Hi Jane - shame we didnt get to meet you a little earlier and glad you managed to get your holiday.

Here is my review ...

I was a bit worried about going here as I had read the reviews - as you do. Am a Yorkshire lass so will be as no-nonsense as possible:

1. Flew Monarch - now I know how a sardine feels! hellish

2. Egypt airport - if you are travelling around on days out/tours you need a visa - we stayed in the resort the whole week cos we fancied a lazy one - but you still have to fill out the little pink entrance form - they will give you one on your flight over to fill in - take it when you to to passport control. Watch out for the pushy inners who are generally russian - dont worry they'll learn the queueing system - eventually!

3. Transfer - quick and easy - when you do eventually rescue your luggage from a totally different carousel to the one indicated on the screen - madness!

4. The hotel - we were in 101 - close to all amenities really - the best superkingsize bed - missing it already! The room was 3* and cleaned around 9am every day. The poor guys are worked really hard so if you want a clean room - try and be out of the room when they come around - just courtesy really!!
Didnt have brown water but did keep my mouth shut in the shower and used bottled water for teeth - common sense right? Didnt have probs with ants as some did but didnt leave food around the room and kept dirty clothes in a bag high up in the bathroom so didnt encourage them.

The everyday staff are really hard working and friendly. If I had to work 14/16 hour days in that heat I'd bite! but they keep their calm even when some of the guests clicked their fingers for service or talked down to them - just rude I say!

The beach is corally so get some beach shoes - about a fiver. There are rock pools in the shallow shore water - go and find them and sit down and watch the beautiful fish swim around you - bliss! Please take time to go to the beach - turn left and walk past the not finished hotel (take some fresh water for the dog) and see the clear blue sea wash onto the shore with the backdrop of the sinai mountains - bliss!

To summarise: The food is student food - pasta bread and potatoes - but you shouldnt go hungry. You dont really go to Egypt for nouvelle cuisine do you?? and at this price - if you expect it you're a bit soft I say! Its a bit annoying around the pool when the hotel staff from the massage etc keep waking you up but just be firm if you dont want to know. The beach isnt soft and sandy and its a walk along the pier to see the fab fish and coral but you never ever have to worry about the weather. Its sunny - every day! If you are going - enjoy - and remember that you havent paid savoy prices but the weather is fab the staff work hard and the hotel is fab for the price. Enjoy!

Got my flights sorted although lost one day of the holiday, we are going for our third year in 2 weeks time, has anyone come back recently...is the building work finished???

can't wait!!

Hello! We are visiting on the 10th May for a week, and cannot wait!

A few questions if anyone can help?

How long before the home flight leaves should we get to the airport? We want to be there for as little time as possible! Our flight is around 6pm, is the hotel very flexible with late check out/getting all inclusive drinks etc? Do a few tips help?!

Should we just get pool shoes and snorkles out there?

I heard its worth taking your own glasses to get decent measures...anything particular?! Are we best to tip Sharky at the start of the week to get drinks brought to us? SO decadent!

Are the trips a good price from the hotel vendor/s? Only looking at going on the quad bike trip really. Do they take credit card/stirling cash?

I hope someone can help...thanks! : )

Hey Magicmat,

The hotel is about 20 mins away from the airport if you go by taxi, add that to the min 2 hours before your flight time and that is prob the least amount of time you would get away with, depends on whether you are making your own way there tho, you can book a taxi from the hotel, think we paid £12 from the hotel last year. If your with a tour operator the coach time is posted on the reps wall board.

The AI lasts as long as you do!

Check out time is 12 noon but you can get a room extention at a small cost if the hotel is,nt too busy!

If you,ve got the room in your luggage take shoes and snorkles with you as they cost more over there but not a great deal more, so its down to how much stuff you got to carry!

If you want to make friends with the bar staff in a hurry, it,s a great idea to take your own pint glasses with you and once you have decided at which watering hole you are mostly likely to spend the most time hand the glasses over and watch them magically keep filling up! but remember to leave them with the bar staff when you leave, mine are the "Becks" glasses at the pool bar if they hav,nt been broken!

