So am I, at least we will all be prepared - just incase.

I was really ill last year staying at Savita (was on a drip for 24 hours) we still don`t know what caused it!! was it the food, was it the heat, was it the pool, was I dehydrated!! We have been to Egypt lots of times and we knew what to expect but it still happened - hubby and daughter were fine.

I thought i would post a reply as I feel some of you are being a bit harsh on others who have negative comments about the H.V. Obviously if your going soon these bad reviews are not what you want to be hearing but if thats a persons experience then so be it. I went to the H.V on the 4th June til the 19th June and thought wow as I entered the place. Can not fault the rooms the surrounding area (gardens), the swimming pool (yes you had to get up early but this happens everywhere), I was in block 7 and had a swim up room which was brill and thank god I did have one as from the fourth day yes I got stomach cramps and the rest. Before going I started taking the good bacteria tablets from holland and whilst there always kept using the antibacteria wash for my hands but yet still come down ill. My opinion is that it is down to the food but hey this is my opinion. On a few occasions I had to complain as the chicken was not cooked properly. I can not complain about food in the alacarte I did think this was good and even started to pay for my meal there instead of eating in the restaurant. I spent £40 in the chemist whilst there and when reported to the reps was told I was ill due to the climate, okay I have now been back 5 days and I am still no better and seeing doc in morning so how can it be the climate. My son was also not well for 5 days whilst there. You know this is just my opinion if it was not for getting ill and the food not cooked properly I would not have a problem. but this holiday cost me £1600 for myself and my son and im just so upset that it was ruined from being ill. Since being home I have contacted first choice and am still awaiting a reply. Oh I have posted on this site before,

Sorry but that is an utter joke, how can someone complain about the rooms? Obviously didn't look far as the little shop just outside to the left of HV has chocolate bars at 35pence!!
Also HV isn't a five star, it's a 4 star and everyone knows a 4 star in Egypt isn't the same to a 4 star over here.
As it has been said before, the good reviews are much more than the bad.

For all of you who have contacted FC with your complaints -

You will get a standardised letter back saying that they have had no complaints from other holiday makers. Reply stating again the facts as reported in your first letter and then you will get a reply from a "real person". Also, if you have got receipts for medication or the boxes they came in, send them copies as this is your proof that you were ill.

We had major problems at the HV Turkey last year and it took me several letters before we got compensation back. (Holidayed in August - compensation February).

Just stick to your guns.

As I have said before - The last time I was in Eygpt people were complianing that the food was making them ill ( stayed at LTI ) or it was a hygiene............These were the same people laid in the sun all day with no hats on, drinking beer in the day, or gallons of fizzy pop.
We weren't ill once, I have friends who go to Sharm and different hotels every year and they aren't ill - it's about being sensible if the food doesn't look cooked don't eat it, you wouldn't here so don't there, dring water and lots of it during the day, go in the shade, wear adequate protection, if a glass doesn't look clean don't use it.

I firmly believe that it is the claimate - this isn't Turkey, Greece, Spain, Kenya, Dom rep this is a very different claimate altogether and it is a shock to your body and system when you first go ...............BUT when I get back 15th August I will post an honest opinion on HV and If I believe it is the food etc I will say if I think it is the claimate I will say.

My neighbour is a travel agent and later I will ask her to check out if any bad reports have come back - she will be honest with me and I will post on here what she knows.

Just spoken to neighbour - she is going to check it out tomorrow and let me know.

She did laugh when I said Eygpt and commented that people go expecting to be ill and geared up to complain, they don't take enough precautions and think that they can do the same as they would in Spain. She said you wouldn't believe how many complain of illness regardless of what hotel it is and blame everything else before looking at themselves and assesing if they did put themselves at risk by taking the warning that it is 40degrees plus serioulsy first and not laying there in the full glare of the sun, she finished with ........

"Mad dogs and English men"

So I will let you know what she says tomorrow once she has checked at work

Hi All, this as you see is my first post on this forum, have been reading all the reviews about HV, as my wife, daughter and I are travelling out from Birmingham on the 21st July. Obviously a little concerned at some of the negative reviews but believe the positive ones outway them enough to put us at rest.
Was interested to hear any recomendations on which block to try and stay in, if you were in a standard room?

Look forward to hearing more from you all.

MARTYN P: Block 5 is a great place to be as it is in the middle of everything. Have a great time!

The HV building(s) is listed as 5 star rated with FC and has 4 FC "suns" if you read carefully.
I was telephoned today by FC about the statement I made whilst on holiday at the HV. The customer service guy told me they had had 124 complaints at the resort in 10 days and where following them up. Was told that Egyptian holiday periods had led to a shortage of staff In Resort and FC where looking into the complaints. He told me that the rep had resigned because of family problems. I asked him why there was no rating for food on the FC website for the HV and was told he could not comment on that. FC are sending out more forms for me to fill in. I still stand by previous posting that I did not enjoy my experience at the HV at all. It was just not worth the money especially having to eat elsewhere it became a very expensive holiday indeed. I can not put my experience down to not being prepared. I had all the lotions and potions with me, and still got ill. I did not drink alcohol or fizzy pop during the day (apart from 1 can of coke, to try and get some energy) plenty of bottled water etc. I had my children with me for goodness sake. I am a little offended at being labeled some sort of larger lout. The place was horribly dirty in parts and food under cooked and ill prepared. Other places can get Self Service food and BBQ's right so why not at the HV. Come on stop cutting costs and improve your standards. It is not hard. If you have to go be prepared. Sorry for saying it was a 5 star and should be a 2 star. The HV is a 4 star and should be a 1 star. All better now?

