Thanks for the sympathy Lyn. I must admit I'm still not feeling too good. Absolutely exhausted all the time and belly still rumbling although I am not racing to the loo every 5 mins. If there's no sign of improvement tomorrow I may go to my GP.
I doubt if it was anything to do with the plumbing though because I was on the new side and those problems were on the old part. Received two messages via TA from people who are back in the UK and experienced illness whilst there last week. They too spoke to staff who said it was the food causing the problems.
I just hope the HSB take some action and sort things for their regular guests who have obviously had some good holidays there.

We stayed on the old side between 2/9th October 2010, party of 4, 2 out of the 4 did experience tummy trouble but only one is still suffering upon our return home.

I have emailed the hotel regarding the food being cold and they have replied saying they will look into it.

Lots of people who had been there the week before us were saying that many had complained about being ill and had been bed ridden for several days.

I personally didnt experience any of these problems (which is unusual for me as I normally get everything there is going). It hasn't put me off returning to HSB, however if the food is cold in January I will be complaining straight away.

Hmm it's certainly rare for the hilton to have these sorts of problems and one of the main reasons we return . I've been on the receiving end of what you describe at another hotel and I was completely floored by it which is very unusual for me .Don't mind admitting it was one of the most frightening experiences i've ever had and no desire to repeat it . for now The hilton is now the only place I'm happy to trust and it would be a dreadful shame if they cant get a grip of the problem quickly as it has a very very high rate of repeat guests staying there .

Doesn't sound like the Hilton, so hopefully if there are problems they will be rectified by the management quickly. I am still looking forward to going in 2 weeks time - bad reports don't actually put me off because of my good experiences there. Having experienced horrendous hygeine issues (birds on food etc) and hubby being dreadfully ill at the Sunrise Island View - where most reviews rave about the hotel and say the food is fab -I am reluctant to go anywhere other than HSB since it has always been good - I haven't heard of any sickness issues in my 4 visits and we have never had the slightest tummy upset. I do all the non -recommended things: eat ice cream, have ice in drinks, don't drink enough water...might pay a bit more attention this time!

Well, I am actually changing my view on this and I am concerned about my visit in 2 weeks time. I have now read so many reports of illness at the hotel, and had it confirmed by a friend who is there are the moment and has been very ill, along with her husband. She tells me that they are not the only ones ill - they have been speaking to other guests who have the same story to tell.

I contacted the hotel at the weekend and had a long reply from the Operations Director who says that if there were food poisoning at the hotel they would have been closed down. He is denying that there is any problem, says that the doctor has not reported any more instances of illness than normal, and that anyone who has been ill has been likely to have become ill from a source other than the hotel - eg visits to Cairo etc. He says they have not received a single complaint about illness from any guest.

I guess they are trying to protect their reputation given the hammering it must be taking with such negative reviews, but I feel they are naive in assuming I would believe that in the face of so much contradictory evidence. There are some positive reviews today on TA, but for the first time I am feeling nervous about visiting a hotel which I really like.

It would at least be a help if we could ascertain how long this has been going on . If it's only the last couple of weeks we can only hope that they have actually identified the problem and are taking the necessary steps to deal with it . If this has been going on longer I fear comlaints are being ignored and it only takes a change in the way the restaurant is staffed or run to turn what has always IMO been a pretty safe bet into another of the many hotels in sharm where it is wrongly accepted that you will get tummy upsets and food poisoning .

I've read the hotels response and it definately stinks of a cop out . Lets hope they are not being as complacent as that email suggests . Clearly they are trying not to alarm you pat and you need that holiday but as I said to you in my pm I would have more respect for them & it would actually be more reassuring if they said "Yes there has been a problem and yes we are taking the right steps in identifying it".

By them trying to reassure you with a load of old cobblers only makes you think the problem is being ignored.

I'm going to draft an email myself later .
lyn

Hi all,
I am seriously under the impression that if the Dr were to report all the illnesses as Salmonella he would no longer be the hotel GP.
My treatment bill was over £350 and I met with at least 4 other people who received the same duration of treatment as me (3 days) with similar bills; one was actually over £500. Now that's a lot of money to earn in a 3 day period so the Dr is unlikely to jeopardise such a good income.
These are my thoughts, not fact but too many people were ill and as I've never suffered with any such problem having visiting other countries where temperatures have been 110 in the shade it makes me all the more cynnical.

