Your rating of this hotel:
7.0
from 10
Hotel ratings by criteria:
Rooms:
8.0
Service:
8.0
Cleanliness:
9.0
Food:
9.0
Amenities:
8.0
I write this year's review in the style of my last year's review of the same hotel.
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
HOTEL
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
The hotel, like last year, works on ALL INCLUSIVE. But the choice of food has become smaller.
The pancakes at the sweets/crepe bar were made in a hacky way, but still edible.
Bars do not start working at the time indicated, but 30-40 minutes later, which is somewhat annoying.
At a meeting, now no one smiles or greets, but in general the attitude of the servants remained good, let's say so - it became indifferent and apathetic. But overall friendly.
There was an opportunity to have lunch and dinner in another restaurant - almost next to the beach (second lobby). Very pleased - because a beautiful view from there to the sea. Lunches in other restaurants - I would call a snack and the food is so-so and takes a long time to serve.
On the beach, now they began not only to make salads / pizza, but also to take out trays with a minimum set for lunch - rice / potatoes / pasta, fish / meat / chicken. It pleased.
I was not pleased that the salads now do not contain all the ingredients that are listed on the menu. Instead of olives - chickpeas. Olive oil may or may not be poured, a tomato may not be put, even if it is provided by logic, etc.
It seems the waiters are running around, but the service has become slower.
But the appearance of lunch in bars and in the second lobby is good, but the minus is now there is no lunch in the Main Restaurant.
Dinner now, in addition to the Main Restaurant and ElSheikh, you can order a la carte from your aunt in the lobby. But personally, I didn’t eat a la carte and then “catch up” in the Main Restaurant.
Drinks are not ok either. I do not advise you to drink cocktails that contain coconut milk on the menu (for example, redsea-special). You will be poured with rum not coconut, but ordinary cow's milk. I assure you that this will not work for you =(((Milk and alcohol are a tough mixture for the stomach and well-being. And milk that has stood warm ...
In general, the choice of drinks is about the same as last year. You can drink.
But lovers of high-quality alcohol - the advice is the same - it is better to take something with you to the duty free airport or buy it in the duty free in Naama.
// In Domodedovo, good duty frees are not the ones that are the first - but those that are at the end, almost before landing. //
The bartender on the beach is the same as last year, but the waiter from the restaurant had a career growth - he no longer runs around with plates, but lazily sells dinner for 18 euros on the beach (which, as usual, no one buys), although last year in our opinion, he did not give hope for promotion)))). How competent management changes a person! ))
Otherwise, the staff has completely changed.
At the entrance there was a counter with guest relations. 3 or 4 girls. What they do is a mystery. They sit and smile from 9 to 18. And if you need to find out something, there is no one.
Trips to Naama from the second reception seem to be free, but at the first reception (maybe I made a mistake, I didn’t specify) they seem to be paid.
Free WiFI appeared in both lobbies (!!! ). We had a laptop with us.
The speed is normal.
All Teztur guides are now sitting with laptops (playing toys, it seems, gee-gee)
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Contingent of vacationers
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
More people with children appeared in the hotel, young people appeared, usually with girls, and as a rule they are either Germans or Russians. There are few singles, so if you are a girl and you are traveling with a friend, you will really get bored here. Others are Europeans - and as a rule, people of middle age from 50 years old. There are a lot of Russians.
The hotel sometimes apparently makes sales for “holes” in the races, because suddenly some strange people from places like Chelyabinsk appeared for a few days, who by the 14th day gathered around them in a bar on the beach 3 more Russian alcoholics with red faces and by 2 days they were no longer knitting bast (although they drank relatively quietly for ours). Then they played volleyball noisily. The people they turned out to be strong and at 2 am they were still drinking at the bar. Then after 2-3 days they disappeared altogether.
They did not look like those people who can afford to go anywhere at all.
But in general, the contingent in the hotel remained normal.
-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------
Shops near the hotel.
-------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
When leaving the hotel - 70 meters to the left, there used to be 1 supermarket (masks, fins, caps, water, chips, underwater cameras, etc. ), a shop with excursions, a souvenir shop. Now trading shops stretch for 100 meters.
You can buy a mattress for 50 pounds. And then they puff up.
If you walk even further, they say that there is a large shopping center there. Didn't check.
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
ROOM
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
The entire territory of the hotel is already open this year.
The rooms are the weak point of the hotel. We realized this last year. If you are with a child. most likely you will be given a spacious room to put extra trouble for the child. But if you are alone, most likely the room will be small.
