need help choosing my first ever red sea holiday!

wightlion

2007-07-02 00:12:48

Just to add to this Lynz,

I dont think the Italian is open at lunchtimes but is in the evening

Fantastic grub though,........

Another good idea is to go on google earth, if you have it, to check out the Nuweiba area as we say though it is very quiet there

I never go back to same Hotels but will be to this one as theres nothing not to like about it.

In fact have just received a letter from the hotel manager thanking me for comments I made about the hotel via email some months ago and they cant wait to welcome me back to my second home.

how many other hotels do that and lets face it, its not as though they are desperate for customers.

Im whooshing back there in October

Lynzmk

2007-07-02 10:28:39

oooh im so excited i think we're booking our holiday next weekend!

the hilton nuweiba looks like the one, will we be ok for public transport to nearby resort/ into sharm el sheikh to look around? hubby is happy to know there's a decent italian on site for the evenings!

just another question if anyone knows, is it worth upgrading the room? all i can see that appeals is the tea coffee facilities in the room for hubby lol but personally i dont mind if i have to wait til i get to the restaurant for a brew. tsk, just looked at the reviews on here, mostly glowing and then just one or 2 really bad ones

im sure some people must just go on holiday to moan. I've reviewed hotels i've been to before and couldn't believe some of the negative ones! so im not taking much notice. anyway they're both a couple of years old i think.

got a price from thomsons, gona try a few t/a's if i get time but to be honest i dont think they'll beat the online price of 1190, plus i have found a code for 100 off making 1090.

:lol:

wightlion

2007-07-02 22:17:35

erm,.. its about 2hrs by car to Sharm, nearest place will be Taba/taba heights and im not sure if its any good to walk around.

This hotel is right in the middle of nowhere and I suppose that is where some of the charm comes from.

The port of Nuweiba is 20mins walk if that but its a proper eygptian town/port

The upgrade rooms are all ground floor level not a security risk but more of a privacy one as all and sundry can walk past unless your curtains are drawn of course.
The bungelows are very nice all set around the smaller of the 2 pools

as for me I took the old trusty travel kettle, tea bags, sugar, UHT and a spoon and bought meself a genuine antique eygptian mug :wink:

to shove it all in.

Lynzmk

2007-07-03 11:03:58

ooh dear i must have got muddled up then i could've sworn someone on here said you can fly into sharm airport and it's only another 15 minutes away i misunderstood that to mean sharm itself isn't far.

hmm hubby's not going to be keen because he says he'll get bored of the hotel fr 2 weeks (he's more active than me!) and would like to go out to explore a bit even though we've stayed in all incs which are a 10 -15 minute bus or taxi ride to the nearest town before it seems nuweiba's more remote still. well it might be back to the drawing board!

doe

2007-07-03 11:21:07

Nuwebia and Sharm aren't really close at all. You can't hop in a cab and go between the two resorts on a daily basis. It would be a trip that had to be planned and the return cab fare would be quite expensive.

You might be getting mixed up with staying in Sharm el Sheik and popping in and out to Namma Bay of an evening for a drink, to shop or for a change of scenery. :hmmm

lynwestie

2007-07-03 15:59:37

I think the confusion with the distance/airport etc comes from the fact that for those staying in sharm its only a short 10 mins or so transfer to most of the hotels. for Nuweiba the transfer it seems is longer ,I believe over an hour maybe an hour and a half from Taba airport and around an hour and three quarters/ 2 hours from sharm .

hope that helps and im sure one of our Nuweiba experts will be along to confirm the extact timings

We have had 2 fabulous holidays at the hilton sharks bay and are trying the coral hilton in Nuweiba next year . Hope its as good.

lyn

ps. As chris (Doe) says if you stay in sharm you either have the choice of staying in Naarm Bay (mostly B+B or half board) or choosing one of the A/Is scattered along the coast where you could get the hotel courtesy bus or cab into Naarm bay or sharm old town.

Lynzmk

2007-07-03 16:32:38

thanks for the info lyn and doe

i've talked to hubby about it and he says let's carry on looking into a few of the other hotels before we decide. we can only have one holiday a year so it really has to be perfect

i think the nuweiba sounds amazing for maybe a week's relaxation but that there's only so much lying by a pool/swimming/reading you can do before you get bored especially my hubby who like i say is normally active in his leisure time (i'm definitely not!)

so any more info about sharm el sheikh or marsa alam would be really welcome, especially any of the hotels mentioned.

doe

2007-07-03 19:31:06

In my mind I imagine Marsa Alam to be similar to Nuwebia.

I think it has quite a few beautiful hotels, which all seem to get excellent reports and would be ideal for a lovely one week chill out where you wish to do very little, but I'm not sure it would be a good destination if you wish to go for two weeks and like things to be a little on the busy side.

But I would be happy to stand corrected by someone who has actually visited.

Doe

lynwestie

2007-07-04 07:39:55

Lynzmk. he could always try some diving

.that would certainly keep him busy :D.

maybe have a look at the reviews and pick out 2/3 then investigate further. If you choose one of the A/Is along the sharm stretch of coast you can go into Naarm bay on some evenings by taxi or the hotels usually have a courtesy bus.

