This is a good hotel set in beautiful gardens, next to the Red Sea & does exactly what it says on the tin. It's a 4* AI hotel aimed at the British family package holiday market. I beleive other nationalities may visit other times of year, but didn't see any whilst there. They may come off-season when it's cheaper & FC have problems filling it with Brits.

We had a good flight from Birmingham with Thomsonfly & arrived on time at Sharm. It was chaotic on arrival we just got swept along with the hoards and queued for passport control having already filled in our entry cards. We knew we did not want a visa.

Check in was good, but I was first off the coach & had filled in forms given to us by the rep. We were greeted with chilled fruit cocktails which is a nice touch, given keys, a hotel guide book, tickets for the a la cartes & sent off to get 'banded' to a chap who was milling about the crowd, as a full coach load had arrived. We were taken on a walk round the hotel dropping people off at their rooms on the way, this is a pain really slow. We would have prefered to find our own rooms with the aid of a decent map.

ROOMS

We were allocated rooms 14225 & 14226, 1st floor, block 14 at the back of the resort. It's one with three floors, close to the aclimatised pool and the main building. I was disappointed that the rooms didn't have a connecting door, but in fairness I didn't get the option of this at the time of booking. We were on the end of the block so had a nice sea view.

We could hear the Laguna Vista's disco from these rooms at night but it went off at about 1am.

The two rooms were mirror images of each other. Large with a 6'6" bed which was hard. Armchair, low table, dressing table with 3 drawers, large mirror, subdued lighting, spotlights over bed for reading. Double wardrobe with about 10 hangers, cupboard with free digital safe and shelving. Very expensive mini-bar. Air-con unit & phone. TV with plenty of sports and films in English. Large balcony with a table and 2 chairs.

The shower room is in three parts. Toilet, washbasin with complimentary toiletries and the shower which is so large it is more like a wetroom. Washing line & towel rails are in the shower area. Slippery floor so take care. The bathroom is badly finished, looks like it was put up in a rush & not by proper tradesmen, but who goes on holiday to look at the grouting?! There is a phone in the loo ???

HOTEL CLEANLINESS

Room was cleaned every day I have put cleanliness as 4 as I wasn't sure our floor was being mopped over as I was barefoot a lot in the room after showering & the bottom's of my feet kept getting dirty. Otherwise the cleaning was great, towels & toilet rolls replaced when needed. We were give 2 x 0.75 bottle of water per room per day and told to fill up at stations round the hotel, I felt is should have been 4 bottles. The communal areas of the hotel and restaurants were also very clean.

FOOD

Buffet - Loved the fruit cocktails as you walk in. Food was fine you could always find something to your taste. Good selection of breads, pasta, fresh pizza, plain & mixed salad bars. I stuck with the plain and wasn't ill from this. The mixed looked lovely but had the potential to have been recycled fron the day before, adding in a bit of dressing. Many silver containers with hot choices, chicken in sauces, fish, various meats, potatoes, rice, veg, hot joint being carved - Turkey was lovely. Desserts in two sections - cakes & fruits.

It wasn't totally canteen like as it had proper napkins & cloths but there was a lot of coming and going. Picking a table by a wall is the best bet for a bit of peace while you eat. I mainly ate the sea bass which was lovely. It's an informal hotel and you will get people eating in the buffet at night in shorts and T Shirts, but most make an effort.

A LA CARTES

One meal in each per week, best to book asap. Men are supposed to wear long trousers and most did. Many women took the opportunity to dress up a bit.

Indian (Sari) - DH's tandoori chicken excellent, kid's chicken currys good, my Balti horrible. Portions small, my tip is to have all courses, sides and dessert. We didn't order any sides apart from some popadoms and left hungry.

Asian (Bamboo)- sweet & sour chicken disappointing, beef in teriyaki sauce OK. Have all courses/sides as portions small, athough they brought more rice when we asked. Steamed, special rices & chow mein good. This was the only place I had alcohol, 3 glasses of house rose & it was very nice.

