130 Reviews
Traveller Rating
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Excellent54
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Very Good56
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Good14
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Average4
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Poor1
Review Overview
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Cleanliness
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Entertainment
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Food
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Service
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Location
10 years 6 months ago
Very clean rooms, tidy staff and very helpfu. We are going back this year as it is a first class holiday. Well done to all for a wonderful time. You will always find something to eat even for the most fussiest person. Take a walk round the grounds they are very proud of this and so they should be, it is outstanding and well looked after. It has a good kids clubs so you can relax in the pool. There is plenty for kids to do with day and night entertainment. The staff will keep your kids busy. The adults bar is good for a laugh.
Travel operator: Thomson
Hotel tip: Staff very helpful, good food, rooms very clean. The staff go out of their way to help you day or night. Try the Italian restaurant, it has good steak and you will go back again.
Recommended
11 years 5 months ago
Had a lovely holiday the food was excellent and our room was fantastic. Stayed in block 3. If you have kids it's very geared up for them. My only complaint was the entertainment at night for adults was terrible!
Not for couples and my husband suffered from upset stomach for most of the holiday. All the trips were excellent and we booked through falcon tours who were very helpful. Do the quad bikes a must!
Not for couples and my husband suffered from upset stomach for most of the holiday. All the trips were excellent and we booked through falcon tours who were very helpful. Do the quad bikes a must!
Travel operator: thomsons
Recommended
12 years 9 months ago
Swim up room is an absolute must! The staff are amazing, the service top top draw. This was our fourth visit and we are going again in March 2013. The swim up rooms make our holiday, it’s a private pool area where only those who have swim up rooms can use it.
The bar staff from the quiet pool come to your rooms with trays of drinks and to take a sandwich order from you for lunch.
The food is average but we have never been poorly during our visits. We pop out to Soho square just outside the complex to eat and shisha a couple of evenings during our stay.
There is a great little English bar just down the road which shows all the football games, my hubby pops off there once a week so we get a break from each other. We have been to Naama bay which is not our cup of tea, a bit of Margate seafront in Egypt.
The bar staff from the quiet pool come to your rooms with trays of drinks and to take a sandwich order from you for lunch.
The food is average but we have never been poorly during our visits. We pop out to Soho square just outside the complex to eat and shisha a couple of evenings during our stay.
There is a great little English bar just down the road which shows all the football games, my hubby pops off there once a week so we get a break from each other. We have been to Naama bay which is not our cup of tea, a bit of Margate seafront in Egypt.
Recommended
12 years 11 months ago
Just back from our second visit to the Holiday Village and it was great and already, planning our 3rd visit.
The staff at the hotel are extremley helpful and go over and above with the service they offer. There was one issue we raised and it was dealt with very professionally by the member of management concerned. He made sure we were happy and satisfied with the service offered and felt, he really cared and listened to what the issue raised.
The food at the hotel was great, as was the service in the restaurants. There was such a variety of food on offer in the main restaurant and you would have to be a particularly fussy eater to not find something suitable. The A La Carte restaurants were delicous and again, the service exceptional! We visited the Stone Grill and will definately be going back!
We had interconnecting rooms which were huge! The room cleaner was in everyday to clean and top up on the essentials.
Most of the time was spent around the quiet pool as this was heated. The pool boys were very helpful, as were the bar staff there. My sons (12 and 7) did use the kids club a few times but were more than happy to play in the pool or on the beach. The youngest one particularly enjoyed going to the I 5 Live disco on a few nights and enjoyed watching the entertainment.
Staff from the Aquaruis company in the Holiday Village were very helpful and we enjoyed the diving and speedboat trip booked with them.
Overall, an amazing holiday with great staff, great food and great weather!
The staff at the hotel are extremley helpful and go over and above with the service they offer. There was one issue we raised and it was dealt with very professionally by the member of management concerned. He made sure we were happy and satisfied with the service offered and felt, he really cared and listened to what the issue raised.
The food at the hotel was great, as was the service in the restaurants. There was such a variety of food on offer in the main restaurant and you would have to be a particularly fussy eater to not find something suitable. The A La Carte restaurants were delicous and again, the service exceptional! We visited the Stone Grill and will definately be going back!
We had interconnecting rooms which were huge! The room cleaner was in everyday to clean and top up on the essentials.
Most of the time was spent around the quiet pool as this was heated. The pool boys were very helpful, as were the bar staff there. My sons (12 and 7) did use the kids club a few times but were more than happy to play in the pool or on the beach. The youngest one particularly enjoyed going to the I 5 Live disco on a few nights and enjoyed watching the entertainment.
Staff from the Aquaruis company in the Holiday Village were very helpful and we enjoyed the diving and speedboat trip booked with them.