Yes - the doctor must be raking it in, and I am as cynical as you smurfitt. Does he actually test for anything? Or simply give you a jab/pills, charge the earth and expect you to pay up? He is on a good thing - why would he report it to management?

I have fired off another email to the management quoting from bad reviews - waiting for a response now. I have never been ill in any country, despite taking some risks, but I will never return to the Hilton if I am ill there. I don't subscribe to the argument that you should expect to be ill in Egypt - there seems to be a real problem which wasn't there before and the hotel should be taking every step they can to sort it.

No, the Dr didn't test me. Just asked the symptoms, pressed my stomach, had a listen with stethoscope and gave me a choice of a drip (which he said would be the quickest way to recover but more costly), or 3 day course of jabs. I opted for the quick route as I didn't want to spend my last week in bed. As it happened I had antibiotics, anti sickness and anti diarrhoea injections added to a saline drip, followed by a glucose drip with and some tablets. The following day two jabs in the backside and the same pills. the 3rd day another jab in the buttocks and a 5 day course of strong antibiotics.
Everyone who had visited the local pharmacy paid the same price (£10) but strangely were given different tablets, none of which seemed to work. All were given Kaolin too, which the Dr said was pretty useless, even for kids.
Don't know what's going on but I was told by one of the Hilton staff that you can order Antinell through the hotel at a cost of £1 and it works for travellers diarrhoea but if you visit the harmacy and ask for it they will tell you it is out of stock. Probably because it is in their interests to make £10 per customer rather than a measly quid.
Anyway, it's put me right off going to Eygpt ever again.

I have now been in correspondence with senior management, and while I think on the first occasion they replied to me I was being fobbed off, I do think now I am being listened to. This is a quote from the last (long) email I had from the Operations Director (excuse English - I have cut and pasted):

"Despite the above, we made investigation of these comments specially what concerns food hygiene. Major actions are and will be taken during the month of October to rectify food hygiene and safety practice. Some major changes in the food and beverage management including kitchen chefs will take place soon the coming week".

This seems to me to be a recognition (at last) that there has been a problem - which is the first time they have made any sort of "admission". I hope it leads to the necessary improvements.

I have also challenged him on the doctor's charges, and medication charges and await a response on that one. Alas too late for those who have had a rotten time (inculding my friends who are checking out today) but those of us who love the hotel are trying to do the best we can to make the management hear our concerns and act on them.

I completely understand why you would not go back to Egypt smurfitt - I might well feel the same if I had experienced the awful situation you did. Hope you are on the mend now.

What a horrible experience you have had
I can tell you that i have been to Egypt 5 times now and am always ill, but i get all my meds from my own dr before travelling and buy the Antenal as soon as i arrive, i also get Ciprofloxacin from my dr as it is an excellent antibiotic for food poisoning/or whatever it is that we all seem to suffer from.
And it sure cuts out the extortionate bills from the local dr !
Phyll

But Phyll you shouldnt have to accept being ill as part of your holiday in Egypt or anywhere else for that matter . why do people accept this as part of your holiday there . I've never bought fully into the too much sun / air cond /not enogh fluid theories . After all we have been to far hotter places and I do all these things without getting ill . Probably just what the Egyptian doctors would have us believe. Up until now HSB has had a very good record which is why we are so saddened that there appears to be a problem now that certainly wasnt there before .

I have been there 3 times and never been ill . Pat has been more times than that without illness.

Thanks for the tip re getting meds here in advance though . Might be something for you to think about if there doesnt seem to be an improvement before you go Pat .

I have also done a lengthy email this morning . I have made a point that it is very much the British way not to complain and instead suffer in silence . My main concern is that the true extent of the problem is not getting back to the management there . Out of interest Smurf did you report your horrible and completely unacceptable experience to reception/management or was it all done via the dr.

