cheers now booked a lagoon view (the most expensive) at a good discount so I'm going with that.

We have been twice before and going again in October. Longwood tells me we are invited to the managers cocktail party, has anybody been? What is it like? Is it worth going to? I want to but hubby not sure.

has anybody recently been to the hyatt in taba? we have heard that the privalages on gold card have changed - does anybody know??

Yes they have changed. You used to get a couple of soft drinks free each day, but that has now changed to just a cup of tea or coffee. Over the course of a week you only used to save about £15-20 so it's not a huge deal. You still get a late check out of a couple of extra hours which is very useful and saves you about $50 (the normal cost of a late check-out) - you have to request it though at reception a day or so in advance of your departure. In addition you can get a room upgrade if it's available. E-mail your card details to the hotel in advance of you arriving to make sure it's logged on their system. As returning guests (we've been three times now) you get a few additional perks e.g. invitation to the general manager's cocktail party and some sort of gift on arrival (bottles of water, fruit bowl and T-shirt or something similar). We also requested a particular block for our rooms and got this.

Frazz

P.S. just noticed in another thread that you've been to the Hyatt before, so you probably already know about the returning guest perks.

Thanks for the reply.

Yes this will be our third visit but we have never been invited to the manager's cocktail party before, What's it like? We have heard it is in the presidential suite!!! Is the food and drink OK? Is it alcoholic or fruit juices!!!

Do you know if you still get the money off the massages - 25%, which is a good saving?

We could get breakfast in our room with the Gold card, is it still the same? Sorry for all the questions but I like to be prepared.

Shirley.

We've been to the cocktail party twice - not sure how they decide who gets to go. I think that it is supposed to be for those on their third visit or more. Because we've had two rooms each time we've been, I think that their computer system has us down for visiting more often than we actuallly have! It's not actually a 'cocktail' party as their aren't any cocktails, but there is a selection of alcoholic beverages and soft drinks. There's a selection of really delicious finger snacks as well that the waiters bring round. Each time we've been it's been held on the veranda outside the Rocks Bar for an hour or so before dinner on the Saturday night.

I'm pretty sure that there is no longer a discount on massages and I'm not sure whether you can get breakfast in your room, but I think this is still one of the perks.

Frazz.

thanx for that - hopefully we'll get invited this year!

Shirley

hi
have been reading through various forums about the gold passport and some small extra's it gives you.
some people email the hotel prior to when they get there and was wondering what you write to them?
do you ask for an upgraded room or just tell them whether they are expecting you along with your membership number.
any help would be great

Just had a reply on a different thread about the cocktail party and found out it is held on the veranda of the Rocks Bar on a Saturday evening just before dinner. No cocktails just drinks and nibbles - but they said it was very nice. This seems to be only for third visits and over.

Read on another review site about other places to eat out near the Hyatt. The hotel now seems to have a system where they give you a £2 voucher which you can use at other participating hotel restaurants.

Anyone know where Chez Pascal and Pub Tandoori are located?

2 pounds isn't a lot but the other reviewer said they got a chateaubriand for £9 at the Chez Pascal before the discount and it was really good.

The Pub Tandoori also has an Indian chef.

Is there any other places worth trying as it would be nice to get out for a few evenings when we go back in October?

How far is the supermarket from the Hyatt (walkable or should we take the bus)?

Do the bus and supermarket both take US$?

Many thanks if anyone can help.

Supermarket? Bus??
The only 'supermarket' near to the Hyatt is up the road at the Three Corners Hotel which is technically walkable if it's not too hot. I doubt whether they'd take $US.

There is no bus service as such, but a courtesy bus to Waterworld which goes via all of the hotels and is free of charge so you can jus hop on and off.

Frazz

It takes about 5 mins on the little bus to the supermarket (which is really cheap), it goes via another couple of hotels then upto the 3 Corners. There are a few other shops as well. Water in the supermarket was the equivalent of 90p for 6 x 1.5 litre bottles. In the Hyatt was about £1.20 for 1 bottle. We drink loads of water!. We tended to use Egyptian Pounds in the Supermarket. (changed english money as and when in the bank at the Hyatt and got good exchange rate)

Wouldn`t walk - its too hot.