Overall, an amazing holiday with great staff, great food and great weather!
Recommended
13 years 4 months ago
Well what can I say? This was our fifth visit to the Coral Sea Holiday Village in four years so I think that speaks for itself! Absolutely fantastic time. As usual the service from all the staff here was second to none, from the Management Team to the gardeners, nothing is ever too much trouble for them to ensure that your holiday is a memorable one. I read with interest a recent review which commented on the coveted gold wristband and I would stress that no matter whether you are a returning guest or a first time guest, everyone is treated exactly the same, with courtesy and kindness by all the staff at the Holiday Village. A ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ goes a long way here and it is only a pity that some of our fellow Brits don’t even have these words in their vocabulary. Manners and respect don’t cost anything! Yes, we do tip accordingly, but we feel that they deserve our thanks and gratitude for all their help and hard work.
Although this is very much a family-orientated resort it still makes for a fantastic experience for adults travelling without children. If you want to join in all the activities then just do it! If however you want a more relaxing holiday then there are areas and facilities for you just to do that adult only breakfast in the Med restaurant is a must, adult only entertainment in the View Bar and if you time your meals carefully you can have a most pleasurable and relaxing dining experience in the main restaurant, i.e. after 1.00 p.m. and after 8.30 p.m. Some reviews report that the food is bland if you want to eat chips and pizza for two weeks, then yes I suppose you would get bored! Try something new if you don’t like it then try something else - the choice of dishes are excellent and they make the best soups ever and cakes to die for! Wael our drinks waiter in the main restaurant did an excellent job in looking after us I don’t know how he manages to remember everyone’s drinks but he does! The Bamboo and Med restaurants are both very good and with waiter service this makes for a relaxing change. Again the dishes available in the a la carte restaurants make you spoiled for choice.
The beach may not be everyone’s taste as the sand there is very gritty, but you must remember that this is where the mountains and desert meet the coral reef, so you won’t get soft white sand for making sandcastles. However, get down there to see the sunrise and you will experience a fantastic sight. The sea is so warm and clear it’s amazing.
Swim-up rooms are fantastic and again give you the chance to relax a little more than down at the main pool. Plug-in mosquito machines are a must, just like any other hot country mozzies can be a bit of a nuisance! Fahim has got to be the best cleaner ever he was so funny and so incredibly good at his job does fantastic towel art! Peter from the Quiet Pool bar would always ensure that you were never without a drink and was an absolute sweetheart! We met some great people and hopefully we will be sharing some more experiences with them next year yes Mandy, Rich, Gerry and Andy, we mean you same time, same place!
This is a fantastic hotel and I for one really don’t want to go anywhere else as this is my idea of a perfect holiday. I must however say a very big thank you to Ramy Saied who always ensures that we have a fantastic holiday he really is one in a million.
So to all the staff and the Coral Sea Holiday Village a very big thank you for making our holiday as wonderful as ever, you should all be proud of yourselves and here’s looking forward to our next visit in September 2012.
Although this is very much a family-orientated resort it still makes for a fantastic experience for adults travelling without children. If you want to join in all the activities then just do it! If however you want a more relaxing holiday then there are areas and facilities for you just to do that adult only breakfast in the Med restaurant is a must, adult only entertainment in the View Bar and if you time your meals carefully you can have a most pleasurable and relaxing dining experience in the main restaurant, i.e. after 1.00 p.m. and after 8.30 p.m. Some reviews report that the food is bland if you want to eat chips and pizza for two weeks, then yes I suppose you would get bored! Try something new if you don’t like it then try something else - the choice of dishes are excellent and they make the best soups ever and cakes to die for! Wael our drinks waiter in the main restaurant did an excellent job in looking after us I don’t know how he manages to remember everyone’s drinks but he does! The Bamboo and Med restaurants are both very good and with waiter service this makes for a relaxing change. Again the dishes available in the a la carte restaurants make you spoiled for choice.
The beach may not be everyone’s taste as the sand there is very gritty, but you must remember that this is where the mountains and desert meet the coral reef, so you won’t get soft white sand for making sandcastles. However, get down there to see the sunrise and you will experience a fantastic sight. The sea is so warm and clear it’s amazing.
Swim-up rooms are fantastic and again give you the chance to relax a little more than down at the main pool. Plug-in mosquito machines are a must, just like any other hot country mozzies can be a bit of a nuisance! Fahim has got to be the best cleaner ever he was so funny and so incredibly good at his job does fantastic towel art! Peter from the Quiet Pool bar would always ensure that you were never without a drink and was an absolute sweetheart! We met some great people and hopefully we will be sharing some more experiences with them next year yes Mandy, Rich, Gerry and Andy, we mean you same time, same place!
