process with the exam took 4 days. As a result, I learned how to assemble, prepare for diving and disassemble scuba gear on my own. I did all the necessary exercises underwater, learned to breathe correctly, move correctly, studied the system of conventional signs for communicating with a partner, etc. A few additional dives at the end of the classes consolidated my skills, I began to feel freer at depth, I began to notice more interesting things around. As a result, I get an Open Water Diver certificate and can dive up to 18 meters.
It should be noted that diving is not only an exciting activity, but also a serious job that requires good health, concentration, and the ability to quickly pull yourself together in a stressful situation.
I think that open water classes can be started if you feel confident in your abilities, have at least some minimal diving experience (for example, hand in hand with an instructor) or a clear idea of what awaits you. If not, it's best to start with a pool or a small enclosed lagoon. In general, with strict observance of the instructions of the instructor, this wisdom can be mastered without any problems, the main thing is perseverance and perseverance in achieving the goal.
We also managed to visit bays with beautiful corals and various living creatures, and most importantly, swim with dolphins in the open sea. Perhaps this is the strongest impression, even stronger than diving. There were a lot of dolphins (according to the instructor, up to 70 individuals), with cubs, while they allowed to approach them at arm's length and behaved friendly. Sometimes they swam next to me, cut circles around, and played with each other. Feelings are indescribable. It can not be described in words, emotions go off scale.
But every vacation comes to an end sooner or later. Now I'm looking forward to my next vacation, I miss the underwater beauties of Marsa Alam, sometimes I dream of corals, turtles, dolphins. It looks like the sea is a lifelong hobby.
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• 12
Many thanks to Pegasus - this is the only tour operator that has not stopped flights to Egypt, despite the political games of governments and the threat of losses. The information will be especially useful for those who cannot swim. Hotel Selection Criteria – ALL CRITERIA WAS MET 1. Marsa Alam 2. Small green cozy hotel, few tourists, no dress codes, complete relaxation 3.
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Many thanks to Pegasus - this is the only tour operator that has not stopped flights to Egypt, despite the political games of governments and the threat of losses.
The information will be especially useful for those who cannot swim.
Hotel Selection Criteria – ALL CRITERIA WAS MET
1. Marsa Alam
2. Small green cozy hotel, few tourists, no dress codes, complete relaxation
3. Sandy entrance to the sea
4. Beautiful sea world, turtles, dolphins
Booked Fantasia at Marsa Alam. But because of the “situation” in Egypt, there were no vacationers there. Fantasy was closed and Pegas offered a choice of 3 other hotels. Naturally 5 * as well as Fantasia. For various reasons, they did not suit me and I myself asked Pegasus for a four-star Shams Alam hotel. At the same time received additional days as a gift.
FLIGHT
The most comfortable flight! Due to a fake emergency situation in Egypt, the planes back and forth were 2/3 full. Took 3 places. It’s usually hard to get a glass of water from flight attendants, but here they passed 4 times and offered.
TRANSFER
If you go to this hotel, then the guide who meets you will “hang noodles on your ears”, say that it will take 6-7 hours to go there and it is better to take a taxi. DON'T BELIEVE and don't waste your money. Travel time 4.5 hours. At the same time, tourists were brought in / picked up along the way from other hotels. It's just that Shams Alam is the farthest hotel and they don't want to go there. You will be picked up back 8 hours before the flight departure.
HOTEL. ROOM.
Upon arrival, they give out a memo in Russian - a trifle, but nice. However, to communicate Although there lived Czechs who did not know English at all, but this did not interfere. There were 12 people in the hotel. The first 2 days - 4 people. A wonderful couple from Saratov brightened up my stay at the hotel. The staff is very polite and helpful. The next day we were already greeted in Russian. Some smiles and positivity. Relax is complete.
