Many of the hotels walkable to namma bay are B&B, I guess so that folk can eat out of an evening. The AI's tend to be a taxi drive away.

Carrot put up a good map of Sharm with hotel locations on it. It's down the page on a thread called 'Sharm : street maps /hotel locations.' You could take down the names of a few hotels close to NB and then read reviews on them.

From what I read on here the two most popular AI's seem to be the Hilton Sharks Bay and the Coral Sea Resort. They both have their own threads that you could read.

If your girls just like to chill you will probably be OK anywhere but if they get bored easily you should probably try for closer to NB.

Most Sharm hotels either B&B or AI aren't big on evening entertainment.

Good Luck. Doe.

We went to the coral sea resort last easter and going again this year with 2 girls aged 16 and 13.They loved it because they could wander around the complex safely, use the pools and the house reef and eat when they wanted to..really relaxing. BUT they are not into discos and things so if yours are then you may need to be nearer Naama Bay..

Hope you find the right place, any questions feel free to ask!

The CSR seems be very popular on this forum and the good comments far outweigh the bad. A couple of us on the forum are off to the Iberotel Palace in March and will post a report on our return. All the feedback I've read on other forums is good. It is a Thomson Platinum hotel and they are normally very good, it is rated as 5*.
The bottom line is cost the CSR AI for 2 wks. would cost £650 but the Palace would be £1,000.

hi toffee man i notice your from wales so i am the bearer of bad news i was told today that all flights from cardiff to egypt have been cancelled,we have been offered a refund or a holiday in turkey but a bit dearer

Hi all
Can I also ask for some advice?
I am looking at bookoing for 2008 - a long way off I know but as some of you will know I like to be ahead of myself!
I am looking at the Sharm area as we will want to vist Cairo and Luxor as my youngest is mad keen on Egyptology (Pharohs, coptics, thebans - you name it)and will also have my mother in tow! The hotels we most like the look of are in the Nabq area. I am aware that it is in the opposite direction to Naama etc but we don't mind that. Reviews look good but is there a lot of aircraft noise as it seems very close to the airport?
If it was up to me we would be going to Nuweiba but Luxor seems not to be viable from there
Many Thanks
Lally

The first time we went to Egypt, we stayed at the Hilton Sharks Bay. If the hotel was much closer to the airport it would have been on the runway (yes it is that close). I don't even remember hearing much noise, just the occasional plane coming in to land.

Hi Lally

The airport is set at the back of the resort, it's a bit hard to explain, but most hotels aren't much more than 20 mins if you go direct in a taxi. Needless to say if you are on the TO's coach it takes 45 or 50 mins which we didn't fine a problem as I though it preferable to bartering for a taxi (I am so not into bartering! ) I haven't seen any reports where people complain about aircraft noise.

I'm assuming you will want AI cos I know that's what you like. You may have already seen them, TUI/Portland have got a new hotel complex in the Nabq area, Mirabel Beach and Park. Don't know if we have reviews on HT but I checked on Trip a while back and they were coming through as good.

You may also know this, but just incase, the trips from Sharm to Cairo & Luxor are really expensive, so much so I didn't feel I could justify the cost for 4 last year, so they are still on the 'to do' list.

There is the usual dilema of do I go with my TO incase the insurance with local companies is not up to scratch, or do I use locals and save 25% of the cost and risk having to hear everything in Russian and Italian as well?

Are you going summer 08 or earlier?

Chris

We didnt notice much noise either Lally. You got the odd one but i cant say it warranted any more than a brief interruption to my book while lying in a horizontal position on the sunbed . in fact if i heard one it only made me question why we didnt see more.

lyn

We stayed in Nabq bay last year and can't say I noticed any plane noise! There was the odd Russian plane which made a bit of a rumble but apart from that nothing. Certainly less than anywhere else I have been such as the Greek Islands

We are planning a Cairo trip from CSR this year, I know it will be expensive but the kids really want to go so we will! Last year we went to st catherines monastery and dahab by renting a car and driver from the hotel, that was fantastic! But you need to cover your legs and shoulders if you are a woman, legs as well if you are a man! My 16 year old had long surf shorts on to her knees but they still wrapped her up in a shawl round her legs which made walking a bit tricky!!