This is a fantastic hotel and I for one really don’t want to go anywhere else as this is my idea of a perfect holiday. I must however say a very big thank you to Ramy Saied who always ensures that we have a fantastic holiday he really is one in a million.
So to all the staff and the Coral Sea Holiday Village a very big thank you for making our holiday as wonderful as ever, you should all be proud of yourselves and here’s looking forward to our next visit in September 2012.
Recommended
13 years 9 months ago
Can't fault the holiday village, rooms, gardens especially excellent. Food ok average for all-inclusive, there was always something you could eat. The cleaners were excellent, as were the staff especially the First Choice advisors and reception staff, nothing was too much trouble and they always had a smile for you.
Restaurant staff were wonderful the 1st week but went downhill the 2nd week, probably because it got really busy the 2nd week!
As far as the entertainment was concerned excellent for kids but not much for grown-ups and that’s the reason I would not go back again. If you've got kids you can't go wrong!
Restaurant staff were wonderful the 1st week but went downhill the 2nd week, probably because it got really busy the 2nd week!
As far as the entertainment was concerned excellent for kids but not much for grown-ups and that’s the reason I would not go back again. If you've got kids you can't go wrong!
13 years 10 months ago
Have just got back from an 11 night holiday at the Holiday Village Red Sea.
The hotel check in was quick and smooth, and we were shown to our room by a porter who also bought our suitcases for us. We had a standard room on the third floor of block 10 which had a nice view over the quiet pool (more about the pool later).
The room was very large with a walk-in wardrobe and a safe for no extra charge. There was a fridge in the room with a mini-bar, but this is chargeable, and we had it emptied straight away so we could use the fridge to put bottled water in, of which 2 or 3 bottles were left everyday by the cleaner.
The bathroom was also a good size with a large walk-in shower.
We have travelled a lot, staying in many hotels, and the beds in this hotel where the hardest we had ever slept on. Did have a mattress topper put on which helped somewhat.
There were a couple of problems with lights and the bathroom sink tap while we were there, but these were sorted very quickly and efficiently.
The condition of the main room was fine with a nice big balcony, but parts of the bathroom were very tatty with some mould around, and could do with a good re-vamp.
The food around the resort was very mixed, average and very samey in the main buffet restaurant, but with a reasonable choice and mostly well cooked.
There were also three specialality restaurants which were all in the same building - Mediterranean, Asian and Chinese. You could use each of these once per week of your stay, and the food was much better, although we werent over impressed with the Chinese.
The Mediterranean also did an adults only breakfast which we used most mornings, and at lunch time it was open to anyone for limited snacks.
There was also a Sea Food restaurant on the beach, but this was not part of the all inclusive so we didnt go there. However on some days at lunch time it opened as a snack bar, which was very handy if you were on the beach.
There are 2 main pools in the resort, unless you book a swim up room. The quiet pool was heated and therefore not quiet with lots of kids, especially during the first few days we were there due to it being the end of half term. Also some of the kids activities were held on a grass area next to the pool, and kids swimming lessons at one end of the pool in the mornings. The other pool was cold, but many of the daytime activities were held here with loud music for much of the time.
When we were sitting by the pool the teams from the spa, massage and beauty centres hassled us during the first 2 or 3 days, but after that left us alone.
My wife had the Egyptian tummy for a day, and I felt odd a few times this was despite doing all the right things.
The entertainment was ok with the main room having a kids disco followed by bingo, then a game show, and after at 10pm a cabaret show which was either put on by the reps of occasionally an act bought in from outside.
We spent most evenings in the View Bar which was adults only. This used to be a quiet bar, but now after 9pm there is music, quizzes, karaoke and cabaret.
We only left the complex once for a walk to the nearby shops, and as expected we were hassled almost as soon as we walked out of the hotel entrance. I hate this so we didnt stay out long.
I would only rate this complex as a 3 star not 4 star as it is classified by First Choice. Difficult to know if I would recommend it, but probably a good place if you are looking for a relaxing break in the sun.
The hotel check in was quick and smooth, and we were shown to our room by a porter who also bought our suitcases for us. We had a standard room on the third floor of block 10 which had a nice view over the quiet pool (more about the pool later).
The room was very large with a walk-in wardrobe and a safe for no extra charge. There was a fridge in the room with a mini-bar, but this is chargeable, and we had it emptied straight away so we could use the fridge to put bottled water in, of which 2 or 3 bottles were left everyday by the cleaner.
The bathroom was also a good size with a large walk-in shower.
We have travelled a lot, staying in many hotels, and the beds in this hotel where the hardest we had ever slept on. Did have a mattress topper put on which helped somewhat.