Really very green and flourishing hotel, which is very unusual for Egypt. Luxurious vegetation provides shade and pleases the eye. Two storey cottages. SEA VIEW from every room. Directly from the first floor balcony you can go to the beach. The number is normal. TV with two Russian channels. The air conditioning system is noisy, but it is located correctly - it does not blow on the bed. In the room - shampoo, shower gel, cream, soap. A bottle of water in the fridge upon check-in. But then they don’t bring any more, since water coolers are located throughout the hotel and you can draw water as much as you like.
FOOD
Sometimes very tasty. More often than not. There is no usual choice. Perhaps this is due to the small number of customers. You definitely won't be hungry. The beer is light and pleasant. Red wine is either good or rubbish.
SEA.
The beach is sand and shell. Of course there were plenty of free sunbeds. The entrance to the sea is gentle. For those who can't swim (like me) or don't swim well, this is the perfect place! House reefs left and right. Shoes are not needed. The sea of the hotel is as if divided into 2 parts. On the left side from 10:00 surf - swimming is undesirable. But on the left side, turtles graze - 7 pieces. Every morning, at 7-8 am, I snorkeled with turtles. The Czechs saw and filmed a dugong. I was not lucky. The left reef - lionfish, stingray, many large rhinos, clown fish, surgeons, small hedgehog slaves, etc. The right reef is more diverse and colorful - it starts in the shallows. You can admire the beauty, just lowering your head in a mask, standing on the sand. Particularly pleased were two huge hedgehog fish - 70 cm. Fins are a must when snorkeling. Once I was too lazy to dress, got carried away by beauty and swam far away. Back was against the current - very hard without fins.
TOURS. ENTERTAINMENT.
Be sure to snorkel in Sharm El Luli and a trip to the Sataya reef TO THE DOLPHINS!
I met through the Internet with a very nice girl Olya, who lives in Marsa Alam, when I found out about the situation in Egypt. She offered her snorkeling and diving services. I can't swim at all. That is, without a mask and a snorkel, I won’t swim a meter. Before meeting Olya, I did not know that I could snorkel and see the amazing beauty. She calmly explained everything, rented a mask, snorkel, fins for free (rented at a dive center for $ 7 per day). The first time she held my hand. Photographed underwater for free. She helped with everyday problems - for example, I asked her to bring a machine and buy a mango for the way back. I took snorkeling to a stunningly beautiful place - Sharm El Luli ($ 25) - thousands of colorful fish and corals. And also on the reef Sataya (80 dollars) - snorkeling with dolphins (a flock of 70 dolphins). Diving in Sharm El Luli - 50 dollars. Prices are much lower than market prices (perhaps this is due to the fact that there was a dead period). The tour operator does not offer such excursions to Russians. For the Germans, their tour operator offers Sataya reef for 137 euros.
Her contacts are olgina@inbox. ru tel. +201010375454. Arriving at the hotel, it is better to communicate with her by SMS. Calls are expensive (I had Travelsim). If her contacts have been deleted - write in a personal message - I will inform you.
What our guide offers is not interesting. Dolphin House - It is very rare to see dolphins. Coral gardens are rubbish compared to Sharm El Luli.
When transferring to the hotel, the guide tried to persuade me to go on an excursion. I was afraid that without his permission they would not let me go anywhere. It’s good that I agreed with Olya about everything from Kyiv and understood that this was not true. If this happens to you, don't give in! I strongly advise you to still contact Olya and you will have an amazing vacation!
The information will be especially useful for those who cannot swim.
Hotel Selection Criteria – ALL CRITERIA WAS MET
1. Marsa Alam
2. Small green cozy hotel, few tourists, no dress codes, complete relaxation
3. Sandy entrance to the sea
4. Beautiful sea world, turtles, dolphins
Booked Fantasia at Marsa Alam. But because of the “situation” in Egypt, there were no vacationers there. Fantasy was closed and Pegas offered a choice of 3 other hotels. Naturally 5 * as well as Fantasia. For various reasons, they did not suit me and I myself asked Pegasus for a four-star Shams Alam hotel. At the same time received additional days as a gift.