The view from the rooms also, most likely, will not be particularly pleasing.
This time I had to pay 80 pounds (the receptionist wanted 100). While we picked up a decent number for ourselves, we went through 3 options (the general rule is to give money at the end after watching) - but as a result we got some kind of sea-veiw. All the same, waking up for 14 days with a view of the blue wave is more pleasant than with a view of the next wall.
In the room, as before, they DO NOT put a complimentary 1.5 liter bottle of water for brushing your teeth every day - now only 1 time at the entrance. This is a minus - because if you forgot to take some water with you at night - where can you find it to drink at night.
Towels are washed worse (once they brought a harsh smell of smoke). Housekeeping is not to say that bad. Tolerable.
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
LATE CHECK-OUT
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
You can still check out at 12-00, hand over your things at the reception and then after the beach before leaving, get the keys to the shower room to wash and change. You can pay extra and stay in the room until 15-00
Teztour this time arrived even 10 minutes earlier than it was announced in the info posted at the reception.
----------------------------------------------
Flight
-----------------------------------------------------
We flew back and forth VIM avia (in the past - this is a disgusting company, for many years they wrote about their delays of 14 hours, loss of luggage, etc. ).
This year, Tez has neither Transaero nor Atlant Union for some reason.
The choice was Vimavia (dme) and Aeroflot-Nord (Sheremet).
After reading on the Internet that Nord does not seem to be Aeroflot at all, they simply did not have time to rename it, and in general it was almost bankrupt - they still chose Vim-Avia. Fine. Without delay. Flying Boeing.
They feed normally. The flight attendants are nice. I was surprised that again, as in the good old days, they began to carry Duty-free in flight. It seems like you still can’t drink in flight, but they sell alcohol. Strange))) apparently a crisis ...
There was no check-in when we left. There were queues. Some kind of Arab, according to whom the plane had not even arrived yet, was puffed up for everything.
Then they quickly checked everyone in, drove past the duty free and put them on the plane, which took off almost immediately with a delay of only 30 minutes.
Vim-Avia is still woodpeckers - they broke off my wheel from a suitcase bought in Egypt about 3 years ago (with great bargaining! ))) for 28 dollars!
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
BEACH
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
With the exchange of beach towels, it became clearer.
In the evening there were 2 fresh beach towels in the room. With them to the beach. After the beach, there were two more new ones in the room. And you leave the old ones - in the morning they will take them with shower towels. Then something in this system broke down, they didn’t receive new beach towels at all for a couple of days (there was a big check-in, maybe that’s why).
The main beach is mostly loaded to capacity. Since I like to sleep - they came to the beach at 12:00 and (except for the last day) - they always managed to find 2 sunbeds, apparently some of them left for lunch by this time. After 15-00 it became freer in general.
-----------------------
Sunbed battle
-----------------------
We watched once a battle for a sunbed (the Italians clashed with ours). The conversation was in a raised tone with the arbitrator - a beach employee. He found that there were towels on the sunbed, no one had been there for a long time and freed him for ours. The Italians flew in - they say we are sitting here and that's it. They recaptured their sunbed, our sunbeds were found with great difficulty later. The rule is to release the sunbed. if he left long ago - it is written in the rules of the hotel . . Personally, I support this.
Someone here wrote earlier that people came at 6 in the morning, put down towels and left - they are now struggling with this. If there is no one on the sunbeds for a long time, the beach worker writes on the umbrella post with chalk the time when he noticed that no one was there, but the towels were lying. After a couple of hours, the beds are forcibly released. And it is right. Borrow at 6 am nefig))))
But the real minus is that it is not easy to find a sunbed on the beach.
----------------------
I was glad that now they are not driven out of the water until the sun sets. Swimming pool.
which is closer to the beach even after sunset also worked. They don’t kick you out of the beach at all, lie down for yourself after sunset as much as you like (if anyone wants to, of course)).
----------------------
relax-beach
-----------------------
From the new - a new RELAX beach has appeared with such tents. (and appeared by the pools)
Of course, the tents are pretty, but in general they are quite hot, and this relaxation beach itself is located, as it were, in a gorge, there is no shower, no bar, no waiters (you have to get up after swimming to wash and drink). But it's quiet there.
The old entrance to the water on the left was closed, two new ones were opened - on the right by the beach and from relaxation.
--------------------------
WATER ENTRANCES
--------------------------
The entrances are disgusting, ugly, completely idiotic, and climbing back is quite difficult, because the first step is quite high.