There were a couple of problems with lights and the bathroom sink tap while we were there, but these were sorted very quickly and efficiently.
The condition of the main room was fine with a nice big balcony, but parts of the bathroom were very tatty with some mould around, and could do with a good re-vamp.
The food around the resort was very mixed, average and very samey in the main buffet restaurant, but with a reasonable choice and mostly well cooked.
There were also three specialality restaurants which were all in the same building - Mediterranean, Asian and Chinese. You could use each of these once per week of your stay, and the food was much better, although we werent over impressed with the Chinese.
The Mediterranean also did an adults only breakfast which we used most mornings, and at lunch time it was open to anyone for limited snacks.
There was also a Sea Food restaurant on the beach, but this was not part of the all inclusive so we didnt go there. However on some days at lunch time it opened as a snack bar, which was very handy if you were on the beach.
There are 2 main pools in the resort, unless you book a swim up room. The quiet pool was heated and therefore not quiet with lots of kids, especially during the first few days we were there due to it being the end of half term. Also some of the kids activities were held on a grass area next to the pool, and kids swimming lessons at one end of the pool in the mornings. The other pool was cold, but many of the daytime activities were held here with loud music for much of the time.
When we were sitting by the pool the teams from the spa, massage and beauty centres hassled us during the first 2 or 3 days, but after that left us alone.
My wife had the Egyptian tummy for a day, and I felt odd a few times this was despite doing all the right things.
The entertainment was ok with the main room having a kids disco followed by bingo, then a game show, and after at 10pm a cabaret show which was either put on by the reps of occasionally an act bought in from outside.
We spent most evenings in the View Bar which was adults only. This used to be a quiet bar, but now after 9pm there is music, quizzes, karaoke and cabaret.
We only left the complex once for a walk to the nearby shops, and as expected we were hassled almost as soon as we walked out of the hotel entrance. I hate this so we didnt stay out long.
I would only rate this complex as a 3 star not 4 star as it is classified by First Choice. Difficult to know if I would recommend it, but probably a good place if you are looking for a relaxing break in the sun.
Recommended
13 years 11 months ago
Coral Sea Holiday Village, Sharm el Sheikh, with First Choice.
The Holiday Village itself:
The sprawling complex is set in one of the most green and beautiful grounds around this part of Egypt.
The Holiday Village staff:
Nothing was too much trouble they will make your holiday a wonderful time.
Evening Entertainment:
The First Choice team were probably in amongst the best Evening entertainers I have seen from First Choice and so it should be if you have gone to this hotel as All Inclusive you wouldn't want to have to go out of an evening to be entertained and have to pay for your drinks.
Children's daytime entertainment:
Although we didn't take our 24 & 25 year old children;-) I could see that children of all ages where very well catered for by the First Choice Team with lots of exciting things for them to do.
Restaurants and food:
The choice and availability is excellent and if you require something special you have only to ask in the Buffet Restaurant and if its possible ewill oblige. However with the exception of the beach bar we ate exclusively in the Buffet Restaurant and we were very careful about not drinking water or having ice but we contracted what was probably a mild form of food poisoning, this is something that has never happened to us before in Egypt, nor almost at any of our 3 or 4 holidays we take each year? and this can only be attributed to the Holiday Villages prepared food or drink as we never left the complex at all.
Pools:
The quiet heated pool is lovely and warm and between 1.5 & 1.6 metres deep so ideal for the not so keen swimmers. The main pool was quite a bit cooler but was well used by everyone, however the swim-up-room pools where absolutely freezing!
The Sea and Beach:
This is one of the better beaches with a variety of beds, shades and suspended rope beds; the sand beach is clean and continues well out into the shallow sloping warm sea.
Mosquitoes:
Mosquitoes were a BIG problem at this hotel in both early January 2010 last year and late Jan 2011 this year when we stayed. Although the hotel did make efforts to spray their beautiful gardens, this was hit and miss, the man (with no mask on) walked along with the sprayer lance pointing behind him as he walked at quite a pace however he only succeeded in leaving a cloud of smoke lingering along the path he had just walked. Very little spread into the shrubbery where the sketoes would be lurking. In the mornings I would find at least four clinging to the dark wood door to our room upon opening they would fly into the room. One young girl had at least fifty bites on just one leg, which she said happened on her first night at the Holiday Village, she had to have a course of injections from the Dr. to make the swelling go down! We got a few bites even though we must have killed dozens in our room, some containing blood, our blood I assumed.
In conclusion:
This is probably one of the best holiday complexes in Sharm and mainly filed with British, I have heard horror stories from Brits put in predominantly Russian or Italian hotels. Just bring plenty of insect repellent spray, and diocalm or whatever and you will have a great time here.