FLIGHT
The most comfortable flight! Due to a fake emergency situation in Egypt, the planes back and forth were 2/3 full. Took 3 places. It’s usually hard to get a glass of water from flight attendants, but here they passed 4 times and offered.
TRANSFER
If you go to this hotel, then the guide who meets you will “hang noodles on your ears”, say that it will take 6-7 hours to go there and it is better to take a taxi. DON'T BELIEVE and don't waste your money. Travel time 4.5 hours. At the same time, tourists were brought in / picked up along the way from other hotels. It's just that Shams Alam is the farthest hotel and they don't want to go there. You will be picked up back 8 hours before the flight departure.
HOTEL. ROOM.
Upon arrival, they give out a memo in Russian - a trifle, but nice. However, to communicate Although there lived Czechs who did not know English at all, but this did not interfere. There were 12 people in the hotel. The first 2 days - 4 people. A wonderful couple from Saratov brightened up my stay at the hotel. The staff is very polite and helpful. The next day we were already greeted in Russian. Some smiles and positivity. Relax is complete.
Really very green and flourishing hotel, which is very unusual for Egypt. Luxurious vegetation provides shade and pleases the eye. Two storey cottages. SEA VIEW from every room. Directly from the first floor balcony you can go to the beach. The number is normal. TV with two Russian channels. The air conditioning system is noisy, but it is located correctly - it does not blow on the bed. In the room - shampoo, shower gel, cream, soap. A bottle of water in the fridge upon check-in. But then they don’t bring any more, since water coolers are located throughout the hotel and you can draw water as much as you like.
FOOD
Sometimes very tasty. More often than not. There is no usual choice. Perhaps this is due to the small number of customers. You definitely won't be hungry. The beer is light and pleasant. Red wine is either good or rubbish.
SEA.
The beach is sand and shell. Of course there were plenty of free sunbeds. The entrance to the sea is gentle. For those who can't swim (like me) or don't swim well, this is the perfect place! House reefs left and right. Shoes are not needed. The sea of the hotel is as if divided into 2 parts. On the left side from 10:00 surf - swimming is undesirable. But on the left side, turtles graze - 7 pieces. Every morning, at 7-8 am, I snorkeled with turtles. The Czechs saw and filmed a dugong. I was not lucky. The left reef - lionfish, stingray, many large rhinos, clown fish, surgeons, small hedgehog slaves, etc. The right reef is more diverse and colorful - it starts in the shallows. You can admire the beauty, just lowering your head in a mask, standing on the sand. Particularly pleased were two huge hedgehog fish - 70 cm. Fins are a must when snorkeling. Once I was too lazy to dress, got carried away by beauty and swam far away. Back was against the current - very hard without fins.
TOURS. ENTERTAINMENT.
Be sure to snorkel in Sharm El Luli and a trip to the Sataya reef TO THE DOLPHINS!
I met through the Internet with a very nice girl Olya, who lives in Marsa Alam, when I found out about the situation in Egypt. She offered her snorkeling and diving services. I can't swim at all. That is, without a mask and a snorkel, I won’t swim a meter. Before meeting Olya, I did not know that I could snorkel and see the amazing beauty. She calmly explained everything, rented a mask, snorkel, fins for free (rented at a dive center for $ 7 per day). The first time she held my hand. Photographed underwater for free. She helped with everyday problems - for example, I asked her to bring a machine and buy a mango for the way back. I took snorkeling to a stunningly beautiful place - Sharm El Luli ($ 25) - thousands of colorful fish and corals. And also on the reef Sataya (80 dollars) - snorkeling with dolphins (a flock of 70 dolphins). Diving in Sharm El Luli - 50 dollars. Prices are much lower than market prices (perhaps this is due to the fact that there was a dead period). The tour operator does not offer such excursions to Russians. For the Germans, their tour operator offers Sataya reef for 137 euros.
