Choose this hotel only if you have a very limited budget, and it will have the lowest price! The hotel is located in a place where there is a very strong wind from the sea, so it is not comfortable to be on the beach in November, it is already cold at three o'clock in the afternoon, the water is cold, there are fish, but you have to swim far to the reefs.
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Choose this hotel only if you have a very limited budget, and it will have the lowest price! The hotel is located in a place where there is a very strong wind from the sea, so it is not comfortable to be on the beach in November, it is already cold at three o'clock in the afternoon, the water is cold, there are fish, but you have to swim far to the reefs. You will have a small piece of beach, because you can't go to the beach of the nearby hotel, you can't even swim in the sea, the guard immediately shouts and it's just terrible, because it's too much to share the sea between hotels! The pools are cold and no one swam in them. You can take a bus to the water park, which is open from 10 a. m. to 12 p. m. and from 2 p. m. to 4 p. m. The water park itself is large, the slides are wonderful, but the bad thing is that you cannot go to the beach near the water park and you need to ride a bus here and there. If you like cleanliness, you should not come here either, because everywhere is very dirty, they hardly ever clean.
The rooms on the first floor are currently under renovation, so be prepared to listen to the workers working all day if you are given a room next to them. In terms of food, the impression is ambiguous: at dinner there is a very good choice, there is fish, chicken, crabs, mussels, and beef, but for breakfast there is nothing tasty except scrambled eggs, at lunch there is also a small selection and everything is not tasty. Alcohol is terrible, beer is impossible to drink. Pizza, hamburgers, french fries are served on the beach, pancakes and ice cream after 16.00, but after 16.00 it is so cold that there is nothing to do on the beach. Only in the bar near the reception you can drink coffee from the machine, in other places the coffee is terrible. In the evening, the hotel is boring, only drunk Russians arrange karaoke and dances with animators, there is no show. The location of the hotel is not very good, to get out of it you have to walk for 10 minutes, then a street with shops...that's all civilization. You can go to Senzo Mall, it's a 45-minute walk. No more going anywhere.
WiFi is free at the reception and works well. We will not return to this hotel again, even if the price is low
The rooms on the first floor are currently under renovation, so be prepared to listen to the workers working all day if you are given a room next to them. In terms of food, the impression is ambiguous: at dinner there is a very good choice, there is fish, chicken, crabs, mussels, and beef, but for breakfast there is nothing tasty except scrambled eggs, at lunch there is also a small selection and everything is not tasty. Alcohol is terrible, beer is impossible to drink. Pizza, hamburgers, french fries are served on the beach, pancakes and ice cream after 16.00, but after 16.00 it is so cold that there is nothing to do on the beach. Only in the bar near the reception you can drink coffee from the machine, in other places the coffee is terrible. In the evening, the hotel is boring, only drunk Russians arrange karaoke and dances with animators, there is no show. The location of the hotel is not very good, to get out of it you have to walk for 10 minutes, then a street with shops...that's all civilization. You can go to Senzo Mall, it's a 45-minute walk. No more going anywhere.
WiFi is free at the reception and works well. We will not return to this hotel again, even if the price is low
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• traveled 5 years ago
We arrived at 5 am at this hotel and were horrified. This is not a hotel, this is a stable. There is no light, no one, some miracle comes out in a smeared sheepskin coat and begins to decorate us. And he tells us directly that if we want to check in before 14:00, then we need to pay $ 10. Number killed, asphalt-colored towels, linen from the same collection.
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We arrived at 5 am at this hotel and were horrified. This is not a hotel, this is a stable. There is no light, no one, some miracle comes out in a smeared sheepskin coat and begins to decorate us. And he tells us directly that if we want to check in before 14:00, then we need to pay $ 10. Number killed, asphalt-colored towels, linen from the same collection. We booked a 3-seater, but there were only 2 beds in the room and we are starting to tighten the cot. But everything would be fine, but there is nowhere to put it. And he puts it just in the middle of the room. And the passage simply does not remain. But the apogee of all this is the lack of hot water. NO HOT WATER!!! ! Seriously?!! ! At the reception they say what will happen, wait and we resignedly went to the beach.
The territory is large, but nothing works. The pool is dirty and most likely no one has cleaned it for a long time and is clearly not going to clean it.
In the evening, returning to the room and hoping to take a shower, what do we see? We see that there is no hot water.
In general, if you want a holiday with negative impressions, then welcome.
The territory is large, but nothing works. The pool is dirty and most likely no one has cleaned it for a long time and is clearly not going to clean it.
In the evening, returning to the room and hoping to take a shower, what do we see? We see that there is no hot water.
In general, if you want a holiday with negative impressions, then welcome.
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They lacked up to 10 points for decent service. Watered down booze. Check-in was average. We chose this hotel because it was the best option. When we arrived, the heated pool did not work, they tried to fix it for 3 days. Purely then when you give a tip, if something is somewhere, then if you don’t add anything, then nothing will happen.