The bar,s each have a bar Manager (such as Sharkey), but they do rotate from bar to bar when they have their holiday break, so depending on your own generosity, tip any of the bar staff and the tips are shared with all the guys working that bar, word will get out that you have tipped. Normally I would bung em a fiver, keeps em well happy! Either sterling or le (50le = £5 ish).

Just appreciating how hard and long the guys work also goes a long way to them going that extra mile to make your stay even better helps, and always give the guys a hearty "Cheers mate" when receiving a beer from the pool bar staff as this will put a huge smile on their faces!!

Trips and stuff, you can trust the pool guys to deliver what they are selling and last year I think the quad bikes were 20bucks for a two hour trip into the desert.

Hope that has cleared your mind a bit, and if it,s any comfort to you, this year will be our fourth visit to the hotel, got to wait until July though!

Happy days!!

Wow...that is SO useful! So you have to be at the airport 2 hours before departure...fair do's! Is the duty free any good?! Yeah we will be getting taxis, cant be bothered with hanging around for a coach!

So you can use the AI right up until we leave for the airport? Thats handy!

I will try and find some branded glasses to take, so thanks for the tip. The £5 you tip, is that for the week? or just to get thier attention?! lol I am always fun and polite with the bar staff, makes me happy, and makes them a bit happier too!

20 bucks? As in Dollars? thats so cheap! Love it. Do they accept stirling, or should i take dollars too? Wasent intending on getting any egyptian money, or maybe only a little. We will probebly go and sample the nightlife in Naama...what kind of money would be best to take?

Thank you so much for your time and help, really appreciated!

Airport was in the middle of a refurb last year so only had the basics, but rumour has it it,s been done up pretty good, just remember on the homeward journey that you need to be at terminal 2!

the £5 tip was for two weeks and best to take Eygptian if going into Naama, if it,s your first time to Naama just be aware that it can be a great night out but you will get hassled from the locals if you like window shopping! Great night out if you just want a few beers and a chill or a boogie in Pacha!

You only really need sterling at the hotel and take a bag of £1 coins to tip the luggage guys and anybody else you feel deserves one.
If your not early risers tip the towell guys too, they will keep your beds for you if you have a favourite spot.

Sorry about my slang the quads were £20, pay in sterling.

Just so you know, there are a number of pools there, the active pool and kids pool (if you got any) are situated at the front of the complex, the relaxation pools are at the back.

Have a great time!!

OK, a bit of an odd one, but are there places selling inflatable to use in the pool? Specifically at this hotel? I want a big inflatable ring, but don't really want to use up my baggage allocation! Any tips?! Thanks!!

Hi All

Going to the Royal Albatross in 2 weeks for the first time.We have book a twin room with a sea view.There is 4 of us going me & the family,has the twin rooms got two bedrooms.

Thanks

Hi, am going to Royal Albatros Moderna Nabq Bay in August, was just wondering how far it is to walk to the shopping malls etc from the hotel.
Also, has anyone got any info or tips re this hotel.
Have been to Egypt before so know what to expect, stayed at Sol Sharm Sharks Bay for last 2 years so thaught that we would try somewhere different this year.
Thanks.

Hi your hotel is at the far end of Nabq ( towards the Mangroves ) and it is quite a long walk to La Strada and Al Khan - get on the minibus as its only 1le. There are a couple of little shops over the road. I went into one small supermarket and nothing at all was priced so be careful.

Thanks for the info, am used to the shops not pricing stuff, am really good at haggling lol.
Do you know what time the minibus stops running a night?

Hi welshcollie13

Just got back from there had a great time.If you go out of the main gates and go left there is a small group of shops there.Walk past them about 10-15mins and there is a big supermarket and a shopping mall with Burger King and KFC.

Hotel is very big and very clean.Rooms cleaned everyday and you get two bottles of water everyday.Food is ok different everyday.We found the beach bar the best place to go on a night.Eddie Murphy will look after you.

Have a good holiday

Mel

hi we went to this hotel in may for 2 weeks and loved it, the shopping mall is a gentle 15 minute walk down the road to la strada with plenty of shops ,cafes ,burger king,chinese restaurant and bar.if you dont want to walk there are always plenty of taxis for a few pounds as long as you haggle well.hotel is lovely and clean i am sure you will have a brilliant time, enjoy