This is something to keep in mind if you are an elderly person.
As before, I recommend buying a mattress - swimming right away is much more fun, they will inflate it there when buying (a mattress is only 50 pounds in stores to the left of the hotel - i.
e. about 10 dollars).
If you reach the highest point of the hotel on the right (on the right, above the relax beach), then there is a passage to the neighboring hotel, and you can go for a walk further along the coast (theoretically).
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Beach animation
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Volleyball remained in the corner of the beach, darts disappeared somewhere, boccia remained (a game with iron balls)
Badminton has arrived! (Hurrah Hurrah).
The rest of the melancholy is green as it was. Since I like to lie down to read, I'm fine.
But longing was written on the faces of girls aged 18-20.
Although the pools still have a small movement like aqua aerobics or water polo.
Sports animators work sucks, lazily, in general, the entire hotel staff, and in shops and in general the Arabs move in some kind of suspended animation. And Ramadan (this year in September just) here I don’t think what’s the matter.
Usually, in Ramadan, the Arabs are lively.
I was even surprised, I didn’t see anything like this in Egypt - some kind of apathy among the local population.
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
SEA and REEF
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
A couple of times, when the sea was rough, from somewhere on the right they brought plastic bags and some other garbage.
Was unpleasantly surprised.
Small crabs the size of a fingernail have grown in a year and now such wild boars run around the reef at low tide - the size of a fist))) pleased))). There are more big fish - they graze on the reef from above - it is convenient to observe the life of animals right from the shore (who does not like to swim with a mask). And so, as before - with a mask - it's a pleasure. The reef is good as it was and remains. There were no fewer fish.
I wrote about the entrance to the water - two new entrances. The old one was closed because the staircase was rusty and you could cut your legs (but we sometimes went down there, fig, although they wrapped the entrance with ropes)
Restrictive buoys appeared on the water.
To the right, about 15 meters from the relax beach, a flock of 5-6 barracudas is constantly on duty)))
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
FOOD & FRUIT
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
With food, as I said, it became poorer, quite, quite tolerably, but you can see the crisis here too.
Salad dressings are scarce. Finely chopped onion, grated cheese (they dragged it into their salad from the pasta rack), and a finely cut tomato also disappeared somewhere. But in general, you can make a salad for yourself.
Interesting soups appeared - for example, our Russian cabbage soup (quite an excellent soup! )
There were days when there were Russian dishes, Thai (supposedly). Generally edible.
It's still really okay to eat an hour before the restaurant closes, but later they don't renew the trays like they used to.
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Animation at the hotel, trips to Naama
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
In the evenings on the roof of the Main Building - as before, some skits, numbers of full-time animators.
The chief animator is now German. Somehow he’s not really ...There are no Russians in the animation - but there is a Swiss, an Austrian and a Georgian (suddenly even somehow).
The photographer, as before, the whole day now does not walk around and does not click on everyone he comes across.
Earlier in the evening - the animators showed the "life of the hotel" on the big screen with a general gathering of people. Now there is no such thing. But in vain. It was fun before.
Animation is still - a dull city, however, as elsewhere in Egypt.
Pool tables are busy most of the time. The tables themselves are worn out. The nets under the pockets are stretched out and the balls fall to the floor - it's annoying. But it's real to play.
Table tennis remains.
Hookah in the rooftop bar for a fee as it was 4 euros.
Taxis in Naama in the evening were caught not for 20 pounds, but for 15.
In Duty free in Naama, a bottle of Omar Khayam costs something around 55-60 pounds. At the hotel - 180.
We wanted to play bowling in Naama, but we couldn't find where.
New buildings have appeared in Naama on shopping streets - everything is being modernized, the local flavor is disappearing, and this is a pity.
Solid glass and concrete. However, globalization
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
TOURS
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
This time we went to Cairo-Alexandria (of course, because of Alexandria). It costs $ 150 on the nose of the Tez-tour.
If you've been everywhere before, you can go. If you have not been somewhere, it is better to go where you have not been.
There is not much to see in Alexandria. There is nothing left of the Greeks. And the Arabs did not build anything other than mosques.
To begin with, I was not pleased with the stop for breakfast - a complete shame for TezTour. So write it down. Not a cafe, but a dump. As I ventured to drink tea for 8 pounds - the current is apparently awake.
Tunnel under the Suez Canal - one lane in each direction. 2800 meters. But it's ok, you go fast.
At the entrance and exit of the tunnel - on the hills - the military with machine guns and thorns.