Just remembered - when we were there back in July the Hyatt had decided to clamp down on people bringing in food and drink bought outside of the hotel, but were offering a (small) discount on bulk buy water which would be delivered to your room. Stocking up on water bought from the supermarket was definitely frowned upon, but you might get away with it if you really want to. To be quite honest we didn't even consider it and certainly couldn't be bothered lugging bottles of water back to the hotel each day to sit around getting warm when we could get it ice cold as and when we wanted it. Yes it's expensive, but if you add the costs to the total cost of the holiday you might be paying an extra couple of quid each day per person, say £20 per person for the week. Not really that big a deal when you consider what you've paid for your holiday which I reckon is still really good value. Perhap it's just the British way to avoid paying that little bit extra when a bargain can be seen elsewhere but do you really want to upset the management who will then have to resort to other means to maintain their profit margins?
Frazz.

just got back from the hyatt on sunday and had a superb time.highly recommend it.if you want a nice relaxing break this is the place.i went on my own and met some really nice people the staff are great and the food is good.the drinks were a bit pricey for a holiday but no different from home really.
beer 3.50
vodka and mixer £5.20
it is the same prices roughly in the sofitel and marriott,the 3 corners is a lot cheaper but unbranded drinks and smaller glass'es as i suppose its all inc.
the 2 restraunts are at the 3 corners and we took the shuttle bus which takes 10 mins as it stops at the sofitel and marriott then 3 corners.on the way back its straight to the hotel.
ref..water in the hyatt they are £1.20 a bottle-1.5litres but get it from the hotel shop as its a bottle of ice and stays cold for most of the day-or it did for me..also the security will stop you if you have water and i suppose they do take this away from you,some people were trying to slip through the side entrance by the atm and were always stopped.
the supermarket only accepts cash and no credit cards not sure about english money?i had to pay in egyptian notes, wait and change your money when your out there
ciggies were a lot cheaper at the 3 corners £7.50 for 200 where at the hyatt they were 12.00 for 200 and i brought a few cartons back with no problems,security looked in the bag and said ok.i just think its food and drink they have an issue with
i had a gold card and emailed them before i went just to confirm the booking and was put in j block with a sea view room and 10m from the beach.really nice also you get a 2.00pm check out but paid £23.00 to keep the room on till 6.00pm about 30 mins before i got the coach.
it is a beautifull hotel and grounds and i would say the best out of the 4 hotels in taba heights and will go back again

hi robbie, sounds like you had a good time, sounds like you met some nice people..hehe!

hi !
I have looked at some photos of this hotel and it looks lovely and has good reviews.
what concerns me a bit is the pontoon seems very high out of the water ? is it ?
can you see fish ok ? what about taking pics without getting in the sea?
and are the fish as good as sharm ?do any fish go in the lagoons ?

many thanks !
Sharon

The Red Sea is tidal so sometimes the pontoon will be nearer the water than at others! We've been back 3 times and having the pontoon has been one of the many reasons why we've gone back to the Hyatt. How many fish you can see depends on many factors including whether it's low or high tde and more importantly how choppy the sea is. Quite often there's a stiff breeze which will stir up the water a bit and make it more difficult to see things. At other times it will be as still as a pond and you can watch rays etc skimming over the surface of the coral. Taking pictures without getting in the sea will always be a problem due to the reflections off the surface unless you have got a polarizing filter on your camera and you will always see very many more fish when you're actually in there with them. At Waterworld just down the road from the Hyatt you can go out in a glass bottom boat to see fish if you really don't want to get into the water. As for the lagoon - you won't get any reef fish going in there, it's pretty cloudy most of the time due to the sandy bottom getting churned up and it's mainly used by folk lounging around on inflatable or canoes. Don't know how the fish compare to Sharm, but I've seen all sorts of things off the pontoon including turtles, rays, lion fish etc etc. We love it there. As for looking for a hotel in Taba with a better pontoon, there ain't none - this is the only one. At the other hotels you really do have to get into the water to have any chance of seeing the fish

Frazz