As a matter of interest I would really like to know why people would return to a destination where they are always ill - it's just beyond me. I don't believe anyone should expect to be ill in Egypt although I have read this more than once on this forum and others. I don't read about people expecting to be ill in Spain, and I don't expect to be ill in Egypt: I have no desire to spend my holiday being ill - I only go for a week!!

I am not sure about meds either. Antinal doesn't work for everyone, and anyway it's an antibiotic: some people may react to this badly, and I don't believe for a moment that it lives up to the hype about it. Ciprofloxacin is also an antibiotic and it is particularly useful against salmonella and campylobacter. I am not sure if my doctor here would prescribe an antibiotic to me on a "just in case I need it" basis, but in any event I don't want to go on holiday with the thought that I might get salmonella on my mind.

I totally agree with both of you
As to why i and so many others are addicted to Egypt , well i cant tell you or begin to understand it myself, my family think i am deranged !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But i love it.
I also love Greece and am never ill there, so who knows what its all about, i sure dont
Phyll

Hi, new to these forums, just been reading the previous posts and thought I'd add my observations.

I returned a couple of days ago from the HSB (my second visit), stayed on the new side and had a great time!
I was told that the rennovations going on, on the site next door were part of an expansion to the HSB complex, and was expected to be completed in around 14 months time (i find hard to believe as they are making very slow progress). Either way the work that was being carried out didn't bother me at all. On my visits to the old side I noticed a few rooms were fenced off for renovations but it didn't seem to be causing any problems or noise.

Regarding the food, I didn't see or hear about anyone having any tummy problems whilst I was there. I thought the food was very good in the new side and the service in the pool bars also. I ate in the House of Asia restaurant on the new side one evening which was excellent.

Ive stayed on the new side twice now and prefer it to the old side. The old side has alot more russian guests who in my opinion were rather rude and obnoxious. I much prefered the Q bar to the sunset bar/pool bar on the old side. Although i agree with the earlier comments about the olympic bar, found it very noisy in there and the entertainment from the animation team was very poor

I have really enjoyed both my stays there and would happily reccomend it to anyone thinking of going to Egypt. If I was to go again, I would probably try somewhere new though as I like a bit of change in my holidays, although I can see why people return here year on year

I just got back last night from another week here, and what can I say other than that it was completely fabulous!!!!! This was our 5th visit in two years, so we do like it there.

I know there was a problem with sickness last month, but I saw no evidence of this last week. Spoke to lots of poeple and no-one had been ill, including ourselves. We were treated very well indeed, and had a fantastic time.

Hygeine was not a problem from what I saw - chefs using gloves, food piping hot, everything being cleaned and disinfectant spray being used (hadn't seen that on previous visits).

I do believe that management listened to the issues apparent last month and acted on them. I was happy to meet with the operations director when I was there and have a chat with him, having emailed him with my concerns before I went.

I will definitely be back next year - probably twice, as it really does suit us. A few minor changes since my last visit - some good, some not so good (like the main restaurant on the new side not being open at lunchtime and not being able to pick up a pizza at Il Rustico).

These are minor points which didn't detract from the holiday. Will do a review when I have time. Any specific questions, just ask - Lyn is there anything you need to know or be updated on?

Was wondering how you got on. So pleased you had another wonderful trip!

Lesley x

So pleased they seem to have acted fast on the issues last month Pat and of course really glad you had a fabulous week. Just sorry others had to go through such always experiences .

Did you make it to the new Egypian restaurant as that sounded really good. ?
from what i've read I'm assuming Rustico is now completely seperate . We've only ever used it once as it always looks so busy in there when we go but that may just be because we are always there at busy time over easter . If any of us wanted pizza we just used to nip down the stairs from the main buffet restuarant , grab one and bring it back upstairs . Take it you can no longer do that .

lyn

You can't nip downstairs any more for pizza Lyn - we used to do that often! We didn't try the Egyptian, but heard good reports. It is where you get burgers etc by the pool on the old side - which you can still do in the day. You go round to the pool with the slide at the back to get into Il Rustico - didn't try it as you have to book now, but we would have liked to have been able to pick up a pizza. I have told them that on the guest questionnaire

Thanks Lesely - yes, it was certainly a great trip!