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They lacked up to 10 points for decent service. Watered down booze. Check-in was average. We chose this hotel because it was the best option. When we arrived, the heated pool did not work, they tried to fix it for 3 days. Purely then when you give a tip, if something is somewhere, then if you don’t add anything, then nothing will happen. It is better to choose another hotel, the price does not match the quality.
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Went a second time. After the first time, we were under a positive impression, so we chose it again. There are no complaints about the staff and rooms - I put 4+. Food is normal, as in Egypt. BUT: - upon arrival we found out that - the pools were lowered near the hotel, the water park is paid, there is no animation! ( They started arguing, asking for a meeting with the hotel manager, after 3 days the pools were repaired and the water was turned on.
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Went a second time. After the first time, we were under a positive impression, so we chose it again.
There are no complaints about the staff and rooms - I put 4+.
Food is normal, as in Egypt.
BUT: - upon arrival we found out that - the pools were lowered near the hotel, the water park is paid, there is no animation! (
They started arguing, asking for a meeting with the hotel manager, after 3 days the pools were repaired and the water was turned on. Animation was once, at least something! Belly dance and national dance, it was interesting.
The sign has been removed from the hotel today. We were one of the last. . .
There are no complaints about the staff and rooms - I put 4+.
Food is normal, as in Egypt.
BUT: - upon arrival we found out that - the pools were lowered near the hotel, the water park is paid, there is no animation! (
They started arguing, asking for a meeting with the hotel manager, after 3 days the pools were repaired and the water was turned on. Animation was once, at least something! Belly dance and national dance, it was interesting.
The sign has been removed from the hotel today. We were one of the last. . .
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• 2
The check-in went well, but the hotel was not pleasant. The room is not very good, there was no repair for a long time, the hairdryer is Soviet, the bathroom is new, they clean well. There are many unfinished bungalows on the territory, construction debris can be seen on the territory. The food is not very good, there were days without meat and fish for dinner.
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The check-in went well, but the hotel was not pleasant. The room is not very good, there was no repair for a long time, the hairdryer is Soviet, the bathroom is new, they clean well. There are many unfinished bungalows on the territory, construction debris can be seen on the territory. The food is not very good, there were days without meat and fish for dinner. The beach is clean, the entry into the sea is good. There are many shops outside the territory, opposite the hotel, and immediately at the entrance, 2 restaurants. .
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• traveled 5 years ago
I'll start like everyone else, we chose the hotel for the price, the reviews were different. The hotel has 5 stars, but I wouldn't even give it 3! Before that, I rested at 4! We arrived at the hotel at 7 am, the guide on the bus warned that without $ 10 they would not be settled, which they did, we were settled last (of course).
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I'll start like everyone else, we chose the hotel for the price, the reviews were different. The hotel has 5 stars, but I wouldn't even give it 3! Before that, I rested at 4! We arrived at the hotel at 7 am, the guide on the bus warned that without $ 10 they would not be settled, which they did, we were settled last (of course). The staff is terrible, they didn't even hide their dislike.
Of the benefits: the staff speaks Russian, there are many Russians in the hotel, for whom it is good, for whom it is not.
The room was given a shabby, very old, with a fungus, towels and bedding were terribly dirty, on the third day they asked to change, the old towels were taken away, they did not bring new ones. + they also stole $20 on the third day from the bag (but this is my fault, I didn’t take it to the safe). The food is just terrible: 1 type of beef, 1 type of chicken, 1 type of potato, rice, pasta and several types of salads with cucumbers and tomatoes, oak pastries, 7 types of cakes, but every day the same thing, coffee is disgusting and only for breakfast , for lunch and dinner only pineapple and orange juice (powder and water), you can still ask for soda, but it will be poured with a disgruntled face, there is some kind of alcohol (but I didn’t drink).
Animation is completely absent, all the work of the animator is to turn on Russian songs on the beach and invite to the disco for $ 5-10 (do not be fooled), there is nothing to do in the hotel itself, the aqua park is PAID - $ 5, the water is icy there (checked), there are NO heated pools, so we swam in the cold sea (winter is the same), there are no low tides, the entry into the sea is sandy, but this is not the merit of the hotel. The territory is really abandoned, there is a lot of garbage lying around, no one is watching the lawn, the only plus is a lot of palm trees.
I really regretted the money that I spent, despite the fact that we hurried and bought a tour on Friday, on Monday there was already a normal price for good hotels! Do not hurry!
Of the benefits: the staff speaks Russian, there are many Russians in the hotel, for whom it is good, for whom it is not.
The room was given a shabby, very old, with a fungus, towels and bedding were terribly dirty, on the third day they asked to change, the old towels were taken away, they did not bring new ones. + they also stole $20 on the third day from the bag (but this is my fault, I didn’t take it to the safe). The food is just terrible: 1 type of beef, 1 type of chicken, 1 type of potato, rice, pasta and several types of salads with cucumbers and tomatoes, oak pastries, 7 types of cakes, but every day the same thing, coffee is disgusting and only for breakfast , for lunch and dinner only pineapple and orange juice (powder and water), you can still ask for soda, but it will be poured with a disgruntled face, there is some kind of alcohol (but I didn’t drink).
