Hi

You don't need to take your own towels to the Conrad.

Drinks are available from the beach and pool bars all day but not ice creams (not as far as I'm aware anyway).

Yes, you do need to use bottled water for cleaning your teeth. Get all the water you need at meal times, we were always given as many bottles as we wanted, sometimes more than we could carry!

Vaccinations are recommended but not compulsory. Bear in mind that if you choose not to have them it may affect any travel insurance claim should the need arise to make one.

Yes, the money is filthy, it stinks! Don't know about places not accepting LE as I didn't buy anything outside of the hotel.

Pippy

Hi
Clean beach towels every day if you want - and of a good size and quality as well. There is a place near the main pool selling Ice Cream but we never bothered so don't know how much it was , did buy a few when walking around the shops near the Baron - about 2 pounds each. There is ice cream every day at lunch / dinner. Drinks are available from the bars all day (pool bar closed around 6.30 last week but bar in reception area is always open)As Pippy said no problems getting bottled water- you can have as much as you can carry
We used LE - changing sterling as we needed it. There is an ATM in the hotel where you put sterling in and get LE out and because its a machine the notes are much cleaner and in better condition than the stuff you get in change from the shops - that has to be seen to be believed . The only place I saw that would not accept LE was the visa stalls in the airport - they were sending people away to change into hard currency
Enjoy its a great place
Lally

We always keep any dirty notes to one side and use them for baksheesh.... it's unlikely anyone wanting tips will turn down dirty money

But yes, we have known some shops and vendors have turn down dirty or torn notes!

I always keep the bundle of scruffy notes for baksheesh and my other half pays for stuff with the good notes. He always makes sure he gets the correct change back first and then, if we feel the need - we offer baksheesh.

Try to keep a mixture of notes so you can always try to give the correct money as they will often try the "I haven't got change" tactic.

Beware the "quick switch" for notes of the same colour. Friends of ours were almost scammed by this in Aswan last year when we bought some bottles of water. The young lad switched the note to a smaller one saying he hadn't give him enough money. My husband saw it happen and showed him where he had tucked the original note in the young lads top pocket. He did try to say my husband was wrong but when we started to look around us and said we would discuss it with the policeman over the road - he handed the note back pretty damn quick.

The Egyptians rely pretty much on tourism in all places except Cairo so, they do often look for a way to make a quick buck. On the whole they are very enterprising and are lovely, friendly people. They have an almost childish sense of humour which is appealing but you still have to keep your wits about you where money is concerned.

Always discuss prices in their local currency LE (Egyptian Pounds) so there is no confusion. For general shopping, taxi rides and local excursions it's better to change your Euros or sterling to LE so you don't have to worry about different exchange rates when out in the streets.

Enjoy!

CwB