Mediterranean (Mediterraneo) - Sea Bass excellent, beef stroganoff good, lasagne cold, crusty & tasteless so it went uneaten.

La Mer - Paying Fish restaurant on beach.
Sea Bass excellent, cost approx 36 GBPs for two of us. Kids don't like fish, one had chicken & one steak. Both of these were awful, cooked to death. I felt guilty for commiting them to such awful food due to wanting to eat at La Mer, when they would have been far happier in the buffet. Lovely setting though.

The a la cartes are a peaceful haven over the buffet because of the setting, atmosphere & waiter service. Food is good not great, with a tendency to overcook beef and chicken, not sure, but this may be because of all the complaints the first year about food posioning. Good chefs should be able to get meat/chicken just right. But then it's a 4* AI in Egypt, offering mass catering, not The Ivy, so no worries really.

BREAKFAST

We took the adults only breakfast each day in the Mediterraneo. This is to be recommended, with an egg chef and waiter service for tea/coffee. Our teens don't do breakfast, although the 16 year old came twice, before diving. People were trying to get under 12's in as apparently the buffet is manic at breakfast. The Egyptian staff tried to stop this. One Mum or Gran just blatently lied and barked she is 13 (about 8)and sat her down. You could see the staff were really unhappy about this & I felt for sorry for them as it showed such a lack of respect, as they are just trying to do their job properly. What an example to set the child ! They didn't come back the next day though.

HOTEL LOCATION

Good location in Nabq Bay, it was great to have a beach next to the beautiful sea. There were two malls opposite, Al Khan & La Strada. Lots of banks out front and to the right past the Laguna Vista Hotel.

We went out 4 evenings as we don't like hotel entertainment. I must say the malls were pretty dead, with no atmosphere - made me have a hankering for Namma Bay with all it's buzz and people. First night we walked to the end of Al Khan, looking for a cheaper internet cafe than the hotel & we were the only 4 people in it apart from the shop keepers. Went to starbucks a few times for a decent coffee after dinner as didn't like the hotels offering.

STAFF

Brilliant, so friendly, always smiling, everybody works tirelessly. Our pool boy said they were short staffed, instead of 30 days on and 7 back in Cairo he was doing 40 days on. Restaurant staff very eager to clear plates & also staff were always attending to the floors in the buffet. Mention must go to the gardeners as they work non stop in the heat to keep this place as stunning as it is. I loved to walk the grounds of an evening as they smelt wonderful.

MANAGEMENT

They run a 'tight ship' and are visible. It's a good operation and they are very concerned for their guests welfare. They are a very service orientated hotel and I was impressed by this. There were four 'suits' who looked like they were from FC in the Mediterraneo for breakfast one morning & I saw them about the hotel all day. They didn't have to queue up for their own omelettes lol.

We were invited to the management's cocktail reception on our last evening and were asked for our thoughts by the Assistant Manager (not Rami the other one - Ahmed I think).

We really didn't have any complaints, but I mentioned I was disappointed with the Butterfly's SPA treatments. I felt the staff who sell round the pools don't understand the treatments they sell, so I didn't get what I thought I had booked also I was very specific about wanting a female masseuses, but got a young male. My DD's manicure ran two hours late and made us late for our dinner reservation, so wasn't the treat it should have been, more sort of stressful.

He was most concerned & arranged for me to have a free massage the next morning. I was a bit embarrassed as I only mentioned it as I hoped it would lead to improvements for others.

Entertainment

There was plenty of this going on but can't comment as apart from a guitar player/singer in the bar who was very good we didn't watch any shows. We mainly chilled out by the upper pool and on the beach.

Whilst on the beach the In2Action kids rep was behind us with a group of children and she seemed very proficient, checking she had all the kids, not letting them go on the trampoline unsupervised, making sure they stood in the shade etc.

Pools were great. Never had to queue at the pool bar for a drink, often they would bring drinks to us. You will have to put towels down in the morning at peak times though.

AQUARIUS

Aquarius diving club were good and catered to our needs very well, they seemed a sound operation so I would recommend them. They operate at The Holiday Village, Coral Sea Resort (Dive Centre) and the Coral Sea Imperial.