The Holiday Village itself:
The sprawling complex is set in one of the most green and beautiful grounds around this part of Egypt.
The Holiday Village staff:
Nothing was too much trouble they will make your holiday a wonderful time.
Evening Entertainment:
The First Choice team were probably in amongst the best Evening entertainers I have seen from First Choice and so it should be if you have gone to this hotel as All Inclusive you wouldn't want to have to go out of an evening to be entertained and have to pay for your drinks.
Children's daytime entertainment:
Although we didn't take our 24 & 25 year old children;-) I could see that children of all ages where very well catered for by the First Choice Team with lots of exciting things for them to do.
Restaurants and food:
The choice and availability is excellent and if you require something special you have only to ask in the Buffet Restaurant and if its possible ewill oblige. However with the exception of the beach bar we ate exclusively in the Buffet Restaurant and we were very careful about not drinking water or having ice but we contracted what was probably a mild form of food poisoning, this is something that has never happened to us before in Egypt, nor almost at any of our 3 or 4 holidays we take each year? and this can only be attributed to the Holiday Villages prepared food or drink as we never left the complex at all.
Pools:
The quiet heated pool is lovely and warm and between 1.5 & 1.6 metres deep so ideal for the not so keen swimmers. The main pool was quite a bit cooler but was well used by everyone, however the swim-up-room pools where absolutely freezing!
The Sea and Beach:
This is one of the better beaches with a variety of beds, shades and suspended rope beds; the sand beach is clean and continues well out into the shallow sloping warm sea.
Mosquitoes:
Mosquitoes were a BIG problem at this hotel in both early January 2010 last year and late Jan 2011 this year when we stayed. Although the hotel did make efforts to spray their beautiful gardens, this was hit and miss, the man (with no mask on) walked along with the sprayer lance pointing behind him as he walked at quite a pace however he only succeeded in leaving a cloud of smoke lingering along the path he had just walked. Very little spread into the shrubbery where the sketoes would be lurking. In the mornings I would find at least four clinging to the dark wood door to our room upon opening they would fly into the room. One young girl had at least fifty bites on just one leg, which she said happened on her first night at the Holiday Village, she had to have a course of injections from the Dr. to make the swelling go down! We got a few bites even though we must have killed dozens in our room, some containing blood, our blood I assumed.
In conclusion:
This is probably one of the best holiday complexes in Sharm and mainly filed with British, I have heard horror stories from Brits put in predominantly Russian or Italian hotels. Just bring plenty of insect repellent spray, and diocalm or whatever and you will have a great time here.
Recommended
14 years 5 months ago
I have been back a few days now from the Holiday Village Red Sea and I thought I would write quite a comprehensive review on what I thought of the complex and staff etc.
Our stay was for 10 days and I travelled with my wife and 2 children aged 11 and 5. I booked a double standard room after I read quite a few reviews as I was undecided on what accommodation would be best.
On arrival at Sharm Airport we were met by friendly First Choice staff who showed us too one of several coaches which were waiting to take people to different complex's, but be warned that when you get to the coach this is the 1st time that you will be asked for money by someone wanting to put your case on the bus. The transfer is around 15-20 minutes and when we got to the Holiday Village the booking process was quite quick, however because I had emailed the hotel prior to leaving the UK about prices on a Swim Up Room they had actually got me down as wanting one and this was not the case at all.
I was given keys to block 14 and asked to wait outside and I would be shown to my room and the cases would follow later. Block 14 is probably the furthest from the pools and beach etc. So not a great place to be. The 1st thing we noticed was that our room had 2 single beds and a chair bed and we had 4 persons in our group and we asked for a double so it wasn't what we actually booked. I telephoned reception and I was told that someone would come and put a further camp bed in the room to which I replied, don't bother as we want a room with a double bed and 2 single beds. I was informed that this would not happen tonight as they have no rooms available and we would get a camp bed in the room.
It took another 30 minutes for our cases to arrive and too be honest by now we were quite tired and angry about the room situation. We went to the restaurant as this is kept open especially for you, but too be honest it is the remains of the evening meal so don't expect anything wonderful. When we got back to our room a camp bed had been put in there and it was that dangerous and unsafe we refused to allow anyone to sleep in it so we had to double up in a single bed. We eventually got put into Block 11 at 7pm the following evening so we missed the 1st day by messing around trying to get the room sorted and living out of our suitcases so the holiday didn't get off to a great start.
This was a standard room and too be honest it was very clean and spacious with a Queen size bed and 2 good single beds with a view over the swim up rooms and quiet pool. During the night around 1am on the 1st night in here we lost all power which included the Air Conditioning, I telephoned reception and to our amazement we had a maintenance man knocking on the door within 5 minutes and fixed the problem straight away so this was brilliant.
