your a great source of info. Ive just looked in the Libra brochure which covers the next 12 months and unfortunately no luck. Haven't got the other two brochures. It dosen't look like Gerrard left us a review on HT either.
I might try the website if I can get a price without committing myself to a firm booking. Although I would prefer a package if possible.

Hi Briar, Was that 15 mins within your hotel complex, only I know a lot of red sea hotels area spread out, or was that into el gouna town, I don't really understand the set up out there?

i dont think my kids and other half would be too impressed with a 15 min hike to brekkie within the hotel. I guess I could request a room/rooms near the resturants but presumably that means I will be a long walk from other facilities we might need. Is this something I am likely to find with alot of El gouna hotels?

Thanks Briar
Have read and tried to take in all that info, although am flagging because of the lateness of the hour. Am feeling that as a first timer and thinking about the make up of the party I should probably stick with Sharm and perhaps el gouna second if we fall for the red sea area. It was just that the pictures of El Gouna are so attractive and I liked the look of the panorama bungalows in the earlier link posted by Tah

thanks Briar will look in tomorrow just in case. Will try and get longwood and peltour brochures as Tah suggested.

Briar

I thought this was the Egypt Forum not the Sharm el Sheikh forum . I know from previous posts that you didnt like El Gouna but I dont see why you feel the need to steer people away to Sharm on an El Gouna topic.I have visited both resorts and whilst I do not have a bad word to say against the naama bay area of Sharm,I personally much prefer El Gouna and would especially recommend it for a first timer as there are none of the hassles normally associated with other areas of Egypt.

PS doepsmc Odyssey holidays have the panorama bungalows in their brochure

Crombie to the rescue - I didn't think of Odyssey (and yes I did change screen name!). Long time no speak - When are you out in Gouna next ???

The Movenpick is a HUGE site - but you CAN request a room closer to restaurant and as there are several pools and the whole place is set round the lagoons - you really won't be too many miles from anywhere else . The rooms closer to the restaurant are also closer to tennis courts etc. It is by far the largest hotel in Gouna - the Sheraton is spread out but not to such a great extent as the M ovenpick(would be difficult!!) - but the Rihana, Panorama etc are what I would count as "Normal"

If anyone is going to Gouna between now and Christmas I'd be grateful if you could pm me .......

thanks crombiestone, will try to pick up Odyssey brochure as well. I was beginning to think that you could only do the Panorama bungalows at El Gouna DIY and i'm not confident enough to do that yet. Have you stayed in them? Cant find any reviews.

I'm keeping my options open at this stage. I think Briar is just trying to give me as much information as possible to help me make up my mind.

Dopesmc
I haven't stayed there but it does look nice is fairly new and is in a good location in the resort ,close to the downtown area . My personal favourite is the Sheraton Miramar. Check out the following site for reviews of the El Gouna hotels.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g297548-El_Gouna_Red_Sea_and_Sinai-Hotels.html

and this one for the panorama

http://www.panoramabungalows.com


Briar
Sorry . We Gounies can get very passionate about El Gouna .

TAH-M

We spoke by e mail only last weekend ! I have just come back from El Gouna and sent you some pics of your apartment. I just dont think you are associating my forum name with my real name .

Hi Crombiestone,

Sounds like you know alot about el gouna......just the person Im wanting to speak to!! You may have seen at the top of this page that Im off to El Gouna for the first time in march (so excited), been to egypt 3 or 4 times before but to Sharm and Hurgada. Im staying at the Sheraton, so firstly I wonder if you can tell me anymore about that hotel other than what the brochures say. And I was also wondering what the coral/snorkelling is like?.....Ive seen pictures of Zeytona Beach with the HUGE jetty.....is there snorkelling off of the end of that? Also are there trips to Mahmya/Giftun Islands from el gouna like there are from Hurghada?

So many questions!!!!!

cheers!

Bubblegirl
The Sheraton has to be one of the nicest hotels I have stayed in,mainly because of its layout which gives it a village feel ,with all rooms facing water and beautiful gardens. The breakfasts were very good but I cannot comment on other meals . El Gouna has so many good restaurants that I would recommend only staying on a B&B basis.If you are half board the dine around program allows you to eat out at other restaurants three times in the week.Rooms are fairly big and have large terraces with wooden sunlounges .Upstairs rooms have domes and vaulted ceilings so have more character than downstairs rooms .We never had any problems getting sunloungers except on the main beachfront (this also has a sandbank in front of it so its not on the open sea).

No real problems with mosquitoes as the resort is regularly "fogged" to keep them down . I did however still see one or two so if you are prone bring repellant (Many people on the return flight looked like they had been eaten alive)

I havent been snorkelling from El Gouna yet but I understand that the coral isnt as accessible as in Sharm and that boat trips are the best way to see coral . The boat trips from El Gouna I recall are to Gobal island and Tawillah island .

I have some pics of the Sheraton and El Gouna from last week .PM me if you would like to see them

Bubblegirl

Thanks For the PM . Check your E Mail

doepsmc

Another site with Panorama hotel Pics

http://community.webshots.com/album/503623521mSqDya

Crombie - I'm with it now!!!

Yes you can get to Giftun from El Gouna - several of the dive schools and the guy on Zeytona Beach offer it as an excursion periodically (I'll try to get you some prices when we go out next month). If you're feeling flush you can even book a luxury private yacht to take you there and around for the day!!!

You can snorkel OK from the jetty - it's a 2-3 min walk out from the beach and it drops you off at a mini wall from the sand. Plenty of fish around - but in March the water temp is a bit chilly - may want to consider a shortie wetsuit unless you are a really hardy soul!!

Crombie
Thanks for the links.
I must say the panorama bungalows look like a very classy accommodation in a beautiful setting. Also I may be shallow but wooden sunbeds do it for me everytime. I am getting to the stage now where I am spoilt for choice.

Thanks for the advice TAH-M! The yacht idea sounds lovely, dont suppose you have any idea how much that would set you back?

I'm trying to find out for you ref the yacht - but they are "barterable" depending on recent demand, season etc...

Will come back when I have more info

Hi everyone,
Ive just read a review elsewhere that talks briefly about snorkelling in El Gouna. Poeple have said that the snorkelling off Zeytouna Beach can get 'cloudy' (ie sandy) if the winds are up...particularly in the winter. I absolutely love snorkelling and cant wait to show my cousin the underwater world, I just hope the visability is ok. We're not after the most spectactualr reefs in the world, but obviously it would be nice to see what we're looking at! Anyone able to elaborate on the visability issue? Im going from 28th march til 4th april. Cheers!!!

Hello again everyone! I know I asked this last time, but no-one seems to have any info on Zeytouna Beach......anything aboutt he snorkelling off of there would be much appreciated!!!

At Zeytuna there is a long (about 400m) jetty that takes you out to the edge of the reef where there is a great drop-off for snorkelling. Have only tried it the once in Feb - when vis was fine (and it was VERY windy!) but it was cold, even in a 3mm shortie wetsuit. Certainly would have stayed longer if I'd had a decent suit with me.

Would highly recommend the snorkelling trips readily available in Gouna through the dive centres (Divetribe, Orca etc) which take about 2 hrs - but you get taken to good sites - my daughter even found a seahorse on her last trip out!! - Accompanied by dive centre staff, you have someone on hand to help you find or identify things which is a plus too!! Unless you are going in the height of the summer (which I note that you aren't!!) - I'd still recommend a thin wetsuit for maximum enjoyment

BTW heard from a friend that the water is unseasonally warm at the moment (22 degrees!!) - long may it continue!!