Her contacts are olgina@inbox. ru tel. +201010375454. Arriving at the hotel, it is better to communicate with her by SMS. Calls are expensive (I had Travelsim). If her contacts have been deleted - write in a personal message - I will inform you.
What our guide offers is not interesting. Dolphin House - It is very rare to see dolphins. Coral gardens are rubbish compared to Sharm El Luli.
When transferring to the hotel, the guide tried to persuade me to go on an excursion. I was afraid that without his permission they would not let me go anywhere. It’s good that I agreed with Olya about everything from Kyiv and understood that this was not true. If this happens to you, don't give in! I strongly advise you to still contact Olya and you will have an amazing vacation!
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• 14
This is not the first time in Egypt, in 10 days we fly again, however, to Sharm because we do not want to tire our son, who is traveling with us this time, with a long road. We rested from 21.06. 09 to 02.07. 09. In general, I liked the rest, but like everywhere there are pluses and minuses. Who loves a noisy holiday in this hotel has nothing to do, it is really suitable for a quiet, relaxing holiday.
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This is not the first time in Egypt, in 10 days we fly again, however, to Sharm because we do not want to tire our son, who is traveling with us this time, with a long road. We rested from 21.06. 09 to 02.07. 09. In general, I liked the rest, but like everywhere there are pluses and minuses. Who loves a noisy holiday in this hotel has nothing to do, it is really suitable for a quiet, relaxing holiday. But personally, my opinion, whoever is tuned in to rest will always and everywhere find positives. The hotel is located far in the desert, which is a big minus due to the long travel time from the airport to the hotel (transfer with a good speed of 5-6 hours). The nearest neighbor hotel is 10 km away. Another hotel is being built nearby, but it is also nearby, about 2 km away. 80% of vacationers are Italians, so the main language of communication is Italian, cuisine with the same direction (pasta, spaghetti), although no one died of hunger. The main disadvantage, I think, is the restaurant, which was built with the first buildings. And when the buildings were completed, then with their full filling of places and subsequently some dishes in the restaurant are not enough. The next minus is that there were annoying flies, but on the 3rd, 4th day we stopped noticing them, or they really became smaller. The sea is the most beautiful here. Although there was always a strong wind from 11 to 14 (plus for surfing, minus for relaxing on the beach, blowing sand), it is always calm and there is an opportunity, at any time, to swim with a mask (for me this is the biggest plus) which in other hotels in Egypt you won’t do it (entering the water after 17 is prohibited). The hotel has the only swimming pool, but the buildings are located so that the sea view from every room. Since my wife and I were the only Russian-speaking people in the whole hotel, communication with the guide was only by phone (he gave us his phone number and explained that you can call him from the reception for free, then we were charged for these calls, but we didn’t make a fuss like we didn’t call much). There are no excursions, again due to the remoteness of the hotel, but a good dive center with 2 minuses (1st there is no Russian-speaking instructor, 2nd payment in euros, which is already worse than in dollars) with the most beautiful places for diving (if if you are lucky, you will swim with dolphins and turtles and sea cows, sharks are also found, but people are not touched). The staff is unobtrusive (they don't wait for 20 minutes for a tip). In the first days of rest, we tried to give 1 dollar each, but then we stopped as we noticed the resentment of the servants (Europeans give 2-5 euros, and we give a dollar... ) I will not turn the review into a poem. I hope that this information will help in choosing a hotel. Yaroslav, Khmelnitsky.
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• 4.5
Attention! If you are under 30, do not read this review and look for another hotel. For the rest I report the following. 1. The hotel is 320 km away. from Hurghada (4 - 5 hours drive), on a strip 800 m wide between the highway and the shore of the bay. Behind the highway is a staff camp and a shopping center.