Animation is completely absent, all the work of the animator is to turn on Russian songs on the beach and invite to the disco for $ 5-10 (do not be fooled), there is nothing to do in the hotel itself, the aqua park is PAID - $ 5, the water is icy there (checked), there are NO heated pools, so we swam in the cold sea (winter is the same), there are no low tides, the entry into the sea is sandy, but this is not the merit of the hotel. The territory is really abandoned, there is a lot of garbage lying around, no one is watching the lawn, the only plus is a lot of palm trees.
I really regretted the money that I spent, despite the fact that we hurried and bought a tour on Friday, on Monday there was already a normal price for good hotels! Do not hurry!
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• 9
I heard good reviews about this hotel, we were also satisfied with the price, so we went to the Golden 5 Emerald Hotel & Aqua Park. We were seated within 2 hours. We arrived at about 11 am, had lunch, and at about 13.00 we were settled without any problems. It can be seen that the hotel used to be very expensive, the remnants of the former luxury are visible, now it is being maintained little by little, but the impression is that the hotel is not being taken care of, as before.
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I heard good reviews about this hotel, we were also satisfied with the price, so we went to the Golden 5 Emerald Hotel & Aqua Park. We were seated within 2 hours. We arrived at about 11 am, had lunch, and at about 13.00 we were settled without any problems. It can be seen that the hotel used to be very expensive, the remnants of the former luxury are visible, now it is being maintained little by little, but the impression is that the hotel is not being taken care of, as before. Sometimes the water disappeared in the room... The food was normal, there was something to choose from, we were not hungry, although I cannot say that the food was very varied. There were problems with the Internet, they promised to fix the problem, they did not fix it Thanks to the hotel staff who shared their mobile Internet. The hotel managers just don't want to deal with it. Beach - some pluses, no comments. The territory is large, there are some closed buildings, but there was where to take a walk, we could go to a neighboring hotel. There were shops and restaurants nearby, the prices in the shops are fixed, which is good. There was a big supermarket 15 minutes walk from the hotel. Everyone could find entertainment for themselves outside the hotel.
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• 5
The hotel was chosen for the price and the beach, there may be questions about everything else, but we were looking for a relaxing holiday. We settled in the third time, the opportunity to choose a room was, of course, for gratitude. Inside, everything is more or less decent, of course, the furniture and plumbing are not new, but still in good general condition, there was no point in turning on the air conditioner, they cleaned it averagely, but every day.
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The hotel was chosen for the price and the beach, there may be questions about everything else, but we were looking for a relaxing holiday. We settled in the third time, the opportunity to choose a room was, of course, for gratitude. Inside, everything is more or less decent, of course, the furniture and plumbing are not new, but still in good general condition, there was no point in turning on the air conditioner, they cleaned it averagely, but every day.
The territory left a double impression, next to our building everything was clean and well-groomed, and if you go further, you can see frankly abandoned areas. It was not far to go to the sea, the beach is spacious and sandy, the entry is not bad, but shoes are needed. The water is certainly not the warmest, not the month of May, it took a long time to get used to, in general the water is icy in the morning, but in the afternoon it warms up and is generally not bad, you can even see the fish and there are several coral islands.
The food is modest as for me, but no one will go hungry, pasta or, for example, rice with a piece of chicken with fresh vegetables, you could always find it, the breakfasts are weak, only I liked the pastries. If you drink strong alcohol, then take it with you, there is no quality and it always ends. For communication, I also advise you to buy a local SIM card at the airport, it's very convenient.
They entertained themselves only by themselves, or went to the city, or even further. From the trips we chose Cairo and Alexandria and were also on a super safari. So the hotel is suitable as a budget option for unpretentious tourists, we didn’t pay for the water park, so we bought one visit on the spot and it turned out to be quite enough, consider this point, as for me, there is nothing particularly interesting there.
The territory left a double impression, next to our building everything was clean and well-groomed, and if you go further, you can see frankly abandoned areas. It was not far to go to the sea, the beach is spacious and sandy, the entry is not bad, but shoes are needed. The water is certainly not the warmest, not the month of May, it took a long time to get used to, in general the water is icy in the morning, but in the afternoon it warms up and is generally not bad, you can even see the fish and there are several coral islands.
The food is modest as for me, but no one will go hungry, pasta or, for example, rice with a piece of chicken with fresh vegetables, you could always find it, the breakfasts are weak, only I liked the pastries. If you drink strong alcohol, then take it with you, there is no quality and it always ends. For communication, I also advise you to buy a local SIM card at the airport, it's very convenient.
They entertained themselves only by themselves, or went to the city, or even further. From the trips we chose Cairo and Alexandria and were also on a super safari. So the hotel is suitable as a budget option for unpretentious tourists, we didn’t pay for the water park, so we bought one visit on the spot and it turned out to be quite enough, consider this point, as for me, there is nothing particularly interesting there.