By the way, Teztur plus that there were 2 drivers.
Minus - before there were three receipts. One guide who sold, one to you, one on the bus you give. Now there are 2 of them - and the guide on the bus takes your receipt and it turns out that you were kind of absent on the tour. If anything, you can’t prove that you were sitting on this bus at all and that you even bought an excursion. I had to argue with them a little.
I won the dispute, but they seem to have not understood what the trouble is.
------------------------------
First, as usual, Cairo. I was 10 years ago in the Cairo Museum and forgot how hot it is. There is no air conditioning - I do not recommend it for older people. I got bored in the museum with a guide, so we walked on our own. Then we saw some European who hired a personal Arab guide and regretted that they didn’t do the same (although this is only suitable for those who normally speak English).
Air conditioning is only in Tutankhamun's hall. And so the museum is really stuffy, hot and not happy.
Taking pictures and videos, even for money, is now prohibited in the museum (I didn’t understand the topic).
Then, as usual, the Pyramids, the Sphinx. Then the market. Were purchased 2 pretty baskets of palm leaves (in the hotel - similar soap dishes) - 2 pieces for 20 pounds for both (even our driver nodded his head approvingly about the price).
What pleases me is that they drag me to the shops AFTER the main program (I stayed to sleep on the bus, they drag me like papyrus, oil and gold), maybe someone is interested.
--------------------------------
Overnight in Cairo is also tolerable. Oasis Hotel 4 * right next to Giza, quite decent. Only dinner is not at the hotel - but they are being taken somewhere, which is also a big minus. Because there is no longer any desire to go somewhere. We did not go, we had dinner for a fee near the pool. In principle, you can order in the room. (it cost about 180 pounds for two - about 1000 rubles).
The service at the table was organized unrealistic by Egyptian standards, 3 waiters flew in and for 2 minutes they moved glasses, napkins, etc. , the chief waiter constantly drifted and vigilantly monitored the service. The portions are huge - I didn't finish half of the chicken grill - I asked for "to-go". Packed, wrapped in a special box. Didn't regret it. Breakfast was a fig and I had an excellent breakfast with my chicken and rice - it was wonderful to warm it up in a toaster.
Tez tour of course for the refusal of dinner does not reimburse anything. Yes, to hell with them. In the questionnaire when leaving for their question - why they chose the tour - I always write honestly, because the rest are even worse. But that doesn't mean I'm so happy.
------------------
By the way, they now have WiFI on their buses right on the road - whoever has communicators - you probably need to sit there in the ask.
We took a portable DVD on the bus (they didn't show anything on the bus). People looked at us with envy.
7 hours to Cairo. From Cairo to Alexandria for another 3 hours. And back - and in general all 10-11 hours. Pretty tiring.
--------------------
AAA ...minus remembered. When leaving for an excursion, you collect a box with breakfast yourself. You choose how to make your own sandwiches, which rolls to take, etc. - this is a plus. But when you arrive at half past one in the morning and expect a late dinner - hell. You stumble across the same breakfast-to-go ingredients. This is a disgusting scam..
I was very disappointed and even offended somewhere ...= (((
---------------------
Actually, there is nothing special to see in Alexandria.
The palace (built in the 1920s) of the last king of Egypt, Farouk (immigrated after the revolution in the 1950s).
The palace is shown from the outside only. Well, it's cute. More pleasing is the Garden around with palm trees - it reminds VDNKh in some way in the summer. They let you walk around the garden for 20 minutes.
Then they give me a quick swim in the Mediterranean Sea (the embankment is pretty) and drag me into the catacombs (there’s not much interesting, you can’t take pictures again, the attempt not to hand over the camera, but only hand over the battery failed. They searched the bag and found a second battery. I was embarrassed, but why ban the video? Flashes, of course, they spoil, but what prevents the video? )
--------------------
The city is also not particularly - the same Cairo, unless these dead trams are interesting - like the oldest operating trams.
Then they are taken to the Quietbay Citadel (some year 1400), which was allegedly built on the site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The view of the port from the last floor of the citadel is pretty and she herself is nothing. It's hot just to walk. Actually everything.
They built a library there, which they proudly call Alexandria (in fact, it is something modern like a pool, with a sloping roof, in high-tech style), but they are very proud, they are sure to be taken to show it. They don't really take you inside. Maybe nothing inside.
Then they bring food. And home.
From Jerusalem, there were really more impressions.
But in general, for those who have not been to Cairo, it is better to go immediately to the 2-day Cairo-Alexandria than just to Cairo.
