well what can i say just come back from the sonesta beach and had a fablous holiday i would definliy recomend it.

rooms
we sayed in the double double family room which is for italians and thompson guests only.they cost an extra

Tut Tut, I am sorry but some of these reviews on here are amazing, picky, and really some of you do not know what you are talking about. I do hope my review will answer some of the messages i have been sent and also a truth telling experience.

I am a regular at this hotel, they know me well, we have just come back on the 27th August 2007, and was there 6 weeks ago in July in which i wrote a review as well.

Firstly so many reviews on here are getting mixed up with the Sonesta Beach and casino, and the sonesta club. The Sonesta club is the sister to the sonesta beach is very tiny, but occupied by a lot of English and young children. It is a bout a 15 minute walk across the peace road(like a dual carriageway), through the back of the casino into the sonesta beach, you then have a 15 minute walk to the beach through our complex. So many guests at the sonesta club didnt like it, the rooms are very small, and its a bit of a trek.

Ok, to tell you about the rooms and to give you the correct information that so many of you are getting wrong.........

There is a big difference between normal standard family rooms and the double double family rooms.

Firstly.......all the low numbers eg, room 133, up into the 500s etc are classed as family rooms, they are located around the pool nearest reception. Yes we stayed in them in July this year, yes we had a little problem with ants, but if any of you have a tongue then mention it to the housekeeper, who i might add will spray the rooms with ant killer every day, they will also keep the air conditioning on as well all day. The air con isnt brilliant i must confess, but as i said you can keep it on all day at no extra costing to you.

Reguarding a review written saying that they only had 2 chairs and that there was 4 in the party, why didnt you ask the housekeeper for more?? We were in room 133 before and we had a problem with the toilet flushing, but it was fixed straight away.

So a tip, if you book your holiday with thomson/portland it is standard to get a smaller 4 persons room, BUT if you upgrade through their brochure or on their website then upgrade the

Well this the 3rd visit to this hotel and i have wrote reviews on all, the hotel is possibly more a 4 star than a five, mainly because some do need painting and upgrading furniture, but to be honest it wasn't a problem for us. The hotel was exceptionally clean and tidy, and the staff make you staff fabulous. There is a bit of painting going on in the hotel rooms, so this will be better all round for guests visiting.

I would never go A1 basically because there is so much food out in naama bay, i wouldn't want to be restricted basically because its great to head out of an evening.

The rooms are spacious and have good air conditioning, they are cleaned every day. breakfast seemed to have everything, but the main hi-light being the eggs that are cooked for you.

We heard the hotel entertainment, i didnt see it, but sounded ok.

The hotel is situated at the north end of Naama bay, it has its own private beach and an array of water sports. Quad biking is a must, we loved it.

We are going back to this same hotel in Aug 07 and again in June 2008, by that time, it will be our 5 th visit. So you can see, we love this hotel.

10/10

Michelle x

Excellent hotel, very clean, loads of choice for breakfast. Nice walk into Naama Bay.

Entertainment seemed to be geared for the Italians, of which there were many.

Very nice beach for snorkeling.

When we arrived we were efficiently checked in and taken to a suite, it was huge the double bed could of fit four people easily. We asked to move as it was on the far side of the resort near the big pool. Our room boy was gutted we were already having a laugh with him, the staff were brilliant. Our second room was massive but not as big but nearer reception, restaurant etc. It had two single beds then stairs down to two more single beds that were cleverly crafted into the walls bib balcony, and very clean.

It was about 15 min walk along the prom into Naama bay not stayed here before and have been to Naama 7 times it was ok we only paid

We stayed at the sonesta beach between the dates of 15/02 - 1/03/07 and found the weather to be great, the temp' in the day was mid to late 20's with the odd day in the low thirties at night however it did get a little cold and you will need a light jacket or cardigan.

This was our second time to namma bay but the first to this hotel and in all honesty the cleanliness and the attention to detail of the gardens and grounds was second to none.

We stayed in room 2702 it was fantastic absolutely huge and more importantly right next to the heated pool (the cactus pool). We had about a 5-10 minute walk to the reception area (breakfast restaurant)and another 5 minute walk to the beach this was no problem at all.

There were several places to eat within the Hotel grounds and although we did not try them all the ones we tried were great especially the Italian (La Gondalla).

There was entertainment within the hotel the usual stuff dancers one night singers the next however there was alot of Italians and they had there own entertainment elsewhere with in the complex.

The hotel staff were great and considerate and did everything to make your holiday as enjoyable as could be. The hotel is situated the opposite end to where all the shops and bars can be found but a pleasant half hour walk along the promenade passing many restaurants-drinking facilities brings you into the main area.

The beach I would rate 7-10 but the snorkeling 10-10, there are plenty of water sports to keep the kids happy, We had a fantastic time a great place to go during the winter and we would go back.

The hotel is in a five star grounds with fantastic swimming pools one is straight and long suitable for swimming lengths. It has it's own private beach in an ideal location.

The hotel room I stayed in was three star accommodation but do not let that put you off it was clean and had anything you could wish for, the location and grounds are well woth it i will go again. Looking at the price it was far cheaper than the other 5 star hotels so you get what you pay for no complaints.

The breakfasts were excellant.

The entertainment was average but then the resort is lively enough. If you are a family group with young children I would advise somewhere else.

After reading a few reviews on the Sonesta Beach I was a little worried as they were very mixed, however I was pleasantly surprised.

