I’ll write what I didn’t like right away. First, since check-out was early at 6 am, we ordered a packed lunch for two and it consisted of: 1 small banana, 1 small juice, 3 croissants (medium) and 2 sets of plastic spoons, forks and knives. All this crazy amount of food was in a branded package. (from a distance it looked quite aesthetically pleasing), that is, the idea was very decent.
So, tourists with an early flight need to take care of their own breakfast. And secondly, when the room was vacated and we were already on the transfer to the airport, we sat and waited for the rooms to be checked after the guests left.
The guests didn’t steal anything and went to the airport (as for me, a good hotel doesn’t end up like that)
And now about the good stuff.
The area is very well-groomed and clean, gorgeous palm trees and flowers.
The cleaning and restaurant staff do a great job, all the staff always say hello and almost everyone smiles. The waiters are very fast, attentive to all guests, not only Italians, but Italian tourists were the overwhelming majority of all other tourists, 80 percent.
Special respect to Mikhail (he is apparently the head of service in restaurants, monitors the waiters, resolves all service issues quickly and very correctly). Thanks to the cooks too, the food is delicious. The menu is quite varied, of course pasta in different types (Italy), chicken, fish, crabs, octopus, mixes of fish products. For breakfast there was always honey in a honeycomb, for dinner there was halva, pastries and sweets that were quite varied and tasty. There is ice cream. Natural coffee.
We visited during strawberry season and had strawberries for dinner every day. In addition to strawberries - melon, tangerines, guava, grapefruit, kumquat, apples. oranges, bananas.
The menu in the main restaurant and in the restaurant near the beach is the same, which is very convenient for those who don’t rush to their room after dinner, but can relax on the beach under an umbrella.
The rooms we had were tired but clean, everything worked, water was delivered without any problems. Taking into account the fact that we did not intend to spend time in the room, we did not bother with this topic at all, we did not take photos where there were scratches (it is worth saying that the repairs of the buildings are in full swing). On the third day, they brought envelopes with an invitation to receive drinks in cans as a gift (Fanta, Coke, Sprite or juice to choose from), I don’t remember how much, but + - 10 cans for each. Unexpected and pleasant.
Robes and slippers are provided upon request (free of charge).
Beach.
Great. There is enough space. Entry into the sea as you wish, both from the shore and from the pontoon.
The sunbeds are good, high quality. There is a bar on the beach: drinks, pizza, burgers. Animation works. Very clean.
There is a minibus running around the area from the water park to the beach. But in fact, the distance is not great, but for some categories of people it is convenient.
There is also a small water park, tennis tables and courts.
40 minutes walk to the old town, 5 minutes to the pharmacy and “supermarket”.
We offer this hotel as 5 stars, in fact it has 4 stars, perhaps it does not have some service that is required for 5 stars, but service (except for what is written at the beginning), location, beach, reef, The cuisine (what a tourist expects from Egypt) is quite 5 stars.
In general, this is not the first time we have vacationed in Egypt, and we recommend the hotel. I think that minor shortcomings are a human factor that exists everywhere.
The hotel area is quite large, a local minibus runs, and near the buildings there are “bus stops” named after the capitals of the world. If you don’t want to use “local transport, ” then walk from the farthest building for a maximum of 10-15 minutes. The area is clean, well-groomed, there is a cactus garden.
Check-in at the hotel is at 14:00, but if you arrive earlier, you will be given bracelets and sent to breakfast without additional charges (which is a big advantage compared to other hotels in Egypt), suitcases are stored outside near the reception. The same rules apply when moving out. The room will need to be checked out at 12:00, but you will be allowed in for lunch/dinner without additional charges, and you can also use beach towels until your departure. There are both Russian-speaking and English-speaking staff at the reception.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to the manager Hany, who quickly helped resolve all the issues that arose.
The rooms are standard. We had two double rooms without a balcony. All toiletries were included. The room has a large TV and a huge double bed. Beautiful view from the window. Among the minuses, I would like to note the lack of disposable slippers; room cleaning suffered a little (but this is most likely a problem in all hotels in Egypt). Also, upon arrival, the air conditioning was not functioning well, but it was repaired on the first day.
I got free Wi-Fi almost everywhere.
The food at the hotel is quite varied, I won’t even list it, since there was everything. From time to time we additionally cooked squid, crabs, shrimp, mussels, octopus, and mangoes were given for dinner every 3-4 days. Free local alcohol included (optional).
There are 2 “paid” restaurants on the hotel premises; upon check-in, we were given coupons for one-time visits to each of them.
