Actually this did cross my mind

So Im Back - didnt it go quickly! Got back this morning at 4.30am.

All I can say is im very disappointed Michelle.

You didnt tell me it was that good that I wouldnt want to leave

I came back to cold and rain, rain, rain, rain, rain

This after every day being between 37-39

It was BRILLIANT!!

Good to see you enjoyed your stay at the SBR, I have just approved your comprehensive review

Cheers
Graham

Mrs Elliott, wow what a review, that would have taken me two weeks to write lol. So glad you enjoyed it, not many don't, for us it just ticked all the boxes we want from a holiday and more. Glad you got to the Oonas, did you remember us to Latoyah, and the big black guy called Agassi? We booked up for two weeks in November but now extended it to 3 weeks. Two weeks in the Sonesta and one week staying b&b in the Oonas, so looking forward to that.

We will bring some sun home for you, cannot believe we shall be say on the beach in December

Michelle
sonesta beach resort queen

Hi Michelle

Been busy unpacking, washing etc.

No I didnt see Latoyah on any of our many visits but yes I did meet Mr Cairo and mentioned both yourself and George to him and he obviously knows you. As soon as I saw him I just knew it was him from your description. I also told him you were returning in November so he said he would see you then. He left Sharm on Tuesday to return to his family in Cairo for 8 days so we had a goodbye chat.

Its funny when we first visited the bar - we couldn't find how to get there but one of the security guards who sits outside took us round the back of the building and directed us up those narrow stairs - at first I was thinking where the heck is this taking us - I was a bit nervous for a moment but soon arrived at the top to the wonderful setting which greeted us.

The guava juice he kept making me was truly delicious - the best I have ever tasted, so cool and refreshing. I have taken a picture of him actually with one of the other bar staff but havent figured out how to upload them on here as yet. He and my little boy got on really well - my son misses him already.

Actually we are booked into the sonesta for 2 weeks, but have added on an extra week, but not at the sonesta, we are going into the OOnas hotel up those narrow steps lol, rooms very nice on a b and b basis, very cheap prices and sea view. Why not come back November or next year, we could meet up Mr Cairo (agassi) is a lovely man, speaks good english and a chatter box, not sure if the guy still does the shisha pipe (sheif), he couldn't speak much english, but we were telling to teach him. Its 85 degrees in November and 18 at night, so really nice. Do they stop the towels on sunbeds now do you know? Have heard reports that the staff are not saving any more for tips.

Sorry for the delayed reply - my entire family came down with an awful bug this week - lord knows but weve been all laid in off school and work with D & V - it was awful - but we are all on the recovery.

I wish I could go back in November - especially as I just love sun and sea! But the pennies will only stretch for one holiday this year

My hubby had a pipe at oonas - he loved it - I didnt partake though - not my thing im afraid.

I would actually have preferred to do B & B - gets you to get out more and enjoy the sights and sounds instead of being stuck to a resorts meal times and systems - if I did go back I would look at this possibility - but obviously that would rule out Sonesta. However, I did ask about the wrist band system at Sonesta and one of the animation team told me the Italians have a choice of B & B or half board - but that option was definitely not available with thomsons - it was AI only. I dont know how accurate he was but as he works there I can only assume the info he gave me was correct.

Whilst we were there they were actively monitoring the 6/7am sunbed savers brigade. He was saying to me that some people put the towels down then disappear for hours on end coming back in the early afternoon to claim their beds - totally unfair and just wrong. It was very busy around Blue Wave pool - all day but when we went to the beach for the morning we were always able to get a bed on our return

We are thinking about visiting the Sonesta Club next year. There are two types of room offered - garden view or pool view. The pool view rooms are more expensive and I was wondering if it is worth paying the extra or whether the garden view rooms are OK. Any tips or advice about the hotel would also be much appreciated.

In my personal opinion this hotel is more geared towards young children, it has a couple of pools and a few water slides to enjoy, a good kids club. A pool view in the day would be quite noisy and the garden view is equally nice but quieter. I have never actually stayed at SC but am a sitting tenant at the Sonesta beach over the road. It is a smaller version, has a small gym, and a discoteche adjoining the complex.To get to the beach you will need to venture out of the front of the complex, cross a buy dual-type carriage-way road to the sonesta beach hotel to reach the beach. Some people walk through the hotel to get to it, you don't have to do this as at the side of the complex is a walk through, so basically it saves your bags being searched whilst going through.
The rooms compared to SBR are very small, maybe standard hotel room sizes but SBR's are like ground floor flats well some are in any case. If you would like to know more about the area then please ask, to get into Naama bay it is about a 20 mins walk, or a couple of quid for a cab. You can walk the road way (peace road) or again go through the sonesta beach hotel and walk the nice beach promenade way. There is a good doctor on the SC complex should you need one and a few little shops.

Hi OVALBLONDIE

I can't help you with the interior of the rooms but I can tell you that that the pool views are very nice, some of the garden view rooms can look over the exterior of the hotel out in to open ground on one side or The Three Corners Kiroseiz hotel one the other.
There are some garden view rooms that look out in to the well tended gardens in the Sonesta Club so if you got one of them that would be fine and would be very nice, the rooms are set off small courtyards.

If you want to view pictures of the hotel pools and gardens which will give you a good idea of the hotel take a look at THIS

Graham

Michelle

Just popped in to wish you a brilliant holiday at Sonesta & Oonas - you'll surely be packed or packing by now.

Have a great time and I look forward to your review when you return.

Enjoy the sun whilst we endure rain and gale force winds

Regards
xxxxxx

You have a good memory, got to endure one more night shift tonight and not looking forward to it as have not slept at all today, maybe excitement.

