Наша первая "слегка подпорченная" поездка в Шарм Our first "slightly tainted" trip to Sharm

Although almost 1.5 years have passed since our trip to this hotel, but the memories are very fresh and I want to write right away I will not say a very flattering review about this hotel.
We rested in Sonesta Beach and Casino 5 * from October 27 to November 4.2011, my daughter and I are 9 years old. Through the tour operator Coral-Travel. Departure from Sheremetyevo-F, by Transaero airline at 16-40.
And now in more detail.

1. SETTLEMENT. We got to the hotel quickly in 20 minutes. Our hotel was 3 in a row. We were already at the hotel at 21-00 local time. The guide from the bus took our passports (with $ 20 deposited in advance) and escorted us to the sofas at the reception, and he hurried to the bus. As usual, I quickly filled out the questionnaire and literally in 10 minutes. We were given the key to the room. I note that they did not take money from the passport. When I myself offered money for a good room, they answered me. that our number is already very good and should not be changed.
2. NUMBER. Room 605 was really nice on the 1st floor and located next to the main, Indian and Italian restaurants. The room for two was just huge, there is everything you need a mini-bar (paid despite the fact that we had ALL) (replenished daily 2 cans of Baraka beer, 2 cans of Heineken beer, 2 cans of cola, fanta or sprite, 2 bottles of still water, and 2 bottles of sparkling water, 2 small bags of juice, 2 chocolates and 2 bags of crackers and nuts, the price list was on the mini -bar), safe, TV (3 Russian channels), air conditioning, 2 beds (large 1.5 sleeping). The furniture in the rooms, though not new, but "not killed. " In a very small bathroom with hygiene products shampoo, shower gel, hair conditioner, shower cap, soap, liquid soap, etc. , there is a hairdryer. There is a drying facility above the bathroom. The room was not cleaned very well, although we put $ 2 every day, but when I found a transparent wrapper from a water bottle accidentally dropped by my daughter, already AFTER CLEANING, I stopped putting money (although the lack of money did not affect the quality of cleaning). Everything in the room worked and there were no problems. And VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION there are ants in the hotel room (maybe because we were at the end of October? ). Even if we take into account that every evening at about 16.30 - 17.00 hotel staff walk around the territory with a "chimney" (the smell is terrible, at the sight of this procedure, vacationers scatter to their rooms and close all windows) and spray plants from all sorts of insects, ants in the rooms, it's all the same there is.
3. FOOD. The hotel has 1 main restaurant and 3 a la carte restaurants of which Citadel is free, you need to sign up in advance at the reception and you can visit it several times. Food for breakfast is more varied scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs (sorry that from the package) with all sorts of additives, pancakes, sausages, chopped vegetables, all kinds of buns, yogurt, sausage, all kinds of cereal with milk. From drinks tea, instant coffee, pseudo juices (instant UPI). But for lunch and dinner, the food, to put it mildly, is not very much according to 1 type of meat, chicken, fish, from the side dish, too, one type of rice, pasta and potatoes, there are no fries, and naturally chopped vegetables. Ready salads are generally not possible. Of the fruits were only apples, oranges, dates. There don't seem to be many desserts, 5-6 cakes cost absolutely the same, but with different "roses" decorations. There are enough tables in the restaurant and the waiters for orders for drinks and then with drinks came very quickly. We went to the Citadel restaurant, the food is very decent, buffet snacks, and drinks and hot menu. On the 4th day of our vacation, in the evening my stomach ached wildly, my temperature rose, and in the morning, sorry, diarrhea started (although I never eat ready-made salads in hotels, and eat only chopped vegetables, fish and chicken without any gravy). But thanks to the ENTEROPHORIL I took with me, my stomach ached for only 3 days, without medicine it would have been much worse.
4. BARS. There are 4 bars and cafes in the hotel and on the territory, and they are scattered throughout the hotel so that you won’t find it if you want to. Lobby bar at the reception, beach bar, pool bar next to the amphitheater and bar by the main pool. Beer and other drinks are served with nuts or chips, but you ALWAYS have to ask. There is discrimination in the hotel bars, foreigners are served drinks in glass, Russians in plastic, and on the beach, in general, juices and beer are poured 1 glass in each hand, the queues are terrible and the second glass (for example, for a child who is lying on a sunbed at that moment) nobody to you will not give. At my request to pour juice for the child, the bartender asked to bring the child, and then he would pour it. HORRIBLE!

5. ENTERTAINMENT and ANIMATION. Entertainment as well as Animation in the hotel is practically no. In the evening in the amphitheater by the pool from 20-00 to 20-30 mini disco. And for adults at the same time, on the terrace of the main restaurant, a small show lasting 30-40 minutes. And THIS IS ALL.
If you need Animation, then on the nearby beach of the Guffy Resort Hotel in the morning there is always aqua aerobics and various outdoor games and competitions. In the evening, for entertainment, you need to go to Naama Bay.
6. BEACH AND SEA. The beach is wide but short, there are a lot of sunbeds, but still not enough for everyone. The beach can still be used by vacationers from Sonesta Club 4*. Therefore, I came to the beach at 7-30 in the morning, occupied sun loungers, sunbathed, and at 9 o’clock I followed my daughter to the room. The sea is warm (25-28 degrees) and very clean. Entry into the sea from pantone (depth approx. 1.5 meters) or from the shore, the depth begins gradually, but when an adult is just above the knee, special "coral slippers" are needed (if you haven't brought them with you, you can buy them in shops near the beach for 10 $, or in the Old City for $ 4-5). There are a lot of fish, there is a small reef near the panton. Those who can not swim can look at the fish by going into the sea waist-deep or sitting on a pantone. Be careful under pantone lives lionfish. Since this was our first trip to Sharm, we were impressed by the beauty of the sea and the fish.
7. TERRITORY. The hotel area is not large and very stupid, we found an amphitheater and a bar nearby only on the 4th day of our holiday. There are many greenery and flowers on the territory. Near the beach and reception there are souvenir shops, and shops, so souvenirs can be bought there, although the prices are much higher than in Naama or in the Old City.

8. EXCURSIONS. We didn’t immediately take excursions from the hotel guide (daughter does not tolerate the road well), they said that we would think, after which the guide immediately lost interest in us and said that it would be too late to think that we see him for the first and last time and more in our he will not appear at the hotel (although he himself was at the reception every day from 18.00 to 19.00). Then he was rude to us, took the vouchers and left.
P. S. As before, I draw my own conclusions. If there is a choice of holidays in Turkey or Egypt, then only Egypt, in Hurghada only in the PeakAlbatros hotel chain... all the same, service and food (for Egypt) are at a high level. And if you choose between Sharm and Hurghada, then this Sharm is not this hotel.