--------------------
I will post a photo
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
HOTEL
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
The hotel, like last year, works on ALL INCLUSIVE. But the choice of food has become smaller.
The pancakes at the sweets/crepe bar were made in a hacky way, but still edible.
Bars do not start working at the time indicated, but 30-40 minutes later, which is somewhat annoying.
At a meeting, now no one smiles or greets, but in general the attitude of the servants remained good, let's say so - it became indifferent and apathetic. But overall friendly.
There was an opportunity to have lunch and dinner in another restaurant - almost next to the beach (second lobby). Very pleased - because a beautiful view from there to the sea. Lunches in other restaurants - I would call a snack and the food is so-so and takes a long time to serve.
On the beach, now they began not only to make salads / pizza, but also to take out trays with a minimum set for lunch - rice / potatoes / pasta, fish / meat / chicken. It pleased.
I was not pleased that the salads now do not contain all the ingredients that are listed on the menu. Instead of olives - chickpeas. Olive oil may or may not be poured, a tomato may not be put, even if it is provided by logic, etc.
It seems the waiters are running around, but the service has become slower.
But the appearance of lunch in bars and in the second lobby is good, but the minus is now there is no lunch in the Main Restaurant.
Dinner now, in addition to the Main Restaurant and ElSheikh, you can order a la carte from your aunt in the lobby. But personally, I didn’t eat a la carte and then “catch up” in the Main Restaurant.
Drinks are not ok either. I do not advise you to drink cocktails that contain coconut milk on the menu (for example, redsea-special). You will be poured with rum not coconut, but ordinary cow's milk. I assure you that this will not work for you =(((Milk and alcohol are a tough mixture for the stomach and well-being. And milk that has stood warm ...
In general, the choice of drinks is about the same as last year. You can drink.
But lovers of high-quality alcohol - the advice is the same - it is better to take something with you to the duty free airport or buy it in the duty free in Naama.
// In Domodedovo, good duty frees are not the ones that are the first - but those that are at the end, almost before landing. //
The bartender on the beach is the same as last year, but the waiter from the restaurant had a career growth - he no longer runs around with plates, but lazily sells dinner for 18 euros on the beach (which, as usual, no one buys), although last year in our opinion, he did not give hope for promotion)))). How competent management changes a person! ))
Otherwise, the staff has completely changed.
At the entrance there was a counter with guest relations. 3 or 4 girls. What they do is a mystery. They sit and smile from 9 to 18. And if you need to find out something, there is no one.
Trips to Naama from the second reception seem to be free, but at the first reception (maybe I made a mistake, I didn’t specify) they seem to be paid.
Free WiFI appeared in both lobbies (!!! ). We had a laptop with us.
The speed is normal.
All Teztur guides are now sitting with laptops (playing toys, it seems, gee-gee)
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Contingent of vacationers
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
More people with children appeared in the hotel, young people appeared, usually with girls, and as a rule they are either Germans or Russians. There are few singles, so if you are a girl and you are traveling with a friend, you will really get bored here. Others are Europeans - and as a rule, people of middle age from 50 years old. There are a lot of Russians.
The hotel sometimes apparently makes sales for “holes” in the races, because suddenly some strange people from places like Chelyabinsk appeared for a few days, who by the 14th day gathered around them in a bar on the beach 3 more Russian alcoholics with red faces and by 2 days they were no longer knitting bast (although they drank relatively quietly for ours). Then they played volleyball noisily. The people they turned out to be strong and at 2 am they were still drinking at the bar. Then after 2-3 days they disappeared altogether.
They did not look like those people who can afford to go anywhere at all.
But in general, the contingent in the hotel remained normal.
-------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------
Shops near the hotel.
-------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
When leaving the hotel - 70 meters to the left, there used to be 1 supermarket (masks, fins, caps, water, chips, underwater cameras, etc. ), a shop with excursions, a souvenir shop. Now trading shops stretch for 100 meters.
You can buy a mattress for 50 pounds. And then they puff up.
If you walk even further, they say that there is a large shopping center there. Didn't check.
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
ROOM
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
The entire territory of the hotel is already open this year.
The rooms are the weak point of the hotel. We realized this last year. If you are with a child. most likely you will be given a spacious room to put extra trouble for the child. But if you are alone, most likely the room will be small.
The view from the rooms also, most likely, will not be particularly pleasing.