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• 3
I'll try to be objective. I'll start with the pros: 1. The sea is very good. The entry into the sea is gentle, quite a lot of fish. 2. The room is quite good, clean and beautiful, despite the fact that the hair dryer, toilet bowl and chair are broken. And now the cons: 1. Food!! ! This is generally horror.
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I'll try to be objective.
I'll start with the pros:
1. The sea is very good. The entry into the sea is gentle, quite a lot of fish.
2. The room is quite good, clean and beautiful, despite the fact that the hair dryer, toilet bowl and chair are broken.
And now the cons:
1. Food!! ! This is generally horror. There is nothing special to eat. Meat is rarely eaten and is given out in portions (you have to beg to give a portion like an adult), fish is exclusively pangasius in a terrible starch sauce, pasta is the cheapest, cheese and sausage (I couldn’t even identify what they are made of, but definitely not from edible substances), a choice of fruits of 1-2 types (green melon, tasteless pomegranates or some kind of citrus). Sweets are amazing, made from semolina and starch,
2. All Inclusive system. She doesn't work here. 10 bottles of beer for dinner for the whole hotel. After 5 minutes it ends and there is no other alcohol at all. Rather, it is, but rum with a strength of about 3-4 degrees, i. e. diluted more than 10 times!!!
This did not interfere with my rest, but for someone it may be important.
3. The hotel staff is unprofessional. Any request is either ignored or forgotten after 5 minutes.
4. The beach is not sand, but a mixture of dust and stones.
5. Everything on the territory of the hotel is old and unkempt.
I'll start with the pros:
1. The sea is very good. The entry into the sea is gentle, quite a lot of fish.
2. The room is quite good, clean and beautiful, despite the fact that the hair dryer, toilet bowl and chair are broken.
And now the cons:
1. Food!! ! This is generally horror. There is nothing special to eat. Meat is rarely eaten and is given out in portions (you have to beg to give a portion like an adult), fish is exclusively pangasius in a terrible starch sauce, pasta is the cheapest, cheese and sausage (I couldn’t even identify what they are made of, but definitely not from edible substances), a choice of fruits of 1-2 types (green melon, tasteless pomegranates or some kind of citrus). Sweets are amazing, made from semolina and starch,
2. All Inclusive system. She doesn't work here. 10 bottles of beer for dinner for the whole hotel. After 5 minutes it ends and there is no other alcohol at all. Rather, it is, but rum with a strength of about 3-4 degrees, i. e. diluted more than 10 times!!!
This did not interfere with my rest, but for someone it may be important.
3. The hotel staff is unprofessional. Any request is either ignored or forgotten after 5 minutes.
4. The beach is not sand, but a mixture of dust and stones.
5. Everything on the territory of the hotel is old and unkempt.
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• 10
For a small price - a good choice. Of course, "Emerald", like other hotels "Golden Five City", does not attract a 5-star hotel in the European sense. But at a price less than the cost of rest in some "threes", quite a decent option. The beach is one of the advantages of the hotel: close, convenient sandy entrance to the water, a gradual increase in depth.
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For a small price - a good choice. Of course, "Emerald", like other hotels "Golden Five City", does not attract a 5-star hotel in the European sense. But at a price less than the cost of rest in some "threes", quite a decent option.
The beach is one of the advantages of the hotel: close, convenient sandy entrance to the water, a gradual increase in depth. Nearby is a dead coral with a few fish, a little further by the sea - there are several living coral islands with fish - not many, but there is something to see. Mostly sandy bottom without a frightening dark abyss - a psychologically comfortable environment for lovers of long-distance swimming. In the morning you can see stingrays, there are no other dangerous creatures here. There are several surgeons on the left, behind the buoys, if they are not actively approached, there is no danger. It is said that in the morning they saw a turtle in the sea, but it looks like a fable. Some tourists complain about the piles of worms lying on the mill, especially in the morning.
But these handfuls - in fact, consist of sand - they are thrown out of their burrows under the skin. These are similar to earthworms that live in the sand on the seabed, where they are very difficult to get. You can see their "handfuls" by diving with a mask. Most swimmers, when entering the water, do not notice those clusters that just fall apart when they step on them. There are a lot of sand dunes on the beaches of Hurghada, their presence indicates a) really sandy, not rocky bottom; b) about the purity of water - pischkiril in dirty water will not live c) they, in fact, eat. So these worms clean the bottom of the silt.
There were enough sunbeds on the beach and they are all intact and comfortable (plastic with stretched mesh). There are fences from the wind. The beach has a toilet and shower. It is difficult to call the beach especially beautiful, but it does not deserve bad reviews. Normal beach.
Animation - on the beach is quite active.
Dancing, aqua aerobics, volleyball. They ride camels, horses and ATVs.
In the evenings, there is no animation, I think.
Pool (s): of the two has a decorative function. Another is quite suitable for recreational swimming. In December, it was almost not heated, so the water is a little cold, but if you move actively - just those. The pool is cleaned daily.
