Королева Шарма — приятное открытие! Queen Sharma is a pleasant discovery!

I really liked the hotel and I was satisfied with my vacation, so I can recommend it, despite the large number of negative reviews.
At the beginning, important options about the hotel:
- bottled water is not given out (this is written on their website and do not believe those who sell vouchers). There are many coolers on the territory of the hotel (in the lobby, restaurant, by the pools, near the beach). You are expected to drink from cups. Personally, it’s not convenient for me, I need water supplies at night, otherwise I’ll panic (“manechka” is like that : ). Therefore, in violation of the rules, I collected a small bottle, which is always with me. Many did this, but without impudence, carefully (not in a restaurant).
- the beach and coral are good - there is not even a special need to take excursions for snorkeling somewhere far out to sea.
- Wi-Fi is available at the reception for free. But, rather weak, if everyone is sitting there, but there : ).
- safe in the rooms is free.

- quite officially, to get a room by the sea or by the main pool, you can pay extra money. Printed reception rates: $30 for a sea view room, $20 for a poolside room.
- the hotel is well located - not far from the Old Town and very close to the street for walking "El Mercato".
- the hotel was “sharpened” for Italians, now Ukrainians mostly stay here : ). There are guests from Kazakhstan (maybe Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan - I didn’t specify, but I noticed). There are not many Italians at all (probably 15-20 pieces) and very few Arabs. It seems that there was a plane from the Russian Federation, but I didn’t “catch” anyone for communication.
Now impressions.
As I have already noted, they are the most pleasant. My tour operator said that I describe this hotel as something outstanding, although there are better hotels. : ) But, I have not been to “better”, but have been to “worse”, so make allowances for my “enthusiasm”, but it will be my true “travel truth”! Maybe someone else, but I have exactly the way I write.

I had a “good” check-in - early in the morning on 01/26/2019 and check-out at 15-40 on 02/03/2019. The group that arrived in the morning (arrived at 9 am) immediately took passports and vouchers for settlement. Settled at 12-20 (and it should be after 14-00), received the keys and a card for a beach towel. Since I didn’t pay anything extra, they settled in cottages behind the reception - it’s like a second line, but in fact it’s not, because the hotel has even further rooms and a second reception with access to the shopping street). In general, the room was overlooking the second pool and a small water park. The sea was also visible. Everything is very quiet and beautiful, which is what you need. When I was settled, one couple refused to go there under the pretext of a "sore leg", and I had 2 rooms to choose from. I asked for the 2nd floor. For this, the porter tore off me 2 bucks and a chocolate bar (asked 4 bucks for such a good number). Well, I don't know how. I did not rummage around in other rooms, but my room was quite comfortable. I immediately checked everything (so that the light, toilet and safe worked). It turned out that there was no lock on the balcony door (it was broken with meat), but I no longer found fault. Yet the second floor and outside there is no handle. But in practice, then, in general, I often left the balcony door open when I went to the sea, for ventilation. Many also did not close the balcony doors even on the first floor and walked through them. There were no cases of missing things with me. The only thing the hotel guide Nadezhda warned about was that tourists steal beach towels left unattended from each other (this is in many hotels in Egypt). Someone did not want to pay a fine for the loss of a beach towel (like $ 10), stole it from someone, and that one from the next....and this is how this quest lasts.
The number is standard (without Arabic exotics). They removed it only if I left a tip (chocolates are also suitable as a tip - take more). So I could "adjust" the cleaner's visits as needed (mostly if I ran out of toilet paper). There were enough towels in the room. I did not need to change bed linen (at home it is considered normal to change bed linen once a week here as well). There was no "bath" set - there was liquid soap in the dispensers. But, I brought my shampoo + conditioner in bags. The water was not too warm. In the beginning, after -17 at home, the shower here seemed quite normal. Then it was already not very pleasant in the morning (it was a bit cold), but in the late afternoon the water became warmer.
About the rooms - those by the central pool, it is very noisy there, especially in the evening, when the animation or the company eats shrimp with beer under their own music. Bad neighbors, this is of course the problem of any hotel. But, to put it mildly, I am simply “pissed off” by people who drag tape recorders with them (and not too lazy) to listen to all kinds of musical rubbish very loudly. Well, there are headphones! Listen quietly, there is no need for everyone to listen about “sad eyes”, “domes on the back” and “splayed limbs” or whatever else you can think of that is not suitable for the sea and a pleasant stay.
The territory is not big, but beautiful: everything is in greenery and flowers! The gardeners are great as always. The staff was also friendly, nothing was a problem. Everyone is especially happy if you know at least a couple of words in Arabic and behave politely, and not like a crazy gentleman with lackeys. Let me remind you of the well-known truth: “bees fly for honey, not for poop”, that is, as you are to the world, so it is to you. If you are a normal person, then everything will be fine. It is useless to solve problems with rudeness and rudeness, life will punish sooner or later. So relax and behave decently and with dignity.

