Got answers to most of my questions from another site... just got tickets today... so excited. Anyone got anything to add to the Rihana - I find that this forum is VERY quiet when it comes to El GOuna... mostly Sharm posts. ANy updates on El GOuna eagerly accepted!!!!!

I can see you are excited. When do you travel?

I agree that the forum sees more traffic on Sharm topics, but that's an indication of how many go there. Don't worry, just make the effort to keep quiet about El Gouna before the prices go up.

Safe journey

WG

Thanks Willieg... go on the 6th July.

Hi ElleDee

What information did you find out about this hotel? My family and I were going to the Coral Beach Resort Hotel in Hurghada until I found out today it's undergoing extensive renovation work. A call to the travel operator where I stated in no uncertain terms how unimpressed I was with their sending me this information just one week before we were due to travel (after then finding people in March complaining about it - which was when we booked) resulted in them agreeing to book us into a different resort.

One of the only places which still had family suites left was the Three Corners Rhiana Resort. So we're booked in there and going next Friday. I am trying to find information and reviews but they are really few and far between.

What's the deal with the beach? Do you know? Also, not sure if you have children or not, but is there any kind of children's club?

Any info you can share would be appreciated. In return I'll let you know what it's like when I return on the 29th.

Hello Sparc

Rihana hotel isn't sea front but has lagoon beach access and transport to Mangroovy beach . Its well located in El Gouna to walk to both Downtown and the Marina.

El Gouna is quite quiet but is so much nicer than Hurghada ,you can walk about and browse the shops without major hassle and there is a good choice of restaurants. You can get a bus to Hurghada which I would recommend if only to see what a culture shock it is !!

Relax , you will be better off in El Gouna .

We get there on Thursday 21st for our 6th visit . Stayed at the Sheraton on our first visit ,then rented villas and apartments until we took ownership of our own place in December 2006

Sounds great! Thanks for the info. Have a great time yourself.

Sparc

Crombiestone summed everything up nicely... we are returning to El Gouna this year, different hotel, but believe me its a godsend that your resort has been changed!!!!!! You will love El Gouna, havent come across anyone who hasnt. They say it isnt the REAL Egypt, as its a hassle free resort, but believe me I would choose the up market, hassle free, manmade El Gouna any time!!!!!

Brilliant thing is you have a choice of beaches, Mangroovy and own lagoon beach [free] or you could take a trip to Zeytona beach by taxi, quite unique island setting, for £1.50 by taxi and pay a nominal amount for a bed on the beach [take towels with you]. It has a nice beach bar, very reasonable and sells lovely lunches. I seem to remember the wraps were very nice. You can also reach this by boat from downtown... cant quite remember how this works, think you may have to buy a weekly bus ticket [approx £1] and this trip is included in it. Crombiestone - correct me if I am wrong here!!

There is also a lagoon boat trip which is free, we didnt get round to it last year but think it would be useful to get your bearings, as everything is built around lagoons. I think you can book it through the Rihana.

Gettin sooooo excited now, tickets arrived, three weeks tomorrow!

By the way, checked out wonderland for temperatures, and its only 39 degrees over there just now!!!!!

What ages are your kids?

Just about forgot... remember this has a dine around programme, info on El Gouna.com I think... remember to ask when you get there. Apparently you can dine in variuos places and get a voucher towards this from the hotel??!!

Also, towels are free on beach and pool I believe.

Weekly bus/boat tickets are now LE150 (about £1.50 ) .Still excellent value .

Do not hesitate to use the shuttle buses ,they are very regular and always on time and anywhere in El Gouna is very save to visit.Also try a tok tok ride at least once ,they are motorised tricycles and are a great experience !! only 50 LE per person for any distance.

crombiestone
i was just reading your post and is that 50egyptian pounds i.e.five english pounds per person for a tuk tuk ride?
thanks

Crombiestone,

I think you may have misplaced a decimal point.

Weekly bus ticket = 15LE
Tok Tok = 5LE per person each way
Taxi = 15LE each way (in El Gouna)

It's about 100LE for a taxi to Hurghada (well, you have to visit the Hard Rock Cafe). One option is to keep the taxi with you. Last time I did this, I paid about 250LE for the whole afternoon and early evening.

As Elledee said, El Gounna is nothing like the real Egypt except the people are so nice, polite and popular. This attitude is not restricted to the tourist areas, the Egyptians really are nice people. I would strongly suggest a day trip to Hurghada (Sheraton Street) for a nose round.

I'm hoping to go there (El Gounna, Sheraton Street and Hard Rock) next weekend for a break (Thurs to Sat). Hope the weather's Ok.

WG

Thanks for correcting that . Too much wine last night

Sounds great! It's greatly helped allay our fears induced through the late change to our booking.

Kids are two boys aged 7 and 4. They're very easily pleased. Sun, sand, water = kids as happy as a proverbial pig.

We'll definitely take in some of the local sights. I'm not one to hang around a hotel for a whole week.

I read that for Hurghada it was better to take Sterling rahter than Egyptian pounds as you get a better deal. Does the same hold true for El Gouda? What kind of ratio do you guys usually take? Or should we just stick with Egyptian pounds for all cash purchases?

Thanks for that link ElleDee - going to check that out now

You will get a better exchange rate in Egypt (about an extra 1LE per £1 )
You can change sterling at the bank windows in the arrivals hall before immigration so you do not need to take any Egyptian currency with you . There are a number of banks in El Gouna where you can change money as well as at the hotels .

There are also ATM machines . If you have a Nationwide flex account they give you market exchange rate and do not charge any fees for withdrawals . Also you do not need to inform the bank before you go ( I have heard that some banks will freeze your account if you do not tell them about your intentions to use the card abroad before you go).

Its probably best to have a contingency plan in case an ATM steals your card though I have not had this problem as yet .At the Misr bank in downtown you can go to the counter with your card and withdraw more than the daily limit (depends on your bank but usually around £300) up to £2000.

There is an HSBC bank with ATM in the Marina now too

I'm a Natwest customer with Maestro/Cirrus - which I am pretty certain they won't accept there (I wish Natwest would move to Visa Debit). I have American Express though which should be okay at least in the hotel.

Thanks for all the tips and advice

Crombiestone... is it not 10LE to the £ sterling??????? THink you are getting too excited about returning to El Gouna!!!!!!!

EleDee

What I said was by exchanging in Egypt you will get an extra egyptian pound to the pound . i.e 11LE as opposed to 10 if you change in the UK

but yes I am excited about going back home on Wednesday

Ah... reckon I have had too much wine tonight!!!!! Makes sense when I read it a second time!!!!

Not long till you go, we are two weeks on Friday!