Средненький отель, затоптанное море. Mediocre hotel, trodden sea.

I'll tell you honestly frankly, so that people understand where they will go.
They themselves scored on everything and tried not to spoil their nerves. But if you compare with my vacation last year, then we got to the hotel is not the best.

This time we decided to opt for Sharm El Sheikh. The hotel was chosen because it is at a reasonable distance from the city (you can drive if you want) and is located in Sharks bay, which belongs to the Ras Mohamed nature reserve. They thought that since it belongs to the reserve, there should be a lot of corals and fish. We read reviews about the hotel, many write that there are really a lot of fish. We were disappointed with the location and the hotel. But first things first.

They flew back and forth with the North Wind company in Airbus A321 aircraft. One aisle, on both sides of which there are 3 chairs in each row. Fed on board so-so.

We arrived on the evening of July 6th. . The plane arrived at 4:40 pm local time.

For another hour, a whole bus of people was waiting for two tourists who either got lost in the dury free or got problems with their luggage. The beginning was spoiled ...we thought that we would have time to throw things and run to the sea - but it didn’t work out. Until 18-00 we sat in a stuffy bus, then we went. Our hotel was the first from the airport and we were dropped off after 10 minutes. From the hotel you could see the airport, you could hear the planes landing and taking off. But there were few flights, did not interfere. Immediately assessed the scale of the disaster. Walking distance to the main highway, where minibuses run, is not reachable. Taxi to Sharm wanted to go for $ 25 one way. Of course, it was possible to take a bus from the hotel to Naama bay, but there were only 3 flights. One flight in the morning at 10-00 is free, 15 people, stay in Naama- 1 hour. And 2 more flights in the evening, already paid, $ 7 per person round trip. But staying there is also 1 hour. We didn't go because. nothing to do there for 1 hour.

Our tour operator was Pegasus. I will tell about it separately.
There were 3 representatives of Pegasus in the hotel, who were engaged in sending tourists to the leather store, the oil store and selling excursions for crazy money. For example, we went to Israel from sharm4u for $80 per person. Without an overnight stay, the duration of the tour is from 19-30 one day to 22-30 the next day. Almost on the same day, tourists departed from Pegasus, although they were settled in a hotel at night after the border (why is not very clear), and they returned in the afternoon or in the morning after us. Such an excursion cost already $ 220 per person. It was also funny that when the tour program was announced, Pegasus said that they would go by ferry to Israel, with an overnight stay there. In fact, everyone was traveling like us, by bus. We were very surprised. Pegasus buggies cost $70 for 2 people, we rolled up for $40. We rode with the same local Egyptians who provide cars.
On the way back, we were driven by the Pegasus bus, as our driver was too lazy to take us 2x to the hotel, and he chatted with the driver of the Pegasus bus. So draw conclusions for what to pay more if the service is provided on site by the same local office.

Got distracted from the hotel.
They settled us in building number 45, room 6457. Sea view. There is no balcony. The room is more than modest, but there is air conditioning and a refrigerator.
The electricity worked even when the room key was removed, so we left the air conditioner at 24-25 degrees and went to the sea, then returned to the coolness. Things were dried in the bathroom, again, the hood was left to work there almost around the clock. If it breaks, don't worry, they'll fix it. And what if the rooms do not have balconies. There is a free safe in the room.

The hotel consists of many buildings. Several restaurants, bars, swimming pools.

In the main building next to the reception there is a Dragon bar, a floor below the Piano restaurant, and the main restaurant + fusion.
In the main restaurant breakfast was from 7 to 10-30. In Fusion from 5 am to 7 am. More often we went for breakfast around 6, so we didn't wait for the main pastries.

Breakfasts are normal: oatmeal, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs from the "chef" with various additives, cooked in front of you, pancakes, toast, pastries. Of the fruits were apples, plums, grapefruits, oranges, bananas, melons, grapes, pineapple. I especially liked the yogurts. I made fruit salad and poured yogurt.
Lunch was from 13-30 to 15. Dinner from 19-00 to 22-00. The rest of the time in the Piano restaurant from 22-00 until the morning you could take snacks. We got in the month of Ramadan, dinner was moved to 19-30. From 18-30 they fed the staff and those who observe the fast.

Service.
After a trip to this hotel, I realized the following. Under no circumstances should you go to a hotel run by a travel company. For example Dessole is a Pegasus hotel chain. These are monopolists. If you don't buy a tour from them, you won't get a lunch box.
And nobody cares that your hotel is paid for and food does not depend on excursions. Only those who traveled from Pegasus were given rations with them. And only if the representative of Pegasus himself comes up and asks for you. I had to quietly steal food at breakfast in a restaurant and take it with me. It was forbidden to take food out of the restaurant. On this topic, I witnessed a scandal at guest relations. A young man came up and asked to be allowed to carry food into the room for a sick girl. To which I received an answer that it is prohibited, order room service. And there a sandwich costs $ 7, and why order it, if you can take whatever you like in a restaurant. I don't know how it ended.


The room could not be cleaned for 3 days. They forgot to bring water too. It was supposed to be 1 bottle of water 0.6l, 1 juice 0.2l and soda 0.33 per person. When they wanted, they wore it. After 3 days no one brought anything (and we had to go on excursions and take it with us) I went to talk to guest relations.
I had to go there 4 times to get something done. Cleaned the room equally lousy and with a tip and without a tip.

Beach towels have not been changed for 2 weeks even once.
Bed linen was changed once.
No shampoo gels, etc. were put in the room, so you had to have your own. We had our own, it was just surprising that this is not in 5 *. Last year we rested in 4 * and everything was there.

