Hi to HT

Here is a link to the Holiday Village discussion which will hopefully give you some useful information.

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=90302

and here is the topic about excursions which may also help

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=10154

I would read viewing the most recent posts first.

Doe

hi Doe

thanks for that! will take a look, have you been to the holiday village?

No unfortunately not but it sounds a great place from what I have read about it.

I hope so doe! i will let you know in October when we get back!

Hi, Unfortunately i cannot help with the location of your hotel, however, many web-sites like expedia give you map locations.

With reference to the Waterpark though, this is next to The Hilton Sharm Dreams Hotel, which is just across the road from Naama bay shopping area. The waterpark is called 'CLEO PARK' Naama Bay has a number of bars and eating places including the Hard Rock Cafe, Pizza Hut and Macdonalds. We have been to Sharm 3 times now and find it a totally relaxing holiday. Although great for diving and snorkelling too. A Taxi would be able to take you to the park, but get a price first.

Got back from our latest trip yesterday....temp around high 20's to low 30's with a pleasant breeze some days. Can be cool along the prom (near some of the bars/restaurants) at night, so a light jacket may be useful.

The airport is much better now than it was when I visited 18 months ago... however, make sure you have tissues (as paper was not available in all the toilets) this is an upgrade on having to pay the attendant for the paper last time! Payment for duty free is still in US Dollars. Eating and drinking in the airport is very expensive. 1 Kit Kat, 1 Pk haribo's , 2 cans coke = £10

The waterpark is not vast, has about a dozen rides (including the Lazy River, the Snake, The pirate ship, another tube slide, The pyramid - with 3 different slides, a multi coloured slide - bit like one you go down in a sack in the UK, a small kids area, a jacuzzi under a parasol area within the kids section). There is an animation team at the waterpark based around the wave pool, they do activities throughout the day including Water Polo, Aquagym, belly dancing, A basketball game; where you pull ropes to drop the ball into a bucket and a few other games etc. depending on the day. There are lots of beds and parasols or shaded areas at the waterpark, lockers are available for a fee; however, you can decide if this is necessary. You will need to take your own towels. I understand to go direct to the pay window - it is £15/£16 each. (not sure about the youngest!) There are also not many rides that the young one will be allowed on as most boards say over 5. Some rides are closed, whilst the life guards oversee other rides; and then they switch around closing other rides and opening the ones closed earlier. The waiting time for each ride was not much though.

We have never gone to Cairo as it is a very long transportation time between sharm, and a very early morning start - around 4 am.
From those who have been, because of where it is located and the sort of people around, they have recommended not going it alone and going with a reputible company. We did once take a tour on a Glass bottom boat (transferred across 2 other boats first), with a company located near our hotel and the return journey was in a taxi from another hotel miles away.........a total of 11 people in one standard taxi (that should hold no more than 5 passengers + driver)!

Hope this information helps, I am sure you will have a great time. The Eygiptians do look after you, even more so when you give them a tip!

If you think there is more info i can provide, dont hesitate to let me know.

hi saxlady67

thank you so much for all that useful information!!! the waterpark sounds really good, the kids will love it! its good to have an idea about a place before you go, i wish i'd done more research on our last holiday to turkey, perhaps then it wouldn't have turned out so bad!!!

I think we are going to book a tour guide called nibal, for our trip to cairo, ive read some really good reviews about her, its about 70.00 for the day and the flights will cost about 223.00 return from Sharm el sheikh to cairo and thats for all of us, not bad when you see how much first choice are charging, it would cost about 600.00 for all of us!

Can you recomend any other day trips in sharm? we're hoping to do a couple more, but they would have to be kiddie friendly and also is it better to book before you go than out there?

i've heard alot of people talk about the hard rock cafe, it sounds very popular will have to give it a try one night. also good to know there is a macdonalds there, the kids will be over the moon!!!, Lor.

Macd's

Urrgghhhh BUT that's just me and my background
don't forget you are in a Muslim country so so bacon but plenty of beef
But there are loads of restaurnats in Naaama so just try them all

Hard Rock is just that same menu whether you are in Sharm or Cancun but it's a fun place just watch asthere is always a queue for the upstairs restaurant (different firm)

Can't wait for your blog when you get home this is apparently on the shortlist for my next visit in February according to SWMBO

hi madcaravanner

I totally agree with you!! its a disgusting excuse for a meal!!! but you know kids, they love it for some reason i felt quite guilty a few weeks ago as we drove past macs and my 3 year old son shouted "dinner" so i can honestly say i havent been for a while!!! home cooking every night, apart from the odd dominos pizza!!

will definately tell you how we get on in the holiday village when we get back and i promise to be honest! you read so many reviews that you dont know what to believe in the end