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Attention! If you are under 30, do not read this review and look for another hotel. For the rest I report the following.
1. The hotel is 320 km away. from Hurghada (4 - 5 hours drive), on a strip 800 m wide between the highway and the shore of the bay. Behind the highway is a staff camp and a shopping center. From the north at a distance of 1.2 km. a hotel is being built (no noise is heard) at this interval there is a deserted coast with camel thorn and mangroves. From the south, as far as you can see, the desert coast.
2. The hotel consists of 1.2-storey buildings. Oriented by balconies (verandas on the 1st floor) towards the sea, to the east. 100% with sea view. It is clearly visible on Google Earth. In the middle of the building there is a reception and a restaurant. In front of the reception there is a swimming pool, a playground and a pool bar.
3. Settled without problems. We arrived at 4 - 30 in the morning, filled out the cards and received the key. The receptionist took our passports, explaining what they say is for our good. Seeing that the passports of all the guests were stored in special cells, he did not object. He asked (in English, they do not understand Russian) on which floor is our room? On the first. I want the second. The dude thought. May I offer you a small baksheesh? Nods his head. I give you 10 euros. Vigorous activity immediately begins. Some kind of fight grabs suitcases and carries them to the second floor of building 5. Then it turned out that some Italian prince lived in our symmetrical room, with whom not only local managers, but also visiting managers (owners) of the hotel rushed about. Those. the receptionist worked his top ten. Then we looked where the “free” room was located, it’s also not bad, but I don’t like the 1st floor. They just entered, threw down their clothes and began to undress, a knock on the door. The boy brought a tray with plates of food and fruit, water. The reception dials the number, it turns out that this special service is free of charge only for us, i. e. for nothing. But, nevertheless, he reports that he works in the morning until 10 o'clock. Oh kay, I stopped by in the morning and gave another 5 euros. And as it turned out, not in vain. When we left, they gave us 2 boxes of dry rations, although we were picked up at 12 noon and lunch was not paid. In my opinion, the best corps are 3.4, 5 (numbers start at 3.4, 5)
4. The sea, we went to such a distance because of it. NOT wrong. We were in Marsa Alam in 2007 at the Iberotel Lamaia. It's tighter here. There are corals in the bay itself from 2 sides. In the middle is a meadow overgrown with algae. Outside the bay, the current is from north to south. The entrance to the sea is gentle with fine, pleasant sand on which children splash. The bottom gently descends. You can swim in the bay or walk north 800 meters along the coast. There, in the area of mangrove bushes, there is a shallow, along which without slippers you can go to the depths and from there raft downstream to the beach. Water 24 deg. Off the coast 28 degrees. However, outside the bay, they got into cold currents, so it was comfortable in a wetsuit (especially for my wife). There were no waves in the bay even in a strong wind, but due to the sand there was poor visibility. In the bay at depth we met a small shark and 3 species of large stingrays: one with a 1.5 m wingspan (apparently electric) and a bracken with a 2 meter tail. There are many small blue stingrays in the shallows. Outside the bay we saw a not weak barracuda 1.3 m. and dolphins similar to the Black Sea bottlenose dolphin. Swimming 2 small turtles. On the beach there is a small bar where drinks are poured into disposable cups, mushrooms and metal sunbeds. Towels were received on cards, mattresses were brought without any baksheesh. From the side of the desert there are fences from the wind, sometimes they were very relevant. From the room to the sea 30 meters. There is a shower, toilet and foot-washer. The beach, the bay and the sea in general are the main advantages of this hotel.
5.90% of the guests are Italians. Accordingly, the animation - 8 Italians, but friendly guys, speak only Italian. The rest are Germans. The Russians could not stand it for more than 2 days. The Italians on the beach are yelling like fishmongers on Privoz. The men throw their cigarette butts on the sand. Before this trip, I was sure that only Russian speakers could take places on the beach. But no, Italy fled at 7 - 00 threw towels, then went to the dining room. This is wild for me, especially since there are 20 percent more sunbeds than people on the beach. He is a cormorant and in Italy a cormorant. The difference from ours is that no one walked ugraty in the smoke.