The gardens at the Holiday Village are lovely and are always being maintained by gardeners, but be warned that the water smells horrendous that comes out of the sprinklers probably recycled. The pools are well maintained, but plenty of litter around the pool that had been there for days as we tended to use the same loungers every day. The men around the pool wore orange and white striped tops and I thought these people were extremely lazy and rude. They would walk past litter and all they did all day would be to sit in a wooden hut dishing out towels. When you arrive you get towel cards with your room number on. This is the most ridiculous thing I have seen. I have stayed at many all-inclusive resorts and never seen this before, why does it need your room number on surely you can be given the right number of cards per persons in your group as this would stop them losing your cards most days or stood waiting for 5-10 minutes until they had found them.
There are 2 bars situated around the main pool and something I found rather strange is that you can't get the same drinks in both. There is only 1 popcorn machine for the whole complex which is near to the main pool bar and if you want ice cream, well you have to walk right around the pool near to the al a carte restaurant which is ridiculous, why not have more stations?
The food in the main restaurant is of a good standard and quite a variety. The a la carte has a Mediterranean, Indian & Chinese. All which are OK, but the Indian was poor as they use black pepper rather than spices.
The First Choice entertainment team are outstanding and especially the guys who make up i5Live. We loved all the activities during the night and day and these guys and girls certainly put some hours in and get great audience participation. Whilst we were there we had some great acts on including The Unlikely Lads and some guy that was on Britains Got Talent, but when the local Egyptian dancers came on one night I have never seen the amphitheatre empty so quick. I will guarantee you will come home singing songs like Choco Latte, Shake it, i5Live, One Eyed People Eater and many many more.
Whilst at the Holiday Village most people got the dreaded Egyptian Tummy and Ear infections, but a trip to the chemist sorted most people out.
Overall we did enjoy the holiday, but certainly wouldn't want to be there for any longer than 10 days.
Our stay was for 10 days and I travelled with my wife and 2 children aged 11 and 5. I booked a double standard room after I read quite a few reviews as I was undecided on what accommodation would be best.
On arrival at Sharm Airport we were met by friendly First Choice staff who showed us too one of several coaches which were waiting to take people to different complex's, but be warned that when you get to the coach this is the 1st time that you will be asked for money by someone wanting to put your case on the bus. The transfer is around 15-20 minutes and when we got to the Holiday Village the booking process was quite quick, however because I had emailed the hotel prior to leaving the UK about prices on a Swim Up Room they had actually got me down as wanting one and this was not the case at all.
I was given keys to block 14 and asked to wait outside and I would be shown to my room and the cases would follow later. Block 14 is probably the furthest from the pools and beach etc. So not a great place to be. The 1st thing we noticed was that our room had 2 single beds and a chair bed and we had 4 persons in our group and we asked for a double so it wasn't what we actually booked. I telephoned reception and I was told that someone would come and put a further camp bed in the room to which I replied, don't bother as we want a room with a double bed and 2 single beds. I was informed that this would not happen tonight as they have no rooms available and we would get a camp bed in the room.
It took another 30 minutes for our cases to arrive and too be honest by now we were quite tired and angry about the room situation. We went to the restaurant as this is kept open especially for you, but too be honest it is the remains of the evening meal so don't expect anything wonderful. When we got back to our room a camp bed had been put in there and it was that dangerous and unsafe we refused to allow anyone to sleep in it so we had to double up in a single bed. We eventually got put into Block 11 at 7pm the following evening so we missed the 1st day by messing around trying to get the room sorted and living out of our suitcases so the holiday didn't get off to a great start.
This was a standard room and too be honest it was very clean and spacious with a Queen size bed and 2 good single beds with a view over the swim up rooms and quiet pool. During the night around 1am on the 1st night in here we lost all power which included the Air Conditioning, I telephoned reception and to our amazement we had a maintenance man knocking on the door within 5 minutes and fixed the problem straight away so this was brilliant.
The gardens at the Holiday Village are lovely and are always being maintained by gardeners, but be warned that the water smells horrendous that comes out of the sprinklers probably recycled. The pools are well maintained, but plenty of litter around the pool that had been there for days as we tended to use the same loungers every day. The men around the pool wore orange and white striped tops and I thought these people were extremely lazy and rude. They would walk past litter and all they did all day would be to sit in a wooden hut dishing out towels. When you arrive you get towel cards with your room number on. This is the most ridiculous thing I have seen. I have stayed at many all-inclusive resorts and never seen this before, why does it need your room number on surely you can be given the right number of cards per persons in your group as this would stop them losing your cards most days or stood waiting for 5-10 minutes until they had found them.