This time I had to pay 80 pounds (the receptionist wanted 100). While we picked up a decent number for ourselves, we went through 3 options (the general rule is to give money at the end after watching) - but as a result we got some kind of sea-veiw. All the same, waking up for 14 days with a view of the blue wave is more pleasant than with a view of the next wall.
In the room, as before, they DO NOT put a complimentary 1.5 liter bottle of water for brushing your teeth every day - now only 1 time at the entrance. This is a minus - because if you forgot to take some water with you at night - where can you find it to drink at night.
Towels are washed worse (once they brought a harsh smell of smoke). Housekeeping is not to say that bad. Tolerable.
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
LATE CHECK-OUT
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
You can still check out at 12-00, hand over your things at the reception and then after the beach before leaving, get the keys to the shower room to wash and change. You can pay extra and stay in the room until 15-00
Teztour this time arrived even 10 minutes earlier than it was announced in the info posted at the reception.
----------------------------------------------
Flight
-----------------------------------------------------
We flew back and forth VIM avia (in the past - this is a disgusting company, for many years they wrote about their delays of 14 hours, loss of luggage, etc. ).
This year, Tez has neither Transaero nor Atlant Union for some reason.
The choice was Vimavia (dme) and Aeroflot-Nord (Sheremet).
After reading on the Internet that Nord does not seem to be Aeroflot at all, they simply did not have time to rename it, and in general it was almost bankrupt - they still chose Vim-Avia. Fine. Without delay. Flying Boeing.
They feed normally. The flight attendants are nice. I was surprised that again, as in the good old days, they began to carry Duty-free in flight. It seems like you still can’t drink in flight, but they sell alcohol. Strange))) apparently a crisis ...
There was no check-in when we left. There were queues. Some kind of Arab, according to whom the plane had not even arrived yet, was puffed up for everything.
Then they quickly checked everyone in, drove past the duty free and put them on the plane, which took off almost immediately with a delay of only 30 minutes.
Vim-Avia is still woodpeckers - they broke off my wheel from a suitcase bought in Egypt about 3 years ago (with great bargaining! ))) for 28 dollars!
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
BEACH
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
With the exchange of beach towels, it became clearer.
In the evening there were 2 fresh beach towels in the room. With them to the beach. After the beach, there were two more new ones in the room. And you leave the old ones - in the morning they will take them with shower towels. Then something in this system broke down, they didn’t receive new beach towels at all for a couple of days (there was a big check-in, maybe that’s why).
The main beach is mostly loaded to capacity. Since I like to sleep - they came to the beach at 12:00 and (except for the last day) - they always managed to find 2 sunbeds, apparently some of them left for lunch by this time. After 15-00 it became freer in general.
-----------------------
Sunbed battle
-----------------------
We watched once a battle for a sunbed (the Italians clashed with ours). The conversation was in a raised tone with the arbitrator - a beach employee. He found that there were towels on the sunbed, no one had been there for a long time and freed him for ours. The Italians flew in - they say we are sitting here and that's it. They recaptured their sunbed, our sunbeds were found with great difficulty later. The rule is to release the sunbed. if he left long ago - it is written in the rules of the hotel . . Personally, I support this.
Someone here wrote earlier that people came at 6 in the morning, put down towels and left - they are now struggling with this. If there is no one on the sunbeds for a long time, the beach worker writes on the umbrella post with chalk the time when he noticed that no one was there, but the towels were lying. After a couple of hours, the beds are forcibly released. And it is right. Borrow at 6 am nefig))))
But the real minus is that it is not easy to find a sunbed on the beach.
----------------------
I was glad that now they are not driven out of the water until the sun sets. Swimming pool.
which is closer to the beach even after sunset also worked. They don’t kick you out of the beach at all, lie down for yourself after sunset as much as you like (if anyone wants to, of course)).
----------------------
relax-beach
-----------------------
From the new - a new RELAX beach has appeared with such tents. (and appeared by the pools)
Of course, the tents are pretty, but in general they are quite hot, and this relaxation beach itself is located, as it were, in a gorge, there is no shower, no bar, no waiters (you have to get up after swimming to wash and drink). But it's quiet there.
The old entrance to the water on the left was closed, two new ones were opened - on the right by the beach and from relaxation.
--------------------------
WATER ENTRANCES
--------------------------
The entrances are disgusting, ugly, completely idiotic, and climbing back is quite difficult, because the first step is quite high.
This is something to keep in mind if you are an elderly person.
As before, I recommend buying a mattress - swimming right away is much more fun, they will inflate it there when buying (a mattress is only 50 pounds in stores to the left of the hotel - i.
e. about 10 dollars).