The food was delicious, the alcohol is quite normal. I mostly drank beer and wine. The cocktails were also delicious, but the attitude towards Russian tourists just pissed me off. I have repeatedly witnessed a German or an Englishman standing at the bar and asking for a cocktail. They tell him - sit down, they will bring you. The man leaves. The bartender pours the drink in very beautiful layers, decorates with mint, orange, straws and umbrellas and carries it to the client. Next is a Russian and asks him to do the same.
The bartender casually pours a sprite and drips a string of alcohol and slams it on the table, spilling some of it. If I personally had not been thrown like this for 2 weeks, I probably would not have believed it. I didn’t roll up any scandals, I just concluded that they don’t like Russians here, although they are 85-90% in the hotel.

For children, the hotel had an extensive program. There was a children's room where children were rented almost for the whole day. In the evening there were entertainments and discos for children. Then for adults from 21-30 to 23-00 some kind of show, then a disco until 3 in the morning. We never went because we went to bed early and got up early.

Sea.
The hotel has 2 pontoon bridges from which you can dive and swim. Coral slippers were not useful.
Compared to Marsa Alam, the sea is completely trampled. There are few fish. Corals are dead. In general, the sea is quite disappointing. I took a cover for underwater shooting with me, I didn’t even get it out of my suitcase, there was nothing to photograph there.

There are few varieties of fish. We decided for ourselves that if we ever go to Egypt, then only Marsa Alam or El Quseir.

Tours.
As I wrote above, we took from local guys. We went to Israel for 1 day, rode ATVs and buggies, took an excursion to the Colored Canyon and the blue hole.

Israel. Traveling is tiring. There is nothing for small children to do, and it will not be interesting. The tour is crumpled. I don't even have time to take pictures. I got most of the photos - the backs of the outgoing group. There are many narrow passages in the old part of the city. It's very easy to get lost. The guide was not waiting for anyone, late or lost - your problem. Therefore, the people walked in herds and did not lag behind to take pictures. Of course, ideally, you need to go prepared. It is necessary to read historical information in advance. I personally am far from religion, so much was not clear, not much information was given, apparently so as not to overload.
Be sure to take water with you, water in Israel (in those places where the bus stops) is expensive. They brought it to a souvenir shop, someone bought something there. But the prices are outrageous. I didn't take anything. Only on the street I bought a set of 33 candles and burned them in the temple from the blessed fire. On the way back there was a stop for swimming in the Dead Sea. Water like oil, keeps on the surface. In a cosmetic shop I bought 2 creams for myself and my mother for $ 20. The prices for Dead Sea cosmetics started from just $20. I didn’t take a lot, because it’s not clear whether it will fit. Purely symbolic for a gift.

ATVs. Well, it's standard here, everyone goes one after another. Do not accelerate, 30-35km / h maximum. Be sure to have glasses and arafatka with you, roll your head. Otherwise, you will be covered in sand. Then they are brought to a makeshift Bedouin village, where they offer soft drinks for $ 2 and 50 ml of local hot tea for free. Then the way back, only about 1.5 hours.

Buggy is not at all what everyone thought. This is something like an ATV, but 2 seats side by side. It has nothing to do with real buggies. Mini jeep. Nothing interesting.

Colored canyon and blue hole.
The description of the tour says that a walk along the colored canyon is 2 hours (it is about 5 km long), then camel riding for 45 minutes, then an hour swimming in a blue hole, lunch and shopping, then home. In the colored canyon, we were a maximum of 40 minutes and went well if 400-500m. And there jeeps were waiting for us to go further. Passing Dahab, everyone was shown what an exciting sea (big waves), that it is much colder there than in the bay near our hotel, that without wetsuits we will simply get stuck, and corals sting there. In short, for $ 10 they collected a suit for the fins of the mask. And in the end, they swam there for only 20 minutes. The water can be 1-2 degrees cooler, which is not critical. Another money scam. But then they sat "with the Bedouins" and dined for more than an hour. It would be better to give time to swim.
The dinner was more than modest, but everyone had stomach problems after it. So it is better not to lean on food there.

Weather.
We rested in the period from 6 to 20 July.
The air temperature during the day in the shade was about 45-47 degrees, the water ranged from 28 to 31.
At night the temperature was about 30 degrees.
Due to the fact that the wind constantly blew from the sea - it was not hot. The heat was surprisingly easy to bear. And of course you need to swim a lot and drink fluids. Headwear is required.

Internet.
The hotel nominally has wi-fi next to the reception desk. But the quality is subpar. Barely enough to send a few messages on Skype. Drops every 2 minutes. It makes no sense to carry a laptop with you to surf the Internet.
I wasn’t interested in the paid option, I’m afraid if there is such a crooked admin, then the paid Internet will fall with enviable regularity.

In total, I made several conclusions for myself.
If you like snorkeling and watching fish, then the road is only to El Quseir and Marsa Alam. Nothing to do in Sharm and Hurghada.

If you want a normal adequate service, then you need to choose a hotel among those where the owners are Europeans - Germans, Italians, British. You should not choose a hotel if more than 30% of Russian tourists go to it, the quality of service will be below the baseboard.
You should not choose a hotel with more than 200-250 rooms. A large territory is good, of course, but again, a small hotel is easier to maintain and easier to provide a high level of service.
You should not choose a hotel chain from a specific tour operator, otherwise a monopoly is secured, you become a hostage.