At first I was a little bothered by the fact that our room was one of the furthest from the reception (room 2522). In fact I timed it and it took 7 mins from room to reception! Thinking that the trek would soon get very tiresome walking to and fro just to get anywhere (including having breakfast) we asked at reception to be moved to a room nearer the main pool/beach etc. The reception staff were very pleasant and told us that our room was "much nicer" as it was a newer build, but that we could look at a room nearer the beach/reception etc and decide for ourselves if we wanted to change. This we did and promptly decided to stay where we were! The room was much smaller and decidedly less welcoming!

As it turned out we got used to the walk and after finding out that the cactus pool (one of several pools in the complex) was only about 2 mins from our room we were quite happy. Being the beginning of August we thought we'd have lounger trouble, but there were always plenty of loungers. No-one seemed to get up to reserve them. We spent about 3 days of our holiday at the hotel beach in the morning/early afternoon, where again, we always got loungers (which were free, as was hotel towel hire!) We then went back to the cactus pool in the afternoon which was great as there were so few people there. Plus the swim up bar was great after a morning snorkelling at the beach. The cactus pool also has a shallow pool that you can sit in and relax when the sun is too hot to lay in! We spent 4 hours in there one day chatting to another couple and came out like prunes! Mind you we did get a good tan!

One of the major good points about this hotel is the fact that it has it's own bit of beach, where several hotels in sharm don't. As Naama bay beach is segregated into plots owned by hotels I'm not sure what you would do if you stayed at a hotel without a bit of beach.

All in all we really enjoyed our holiday here. It was our first holiday without the kids and was much better than we expected. Although I would rate the hotel at probably a good 3* rather than the 4*/5* they claim, it was a lovely place to stay, and we would definitely consider staying at this hotel again. In fact I am looking at re booking to go back to sharm as we had such a lovely time, and there were so many good things about this hotel that I'm not sure about booking a different hotel as I might be disappointed!

One last thing to say is that the day trip to Cairo by air is a must. It was a lovely trip and probably our most memorable part of our whole holiday.

Although this hotel is given a 5 star rating, we would give it only 3-4.

We couldn't fault the rooms. We were given 2503 which was a huge family room with separate dressing room and 2 smaller bedrooms and a sitting room. We didn't need all the space as we were only 2 adults to a room. the bed was huge!!!

I cannot fault the cleanliness and we only stayed b&b but the food we did have was fine.

The only gripe we had was that everything seems to be geared to the Italians. Even so far as when we sat to watch their evening show we were told that it was for the Italians only and not British! That annoyed us a bit.

The pool areas were ok but tiles were very slippery when wet and we all had a fall at some point.

As we were leaving they started ripping up the walkways in front of the main restaurant and pool and there was workmen in droves along with huge cement mixers. They did say that the work was for a sewage problem and would last only 10 days but where the heavy lorries were coming up from the beach area, the whole walkways and sunk and subsided so I would think there will be disruption for a couple of weeks.

This is my second visit to this hotel, and my report can be seen further up the page.

We stayed in a family room with Thomson for the second year running. The family rooms are spacious, and we were very lucky to have a freshly painted room and opposite the huge pool, which most years have been commandeered by the Italians. The best rooms are the 'double double family rooms' with its own living room area, these are the biggest on resort. The standard family rooms are big also, but just a snippet smaller. This time around, we were in room 2302, a block away from the other. Thomson get the biggest rooms here at the Sonesta Beach, other operators go here, but they allocate you with tiny rooms. Please bring your own kettle etc as they do not provide one, there is also a mini bar in the room fridge, water costing one English pound.

Reguarding water......i would recommend you buying it from the Oonas diving restaurant, which is open for everyone and is really cheap for food and drink. Water here costs 50p..but buy it in the day to take to your rooms because at night security search your bags and tell you off for taking water onto the campus. security do not search ruck sacks etc in the day.

Tummy upsets - I always get this, but if you do get the trots and cramps, go to the local chemist in your town, buy over the counter Buscopan and Diaoraltye sachets. That will put the salt back into your bodies and the buscopan is for cramps and works. Go to the pharmacy in resort and ask for Antinal - this is an antibacterial agent to kill gut infections.

Now back to the hotel report - The rooms were cleaned to a high standard each day, beds changed daily, and clean towels, we always left a tip. If you have a room with single beds, they will push them together and it make a 7ft bed, massive.
The cleanliness of the outside was good, i didn't go in the pools, but some guests told me that they were beginning to look dated and shabby. How and when they clean the pools, i have no idea as i never saw them do it, so cannot comment.
You can watch the world cup from your own room if going at that time. If the station isn't tuned in, ring reception and they send a TV man out. You can watch it mostly everywhere and the Oonas bar has it on, next to the Sonesta hotel.

I quite like the location of the hotel, it is the far end of the promenade next to Naama Bay centre. taking a scroll would take approx 20 mins, by taxi 5mins. On route you will pass several nice restaurants and shops. The promenade is very tidy and clean, and security are outsides of all hotels, you feel completely safe.

The hotel staff are very friendly, and helpful, and speak good English.
The food hasn't changed at all from my last report, so for more of an incite to food and what there is, please read that. I cannot comment on Half board food, but on speaking to other guests found it repetitive and expensive compared to Naama bays prices in restaurants. For example, in the Sonesta Beach hotel, for half board you pay