Lor

Lorraine do not get a childrens den on the ground floor in block 10.These are very dark with no natural light.The ceiling in the den is quite low with a camouflage net covering it and I found it quite spooky!.The best block is block 6 as it faces the shallow part of the main pool and the sea.The childrens den has a high ceiling and a window between the main bedroom which gives a lot of light.
The area outside the hotel has lots of new shops,bars and restaurants even a MacDs, so no need to go into Naama bay.Avoid the pharmacy just outside the hotel gates as you will be ripped off.Go across the road and walk to the left and theres a pharmacy there which wont rip you off.

jaytrip thanks for that, thats what i most wanted to find out!!! how do i go about making sure i get block 6? can you email the hotel to book it knowing my luck i'll be in the worst one otherwise!!!

how big are these rooms and do they have a door on the kids dens? from what i've seen on some photos on line they dont look as big as the standard rooms with the walk in wardrobes and are they all ground floor?
how long ago did you stay in HV?

Lor

I was at the Holiday village in December,We were allocated room 10110 which was ground floor,overlooking the "quiet pool",which if you read my review you will see why it wasnt quiet.It had a childrens den which we didnt need as there was only myself and my husband.The den was very dark as it didnt have a window in,just a door leading off the bedroom.This room had a shower which was just a trickle so I asked if there were any rooms with a bath.We were moved to room 6203 which was gorgeous and on the 1st floor..It had a bathroom with shower over on the left as you entered the room,then next door was the door to the childrens den which had a window with frosted glass quite high up,which let a lot of light in.This den was bigger than the one in block 10.The main room was huge and the bed was 6ft6ins square!There was a huge balcony overlooking the childrens end of the main pool and the sea.The wardrobes were in the corridor leading into the room.They was just as much hanging space as the walk in one in the other room.Take the rugs off the floor as if you stand on them you can slip!If you look in the brochure at the map block 6 is just next door to the al-a-carte restaurants.On the beach in the hotel next door is a disco which is quite loud from outside ,but once inside your room with the air conditioning on you dont hear it.The email address for the hotel is holidayvillage@coralsearesorts.com.
Its a brilliant hotel and you will enjoy every minute! Jay

thank you so much jay!

that is really good to know! i will email them tomorrow-fingers crossed!!! i will let you know if we manage to book block 6, good to hear from someone with first hand experience of the hv etc etc!

thanks again
Lor

Any joy on the booking of Block 6 ?

Fab to hear some info about the kids dens. We are going in a couple of weeks and couldn't find anybody that has stayed in one.

Would love to hear if and how anyone has managed to get a specific room.

hi mummyof2

i emailed the hotel but hav'nt had any joy so far i was going to give it another go tonight!, maybe they dont get back to you and just book you into the room anyway, or it might be to soon, they might wait untill you have paid in full for your holiday im not really sure! i'll keep trying though i dont want to be put in a horrible room!!!

make sure you give me loads of info when you get back and hope you have a lovely holiday!!! i'll keep you up to date with the room booking

lorraineandandrew wrote:

hi mummyof2

i emailed the hotel but hav'nt had any joy so far i was going to give it another go tonight!, maybe they dont get back to you and just book you into the room anyway, or it might be to soon, they might wait untill you have paid in full for your holiday im not really sure! i'll keep trying though i dont want to be put in a horrible room!!!

make sure you give me loads of info when you get back and hope you have a lovely holiday!!! i'll keep you up to date with the room booking

I tried e-mailing a Hotel in Sharm and got so frustrated I ended up telephoning them from the travel Agents (their bill not mine ) even then the response I got was rather as if "We've not got yer money yet so I ain't saying anything" even though I was wanting something that would have made them even more money than normal
Went somewhere else instead

i don't think any of the rooms will be classed as horrible ,the main reason we have chosen the holiday village is the fact that we were astounded by the rooms at the c.s.r last year ,this newer hotel from the same group can only be better ,and from the pics i have seen they certainly look better

well after reading some reviews i wouldnt be so sure if i were you! after all it is a different hotel!

well just over two weeks to go ,and if its not up to scratch i'll let you know ,to be honest the bad reviews all stem from last year when it was new and a lot of people were complaining just to get a freebie holiday ,even heard of some idiots causing wilfull destruction i.e pulling sockets off of walls and then taking pics as "evidence" ,.i do know the standards that the manager expects and feel quite confident they will be met or exceeded i have seen the h/v in real life, (though not stayed there yet) and it looked superb to me then ,your just basing your thoughts on hearsay so there is a difference

hi blackfox

i do agree with you! please make sure you tell me all about it when you get back, i wish i was going in a couple of weeks! have to wait 5 months, i really am counting the days, we didnt go anywhere last year so really feel the need for a holiday, even if we dont get the best room a holiday is what you make it, is't it!