There is a nice walk along the prom infront of the other hotels if you fancy a stroll of an evening. We walked down as far as the Coral Sea Resort, takes about 10 mins, passing the Laguna Vista and Oriental Resort then cut through the Coral Sea to go across to the Mall.

SICKNESS - (Well lack of it really)

Sickness always seems to be a major concern for travellers to Egypt, especially in AI's.

We hardly suffered at all. 2 had slight upset bottoms a couple of hours after lunch one day. They had both had meatballs so didn't eat them again. I had the same a few hours after eating a meringue that was filled with cream. (might have been standing about a while as it was the last piece). I didn't eat the cakes after that only ice cream or fruit and was fine.

We didn't take any medication to clear this up, never visited a Chemist or a Doctor. We all had ice in our drinks, I cleaned my teeth with tap water and ate the plain salads every day. We just took normal hygeine precautions, hand washing after the loo, watching what we ate, checking it was hot.

We did have up to date jabs DTP, Typhoid and Hep A. Maybe that helps. We didn't bother with the friendly bacteria tablets people seem to take. We put our air-con on for 30 mins before we went to bed, but kept it off all night whilst asleep as people say it can cause problems.

We did drink a fair amount of 7up, Srite and the various rather sweet juices on offer, plus our bottles of water everyday. Didn't fancy the water in the butts.

We had a good time and would definately consider going back to this hotel. We loved the look of the swim-up rooms, it's a shame that the swim-up pools are cold at this time of year or I would probably be looking for 2010 now.

After reading other reviews on this hotel we were abit dubious about what we would find there. I can honestly tell you do not believe everything you read. We went for a week and there were 2 adults and 2 16 year olds. We all had a fabulous time. The hotel was spotless and the grounds were better kept than I have seen anywhere. They are so clean and the smell of the flowers in the evening is lovely. We all found the hotel food very good. There was plenty of choice for everyone. We visited the Bamboo (chinese) restaurant whilst we were there and the meals were delicious. Unfortunately we didn't think the same at the inidian but that doesn't mean that others didn't like it. We had been warned about upset stomachs before we went and none of us suffered. The 16 year olds we were with really enjoyed it because they met a great group of teenagers but we felt safe letting them wander the hotel grounds at night because there were security staff dotted around the place. We didn't go to see the entertainment but I believe the families with younger children said it was very good. We spent every night in the sports bar with Sedki and Mohammed who looked after our needs throughout the week.

We went on a trip of quad biking in the desert whilst we were there and really enjoyed it. The only downfall was that you were told the trip lasted between 8am and 2pm but during this time we only quadbiked about 2 hours of it, the other time we were having lunch and basically wasting time and returned at 1pm.

The on site first choice staff were very efficient, do not hesitate to go to them with your questions.

We would love to return to this hotel next year and we have priced it up but unfortunately at the moment prices are increased alot so we can't yet book it.

None of us wanted to come home. 7 days certainly wasn't enough.

After reading negative reviews of this hotel we travelled with a " very open mind "
The arrival in Eygpt airport was very organised and got through passport and customs in 15 minutes and then our luggage was waiting
Onto the First Choice coach and at the hotel in 15 minutes
We were warmly greeted by hotel lovely staff - always smiling and friendly
Room was excellent - big bed - massive wardrobe space
mini bar ( extra so beware ) TV - nice bathroom /shower
Food in the restaurant was good - very varied and something to please everyone
Bamboo Chinese restaurant was good and so was the Indian ( Sari ) but we did not like the Mediteranian restaurant
Quiet pool was NOT - and very crowded
Main pool good - but FREEZING !!
Kids clubs were enjoyed by my 2 grandsons aged 5 and 9
The 5 year old celebrated his birthday during the holiday and got a free cake - which was very nice
9 year old enjoyed the " Chocolate Party " and the rope activities and the Zip wire ( all extra cost though )
The entertainment for adults was very poor - kids entertainment was good
The hotel gardens were kept immaculate
Dont fall into the trap of not going out of the hotel-
It`s very safe to go out - we walked out several afternoon`s and went to Narma Bay 2 evenings - very ejoyable - just 5 e pounds on the local bus ( beware they are manic drivers !! )
Anything outside of the hotel is expensive-
3 drinks - 1 beer - 1 wine and 1 red bull cost us
180 ep pounds in Narma Bay
We booked the quad biking and the submarine trip through Mido - the guy on the beach working for Aquaris Travel - much cheaper than First Choice trips
Cairo Trip by bus was just