6. The staff is friendly. On the first day, I tossed a little to the pool bartender and the chef of waiters in the restaurant. Served quickly. Drinks as everywhere in inexpensive hotels. Yupi juice, hibiscus, bottled beer, local alcohol. Ice is not placed. Only in cocktails for payment. For the wife in the pool bar cocktails gin, cola, hibiscus, syrup, cola. Wife liked it. I drank beer and sometimes a little whiskey. In the restaurant, drinks are served by waiters at lunch and dinner. Usually one glass per nose. Sometimes, without any request, they brought us 2 each. The food was not striking in variety, BUT they cooked very tasty, the cooks in English are not in the tooth with their feet, but as far as I am strong in Arabic, I think they are from Tunisia. Dinner was spent on the open veranda, the Italian sang in a bad voice under the plywood, lit candles on the tables. Nice to sit. I have already said about the food, I will only add, we ate plenty of watermelons and peaches with dates. Salads were not eaten in principle. There were whole tomatoes and peppers on the tables. There was a knife and a cutting board. My wife cut the magnificent vegetables and we ate them with pleasure and without consequences. (They often write, with indignation, that they throw everything into ready-made salads that they didn’t eat the day before. And what do you think, what salads are made from in supermarkets? From the same. ) The cakes are super, and for my birthday they gave me a cake, the Arabs sang Happy bertday, a trifle, but nice, especially since no one asked them about it. Everywhere you have to sign bills, money is not required at the end of notes. IF you have All.
7. Cleaned the room every day. Bed linen changed 3 times in 10 nights. Denyuzhka for 5 local currency units they left, in return they taught all sorts of curiosities on the bed, which the cleaning boy twisted from CLEAN towels. Picked up the dirty ones right away. I couldn't explain what to do the other way around. Further interesting. On the 3rd day of my stay, my wife reached into her suitcase for a purse - a gift for her beloved husband. I put 50 UAH in my purse at home. ($10, there is a custom to give wallets only with small change), look, and denyuzhki bye-bye. The freak stole these 50 hryvnias, not knowing the fool that hryvnias. to the southeast in Egypt do not change. My wife was trying to make a showdown, but I dissuaded her, maybe the dude has hungry children crying or there is not enough money for dowry. And I don’t want to deal with issues on vacation. We didn't give him any more money. Cash, photo and video cameras were kept only in a safe (free in the room). The room is large, about 30 sq. m. , the ceiling is arched. 2 decorative windows - stained-glass windows with multi-colored glasses, the main stained-glass window on the balcony is broken, but there is a mosquito net. The air conditioner works. In general, poor little but clean, it is clear that it was recently renovated. There are plastic chairs on the small balcony.
eight.
The only thing that bothered me was the fight against flies and the flies themselves. If there was no wind the flies attacked on the beach. They poisoned flies at 1900 and 530. We slept with the window open to the sound of the surf. At 5:30 I got up, closed the balcony, turned on the air conditioner and slept on. If you don't hear the roar of the cannon, you'll wake up from a gas attack.
Teztur brought - took without questions. We talked to the guide by phone (free of charge). This hotel is very far from the Tezturovsky trails. But you need to remind yourself so as not to be forgotten on the way back. They said that we do not need excursions. We drove through the desert at night on ATVs for 90 dollars. for two. Super.
You can travel with Italy in the surrounding bays. BUT the house reef is no worse. And they have already been to Abu Dabab.
There are no discos in the hotel. At 2300 everything calms down - the only exception is one evening, when 2 musicians came from Hurghada and arranged a dance party for those over 30. As they got to Latino, people began to jump into the pool. Cool. The musicians, as for Egypt, played and sang very well. Better than the whole factory of stars.