The hotel beach is large, clean, there were enough sun loungers for everyone, regardless of the time, beach towels are issued by card. The sea is beautiful, clean, a gorgeous coral reef with many fish from small to huge tuna, needle fish, Napoleon fish, some vacationers saw a moray eel.
The hotel has about 5 swimming pools, and there are bars with snacks and drinks everywhere.
The hotel has animators, exercises and yoga were held every day, and various entertainment activities for children and adults in the evenings.
Among the excursions we took a trip to Cairo and did not regret it, the excursion was very interesting. But when planning an excursion to the pyramids, keep in mind that the bus ride will take about 10-11 hours one way (and not, as the guide told us, 5 hours along the “short” road) and a little less back.
Therefore, if you have the opportunity, it is better to pay extra and fly to Cairo by plane.
In general, the hotel fully corresponds to its 5 stars, I would gladly relax there a second time.
Honestly, we didn’t go to any Alya Carte restaurant, but why, because in the main restaurant there are crabs and squids and different types of fish and baked duck and beef and many, many different dishes and desserts (delicious)! I hate quarantine, but + the fact that every meal is poured by people in white clothes and the people don’t row like crazy))) There were no queues, everything is clean, and the terrace... it’s beautiful at dawn or at sunset!
There are many beautiful areas for relaxation, well-groomed gardens, a water park worked, there is also water aerobics, there is a lot of space on the beach, new sun loungers, a comfortable pontoon, a beautiful reef!
We took another city tour and dinner in Luxor from the tour operator, we really liked it, like in a fairy tale!
We took a night walk with an instructor in masks, it's something! None of the hotels offered us this, the impressions are super, the black sea, and you, wearing a mask with a flashlight between the corals, look out for moray eels, night fish, starfish, and have you seen how the plankton glows? No? this is space.
Thank you very much! We'll be back!
Service, service excellent. All the guys are trying hard. There are a lot of people, it was felt in restaurants, but the staff copes, they try very hard to distribute food to everyone quickly. The food is delicious, but the selection is not great. Alakarts are excellent. Restaurant menu.
There are a lot of bars, the bartenders are super and will give you a drink and talk with joy
Animation is funny, well done guys. Protective, friendly. Every evening something new.
We had a family room, we wanted a good location. Changed without problems. The room is no frills, but clean and high quality. Some are undergoing major renovations.
Internet is good.
Eat and drink drinks too.
Everything worked, the staff tries. The food is good. Desserts are super (varied and tasty).
Well, the reef is very beautiful. Every evening there is an entertainment program, and in the afternoon there are various active games for those who wish.
The only thing (I don’t know how it is in other buildings), but in 5 the sound insulation is bad. People walk and talk in the corridor, but it seems that you are in your room. But we were in the room a little, so it's ok.
Rested super.
Upon arrival, they wanted to force us to settle there, on our refusal, we, 5 families in which there were small children, just threw them there and ran away.
Join UP ignored our calls and did not want to resolve the issue of accommodation in a hotel according to the purchased vouchers. We took a taxi and moved together to Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort & Spa 5*. We didn't even have armor there. Having met there another same group of tourists who arrived in Egypt 2 hours earlier, we called the tourist police. The hotel staff tried to help us in this situation, offered to go to lunch and called the management of the host. As a result, they gave us 4 rooms for all of us and offered Albatros and Charmillion Club Resort 5. My husband and I were lucky, we were settled in the reef, although we were already ready to fly home, because our vacation was ruined.
And now about the hotel.
It is located close to the airport, it takes about 15 minutes by taxi, it is quite isolated, there are two checkpoints, it is very difficult for a stranger to get in (they don’t even wear bracelets). Taxi to Naama $8, to the old town $15.
Very beautiful and large territory, a lot of greenery, there is a corner of cacti, there is a water park area, a big plus is the relaxation zone for adults - 16+ (the most delicious cocktails with beautiful design are made here), only adults are there, the hotel staff monitors this, there is diving -center and incredibly beautiful infinity pool overlooking the sea, where the illusion of blurred boundaries between the sea and the pool is created, as well as a panoramic jacuzzi zone! Very convenient descent to the beach by elevator.
The beach is large, the sun loungers are new, after lunch there is a lot of free space, in the morning it is difficult to find a place, because many vacationers take two sun loungers with one towel or clothes, they do this both on the beach and near the pool, if there was one towel on each sun lounger, then there were no problems with a place on the beach, vacationers themselves are to blame.
The reef is very beautiful, but dying a little, 10 years ago it was much better and there were more fish, if you can't swim or are afraid, you can rent a life jacket - $ 3.