Food. Everything is quite standard (better than in some fives). Breakfast is poor (fried eggs, cheese, rolls, bean puree, tomatoes and cucumbers, which were quickly snapped up by everyone). From meat - their terrible sausage. There were toast and pancakes. Oil was not provided. Although when the Americans arrived (a suspicious company of middle-aged people who did not rest, but spent the night and dined at the hotel), they were given oil and honey in packages. For dinner and lunch, the food is more varied: already two types of meat (for example: chicken and beef stroganoff, or fish and chicken, etc. ). There were also soups and salads. Side dishes: potatoes, a variety of rice, legumes, pasta. In general, look at the photos - you probably don’t eat so plentifully at home. From fruits: melon, oranges, dates, guava, bananas (once even fried bananas). I don’t understand where the dissatisfied come from, but they are always and everywhere. But the owner of the hotel - the Italian also ate with everyone in the restaurant and he had no complaints about the cuisine and the quality of the products. The bar on the main pool has a special paid menu of "seafood". But, in the Old City, seafood and its preparation are cheaper. At the bars during the day they gave pizza that was not bad at all, but it was quickly snapped up (two aunts successfully emptied the tray), and a new one was not brought immediately, there were queues (it was difficult to try - just to report back).
The drinks. There are water coolers all around with yupi-type drinks - pineapple, lemon, orange, mango, apple. There are coolers and all sorts of sprites. Of course there is beer, but I don't drink it and can't rate it. But strong alcoholic drinks (gin, whiskey, rum) are simply disgusting (since 2007 everything has deteriorated very much). There was wine, but I could not drink red, only white. In general, visit your own : ) if you really need it.
Beach. Two-level - the main part is large with sun umbrellas and below, near the pontoon, a small area with sunbeds without umbrellas. Before breakfast, it is easy to take the first row of sunbeds overlooking the sea. There is enough space for everyone, because no one was lying around without sunbeds. Of course, a large crowd sits by the central pool, but the hotel is not filled to capacity, so everything is convenient. There are showers around, but no changing rooms. The nearest toilet is on the ground floor where the hookah bar is located, the second one is already on the 3rd floor (at the reception). Of the entertainment on the beach - volleyball, bocha. The pool darts and animators. And of course the pontoon is the trouble of the hotel. Fall off him once to spit. Especially if the waves. It will be inconvenient and dangerous for the elderly and disabled to use this thing. Of course, you can splash a little from the shore, but not far, because although the coral is dead, it is full of hedgehogs. In addition, at low tide, you can’t plunge into the water at all, it may not even reach your knees. Therefore, to swim in the sea you need a pontoon. They don’t let you into the next one, and don’t rely on it (they offer for 30 bucks a day : ), if you officially ask). So this is an essential point to consider if you want to swim in the sea or snorkel. And the snork is good.
Coral in the form of a wall, as elsewhere in Sharm (although there are a couple of ledges). But, it seems to me that there are no currents and strong waves (mostly), so it’s convenient to swim. The best beach of Sharma (even an attraction) - the beach near the Phanara (Mayak) hotel is not very far away, so there is probably something to see here: there are enough fish. I think you can rate the coral of the hotel at 4 (on a five-point system). In addition to the ubiquitous striped abudevdufs, there were parrots, surgeons, butterflies, rhinoceros, boxfish, all sorts of triggerfish, tylosurs, flutes, etc. It seems that under a blue stone near the last buoy, a moray eel lives in a hole (I did not see, vacationers did). Well, in general, the fish can be rated at 4 with a minus, since there were not many interesting ones. Well at least once I saw my favorite - a yellow balistode. The network is full of videos of how “aggressive” he is and attacks a person, but on the contrary, he avoids me, but I like him so much... But there is nothing to tease the fish when it is “sitting on the nest” and will not attack you! In general, there is something to see here, the main thing is to behave correctly and at the beginning to read at least a little about “wild” fish and their features. Well, do not climb on the coral (there were victims of cuts).

The hotel also has a shopping center (on the second floor) under the reception. The choice here is not rich, prices (for masks) are a couple of dollars higher than in the Old City or El Mercato. The main thing is that there are ATMs where you can exchange dollars for pounds. Pounds better to pay, it's cheaper. Although, most likely you yourself will not understand how to use an ATM for exchange and where to put a bill, but the merchants will help. But, the rate is 17.6 pounds per buck, and the ATM does not give change and rounds not in your favor (17 pounds each). In addition, the hotel is in a good location, and there is a whole street of banks nearby (on the way to the Old City), where you can exchange large bills for "van dollar", and "van dollar" is the usual price for many goods in the Old City ( for example, limes, pomegranates, fresh juices, toothpaste and shampoo, etc. ).
Sharma's problem is mountainous and hilly. And unique architecture. In this hotel, let from the reception to the beach is quite labor intensive. Of course, there is an elevator (from the reception through the shopping center to the first floor with a hookah), but there are times when it does not work. There are stairs and passages all around, sometimes slippery tiles, sometimes not comfortable surfaces for walking. The hotel is designed for strong and healthy people who do not have difficulty walking a lot over rough terrain. It is not designed for the elderly, children and the disabled. Of course, they are here, but they are clearly very uncomfortable. What if the elevator doesn't work. . .
Mosquitoes and other insects. They are being bullied here. Around 16-00 they go with "smoke". I was only disturbed by mosquitoes on the first day, but I sprayed the head of the bed with my spray and somehow it all went away. No one "got" at night, nothing was bitten. So I can’t confirm the “passion-muzzle” - everything was ok with me. It is very nice that they do not cut off the bracelets after check-out and you can use the restaurant. In addition, at the reception at the bar, a table with sandwiches and buns is laid from the second half of the day - you can always refresh yourself (for example, those who have not settled in or arrived from an excursion).
Well, in general, I think enough. The hotel is interesting, suitable for me. I can recommend to snork lovers. By the way, you can watch Alexey's video about this hotel on youtube so that the picture is convincing and visual. Personally, I would come here boldly, rest well, and shorten the winter. Thanks to this hotel, I even changed my opinion about Sharm for the better. Thank you!