Just got back in the early hours and mad busy at work, so don't have time to say anything at the moment other than I have just had a FABULOUS week at HSB!!!!! I will do a review as soon as I can, but this was a perfect week in a perfect hotel - I will be back for a 4th time as soon as I can!!! It was so, so good -I am still on a high thinking about it!!!!!! It actually gets better and better........

Sounds like you had a great trip - hope you had a wonderful anniversary!

Thanks Starry - we did!! I have now put on a review at last.

......we did!! I have now put on a review at last.

Glad you had a good time and many thanks for your review which was very informative

Graham

Brilliant and very comprehensive re view there Pat .

couple of things that jumped out at me

1) more British on the new side . Think that may have swayed me there .

2) white wristbands for repeat guests . I must make sure I get one of those

3) . That music sounds broing around the pool . You know me I like a bit of noise and prefer something more upbeat and I will be off to tell them if I get any rubbish.

4) The new candals and low level lighting for the new restaurant. That sounds better . I can't bear that cafeteria feeling but I'm sure the restaurant on the old side had candles didnt they pat .I can never remember getting too much of a caferteria feel there and always thought the atmosphere felt quite plesant there . .

Now whats the bar my lads need to mingle with other teens of an evening and is there any dancing anywhere for them . They always used to hang out in the chillout bar .

We will no doubt have our youngest (13) with us unless he surprises us this time and makes some friends(He's very different from his elder brothers) so sounds like we wont be able to go in that other one with the nice atmosphere.

lyn

Lyn - I much prefer to be with Brits on holiday in terms of having people to chat to - very few "foreigners" on the new side, and mostly Brits. When I was over at the beach side at the main pool bar, not many, and many more Eastern Europeans.

Yes, you will get a white wrsitband -we did in the summer. frist time visitors we sopke to all had blue, as did we on our first visit.

Don't know if you would like the atmposhere at the new side TBH. The three pools are soooo huge, everything is much more spaced out. The music is not loud (I just found it boring and old), and you could get away from it because of the space- it is so different to the main pool on the old side. The new side is very peaceful and relaxing really. Not much going on and pretyy quiet which suits us becasue we are not ones for joining in....no waterpolo and such like as there is across the road.

We did get our daughters into the Q Club in the summer when Emma was 15, but honestly I didn't see anyone else that young. She looks older than her years and is very tall so that may have helped.

Entertainment on the new side is in the Olympic Sports bar -TVS showing the footy in there as well. Didn't see any dancing! Chill out Bar was quite busy and seemed to have plenty going on too.

I prefer the new side restaurant for atmposhere - it always seemd a bit manic in the Mahfouz...but I have heard the new side described as being like a canteeen - which I don't agree with!

I thad thought that I wouldn't mind staying on the beach side, if I had to pay for an ugrade to the new side (wouldn't do that) but now I think I would only stay on the new side.... and it's mainly because of the other guests - nothing wrong with the rooms there.....

I think you will find the new side too boring Lyn!!!!

So A dilema . Do I go for the British but boring surroundings . I'm not very good with peaceful especially when I have to spend so much time on my own while the others go off diving . Or do I have more to watch and tap my feet to but not have British to share it with and chat to .

The music is not loud (I just found it boring and old), and you could get away from it because of the space

It doesnt have to be loud Pat , just along as I can hear it and it's upbeat .

Maybe it will be busier on the new side come school holiday time at Easter

Well, if you call Bonnie Tyler and Bob Marley upbeat Lyn

It should be busier at Easter - not so many youngsters obviously when we went...

The clientele has defintely swayed it for me now....when we went in Nov 2008 there were heaps of British at the old side....but not so many in the summer or on this visit. Maybe is is just the time of year though

I really like to have people to chat to since hubby is often asleep!!! and because we don't do the activities, chatting at the pool and the barsis quite important to me....

I see your dilemma, but I think you will go for the old side for the sea I love the views on that side, and you don't hear the planes....

