I think it's about a 5am start Val . They didnt do it last time because middle son was still 15 so was still limited on his depth and hubby didnt feel it was worth doing unless the 3 of them could do it properly .

Will definately be paying the oonas bar a visit .

Say hello to Mohomad, latoyah and the guy that does the shisha pipes karim (sp?) our names are Michelle and Sam with the tattooes. Mahomad is the guy from Cairo he is dark, he always brings me presents. We nicknamed him Mr Cairo Real name Agassi. In the summer the roof top is open from sunset to sunrise and if you can stay up? Its great to see the sun. Comes from behind the mountains.

Will do michelle

In another topic Michelle said:

Derwentrocker wrote:

In the hotel we go to we can choose whether we want branded or local. My OH always drank Heineken, and i drank Jack Daniels. Its the case you have to ask or you get local. I do not know whether all hotels do this though?

Does this apply to the All Inclusive option at the SBR Michelle? If so, you've made my day!
We thought it would just apply to local spirits and planned to buy a bottle of JD for nightcaps.....

Or if not, do you know how much a JD costs in the bar?

Ta in advance (6 weeks and counting.........)

Callie

Hi

We got it from the bar in reception, the strange thing, i asked for JD from the pool and he gave me whisky, now whether it was JD or not i dont know, but tasted good after a few, i didnt seem to care that was part of A1, but the bar at reception was dear. But......we had ours also at the Oonas dive bar next door (my mates). They sell a good array of spirits and beer. My OH thought it was a good price, JD was around £2.40 (i think) but they give you more on a single than the UK. Loads of different whiskys can be bought there. The A1 option does include ok local brands, but be warned they are not always measured especially the pool nearest reception. Vodka is soo strong it knocked me out. If you can think of a normal tumbler and 3/4 full of vodka, but you will know what i am thinking. The local beer sakara is ok, but not as strong as uk brands. Hard rock be prepared to pay around a fiver + for spirits, very expensive. Mainly prices for drinks at the Oonas is the same as the UK, hope that helps.

Well cannot resist going to my next of kin home my Sonesta Beach. I am going back for the 7th or 8th time (can't remember ) on the 16th November for two weeks, leaving on the 30th November to fly back to my functional home
Anyone around at that time?

Michelle x

Sonesta beach resort queen

Well done Michelle , but November is a long time to wait . Sure you cant slip another in before then

Touring california and Las Vegas in June

Ah that explains it Michelle

Hi all,

Going to Egypt on the 2nd of April, staying at the Sonesta Beach Resort - recommended by by brother and Mother who have been there 3 times, really looking forward to it despite all the poor reviews of SBR on sites like Trip Adviser.

Anyway, just a couple of questions really, I know I dont need a Visa for Sharm, but I have been told getting through passport control is next to imposible without a Visa, so how much do they cost?
How currency should I take? I was going to take Egyptian pounds - what are most resturants priced in? Dollars? Euros? Sterling?
At the Sonestra Beach Resort which resturant is the best to eat evening meals in for a family of 6?
Do European plug adapters work (the two pin types)
Thanks for any help.

Phil

Hi Phil,

To be truthful with you some of the ridiculous comments made on the TA site is laughable if it wasnt for the fact that someone reading it may think twice. Have you noticed that they do not write much on their review, but others with good and positive comments do? It is of course each to their own and as you say your family have been 3 times, and i am on my 7th so why do we keep going back?

Anyway to answer your questions...............:)

Passport control

If you don't need a visa you don't have to have one. You queue up in a line or several lines depending which tour operator you travelled with. Just say to the agents 'SINAI only and that is what is stamped on your white card you fill in on the aircraft. Then you proceed to have the card looked at and your passport scanned, then through to collect your luggage. We have never had any problems.

If however, you do want a visa then that can be got there, but you must have the right money, when we went last June they wanted UK sterling and would not except Egyptian pounds, but last November they wanted Egyptian pounds !!! and not UK sterling, so take both just they have a change of mind, which they do often

Currency

A1 you will not need much, we usually take £400 or £500 for two weeks, but that manly was for the trips, eating out has got more expensive in restaurants, but not as expensive as the UK. You can find places really respectable.
They prefer Egyptian pounds, also that way you will not lose money changing them all the time.
At the hotel there is a very good bank that will change your money.
In resort everything is virtually in Egyptian pounds except at the airport where it is in $ but will still take Egyptian. If you take $ just know what they are charging you and know what the conversion is, you could be ripped off.

I advise taking roughly around £50 in egyptian from the UK to Sharm, then bring UK sterling with you, the rate is a lot better than here. We never take much with us, just enough to get through a day or so.

Unless you can get a reservation at the Citadel where the entertainment is, i would always eat at the DOME, it is quieter and to get a big table is virtually always possible. The citadel is noisy and takes ages to get food by the queuing.

The two pins work depending which park of the hotel you are in, the newer part has the two pin, but we used two different adapters in the older part of the room.

Any more questions, please ask.

Michelle x
sonesta beach resort queen

Thanks Michelle - I was hoping you would post !

Have you ever been to Sharm early April? do you think we will need something warm for the evenings?

Is the Casino part of the Hotel?

Have you been to SBR since its been AI? Any comments on the food?

Phil

Hi Phil,

I have been 6 times to the SBR since 2005, so thats within 4 years and as i said going again this November, the times i have been are
April into May
June into July x 3
August x1
November x 2 (Once including this year)

April is an excellent time to go in the high 80s-90s, maybe a bil cooler in the evening so take a light cardi or jacket, but i was boiling and didnt take anything.