Number (s): all the same, more or less decent and comfortable, after cosmetic repairs, something may not work, but at the [polite] request to start or replace everything. There is an old TV, refrigerator, hair dryer, safe. A closet, a big bed, a table, a table and a few armchairs, lamps - all a little vintage, but not so scary. The furniture on the balcony is a bit older, but suitable for ...in fact, there is nothing to do on the balcony, except for drying swimming clothes.
It was unpleasant to see tourists shouting at the reception manager at six in the morning, demanding immediate (??? ) Settlement, although by all rules he could not accommodate them until 14:00.
As a rule, around 9 o'clock, maybe a little earlier, you will receive a key card from the room, a card for towels and a memo about the hotel. Wear a bracelet after 10 - these are the rules. On departure, the room must be vacated by 12:00, the towel card can be returned to the reception later. Also, the bracelet, if you ask politely - do not cut.
Restaurant: good. It is not necessary to call it a dining room, there is no such furniture in dining rooms. Food is quite edible, and it is enough, no one limits the amount. Breakfast, as everywhere - continental. There is always at least one dish of meat, chicken and fish for lunch and dinner. Sometimes - in the distance, sometimes - not very much. Some soups. Pasta, porridge, stewed and fried vegetables. Sometimes stuffed vegetables are quite good.
Salads are not very good for local chefs, so it is better to just eat fresh vegetables. Fruit - not enough, too many sweets.
I do not know about alcohol - I do not drink while eating, but there were complaints that the beer runs out quickly, or the wax is not strong enough. Cola-fanta-sprite from bottles or instant juices (actually they are not from Yupi powder, but from concentrate) from dispensers - without restrictions. Coffee for breakfast - sorry, but decent, for lunch and dinner - standard espresso from the machine, you can drink.
Beach bar - think it's not there, it's easier. Like the pool bar. The bar in the lobby is normal. Sometimes the beer ran out and the people started arguing. I sometimes drank Cuba Libri in the evenings when I wanted to sit on the Internet. If you greet the bartender in Arabic, he will do it even with ice and lime. In its pure form, local alcohol is not very noteworthy. It is better to take with you, or buy in "Duty Free" (the closest in "Senzo Mall").
Wi-Fi in the lobby is quite powerful, even in the evening.
I turned it off several times, in which case it is enough to ask the manager at the reception to reboot the router, and everyone plunges back into their smartphones.
Cleaning in the rooms is normal, even rubbed the floor (it is marble) to shine. Towels were changed for fresh ones, linen was simply changed. Hygienic products include shampoo and solid soap, but it is better to use your own. Swans-crocodiles-hearts-cobras and petals of roses - every day without any hint of a tip (deprived only on departure, because the cleaner really worked well).
The area is common to all Golden City hotels, large, more or less green, most vacationers do not miss a week. There are places for streaming repairs, but they are fenced and do not spoil the overall look (although special beauty, I'll be honest, and do not add).
There are abandoned houses in the far corners, for example, a number of beautiful cottages with private courtyards, once very, very comfortable. Gradually, the new owners (Princess Hotels chain) resumes operation of the complex. We were here in the spring - only "Paradise" and "Emerald" worked. Sapphire and Topaz Club were launched in the fall, and it is noticeable that they are preparing to launch Diamond.
New water park - I think it's cold in winter. In summer it is very cool. Some tour operators include it in the cost of the package, some do not, then the entrance costs $ 5 per day. It's worth it.
The fitness center was in a state of "Harlem swing" in the spring, but I liked it. It doesn't work at the moment - and this is the main disappointment for me personally, because I can't imagine a vacation without training.
There is no surf station on the beach for a long time (although the sites of travel agencies write about it as existing). Because I was interested in a wheelchair - after her ride in Makadi Bay.
There is a paragliding boat, a pair of water skis and an old wakesurf, from, in fact, all the "water sports" in the hotel.
A number of shops on the street can be reached on foot in 10 minutes (hint: in order not to go through the "Paradise", you should leave the hotel on the street directly from the "Emerald" past the mosque). Within 15 minutes walk you can reach the "Cleopatra", a fixed-price store that is popular with tourists (however, it is not very profitable). The Senzo Mall is easy to reach in half an hour’s walk. There is a currency exchange, ATM, KFS, McDonald's, many branded and not very branded stores, including a supermarket with very attractive prices and the ability to pay by card. It takes about 15-20 minutes to reach the Mamsha promenade. You can take a taxi, if you have the inspiration to bargain, it is relatively inexpensive. On the minibus - in general for pennies. Marina and the Old Town are far away, but why do you need them?
Guides ...
Their job is so doggy - to lie to tourists about non-functioning insurance policies and to make expensive excursions. If you do not want (in the next) to spoil your mood - do not go to their meetings. Fairy tales that they have to register you with the tourist police, or if you do not come, you will not receive timely information about the return trip - a delusion.