The sea is gorgeous. There is a bar on the beach where they make hamburgers, pizza, french fries, vegetables, serve alcohol, water, juices, cola ...The staff is very friendly and always ready to help you throughout the hotel, we bought mangoes in the old town and asked us to cut on the beach, always cut in the shape of a beautiful hedgehog with a smile on his face. They are all so friendly that they want to smile back.
Cleaning is normal, towels are changed every two days, new ones are packed, which is very cool, beach towels were transferred to cards, it's very convenient, they give two 1.5l bottles of water every day. in the room, there is a kettle, tea, coffee, sugar, mugs, saucers and glasses. Every other day they put new shampoos, gels and body lotion.
The territory is always clean, mosquitoes are poisoned in the evening, everything is watered and washed in the morning.
The food is good, every day there were a lot of different fruits - pomegranates, persimmons, quinces, apples, pears, melons, bananas, dates, oranges, grapes, grapefruits; a lot of different greens, salads, beef, chicken, fish, seafood - squid, crabs, octopuses, tuna; a lot of side dishes, lasagna, various soups, borscht, cereals, a lot of desserts, yogurts ...You can make an appointment for dinner at the Italian restaurant Al Dente or Oriental Sunset by appointment. In Al Dente you can order from the menu, a wide range of real Italian dishes and desserts, in Sunset - a buffet. There are three restaurants for breakfast and two for lunch, which is very convenient.
The animation team worked on the beach in the morning and by the pool with slides in the afternoon. Evening animation program was for children and adults, but we did not attend.
I recommend going to the old city, where you can buy mangoes and go to the Fish Mart cafe, there are very tasty seafood and seafood soup, a very beautiful serving, if you buy with you - the price is cheaper.
Our vacation was wonderful, if you forget about the first day, Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort & Spa 5 * is a hotel where you want to return, we will come here again, but definitely not through Join UP. I do not recommend flying and buying tickets through Join UP!!! ! I took off one star for the first day and exhausted nerves.
We arrived at 12, the song is the same, wait, there are no numbers, we went to the guest relay (she speaks Russian well, unlike the Arabs at the counter) says we are solving your issue, sit down at the reception, relax, wait. In fact, no one does anything until they started to resent, no one was going to settle, they had a fight with them, and only after that we were given the keys to the room. Another couple that was with a child, even younger than ours, when we left, did not think to settle.
And this is taking into account the fact that we have already been in this hotel, but in the 18th year.
In general, if you are going to go here with a child, I really do not recommend it, to put it mildly, they are not waiting for you here.
- On the territory, large green, beautiful, everything is as it was in 18. Lots of mosquitoes and flies.
- In terms of nutrition and dining, the children's menu was removed (at 18 it was) you have to get a high chair for a child in battle (as well as cutlery, and much more) there are only 5 of them for the entire restaurant, and there are a lot of children + even covered with a film are already dirty . For adults, food + - standard as for charm. For example, the waiters bring water, coffee, tea, but it’s unrealistic to wait for them, when you want to pick it up yourself, they were taught one phrase, “thank you, sit down and wait” and you can wait an unrealistically long time, for all 7 days the waiter who brought. The rest just didn't make it.
For a child, there is boiled chicken, steamed fish (good), but the vegetables are very hard, as in the adult menu, a lot is either not ready or overdried. I also upset the moment with fruits, they are, but many are green, sometimes they were ripe. (Purchased separately for the child).
- For bars, there are only 3 normal ones near the reception, at the relaxation pool and near the stage. The same cocktail is made differently in every bar.
- The sea and the beach, mostly sun loungers are occupied in the morning and you can find a free one, but with difficulty.
For children, 3 lagoons are small, but in fact 2 more or less entry, and then the steps are broken.
For adults, the pontoon was made of wood, very comfortable, Reef for 4, were in this hotel in 18, it was much better, the reef is dying little by little. (Well, I compare this with a reef in the bay of Ras um el Cid and Ras shit, there is a reef for 5+)
- It was a birthday, we signed up for a restaurant, reminded me about d. r. no one congratulated, not in the restaurant, not in the room. For the first time, the hotel congratulates so much!!!
- The key is constantly demagnetized, many times they could not get into the room, you have to run to the reception and reflash, very inconvenient!
The hotel cannot cope with such a flow of people, the general impression of the hotels for 3 times will definitely not come here again, and we will not recommend it. The hotel is not interested in maintaining its reputation, all your wishes and requests will be ignored, this is the norm for them!
+ Give water every day
+ Opened a restaurant near the sea for breakfast and lunch
2. Large swimming pool with beautiful panoramic sea views.
3. The food is quite varied, there was enough of everything and everything was delicious.
4. Good service.