we stayed at the holiday village from 19th march till 2nd of april we had a fantastic holiday food was good especialy the bambbo we spent most of our time at the warm pool as the other pool was very cold kids loved it but to cold for me, staff were very frendly and helpfull rooms very clean and tidy bed was a bit hard though, we went quoding in the desert it was fab .holiday was well and truely enjoyed by us all

























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Kids club- wavelength
The kids had a GREAT time. They met loads of new friends and had great fun. The chocolate party, areoball, water walkers and high ropes were the best activitys. The staff there were great and wern't afraid to make a fool of them selves.

Buffet restaurant
Was nice. The food was ok, the drinks were good but don't drink the orange or pinnapple juice as it will make yoy sick. The pizza station was great for the kids. The pasta was delious at lunch time. The staff were very friendly and helpfull. The salad wasn't very good.

Indian restaurant
Was lovely. I had madras and it was the best I have ever had. The nan was ok but a bit tastless, the view from the table was very nice.

Chinese restaurant
Was ok. I made the mistake of ordering the sweet and sour chicken and it wasn't very nice. The side dishes were not very nice. most of the other main courses looked good.

Mediterranean restaurant
The chicken I had was over-cooked and dry and I was forced to leave most of it. It tasted ok but we were not impressed.

Fish restaurant
Was very nice. The fish was a bit expesive though. The lobster was very nice but was very expensive and you didn't get enough for your money.

Rooms
The rooms were large and had a walk-in wardrobe. The bathroom was huge. The balcony was nice and we had a good view. The room and bathroom were rather dirty though.

Quiet pool
Was not quiet. It was a hard job getting a sunbed there in the mornings but this was because the pool was heated. The bar was good but the popcorn machien kept breaking!

Main pool
Was VERY cold! The slides were fun though and the swim-up bar was very nice. the entertainment was good.

Evening entertainment
Was good but sometimes a bit cheesy. The bingo song will be in my head forever!

Shops
Provided everything you need at a Ok price. they had sun cream and everything there so you dont need to worry about running out of that.

Trips
Were very good. Camel ride was very fun but a bit scary! Seeing the pyrimids was brilliant.

Over all this was a GREAT holiday!

This was our 2nd visit to this hotel, so we obviously liked it the 1st time round. The hotel was just as fantastic as it was before:- food, staff, rooms, location, cleanliness etc. There was the one negative and I thought it was rather sad that the hotel should be let down by this, as they really do want to look after you and make sure you have a lovely holiday. The negative was the First Choice EVENING entertainment. It was simply awful in both quality and quantity. The new entertainment team began a couple of days into our holiday and we thought things would get better. We were wrong they are awful. The entertainment is boring and old and not only that the team just don't gel together. On our previous holiday the entertainment was held in the amphitheatre and the entertainment was varied and lasted the evening. I know this is a family orientated hotel but even my children who were under 8 did not enjoy it this time. Last time they had a hoot.

All this said we made our own entertainment and we had another fantastic holiday. The hotel and it's staff are great!