If you reach the highest point of the hotel on the right (on the right, above the relax beach), then there is a passage to the neighboring hotel, and you can go for a walk further along the coast (theoretically).
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Beach animation
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Volleyball remained in the corner of the beach, darts disappeared somewhere, boccia remained (a game with iron balls)
Badminton has arrived! (Hurrah Hurrah).
The rest of the melancholy is green as it was. Since I like to lie down to read, I'm fine.
But longing was written on the faces of girls aged 18-20.
Although the pools still have a small movement like aqua aerobics or water polo.
Sports animators work sucks, lazily, in general, the entire hotel staff, and in shops and in general the Arabs move in some kind of suspended animation. And Ramadan (this year in September just) here I don’t think what’s the matter.
Usually, in Ramadan, the Arabs are lively.
I was even surprised, I didn’t see anything like this in Egypt - some kind of apathy among the local population.
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
SEA and REEF
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
A couple of times, when the sea was rough, from somewhere on the right they brought plastic bags and some other garbage.
Was unpleasantly surprised.
Small crabs the size of a fingernail have grown in a year and now such wild boars run around the reef at low tide - the size of a fist))) pleased))). There are more big fish - they graze on the reef from above - it is convenient to observe the life of animals right from the shore (who does not like to swim with a mask). And so, as before - with a mask - it's a pleasure. The reef is good as it was and remains. There were no fewer fish.
I wrote about the entrance to the water - two new entrances. The old one was closed because the staircase was rusty and you could cut your legs (but we sometimes went down there, fig, although they wrapped the entrance with ropes)
Restrictive buoys appeared on the water.
To the right, about 15 meters from the relax beach, a flock of 5-6 barracudas is constantly on duty)))
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
FOOD & FRUIT
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
With food, as I said, it became poorer, quite, quite tolerably, but you can see the crisis here too.
Salad dressings are scarce. Finely chopped onion, grated cheese (they dragged it into their salad from the pasta rack), and a finely cut tomato also disappeared somewhere. But in general, you can make a salad for yourself.
Interesting soups appeared - for example, our Russian cabbage soup (quite an excellent soup! )
There were days when there were Russian dishes, Thai (supposedly). Generally edible.
It's still really okay to eat an hour before the restaurant closes, but later they don't renew the trays like they used to.
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Animation at the hotel, trips to Naama
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
In the evenings on the roof of the Main Building - as before, some skits, numbers of full-time animators.
The chief animator is now German. Somehow he’s not really ...There are no Russians in the animation - but there is a Swiss, an Austrian and a Georgian (suddenly even somehow).
The photographer, as before, the whole day now does not walk around and does not click on everyone he comes across.
Earlier in the evening - the animators showed the "life of the hotel" on the big screen with a general gathering of people. Now there is no such thing. But in vain. It was fun before.
Animation is still - a dull city, however, as elsewhere in Egypt.
Pool tables are busy most of the time. The tables themselves are worn out. The nets under the pockets are stretched out and the balls fall to the floor - it's annoying. But it's real to play.
Table tennis remains.
Hookah in the rooftop bar for a fee as it was 4 euros.
Taxis in Naama in the evening were caught not for 20 pounds, but for 15.
In Duty free in Naama, a bottle of Omar Khayam costs something around 55-60 pounds. At the hotel - 180.
We wanted to play bowling in Naama, but we couldn't find where.
New buildings have appeared in Naama on shopping streets - everything is being modernized, the local flavor is disappearing, and this is a pity.
Solid glass and concrete. However, globalization
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
TOURS
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
This time we went to Cairo-Alexandria (of course, because of Alexandria). It costs $ 150 on the nose of the Tez-tour.
If you've been everywhere before, you can go. If you have not been somewhere, it is better to go where you have not been.
There is not much to see in Alexandria. There is nothing left of the Greeks. And the Arabs did not build anything other than mosques.
To begin with, I was not pleased with the stop for breakfast - a complete shame for TezTour. So write it down. Not a cafe, but a dump. As I ventured to drink tea for 8 pounds - the current is apparently awake.
Tunnel under the Suez Canal - one lane in each direction. 2800 meters. But it's ok, you go fast.
At the entrance and exit of the tunnel - on the hills - the military with machine guns and thorns.
By the way, Teztur plus that there were 2 drivers.