85 degrees at the minute that will suit me big time.

I cannot believe i will have 2 reviews to do, but i am sure i will manage.

Thanks Mrs Elliott

Michelle
sonesta beach queen

well all packed guys. We leave for sbr and the oonas in the morning. Full report when i get back. 85-90 degrees here i come. See you in 3 weeks xxxx

Have a great time Michelle

Nearly 2 weeks gone and another 10 days to go. Got free wifi so no bills i hope. It is 85 in the day and 22 at night. i have a lot to write when we get back. Just having a drinkie poo in the oonas. Such a hard life, see you soon xx

Ohh, you take it easy out there Michelle

Enjoy the rest of your holiday

All evacuated from the sea. Sharks in the area, great!

My Review of the SBR - November 15th - December 6th 2010

Sorry guys rather late review, knowing how long i thought it would be i haven't had the time to do it.

I will say some of you will be rather surprised at some things i am going to write!

So here goes .........

We originally booked 2 weeks in the sbr due to the fact Thomson wanted far to much for 3 weeks, the third week was going to be spent at the Oonas dive club.

Good flight, we decided to opt for a free transfer from the hotel who was waiting for us at arrivals, we told the rep we had got our own transfer.
Very good driver and we got to sbr in about 8 mins. When we arrived the front desk manager met us and took us to the free upgraded room the executive rooms, dead opposite the Casablanca restaurant, same room they gave us free last year. Had a shower then out to dinner, by this time it was dark.

We met several waiter friends in the restaurants, and spent the first night chatting and having a good catch up.

The next day we went to the Oonas and asked if we could pay for our room, but they wouldn't take any cash until arrival in the room, saw our friends there and wondered down to the beach after breakfast.

The beach was awful, i always spent my time on there, never was a pool person. Now we have 6 hotels sharing this beach, the Fantasia hotel next to the Oonas, the Oonas, Sbr and Club and the newest rooms the Royale and Gaffy.

The Royale gets a small stretch up on the rocks but they never used it, so therefore all the beds were empty and no one could venture on them. The jetty was cleaned all the time in my past experiences but it was full of sand, the sea where the excursion boats stand filled our lungs with vapour - diesel.

It was so crowded you are nearly lying on each other. We have never known it in 8 times this bad, so we spent the time at the pool near the citadel restaurant near reception.

We met a lovely couple from Belgium and a dutch couple, and some english guests, we are now firm friends, the belgium couple normally reside at the sunrise but came to the Sonesta as 85% was occupied now by Russians. The Russians have a good deal in Egypt cheap accommodation, this has been so since the bombings to rake them in, trouble is they are extremely rude to staff, vomit all over the place, very loud and arrogant.
My husband and i couldn't believe the way they acted wanting vodka at 8 am when the bar was not open until 10am !

After about a week and a half i went to see Hazem Hassem to see if we could use the pool facitites at a charge as we were going to the Oonas, he said he needed to speak the the main manager. A few days later we got a note pushed through our door to see Hazem again. He asked me if we had paid for the b and b at the Oonas yet and asked how much they were charging us. I told him and then he said if we stayed the 3rd week at the Sonesta they would charge us 100 euros a night, basically in sterling £42 each all inclusive each day remaining. I told Sam and it was an exceptional deal, but me being the way i am felt guilty letting anyone down, especially my friends at the Oonas. But they were fine, and as it happened was a good move because the beach was closed twice that 3rd week due to shark attacks, so therefore we would have been boiled in 86 degree sun and no sea or pool to go into. So we stayed in the exec room and still A1, our friends couldn't believe it.

If you put your towels on your bed before 9am then you sit on them until after 9 or else they get took off and they were whilst we we there. A guest was complaining to management they couldn't get a bed, but to be honest there were loads where we were, most go to the Oasis.
Whilst i was in resort i took photos of some concerns and when i got back from the Sonesta i wrote a letter to Hazem, an email to be exact, so i will add it to this review.

So to recap we had a lovely lovely holiday because they have known us since 2005 and been to the same hotel 9 times, we were treated like Royalty, and had a great time, but because we had a good time, i took heed of what other guests told me and took my time writing this to the manager.

One of our friends from up North was on the bus departing for the airport, someone asked who was in room **** she said they were, they had to get off the bus as they were told they had pinched 2 x pool towels, they got frog marched to the reception and told to empty the contents of their case. None was found. In any case they used their own towels. But how embarrassing for them whilst everyone is waiting on the bus !

A lot of my report and findings of the hotel i will now let you read, awaiting a response :- you will find it on my review on HT

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/egypt/sinai-penninsula-and-red-sea/sharm-el-sheikh/sonesta-beach-resort-hotel/

I am not saying we will never be back, but the love of Egypt is in our blood, but we have sorted out other hotels to try in different areas. Having gone back for so many years you do notice changes, and for us they have a few issues to sort, its not a bad hotel but certainly sad to say is not 5* now.

Michelle xx

Just received a short email from the front desk manager at the SBR, Mods can you attach this to my review of the sonesta beach in hotel reviews as an update please?

Dear Mr. & Mrs. ????????

Thank you very much for your mail and for your fruitful feedback, which is really important to us

As we used to accept our client's feedback in a positive way, all the points mentioned in your letter have been discussed by the top management of the hotel and we are working on each detail.

Once again, thank you very much and looking forward to seeing and welcoming you in the near future

Best Regards


Hazem Hassan
Front Office Manager
Sonesta Beach Resort & Casino Sharm El Sheikh
+2 069 3600 725 -32
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