Vendors on the beach: yes, there are sellers of tours, massages, spas and more. But they don't bother very much, just politely tell them that you are not interested in it, and you will not be touched in the future, well, almost.
Contingent. Mostly Ukrainians (strangely, but somewhere in the occupied part of Donbass), a little less Belarusians. There are almost no Russians. There are a limited number of Baltics, Poles, Czechs, Germans, Hungarians. Exotic this time were three inflammatory brunettes from Argentina. The Chinese were not visible, but with the onset of Chinese New Year in January, this will change quickly.
There are very few locals in the winter, there should be a little more in the summer, but this is the middle class, so there are no horrors with noisy and uneducated Egyptian children and food queues at Golden City. If you are not a xenophobe, then communicating with Egyptian tourists can be quite interesting.
Vata: It's hard to say how typical it is, but in Golden City, Paradise and Emerald, there are many of our compatriots who are somewhat aggressive in their pro-Russian nature. At the level of conversations, of course. The case when two pensioners (from Ukraine) called the manager to complain about the bartender who served them in Russian was significant! One of the directors of "Princess Hotels" was on the territory, to his honor, he, through an interpreter, explaining that the hotels are aimed at tourists from Ukraine, he encourages employees to learn the language. But if the ladies are not comfortable, they will be happy to serve them in English or German.
This exhausted the issue.
All the staff are polite and try to be nice. Interestingly, compared to previous years, the vocabulary of many, at least bartenders and animators, has been significantly replenished with words and expressions in Ukrainian. It was funny to hear several times how the hotel staff asked tourists from Ukraine why they speak Russian. One of the bartenders did not just memorize individual expressions, but will actually learn the language using an application on a smartphone. If you close your eyes and listen to his conversations with tourists, you might think that a diaspora speaks, except to speak a little slowly, picking up words. It is clear that the Russian in the hotel has not been forgotten. English, of course, is a universal key, as it is now almost everywhere in the world.
The famous "singing fountains", which were once famous for the complex "Golden Five City", are gradually collapsing.
Currently, the Egyptian chain "Princess Hotels" is reviving the complex. As if (he did not use, but heard from others), as in the old hours, you can now go freely to bars and restaurants of other hotels, although the staff by inertia shows dissatisfaction with the visits of "strangers". Gradually the territory is being put in order, and in some places it is quite pleasing to the eye. But there are also places that evoke longing and thoughts of decadence.
The owners have an interesting, but quite predictable policy. They monitor the prices of competitors and constantly dump on similar class and even the worst hotels. Therefore, it may seem that the hotels in the complex - "cheap". This is not entirely true, just to maintain such a large complex with high fixed costs requires a constant filling of tourists, even at a reduced price.
Without tourists, the complex, unlike more compact hotels, will not last even for a short period. And even more so will not be able to recover. Recovery is slow, it is clear that the owners are in no hurry to invest in a sharp improvement. Perhaps they do not seek to raise the bar of service quality too high. There are plenty of good hotels in Hurghada, and the opening of the huge Magavis, bought by the Rixos chain, is approaching. Similarly, Golden Five hotels are focused on medium quality, and it would be fair to refer them to the budget segment.
So, in summary, I can quite frankly advise you to choose for a holiday "Emerald", like any other hotel in the complex "Golden Five", only at a low price.
If the sea-sun, "summer in the middle of winter" are important for you, as well as a large area for morning runs and evening walks, and more or less decent living / eating conditions and you do not want to overpay - you are here.
If you also want quality entertainment, high quality service and quality alcohol - delete "Golden Five" from your short list. You may want to pay attention to the local "Grand Resort" (in Hurghada, in Sharm, a little worse), "Labranda", "Marlin Inn", "Continental", "Parotel", "Tropitel", "Ecotel", " Gray ", " Dana "or" Hilton ". Not bad, but slightly more expensive than "Golden Five" hotels "Jazz", "Jolie Willie", "Albatross", "Concord", "Movenpick" or "Sheraton". Well, about "Rixos", "Hyatt Regency", "Heidelberger Al Dau", "Savoy" or, God forbid, "Baron" I will not even remind you, otherwise you have not read this report : )
Go and enjoy your vacation. And leave the hesitation to others. Good Egypt to you!
The beach is one of the advantages of the hotel: close, convenient sandy entrance to the water, a gradual increase in depth. Nearby is a dead coral with a few fish, a little further by the sea - there are several living coral islands with fish - not many, but there is something to see. Mostly sandy bottom without a frightening dark abyss - a psychologically comfortable environment for lovers of long-distance swimming. In the morning you can see stingrays, there are no other dangerous creatures here. There are several surgeons on the left, behind the buoys, if they are not actively approached, there is no danger. It is said that in the morning they saw a turtle in the sea, but it looks like a fable. Some tourists complain about the piles of worms lying on the mill, especially in the morning.