Well, if you call Bonnie Tyler and Bob Marley upbeat Lyn

I could put up with Bob Marley but not Bonnie Tyler .But then again if it was a toss up between "heartache " (Is that Bonnie Tyler . See I'm good ) or the soft instrumental stuff I will go with bonnie Tyler .

See what you do Hilton when you give me too much choice . I'm happier with just the one big pool then everyone has to spend their holiday with us .

Lesley how did you find the clientel by the pools at Crimbo and was there any action at the new side then .

I really need to pin this down as normally where we sit the first day is where we remain for the duration and I could easily make a mistake . Yes I am one of those sad people who keeps the same sunbed position for the whole holiday . funny that because we normally see the same faces around us every day too .

"Heartache" Lyn!!!!! I would actually prefer no music to that on a loop all day....

We keep the same position too...and saw the same faces.....we are creatures of habit!! Be interesting to see if it was different at Christmas.....

To be honest I thought the whole hotel seemed to be mainly British but thought I had better check with hubby as I am not very observant! He agreed with Pat that there were more British on the new side. When we first arrived, the week before Xmas it was very quiet by the pool. Even when it filled up on Christmas day I wouldn't say it was particularly lively. They played some Christmas songs but even they seemed to be turned down after half an hour. We did sit over on the old side one day but missed our nice sunbeds and because of the time of year, we got the sun for a lot longer on the new side.
It's a difficult one Lyn, I have a feeling it might be a bit quiet for you as well.

ahhh too much choice . I have a feeling we will park at the old side too nearer the sea . The diving is a big part of our holiday too and another consideration as they will be coming and going from there a lot and often will come back for a bit before heading out again . They won't want to be doing a long trek backwards and forwards .

The luxury sounds nice over there but then we know no different .

It will be easier from the diving point of view Lyn.. since we have stayed at both sides it's different for us, and while I love the sea, it is not as important a consideration...it would be a bit of a trek going back and fore.

Still, you can always go over to the other side and have a look around or spend some time there and see what you think!

We got the sun longer on the new side in January which was also important to us, and the sunbeds are much more comfortable!!! It's about time they got the nice padded ones at the main pool on the beach side - you really notice a diffence after lying on the padded ones.

You should get a good room with seaview on the beach side for your upgrade, and I must admit there's nothing quite like getting up early and going out on the balcony to that fabulous view.

Just booked another week here for 26 June... unfortunately not for me (no holidays left from work ) so just hubby and our daughters going. Hope to be able to get back in November with hubby after my new "holiday year" at work starts afresh!!!!

that's not fair Pat . Can't you take a sickie just this once.

Too honest Lyn - and my boss would phone me at home on the first day of my absence anyway!!

Will catch up with you somewhere else to hear about the weekend so as not to take this offf topic!!!!

Well, just thought I would come on here to say that we went back to the HSB last week. This time we stayed on the new side in a 'Triple Deluxe' room. This was a huge room with three 4 foot beds in it and they were the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in!

Things had improved from last year, I'm pleased to say. Drinks service was much better in the restaurant at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Only one evening did we go mad trying to get a drink! Last year it was all the time! I suspect that last year the staff were new, as the new side had just opened. I still think they should have the coffee at breakfast self-service though. First you battle to be given a mug, then you have to catch the waiter with the jug of coffee. It is not a very relaxing way to have breakfast!

The other improvement was that, unlike last time, we were not driven mad by flies while lying on our sunbed!

Lynwestie - they did have waterpolo every day on the new side - my son played one day. They also played 5 a side football on the pitch at the back of the new side. They seemed to be running a full animation programme on both sides.

Glad you found it better this time mehmeh1. My hubby and daughters will be in a triple room- it's good to know there will be plenty of space and comfortable beds! Luckily we didn't have any problems with the service, and always got our coffee quickly at breakfast.

I agree, loved our triple room. The beds were so comfortable but maybe that was because I didn't have to share it