Hello Jimbobeleno, were people being sick too or was it just " the other end!"
Hope you don't mind me asking only I have booked to go in Sept and am now understandably worried!!

Just back from the Holiday Village yesterday.

Hubby, 10 year old daughter and myself all came down with the Sharm Shuffle (oops I mean Sprint!) on day two of our holiday. Dispatched Hubby to the local Pharmacy and he returned with £20GBP of drugs. Yes we were ripped off, but after a morning of us fighting over the toilet with severe runs and vomiting I didn't care. After two days in the room we were beginning to feel better but still had nausea and stomach cramps and did not dare to pass wind unless sitting on the loo. In the second week the severe symptoms returned and I spent another two days in the room and more cash on medicine from the pharmacy.

I overheard one of the reps talking to another couple around the pool, who had also been unwell, and the rep laid the blame for people becoming ill on the heat, not being used to drinking bottled water, eating at fast food places outside the resort and even saying "well we don't know what people get up to in their rooms they could be drinking the tap water for all we know!" Basically anything other than problems with the food hygiene, the pools or in any other way that could be caused by the resort.

In the second week, someone poohed in the main pool and the guy who reported it had to do so three times and walk around the pool telling people to get out before the pool guys sorted out the problem and the pool was cleaned and chemically treated. There is a distinct lack of toilets around the main pool, luckily for us it was easier to nip back to our room then trudge down the steps to use the public loos.

From the beginning of the holiday, we were extremely careful with hand washing particularly after the loo and before eating, using antibacterial hand gel too, avoiding cold drinks and sticking to bottled water for drinking and brushing our teeth and checking all meat/food was properly cooked before eating it but we still got ill.

On Sunday lunchtime there were inspectors in the restuarant checking on the food and using temperature probes to make sure the food was ok so hopefully if people have been becoming ill due to the food this will now be rectified.

My daughter was up most of the night last night vomiting and we both still have stomach cramps, nausea, bouts of sweating and diarrhorea. I phoned our GP for some advice and he asked us to provide stool samples and we are now waiting for the results. I have been to the Maldives, Mexico and all over Europe and I've never suffered as we did this holiday.

PS hot tea helps with the stomach cramps!

Neighbour who is a travel agent has just called to say she checked on the travel agent site and listed is the following.............

In Sharm at the start of June a sickness bug hit the area and this has resulted in many travellers being ill ( she added that this is a general site and not maintained by a single agent.)

With regard to HV she states that there are no negative comments from any agents or from First choice. She also said that agents and FC would add to this agent only site and update regular to inform all agents of any issues encounted.

It's put my mind at rest.

As far as the hotel rating is concerned the HV was never a 5 star because its classified as a holiday village.These can only be given 4 stars.Thomson beach clubs which are holiday villages are also 4 star.
I was told that a hotel cant be graded as a 5 star unless it has a lift.This was at the Hemera in Turkey(no 1 on TA).It now has a lift and is now a 5 star.

i am pretty sure that when i booked the holiday village it was advertised with an official 5 star rating with first choice giving their own 4 star award. it was a long time ago and this may have changed .
john

just been back on first choice website and it does state the holiday village official rating as 5 star it also states that there is one lift on site. see below from their website

Building

Official Rating: 5 Star
484 rooms; 14 blocks; 3 floors; 1 lifts.
Tel: 00 20 693 002 069 3710600

it does not really matter to me if it is 5 or 4 star as we booked it mainly for the childrens activities, but i knew that i had read it somewhere.

john

Hi everyone
was on today withmy travel agent about my tickets and told the girl about the reviews that i had read she said she would phone falcon thats who i booked with the girl from falcon said that they had no complaints she also said that she was in egypt herself last year and had also got the bug

Hi Brando, i think it is a problem in the whole of Sharm not just located to the hotel and i think it will be hit and miss as to if we get it or not, although if i think the chicken isn't cooked well enough, i will just avoid it.

Just a quick question to all of those that have already been, can you get bottled water in the restaurant for your evening meals?

Hi to all who have come down ill staying at the holiday village, I am still no better and an awaiting test results from the g.p. I have emailed first choice and also have phoned and am still getting no joy apart from being told it was the climate. I have now been home 6days. I have therefore contacted a solicitors who is dealing with other clients who have had the same problems and thought it is worth noting that if you have suffered the same then why not contact them. Iram.Aftakhar@pannone.co.uk Some may think im just out to get what I want, but at the end of the day I paid £1600 for myself and my son and did not expect to be so ill. Yes I had done my research took recommended tablets, used anti-bacteria handwash etc and did expect a slight stomach upset due to the difference in food.(sauces) But what I did not expect is to have 16 days and still counting of severe stomach cramps, sickness, diarrohea, fever. etc. and to have to watch my son in tears because of the pain. People can think what they want, I just want to help others who have been in the same situation.