There are 2 bars situated around the main pool and something I found rather strange is that you can't get the same drinks in both. There is only 1 popcorn machine for the whole complex which is near to the main pool bar and if you want ice cream, well you have to walk right around the pool near to the al a carte restaurant which is ridiculous, why not have more stations?
The food in the main restaurant is of a good standard and quite a variety. The a la carte has a Mediterranean, Indian & Chinese. All which are OK, but the Indian was poor as they use black pepper rather than spices.
The First Choice entertainment team are outstanding and especially the guys who make up i5Live. We loved all the activities during the night and day and these guys and girls certainly put some hours in and get great audience participation. Whilst we were there we had some great acts on including The Unlikely Lads and some guy that was on Britains Got Talent, but when the local Egyptian dancers came on one night I have never seen the amphitheatre empty so quick. I will guarantee you will come home singing songs like Choco Latte, Shake it, i5Live, One Eyed People Eater and many many more.
Whilst at the Holiday Village most people got the dreaded Egyptian Tummy and Ear infections, but a trip to the chemist sorted most people out.
Overall we did enjoy the holiday, but certainly wouldn't want to be there for any longer than 10 days.
14 years 5 months ago
I have been back a few days now from the Holiday Village Red Sea and I thought I would write quite a comprehensive review on what I thought of the complex and staff etc.
Our stay was for 10 days and I travelled with my wife and 2 children aged 11 and 5. I booked a double standard room after I read quite a few reviews as I was undecided on what accommodation would be best.
On arrival at Sharm Airport we were met by friendly First Choice staff who showed us too one of several coaches which were waiting to take people to different complex’s, but be warned that when you get to the coach this is the 1st time that you will be asked for money by someone wanting to put your case on the bus.
The transfer is around 15-20 minutes and when we got to the Holiday Village the booking process was quite quick, however because I had emailed the hotel prior to leaving the UK about prices on a Swim Up Room they had actually got me down as wanting one and this was not the case at all. I was given keys to block 14 and asked to wait outside and I would be shown to my room and the cases would follow later.
Block 14 is probably the furthest from the pools and beach, etc, so not a great place to be. The 1st thing we noticed was that our room had 2 single beds and a chair bed and we had 4 persons in our group and we asked for a double so it wasn’t what we actually booked. I telephoned reception and I was told that someone would come and put a further camp bed in the room to which I replied, Don’t bother as we want a room with a double bed and 2 single beds. I was informed that this would not happen tonight as they have no rooms available and we would get a camp bed in the room. It took another 30 minutes for our cases to arrive and too be honest by now we were quite tired and angry about the room situation.
We went to the restaurant as this is kept open especially for you, but too be honest it is the remains of the evening meal so don’t expect anything wonderful. When we got back to our room a camp bed had been put in there and it was that dangerous and unsafe we refused to allow anyone to sleep in it so we had to double up in a single bed. We eventually got put into Block 11 at 7pm the following evening so we missed the 1st day by messing around trying to get the room sorted and living out of our suitcases so the holiday didn’t get off to a great start.
This was a standard room and too be honest it was very clean and spacious with a Queen size bed and 2 good single beds with a view over the swim up rooms and quiet pool. During the night around 1am on the 1st night in here we lost all power which included the Air Conditioning, I telephoned reception and to our amazement we had a maintenance man knocking on the door within 5 minutes and fixed the problem straight away so this was brilliant.
The gardens at the Holiday Village are lovely and are always being maintained by gardeners, but be warned that the water smells horrendous that comes out of the sprinklers probably recycled. The pools are well maintained, but plenty of litter around the pool that had been there for days as we tended to use the same loungers every day. The men around the pool wore orange and white striped tops and I thought these people were extremely lazy and rude. They would walk passed litter and all they did all day would be to sit in a wooden hut dishing out towels. When you arrive you get towel cards with your room number on. This is the most ridiculous thing I have seen. I have stayed at many all-inclusive resorts and never seen this before, why does it need your room number on surely you can be given the right number of cards per persons in your group as this would stop them losing your cards most days or stood waiting for 5-10 minutes until they had found them.
There are 2 bars situated around the main pool and thing I found rather strange is that you can’t get the same drinks in both. There is only 1 popcorn machine for the whole complex which is near to the main pool bar and if you want ice cream, well you have to walk right around the pool near to the al a carte restaurant which is ridiculous, why not have more stations?
The food in the main restaurant is of a good standard and quite a variety. The a la carte has a Mediterranean, Indian & Chinese. All which are OK, but the Indian was poor as they use black pepper rather than spices.