1. The hotel is 320 km away. from Hurghada (4 - 5 hours drive), on a strip 800 m wide between the highway and the shore of the bay. Behind the highway is a staff camp and a shopping center. From the north at a distance of 1.2 km. a hotel is being built (no noise is heard) at this interval there is a deserted coast with camel thorn and mangroves. From the south, as far as you can see, the desert coast.
2. The hotel consists of 1.2-storey buildings. Oriented by balconies (verandas on the 1st floor) towards the sea, to the east. 100% with sea view. It is clearly visible on Google Earth. In the middle of the building there is a reception and a restaurant. In front of the reception there is a swimming pool, a playground and a pool bar.
3. Settled without problems. We arrived at 4 - 30 in the morning, filled out the cards and received the key. The receptionist took our passports, explaining what they say is for our good. Seeing that the passports of all the guests were stored in special cells, he did not object. He asked (in English, they do not understand Russian) on which floor is our room? On the first. I want the second. The dude thought. May I offer you a small baksheesh? Nods his head. I give you 10 euros. Vigorous activity immediately begins. Some kind of fight grabs suitcases and carries them to the second floor of building 5. Then it turned out that some Italian prince lived in our symmetrical room, with whom not only local managers, but also visiting managers (owners) of the hotel rushed about. Those. the receptionist worked his top ten. Then we looked where the “free” room was located, it’s also not bad, but I don’t like the 1st floor. They just entered, threw down their clothes and began to undress, a knock on the door. The boy brought a tray with plates of food and fruit, water. The reception dials the number, it turns out that this special service is free of charge only for us, i. e. for nothing. But, nevertheless, he reports that he works in the morning until 10 o'clock. Oh kay, I stopped by in the morning and gave another 5 euros. And as it turned out, not in vain. When we left, they gave us 2 boxes of dry rations, although we were picked up at 12 noon and lunch was not paid. In my opinion, the best corps are 3.4, 5 (numbers start at 3.4, 5)
4. The sea, we went to such a distance because of it. NOT wrong. We were in Marsa Alam in 2007 at the Iberotel Lamaia. It's tighter here. There are corals in the bay itself from 2 sides. In the middle is a meadow overgrown with algae. Outside the bay, the current is from north to south. The entrance to the sea is gentle with fine, pleasant sand on which children splash. The bottom gently descends. You can swim in the bay or walk north 800 meters along the coast. There, in the area of mangrove bushes, there is a shallow, along which without slippers you can go to the depths and from there raft downstream to the beach. Water 24 deg. Off the coast 28 degrees. However, outside the bay, they got into cold currents, so it was comfortable in a wetsuit (especially for my wife). There were no waves in the bay even in a strong wind, but due to the sand there was poor visibility. In the bay at depth we met a small shark and 3 species of large stingrays: one with a 1.5 m wingspan (apparently electric) and a bracken with a 2 meter tail. There are many small blue stingrays in the shallows. Outside the bay we saw a not weak barracuda 1.3 m. and dolphins similar to the Black Sea bottlenose dolphin. Swimming 2 small turtles. On the beach there is a small bar where drinks are poured into disposable cups, mushrooms and metal sunbeds. Towels were received on cards, mattresses were brought without any baksheesh. From the side of the desert there are fences from the wind, sometimes they were very relevant. From the room to the sea 30 meters. There is a shower, toilet and foot-washer. The beach, the bay and the sea in general are the main advantages of this hotel.
5.90% of the guests are Italians. Accordingly, the animation - 8 Italians, but friendly guys, speak only Italian. The rest are Germans. The Russians could not stand it for more than 2 days. The Italians on the beach are yelling like fishmongers on Privoz. The men throw their cigarette butts on the sand. Before this trip, I was sure that only Russian speakers could take places on the beach. But no, Italy fled at 7 - 00 threw towels, then went to the dining room. This is wild for me, especially since there are 20 percent more sunbeds than people on the beach. He is a cormorant and in Italy a cormorant. The difference from ours is that no one walked ugraty in the smoke.