But these handfuls - in fact, consist of sand - they are thrown out of their burrows under the skin. These are similar to earthworms that live in the sand on the seabed, where they are very difficult to get. You can see their "handfuls" by diving with a mask. Most swimmers, when entering the water, do not notice those clusters that just fall apart when they step on them. There are a lot of sand dunes on the beaches of Hurghada, their presence indicates a) really sandy, not rocky bottom; b) about the purity of water - pischkiril in dirty water will not live c) they, in fact, eat. So these worms clean the bottom of the silt.
There were enough sunbeds on the beach and they are all intact and comfortable (plastic with stretched mesh). There are fences from the wind. The beach has a toilet and shower. It is difficult to call the beach especially beautiful, but it does not deserve bad reviews. Normal beach.
Animation - on the beach is quite active.
Dancing, aqua aerobics, volleyball. They ride camels, horses and ATVs.
In the evenings, there is no animation, I think.
Pool (s): of the two has a decorative function. Another is quite suitable for recreational swimming. In December, it was almost not heated, so the water is a little cold, but if you move actively - just those. The pool is cleaned daily.
Number (s): all the same, more or less decent and comfortable, after cosmetic repairs, something may not work, but at the [polite] request to start or replace everything. There is an old TV, refrigerator, hair dryer, safe. A closet, a big bed, a table, a table and a few armchairs, lamps - all a little vintage, but not so scary. The furniture on the balcony is a bit older, but suitable for ...in fact, there is nothing to do on the balcony, except for drying swimming clothes.
It was unpleasant to see tourists shouting at the reception manager at six in the morning, demanding immediate (??? ) Settlement, although by all rules he could not accommodate them until 14:00.
As a rule, around 9 o'clock, maybe a little earlier, you will receive a key card from the room, a card for towels and a memo about the hotel. Wear a bracelet after 10 - these are the rules. On departure, the room must be vacated by 12:00, the towel card can be returned to the reception later. Also, the bracelet, if you ask politely - do not cut.
Restaurant: good. It is not necessary to call it a dining room, there is no such furniture in dining rooms. Food is quite edible, and it is enough, no one limits the amount. Breakfast, as everywhere - continental. There is always at least one dish of meat, chicken and fish for lunch and dinner. Sometimes - in the distance, sometimes - not very much. Some soups. Pasta, porridge, stewed and fried vegetables. Sometimes stuffed vegetables are quite good.
Salads are not very good for local chefs, so it is better to just eat fresh vegetables. Fruit - not enough, too many sweets.
I do not know about alcohol - I do not drink while eating, but there were complaints that the beer runs out quickly, or the wax is not strong enough. Cola-fanta-sprite from bottles or instant juices (actually they are not from Yupi powder, but from concentrate) from dispensers - without restrictions. Coffee for breakfast - sorry, but decent, for lunch and dinner - standard espresso from the machine, you can drink.
Beach bar - think it's not there, it's easier. Like the pool bar. The bar in the lobby is normal. Sometimes the beer ran out and the people started arguing. I sometimes drank Cuba Libri in the evenings when I wanted to sit on the Internet. If you greet the bartender in Arabic, he will do it even with ice and lime. In its pure form, local alcohol is not very noteworthy. It is better to take with you, or buy in "Duty Free" (the closest in "Senzo Mall").
Wi-Fi in the lobby is quite powerful, even in the evening.
I turned it off several times, in which case it is enough to ask the manager at the reception to reboot the router, and everyone plunges back into their smartphones.
Cleaning in the rooms is normal, even rubbed the floor (it is marble) to shine. Towels were changed for fresh ones, linen was simply changed. Hygienic products include shampoo and solid soap, but it is better to use your own. Swans-crocodiles-hearts-cobras and petals of roses - every day without any hint of a tip (deprived only on departure, because the cleaner really worked well).
The area is common to all Golden City hotels, large, more or less green, most vacationers do not miss a week. There are places for streaming repairs, but they are fenced and do not spoil the overall look (although special beauty, I'll be honest, and do not add).
There are abandoned houses in the far corners, for example, a number of beautiful cottages with private courtyards, once very, very comfortable. Gradually, the new owners (Princess Hotels chain) resumes operation of the complex. We were here in the spring - only "Paradise" and "Emerald" worked. Sapphire and Topaz Club were launched in the fall, and it is noticeable that they are preparing to launch Diamond.
New water park - I think it's cold in winter. In summer it is very cool. Some tour operators include it in the cost of the package, some do not, then the entrance costs $ 5 per day. It's worth it.
The fitness center was in a state of "Harlem swing" in the spring, but I liked it. It doesn't work at the moment - and this is the main disappointment for me personally, because I can't imagine a vacation without training.
There is no surf station on the beach for a long time (although the sites of travel agencies write about it as existing). Because I was interested in a wheelchair - after her ride in Makadi Bay.
There is a paragliding boat, a pair of water skis and an old wakesurf, from, in fact, all the "water sports" in the hotel.