The First Choice entertainment team are outstanding and especially the guys who make up i5Live. We loved all the activities during the night and day and these guys and girls certainly put some hours in and get great audience participation. Whilst we were there we had some great acts on including The Unlikely Lads and some guy that was on Britain’s Got Talent, but when the local Egyptian dancers came on one night I have never seen the amphitheatre empty so quick. I will guarantee you will come home singing songs like Choco Latte, Shake it, i5Live, One Eyed People Eater and many many more.
Whilst at the Holiday Village most people got the dreaded Egyptian Tummy and Ear infections, but a trip to the chemist sorted most people out.
Overall we did enjoy the holiday, but certainly wouldn’t want to be there for any longer than 10 days.
Our stay was for 10 days and I travelled with my wife and 2 children aged 11 and 5. I booked a double standard room after I read quite a few reviews as I was undecided on what accommodation would be best.
On arrival at Sharm Airport we were met by friendly First Choice staff who showed us too one of several coaches which were waiting to take people to different complex’s, but be warned that when you get to the coach this is the 1st time that you will be asked for money by someone wanting to put your case on the bus.
The transfer is around 15-20 minutes and when we got to the Holiday Village the booking process was quite quick, however because I had emailed the hotel prior to leaving the UK about prices on a Swim Up Room they had actually got me down as wanting one and this was not the case at all. I was given keys to block 14 and asked to wait outside and I would be shown to my room and the cases would follow later.
Block 14 is probably the furthest from the pools and beach, etc, so not a great place to be. The 1st thing we noticed was that our room had 2 single beds and a chair bed and we had 4 persons in our group and we asked for a double so it wasn’t what we actually booked. I telephoned reception and I was told that someone would come and put a further camp bed in the room to which I replied, Don’t bother as we want a room with a double bed and 2 single beds. I was informed that this would not happen tonight as they have no rooms available and we would get a camp bed in the room. It took another 30 minutes for our cases to arrive and too be honest by now we were quite tired and angry about the room situation.
We went to the restaurant as this is kept open especially for you, but too be honest it is the remains of the evening meal so don’t expect anything wonderful. When we got back to our room a camp bed had been put in there and it was that dangerous and unsafe we refused to allow anyone to sleep in it so we had to double up in a single bed. We eventually got put into Block 11 at 7pm the following evening so we missed the 1st day by messing around trying to get the room sorted and living out of our suitcases so the holiday didn’t get off to a great start.
This was a standard room and too be honest it was very clean and spacious with a Queen size bed and 2 good single beds with a view over the swim up rooms and quiet pool. During the night around 1am on the 1st night in here we lost all power which included the Air Conditioning, I telephoned reception and to our amazement we had a maintenance man knocking on the door within 5 minutes and fixed the problem straight away so this was brilliant.
The gardens at the Holiday Village are lovely and are always being maintained by gardeners, but be warned that the water smells horrendous that comes out of the sprinklers probably recycled. The pools are well maintained, but plenty of litter around the pool that had been there for days as we tended to use the same loungers every day. The men around the pool wore orange and white striped tops and I thought these people were extremely lazy and rude. They would walk passed litter and all they did all day would be to sit in a wooden hut dishing out towels. When you arrive you get towel cards with your room number on. This is the most ridiculous thing I have seen. I have stayed at many all-inclusive resorts and never seen this before, why does it need your room number on surely you can be given the right number of cards per persons in your group as this would stop them losing your cards most days or stood waiting for 5-10 minutes until they had found them.
There are 2 bars situated around the main pool and thing I found rather strange is that you can’t get the same drinks in both. There is only 1 popcorn machine for the whole complex which is near to the main pool bar and if you want ice cream, well you have to walk right around the pool near to the al a carte restaurant which is ridiculous, why not have more stations?
The food in the main restaurant is of a good standard and quite a variety. The a la carte has a Mediterranean, Indian & Chinese. All which are OK, but the Indian was poor as they use black pepper rather than spices.
The First Choice entertainment team are outstanding and especially the guys who make up i5Live. We loved all the activities during the night and day and these guys and girls certainly put some hours in and get great audience participation. Whilst we were there we had some great acts on including The Unlikely Lads and some guy that was on Britain’s Got Talent, but when the local Egyptian dancers came on one night I have never seen the amphitheatre empty so quick. I will guarantee you will come home singing songs like Choco Latte, Shake it, i5Live, One Eyed People Eater and many many more.
Whilst at the Holiday Village most people got the dreaded Egyptian Tummy and Ear infections, but a trip to the chemist sorted most people out.
Overall we did enjoy the holiday, but certainly wouldn’t want to be there for any longer than 10 days.
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