Minus - before there were three receipts. One guide who sold, one to you, one on the bus you give. Now there are 2 of them - and the guide on the bus takes your receipt and it turns out that you were kind of absent on the tour. If anything, you can’t prove that you were sitting on this bus at all and that you even bought an excursion. I had to argue with them a little.
I won the dispute, but they seem to have not understood what the trouble is.
------------------------------
First, as usual, Cairo. I was 10 years ago in the Cairo Museum and forgot how hot it is. There is no air conditioning - I do not recommend it for older people. I got bored in the museum with a guide, so we walked on our own. Then we saw some European who hired a personal Arab guide and regretted that they didn’t do the same (although this is only suitable for those who normally speak English).
Air conditioning is only in Tutankhamun's hall. And so the museum is really stuffy, hot and not happy.
Taking pictures and videos, even for money, is now prohibited in the museum (I didn’t understand the topic).
Then, as usual, the Pyramids, the Sphinx. Then the market. Were purchased 2 pretty baskets of palm leaves (in the hotel - similar soap dishes) - 2 pieces for 20 pounds for both (even our driver nodded his head approvingly about the price).
What pleases me is that they drag me to the shops AFTER the main program (I stayed to sleep on the bus, they drag me like papyrus, oil and gold), maybe someone is interested.
--------------------------------
Overnight in Cairo is also tolerable. Oasis Hotel 4 * right next to Giza, quite decent. Only dinner is not at the hotel - but they are being taken somewhere, which is also a big minus. Because there is no longer any desire to go somewhere. We did not go, we had dinner for a fee near the pool. In principle, you can order in the room. (it cost about 180 pounds for two - about 1000 rubles).
The service at the table was organized unrealistic by Egyptian standards, 3 waiters flew in and for 2 minutes they moved glasses, napkins, etc. , the chief waiter constantly drifted and vigilantly monitored the service. The portions are huge - I didn't finish half of the chicken grill - I asked for "to-go". Packed, wrapped in a special box. Didn't regret it. Breakfast was a fig and I had an excellent breakfast with my chicken and rice - it was wonderful to warm it up in a toaster.
Tez tour of course for the refusal of dinner does not reimburse anything. Yes, to hell with them. In the questionnaire when leaving for their question - why they chose the tour - I always write honestly, because the rest are even worse. But that doesn't mean I'm so happy.
------------------
By the way, they now have WiFI on their buses right on the road - whoever has communicators - you probably need to sit there in the ask.
We took a portable DVD on the bus (they didn't show anything on the bus). People looked at us with envy.
7 hours to Cairo. From Cairo to Alexandria for another 3 hours. And back - and in general all 10-11 hours. Pretty tiring.
--------------------
AAA ...minus remembered. When leaving for an excursion, you collect a box with breakfast yourself. You choose how to make your own sandwiches, which rolls to take, etc. - this is a plus. But when you arrive at half past one in the morning and expect a late dinner - hell. You stumble across the same breakfast-to-go ingredients. This is a disgusting scam..
I was very disappointed and even offended somewhere ...= (((
---------------------
Actually, there is nothing special to see in Alexandria.
The palace (built in the 1920s) of the last king of Egypt, Farouk (immigrated after the revolution in the 1950s).
The palace is shown from the outside only. Well, it's cute. More pleasing is the Garden around with palm trees - it reminds VDNKh in some way in the summer. They let you walk around the garden for 20 minutes.
Then they give me a quick swim in the Mediterranean Sea (the embankment is pretty) and drag me into the catacombs (there’s not much interesting, you can’t take pictures again, the attempt not to hand over the camera, but only hand over the battery failed. They searched the bag and found a second battery. I was embarrassed, but why ban the video? Flashes, of course, they spoil, but what prevents the video? )
--------------------
The city is also not particularly - the same Cairo, unless these dead trams are interesting - like the oldest operating trams.
Then they are taken to the Quietbay Citadel (some year 1400), which was allegedly built on the site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. The view of the port from the last floor of the citadel is pretty and she herself is nothing. It's hot just to walk. Actually everything.
They built a library there, which they proudly call Alexandria (in fact, it is something modern like a pool, with a sloping roof, in high-tech style), but they are very proud, they are sure to be taken to show it. They don't really take you inside. Maybe nothing inside.
Then they bring food. And home.
From Jerusalem, there were really more impressions.
But in general, for those who have not been to Cairo, it is better to go immediately to the 2-day Cairo-Alexandria than just to Cairo.
--------------------
I will post a photo
Translated automatically from Russian. View original
Comments (10)
leave a comment
Show other comments …