A number of shops on the street can be reached on foot in 10 minutes (hint: in order not to go through the "Paradise", you should leave the hotel on the street directly from the "Emerald" past the mosque). Within 15 minutes walk you can reach the "Cleopatra", a fixed-price store that is popular with tourists (however, it is not very profitable). The Senzo Mall is easy to reach in half an hour’s walk. There is a currency exchange, ATM, KFS, McDonald's, many branded and not very branded stores, including a supermarket with very attractive prices and the ability to pay by card. It takes about 15-20 minutes to reach the Mamsha promenade. You can take a taxi, if you have the inspiration to bargain, it is relatively inexpensive. On the minibus - in general for pennies. Marina and the Old Town are far away, but why do you need them?
Guides ...
Their job is so doggy - to lie to tourists about non-functioning insurance policies and to make expensive excursions. If you do not want (in the next) to spoil your mood - do not go to their meetings. Fairy tales that they have to register you with the tourist police, or if you do not come, you will not receive timely information about the return trip - a delusion.
Vendors on the beach: yes, there are sellers of tours, massages, spas and more. But they don't bother very much, just politely tell them that you are not interested in it, and you will not be touched in the future, well, almost.
Contingent. Mostly Ukrainians (strangely, but somewhere in the occupied part of Donbass), a little less Belarusians. There are almost no Russians. There are a limited number of Baltics, Poles, Czechs, Germans, Hungarians. Exotic this time were three inflammatory brunettes from Argentina. The Chinese were not visible, but with the onset of Chinese New Year in January, this will change quickly.
There are very few locals in the winter, there should be a little more in the summer, but this is the middle class, so there are no horrors with noisy and uneducated Egyptian children and food queues at Golden City. If you are not a xenophobe, then communicating with Egyptian tourists can be quite interesting.
Vata: It's hard to say how typical it is, but in Golden City, Paradise and Emerald, there are many of our compatriots who are somewhat aggressive in their pro-Russian nature. At the level of conversations, of course. The case when two pensioners (from Ukraine) called the manager to complain about the bartender who served them in Russian was significant! One of the directors of "Princess Hotels" was on the territory, to his honor, he, through an interpreter, explaining that the hotels are aimed at tourists from Ukraine, he encourages employees to learn the language. But if the ladies are not comfortable, they will be happy to serve them in English or German.
This exhausted the issue.
All the staff are polite and try to be nice. Interestingly, compared to previous years, the vocabulary of many, at least bartenders and animators, has been significantly replenished with words and expressions in Ukrainian. It was funny to hear several times how the hotel staff asked tourists from Ukraine why they speak Russian. One of the bartenders did not just memorize individual expressions, but will actually learn the language using an application on a smartphone. If you close your eyes and listen to his conversations with tourists, you might think that a diaspora speaks, except to speak a little slowly, picking up words. It is clear that the Russian in the hotel has not been forgotten. English, of course, is a universal key, as it is now almost everywhere in the world.
The famous "singing fountains", which were once famous for the complex "Golden Five City", are gradually collapsing.
Currently, the Egyptian chain "Princess Hotels" is reviving the complex. As if (he did not use, but heard from others), as in the old hours, you can now go freely to bars and restaurants of other hotels, although the staff by inertia shows dissatisfaction with the visits of "strangers". Gradually the territory is being put in order, and in some places it is quite pleasing to the eye. But there are also places that evoke longing and thoughts of decadence.
The owners have an interesting, but quite predictable policy. They monitor the prices of competitors and constantly dump on similar class and even the worst hotels. Therefore, it may seem that the hotels in the complex - "cheap". This is not entirely true, just to maintain such a large complex with high fixed costs requires a constant filling of tourists, even at a reduced price.
Without tourists, the complex, unlike more compact hotels, will not last even for a short period. And even more so will not be able to recover. Recovery is slow, it is clear that the owners are in no hurry to invest in a sharp improvement. Perhaps they do not seek to raise the bar of service quality too high. There are plenty of good hotels in Hurghada, and the opening of the huge Magavis, bought by the Rixos chain, is approaching. Similarly, Golden Five hotels are focused on medium quality, and it would be fair to refer them to the budget segment.
So, in summary, I can quite frankly advise you to choose for a holiday "Emerald", like any other hotel in the complex "Golden Five", only at a low price.
If the sea-sun, "summer in the middle of winter" are important for you, as well as a large area for morning runs and evening walks, and more or less decent living / eating conditions and you do not want to overpay - you are here.
If you also want quality entertainment, high quality service and quality alcohol - delete "Golden Five" from your short list. You may want to pay attention to the local "Grand Resort" (in Hurghada, in Sharm, a little worse), "Labranda", "Marlin Inn", "Continental", "Parotel", "Tropitel", "Ecotel", " Gray ", " Dana "or" Hilton ". Not bad, but slightly more expensive than "Golden Five" hotels "Jazz", "Jolie Willie", "Albatross", "Concord", "Movenpick" or "Sheraton". Well, about "Rixos", "Hyatt Regency", "Heidelberger Al Dau", "Savoy" or, God forbid, "Baron" I will not even remind you, otherwise you have not read this report : )
Go and enjoy your vacation. And leave the hesitation to others. Good Egypt to you!
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