When we first came to SBR it was B & B and didnt want it to change to A1, but glad it did. Last June i didnt rate the food much basically because it was 130 degrees in the day, and the food dried up. The chefs tried their best but unless you ate early, going late wasnt good. Although saying this, there was something for everyone. If you like chips eat at the DOME, this is the only place to get them apart from one other restaurant that is free, but you have to make reservations.

Last November when we went i wrote to the chef and asked for a British night and that is good, they listened. The food is lovely and i am a fussy eater The Dome is the best place, light and airy, why the Citadel went orange inside is beyond words, it spoils the coolness.
The Casino is part of the hotel, we have been but had no idea to play, and i would suggest taking some euros and $ as to play you will need some, do not change it there, they rob you blind and give dud notes back to change.

Going in 3 weeks you will certainly have your insurance, i would suggest to pay a few pence more and ask your TA or who ever you got yours from to upgrade with the excess waiver taken off. Should you need the Doctor for Pharaohs revenge or anything, you pay initially but get it all back without paying the first £50. I always do this. You can go to the chemist of course but they charge far to much, and you cannot get it back.

Any more q's fire away

Michelle x
sonesta beach resort queen

Now this will sound a very silly thing to be concerned about! But can you tell me about ice cream in this hotel? Is it served at meal times? Is it available during the day at say the pool bar? Is it for children only like the descriptions of some hotels say? My 20 year old son is autistic and crazy about ice cream, so this is a very important issue for him! Without ice cream on tap as he has come to expect on holiday, he will not have a good time.........

Another question - what about the temperature of the pools in winter? Are some at least heated to a reasonable temperature?

Hi there mehmeh

Ok ice cream, to answer your question free ice cream you can get at certain times at the pool bars, saying this though they are not the cone variety ! You can also get ice lollies from there also. Times i cannot remember but around 11 in the morning and 3pm in the afternoon.

But..............

On the beach you can buy all varieties of magnums and soleros that kind of thing, but again no cones. They cost around a £1-£1.50.

If you go next door to the Oonas dive restaurant and bar they do very very very cheap food, pizzas, chips, large cobs, salads and there is a variety of ice cream in here your son will love, lots of choice and flavours, it will be served in a dish, with or without fruit. I love it.

We went in November last year, and going again this year, fantastic temps in the day but cool at night, but saying this you can sit outside and eat. Pool temps i have not a clue, but as far as i remember there were two pools, one behind reception and the other ther catus pool and bar that are heated. We never ventured in them, but will do this time as having two weeks.

If you lad doesnt like the food and likes more english, Oonas is brilliant and cooks virtually anything he would like. Latoyah is the Manager there and is brilliant with his english. They aim to please.

Anything else please ask

Michelle x
sonesta beach resort queen

Thanks Michelle!

Another question. Thomas Cook seem to be offering me a standard room or a 'family room with separate second bedroom' for an extra £50 or so per person per week. Would this be one of your famous 'double double' rooms or something else? With 3 adults, is it worth another £150 do you think? Would the extra bed in a standard room be a camp bed? Don't want that .

And - are chips available at dinner? And ketchup? (Guess what his other favourite food is!)

Hi mehmeh

I am also going with TC for the first time, normally i go with thomson /portland and to have one of my famous rooms normally its £2pppn so generally its £56 for two of us for the whole two weeks which is really good. I have no idea what rooms TC use, but i have been in two smaller rooms, one is by reception and we went in the height of summer, the AC was hip level with a double bed and two single beds in the same room. It was fine for us as just being the two of us, but would be a squash to be honest having two more people in. I personally like space, the smaller family rooms are very very hot, and the AC doesnt keep you cool as does the double double rooms. What TC are charging you for the two weeks £50 pp is extortion We never pay that ! I know it is easy for me to say as they know me, but i would be inclined to email the hotel and ask for room 1105, this is the room central to everything ( I always go in this room), they may not charge you for it, worth a try anyway. Say your a friend of mine, but in my real name, if it went on recommendation then it maybe worth a try.

Only thomson seem to to the double double rooms at a good price. If money was no object i would certainly upgrade as you can see on the thomson videos that the rooms are huge and really cool. You have a separate dressing room with a wooden bench, large wardrobe and free safe, dressing table, light and bin. Across the small hallway is the bathroom and bath and shower, loo. Then a 7ft bed with bed side tables, two chairs and table, down two brick steps is the lounge with a tv, and fridge, two wooden sofas, a window box, leading off that is bunk beds in the second bedroom, and a door and small window. Leading out of the back door is your private patio and garden.

The next large room to that has bathroom, bedroom, two steps down to a seat, then the back door, we have been in that room as well, the other family room is the one i mention first with the AC low hip level. If you are going in the summer months then the double double is really a must if you are with a family, or like us just the two, as temps reach 130 in the summer and you need a room that the AC is really good. Not saying the AC doesnt work in the other rooms, but i like it above me on the wall, not hip level. As for camp beds i am not sure, my daughter came with us last year and we had the double double, so she had her own room.

I would recommend you go to the DOME for chips, the only place you will normally get them is where the kids corner is, they have fish fingers, chips etc. The main restaurant doesnt normally have them, so ask for the kids food section, only at the dome, citadel as far as i remember doesnt have the kids section. Citadel restaurant is next to reception.

Another restaurant on the site that is free does chips sometimes on the way to the beach, forgot the name but 24 hours reservation at night and in the day, booked at reception. They have a different menu to the main restaurants. Ketchup is available usually on one of the tables with the tea and coffee.

Feel free to ask anything, only to glad to help

Michelle x
sonesta beach resort queen

Thanks for all your help. We want to go back to Sharm next winter. Just trying to decide which hotel!

Hi Derwentrocker, Thanks for all your advice so far.... Just one last question before I go...
Will I need to bring my own beach towells with me? or are they provided by the hotel?
Thanks
Phil