Hotel was spotless with fabulous gardens. We had a basic room and it was huge, but not enough wardrobe space. Any complaints were dealt with in minutes - i.e.we needed 5 replacement light bulbs and they were replaced before I returned to the room after reporing it to reception. The food like all inclusive gets a bit repetative after a while but was always hot, tasty and plenty of it. My daughter is not a fussy eater but doesn't tend to eat a great deal but i was amazed by how much she ate. As always the staff are fantastic and cant do enough for you. Didn't bother to much with he entertainment as we tend to make our own entertainment. My 9 year old thought The Wavelength kids club was the best club ever. The staff were fabulous and the activities were great, so much so that we didn't get to do any trips as daughter didn't want to miss the club which was held 4 times a day. My only grumble was the fun pool was not heated and the water was freezing but we would definately visit again despite my spending the last two days (one of which was my birthday)in bed with the flu!! Although lovely and sunny it got a little bit windy at times so would not go again in February

we as a family have just returned from holiday village and would definately return again. the hotel, staff, location, food,weather, kids club was fantastic. breakfast in the buffet restaurant consisted of 'what the brits would normally have', be it cereals, bread,toast, bread rolls, ham, eggs, bacon, sausages, tomato, fruit juices, tea and coffee oh and not forgetting the hot pancakes and various sauces. lunch could either be chosen from the main buffet area again or from the pool snack bar which again was sufficient for our needs. there is also 6 bars dotted about the village which were open at all times for drinks, including the beach bar, which came in handy !( you must try the though egyptian sunrise, looks and tastes a treat!) dinner was served either in main buffet again or from one of three a a la carte restaurants which must be booked in advance. all 4 restaurants were good and food was always hot. a bit credit must go to the FC reps in the daytimes from the Wavelength club, these guys (and girls) were so enthusiastic (well it looked like that!), our son had an absolute ball from 10am till 6pm, he was exhausted in the evening which wasnt a bad thing as my only gripe was the evening entertainment needs a review, bingo every night, i mean come on, it is egypt not blackpool! give them their due they did try hard but someone needs to look into this. the bingo was always followed by a gameshow which was poorly but sometimes funny, depending on how many cocktails you had had!

our accommodation was superb, we booked a standard room and we were more than happy, we were in block 6 and this had a beautiful pool and sea view, very impressive. a big mention to our housekeeper Mahmoud (?), a delight to talk to and a wonderful cleaner! in fact all the staff in the hotel were genuinely nice. all in all a beautiful hotel, ground staff did a wonderful job, would definately go back probably not in the summer because locals say it it nears 60 degrees, we had on average 25 degrees most days. and i must mention none of our party had an upset tummy and nor did we hear of any in the hotel, go I am sure you will enjoy it !

We returned from this hotel yesterday and just like you reading this now, we researched for a couple of months about the hotel and resort.

I had some reservations about this hotel due to previous reviews but where ever you go there will always be 'moaners' and I do think some of the reviews are far too harsh, so I decided to write my own review as honestly as I can.

We found the location of the hotel, only 15 mins from airport, excellent and on arrival was treated quickly and was very impressed with the staff straight away.

Our rooms were huge and we had interconnecting rooms with our children aged 11 & 14 which we found ideal. The rooms have a huge bed but it was very hard which is great if you like a firm bed! There was a mini bar, balcony and tv and a huge bathroom. There is a walk-in wardrobe with a safe which is free to use. The rooms are great seeing as you spend such little time in them.

There is a heated pool with pool bar which is smaller than the main pool and can get crowded but the main pool also with pool bar and with the water slides, is much more lively, uncrowded and great for the kids.
The beach at the hotel is lovely, uncrowded and a swim in the sea from the jetty is a must.

The food at the hotel is what you would expect for an All Inclusive package, it was nice though and basically 'does what it says on the tin!'

Entertainment is ok and kids are catered for but could be better but dont let this put you off (it would'nt us).

The staff cannot be faulted in any way, they are all wonderful and can't do enough for you.

All in all I would say if you are a family looking to go here then 'go and have fun, enjoy the wonderful hot weather' but if your going in the height of season be aware it will probably be 'very' busy, when we was there it was just right for the number of people there.

We would'nt go back to this hotel but only because we like to go somewhere different every holiday although we definatly recommend it as somewhere lovely to go on a family holiday.

All inclusive at the Holiday Village in Sharm.

Large beds and spacious rooms. Superb grounds.

Food reasonable and staff polite.

Drinks expensive and not very nice.