Many thanks to you all - I also had not noticed anyone mention noise but thought I'd ask the experts Horizontal on a sunbed is what I do best so did't want that spoiled!
Chris - yes its summer 2008 -Hot hot hot. I have seen the prices! and know we may not to be able to do everything but you know the fun in planning..
Thanks again
Lally

Have you any hotels in mind at the moment or are you at that lovely point where there are lots of possibilities?

Although I fancy having a two week holiday to this area the only time I could do this is July/Aug and I worried about the high temperatures. But many people do go in the summer and seem to have ways to cope with the heat. Some say that as it's a dry heat, it's just as manageable as Turkey and Greece at that time of year.

Hello Doe
Yes! several possibilities, Coral Sea , Grand Azure,and (depending on reviews) the new Holiday Village. The last is because the eldest (in this case my mother )fancies the swim up (or in her words "pick - up"! )rooms .
Looking at 2 centre stuff as well but not that many are all inc - wouldn,t mind but the Goth is now veggie so needs to graze
Any suggestions more than welcolme
lally

Funny you should mention 2 centre, but when I was investigating going to both Cairo & Luxor on day trips, I though, this is just daft it's more sensible to spend 4 days or a week in Luxor at some point, what with the cost of trips, the hours spent travelling & the loss of 2 days of the beach holiday.

It might be an idea to get some Egypt specialist brochures like Longwood & Peltours just to give you an idea of what is available, they go into more details on trips & 2 centres unlike FC/TUI et al.

The holday village looks good, all the other ones have proved popular & at least you won't be going in the first season so you know it will be built. lol.

I think you can DIY as well using XL & the Hilton Group but probably not a good idea for the first time.

Doe

Hello again
have had a look at Longwoods and there are no All Incs - wouldn't mind for 4 days but , the Goth and grazing make AI a better option. Will have a look at Peltours..
Lally

When are you planning to go next year? we normally go to the Conad but are looking to go elsewhere next year, possibly Holiday village.

Lally I have a 13 year old veggie as well and we had no problems at all last year, either in the AI or when we went out. There are loads of chick pea, beanie, veggie things and all the AIs do fab omlettes and pancakes at breakfast to suit even the most discerning goth veggie!

Hi
Raksha - late July or early August , I really am tied to the school summer holidays as my job doesn't allow me time Xmas, New Year or Easter ! and a week would not be worth it for me
Sheba, my veggie is a bit strange as she doesn't really like vegetables - don't ask She does eat salad, some pulses and a few veg she recognises. Hopefully as she gets more into the diet she will become less choosy. At least with AI she can try things and get something else if not suitable.
lally

If she will eat rice and potatoes she will be OK! Mine doesn't really like green veg but they did pasta to order at the CSR and she loved that and the fresh bread is to die for!!

Lally i think with regard to prices coral sea is first choice owned or run and the new holiday village was that first choice also??? so maybe not a DIY option.

The LTI grand azure you can get with many of the DIY booking people but some only seem to give you a price for the more expensive rooms and there is quite a difference.

I think as Chris says if you can cope with Turkey in the summer you will be fine. the only thing i feel worth mentioning at this stage of your research is Egypt is not like Turkey in terms of entertainment Value. Evening entertainment is very low Key even in the hotels that provide it so one of these first choice run hotels could provide more if this is important to you. I dont know the LTI i think is pretty good for that as well. If your going for the A/I option like we do rememeber there really is nothing outside of the hotel . You can of course get the courtesy bus or Taxi into town but if this isnt for you choose carefully

enjoy your research Lally . i love that bit . we are all here if you need us.

lyn