.but you may not feel the need as much as you think and there are many trips available from the hotels + diving of course( after all you are in the red sea :wink:

). You can still go to cairo or luxor but it can be expensive as a day trip by plane . A family we got friendly with at hilton sharks bay had the hotel book them a flight to cairo early in the morning (remember the airport will only be 10 mins away), a car to collect them the other end with a guide for the day and an evening dinner on the nile I think where they watched the laser show over the pyramids. they had a fantastic time but it cost them £800 im sure they said for the 4 of them which many say is worth it for the once in a lifetime experience. you can also do evenings in the desert , quad biking ,snorkeling and boat trips by the bucketload.

.

these hotel maps may be of interest. http://www.sharm-el-sheikh.ovh.org/mapa_prawa.html and http://sharm-el-sheikh.ovh.org/mapa_lewa_engl.html

lyn

Lynzmk

2007-07-04 10:54:17

thanks lyn that's really helpful

yeh in the past we have gone to good sized all inclusive hotels with plenty of facilities and only left the hotel to go on a couple of organised excursions and once or twice into the nearest town. we're not really going to want to go to the nightlife more than once if that, and we might go out for one meal if we see somewhere we fancy.

getting hubby to try scuba diving is my mission... i really want to but don't want to go on my own (well obviously not on my own because there'll be a group but i mean i'd like him to come too!) but he's not a strong swimmer and definitely nervy about putting his head underwater... add in the living things swimming about and i think it's a lost cause! he said he promises to try snorkelling though. i just hope i get chatting to someone else who'd love to try scuba and will be my scuba buddy!

i think seeing the sights is going to be a lost cause, i think we've decided we will visit egypt for the 1st time next year and then if we love it we will hopefully investigate a 1 week nile cruise + 1 week stay holiday

we were considering that for next year but looks like we'll need a much bigger budget to incorporate all the excursions :roll:

oooh imso excited i think we will be booking soon! thanks for your help everyone and keep the advice coming! where would we be without these sites our last 3 holidays were amazing thanks to being able to research and read reviews.

kimevans

2007-08-26 09:15:33

Hi all
I'm longing to go to the red sea on holiday next year and have talked hubby round, he doesn't mind where we go really.
There are so many hotels about I'm getting in a whirl trying to decide. I fancy either sharm el sheikh or masa alam, either way I know sharm is probably busier, but we do want a relaxing quiet holiday for the most part, with some excursions, lots of sunbathing and swimming and hopefully snorkelling, (so somewhere with good easy snorkelling for beginners off the beach) maybe even scuba diving if i get brave!
we also enjoy a drink in the evening, not too worried about entertainment as it's naff wherever you go, much more interested in a beautiful room, plenty of space, good food and good service. edited to add - my husband's only stipulation is that the place should have more than 1 restaurant on the all inclusive as he gets a bit ired of the buffet style eating in one place every day...
we plan to go in may next year and our budget is no more than 900 each, and we want to go all inclusive. most or all of the hotels on my wishlist fall comfortably into our budget.
so, there's my wishlist... if you've time here's your chance to rave about sharm el sheikh or marsa alam to me, better still help me choose a hotel! so far my shortlist consists of...
SHARM:
-new first choice holiday village, swim up room - although im just not sure because we have no kids it might be a bit too family orientated...?
-reef oasis blue bay resort and spa, a new hotel this year...really drawn to this one but so far it's only a few reviews and pictures available
-savita resort and spa
MARSA ALAM:
-iberotel lamaya resort
-iberotel coraya beach
sorry i know that's not a very short shortlist but as i read more reviews i will probably lose a couple more
if anyone's any advice to offer, either on any of the above hotels, or the resorts, or just holidaying in the red sea in general, i'd really appreciate it
thanks... Lynz x

This thread so sounds like mine!!!!!! Its scary!!!!!!!
We though of Marsa Alam first, but now we are fairy stuck on Sharm. I say "we" I mean "me" because I've also just talked hubby round to Egypt for 2008.
Want quite-ish, relaxing, sunbathing, few excursions, try snorkling & want to try scuba diving!
Want great food, great beach, not big drinks so not too concerned about that. Hubby don't want somewhere full of small kids (grumpy old git), but to be honest I would like somewhere not over run with kids too.

We first looked a the new Louis Tiran Sharm, susposed to be built for April 2008. (we're thinking of going in June!!!).
Then the Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort & Spa.
Then Barons Palms Resort
& did look at Club Magic Life (but worried it will be a slightly classier version of Butlins).
Oh & the Jaz Mirabel Beach looks good.

Want sea-view rooms, & be great if the hotel had quirks, like swim up bars, or pools access from rooms, or jacuzzies on balconys. NOT ALL OF THOSE!!!!!!! But that sort of thing that makes it stand out.
A choice of AI restaurants or a dine around option would be good as well.

So its great food, clean, a bit special, a great beach, & hopefully a nice reef to snorkle on.

ANY IDEAS??????

ElleDee

2007-08-27 22:35:23

Have you thought of El Gouna... its a purpose built resort, alhtough you would never believe that, set among blue lagoons - absolutely lovely. You can walk around in the evening with no hassle as all hotels are close to downtown and marina. Its a hassle free resort, even better! Lots of bars with 'free' pool tables, lots of good entertainment downtown, tamr henna and the marina area. To me this resort wins hands down

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