6. The staff is friendly. On the first day, I tossed a little to the pool bartender and the chef of waiters in the restaurant. Served quickly. Drinks as everywhere in inexpensive hotels. Yupi juice, hibiscus, bottled beer, local alcohol. Ice is not placed. Only in cocktails for payment. For the wife in the pool bar cocktails gin, cola, hibiscus, syrup, cola. Wife liked it. I drank beer and sometimes a little whiskey. In the restaurant, drinks are served by waiters at lunch and dinner. Usually one glass per nose. Sometimes, without any request, they brought us 2 each. The food was not striking in variety, BUT they cooked very tasty, the cooks in English are not in the tooth with their feet, but as far as I am strong in Arabic, I think they are from Tunisia. Dinner was spent on the open veranda, the Italian sang in a bad voice under the plywood, lit candles on the tables. Nice to sit. I have already said about the food, I will only add, we ate plenty of watermelons and peaches with dates. Salads were not eaten in principle. There were whole tomatoes and peppers on the tables. There was a knife and a cutting board. My wife cut the magnificent vegetables and we ate them with pleasure and without consequences. (They often write, with indignation, that they throw everything into ready-made salads that they didn’t eat the day before. And what do you think, what salads are made from in supermarkets? From the same. ) The cakes are super, and for my birthday they gave me a cake, the Arabs sang Happy bertday, a trifle, but nice, especially since no one asked them about it. Everywhere you have to sign bills, money is not required at the end of notes. IF you have All.
7. Cleaned the room every day. Bed linen changed 3 times in 10 nights. Denyuzhka for 5 local currency units they left, in return they taught all sorts of curiosities on the bed, which the cleaning boy twisted from CLEAN towels. Picked up the dirty ones right away. I couldn't explain what to do the other way around. Further interesting. On the 3rd day of my stay, my wife reached into her suitcase for a purse - a gift for her beloved husband. I put 50 UAH in my purse at home. ($10, there is a custom to give wallets only with small change), look, and denyuzhki bye-bye. The freak stole these 50 hryvnias, not knowing the fool that hryvnias. to the southeast in Egypt do not change. My wife was trying to make a showdown, but I dissuaded her, maybe the dude has hungry children crying or there is not enough money for dowry. And I don’t want to deal with issues on vacation. We didn't give him any more money. Cash, photo and video cameras were kept only in a safe (free in the room). The room is large, about 30 sq. m. , the ceiling is arched. 2 decorative windows - stained-glass windows with multi-colored glasses, the main stained-glass window on the balcony is broken, but there is a mosquito net. The air conditioner works. In general, poor little but clean, it is clear that it was recently renovated. There are plastic chairs on the small balcony.
eight.
The only thing that bothered me was the fight against flies and the flies themselves. If there was no wind the flies attacked on the beach. They poisoned flies at 1900 and 530. We slept with the window open to the sound of the surf. At 5:30 I got up, closed the balcony, turned on the air conditioner and slept on. If you don't hear the roar of the cannon, you'll wake up from a gas attack.
Teztur brought - took without questions. We talked to the guide by phone (free of charge). This hotel is very far from the Tezturovsky trails. But you need to remind yourself so as not to be forgotten on the way back. They said that we do not need excursions. We drove through the desert at night on ATVs for 90 dollars. for two. Super.
You can travel with Italy in the surrounding bays. BUT the house reef is no worse. And they have already been to Abu Dabab.
There are no discos in the hotel. At 2300 everything calms down - the only exception is one evening, when 2 musicians came from Hurghada and arranged a dance party for those over 30. As they got to Latino, people began to jump into the pool. Cool. The musicians, as for Egypt, played and sang very well. Better than the whole factory of stars.
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• 13.5
