Dreams Beach Marsa Alam, Marsa Alam, Egypt
Hotel Information
Hotel Class:
Hotel Description:
The Dreams Beach Marsa Alam is brand new for 2005 and will provide all the facilities you would expect from a quality hotel in an exclusive resort. Perfect for families, there will be plenty of activities to keep the kids happy and options for relaxation or exploration for the whole family to enjoy. loading...
Nearby Hotels Viewed by Other Travellers
Rating: 8 / 10
Three Corners Fayrouz Plaza Beach Resort
Marsa Alam, Egypt
Distance: 62.6 km / 38.9 mi
Dreams Beach Marsa Alam Reviews
" nice but watch the safe "
Submitted By: mnm
My partner and I wanted a hot week away from it all and booked to stay at Dreams Beach Hotel Marsa Alam through Fleetway travel. This was on an all inclusive basis.
The Hotel was very pleasant and is in a great location right on the beach. It is true that because of the coral you cannot go ito the sea from the beach but have to use the jetty provided. Whilst this is commendable both for the protection of the coral and for the safety of people it was a little frustrating, especially when the red flag was flying which was two days out of the week for us. However when you do go in the sea formthe jetty it is spectacular and the coral and fish are amazing even when only using a snorkel and mask.
To make up for the beach the are numerous swimming pools one of which is heated but the large pool was bracing to say the least. I would not agree with some reviews that it was too cold to swim in. I swam and even stood in at the edge reading a book for a while to cool down. The sea was warmer though.
We used the spa and both had a 2 hour suana/massage/body scrub/jacuzzi experience for 50 Euro each. We really enjoyed this and were really chilled out afterwards. A good thing about this was that we were together throughout the experience having our massage in a room together at the same time which reassured my partner who had never had one previously.
There is a dive centre based at the hotel and although neither of us had even had a go at scuba diving before we had a 'try dive' off the jetty. This was again 50 Euros each and was worth every penny. It was one to one instruction andwe both though it was a fantastic experience. Something we will both do again. The dive centre also does trips out to some other areas but we didnt do this.
The food was consistently fine throughout the time we were there. There was enough choice to make it interesting everyday even though it was towards the simple side. There is an italian restaurant that you can book for a candlelit dinner with a different menu each day at no extra cost. Whilst pleasant enough the night we did use this the food was not really any different in quality to the main restaurant though the service was nice.
There are several bars, one on the beach, one by the pool and others in the main building. The cold lager type beer they served at each bar was ok but after a week was becoming dull for me. I didnt mind that it was served in plastic near the pool and beach as I prefer not to have broken glass in my feet though sometimes the half pint was more like 1/3 pint because the head. When its free it doesnt really matter. The red wine was adequate even if on the lighter side we didnt try the white. One thing that struck me as odd was the even though the reception bar was 24hrs wine was not served after 10pm. All other drinks including spirits were though - odd?
The animation team were friendly and though keen and enthusiastic didn't make you feel you had to do anything you didn't want to. We didn't get involved in many of their activities as we wanted to just chill out. The singer in the lobby was ok and we were fortunate enough to have some very good kareoke singers which made for a pleasant time.
The room was very nice and spacious. We thought it was clean and in general the hotel was well looked after in that respect. I have a bit of a phobia about cockroaches but you cannot goto hot places and not expect to see any. However i didn't see one all week which i like very much. As for flies I have had more flies come to a bbq in my garden than I saw all week, so again not a problem.
The service was ok but occassionally they could have had more people behind the bar to speed things up but i am picking a bit with that. When we were on the beach we occassionally had people ask if we wanted to ride a camel, go quad biking, wanted a massage or buy a newspaper. Whis was usually less than twice a day altogether and we didn't feel it was over intrusive.
There were several shops in the hotel and although we looked round didnt buy anything other than some perfume from the perfume shops which was an interesting experience. don't let them kid you they only 100/150ml they have 25ml bottles in the desk drawer! In one of the other shops the assistant had a good chat chat with us and gave us a short but free arabic lesson which i did like.
We took Egyptian pounds and £1 coins for giving as tips. I think if I were to go again I would taken more money as Euros since the spa and the trips were all priced in euros and these were accepted in cash. We were a little surprised that we had to pay about 150LE to buy an entry visa once we got to Marsa Alam airport but this was probably down to not doing enough research before we went.
The one disappointment about the whole holiday was the apparent UNCOVERING OF A SCAM going on at the hotel. I note that while we were there someone has posted a review indicating £110 went missing from their locked safe, well a similar thing happen to us. On the second day we returned to our room to find we could not unlock our safe and the electronic lock indicated we had input the wrong code. After several attempts we called reception and a technician came with the key and reset it. A check of the contents seemed fine. It was only a day later when we counted our money that we realised 200LE were missing. Upon talking to another couple it seemed they too had a problem with their safe the day after they arrived and several days later realised £100 sterling was missing. It subsequently transpired that there quite a few people who had problems with their safe and found that relatively small amounts of money had been taken. At least five other couples. We went to the management about this and one couple went so far as to get the tourist police involved. There was a general feeling of the managment not being too bothered about it and the manager who said he would let us know what they found out never spoke to us again. This was disappointing to say the least even though we didnt expect any positive outcome from their investigation an update would have been appreciated. In the end we lost about £30 sterling and we didnt let it spoil our holiday but it did seem to be common and I imagine most people like us would have not bothered. It was only when we realised that others had the same experience did we report it.
Overall we had a good holiday that we thought was value for money in a pleasant hotel at a good location. Hopefully the thief will be outed and justice done. We would not let one thief( or more) be held the fault of the hotel and we did enjoy the place.
Would we go again? Probably - but we would make sure we sealed the safe somehow.
The Hotel was very pleasant and is in a great location right on the beach. It is true that because of the coral you cannot go ito the sea from the beach but have to use the jetty provided. Whilst this is commendable both for the protection of the coral and for the safety of people it was a little frustrating, especially when the red flag was flying which was two days out of the week for us. However when you do go in the sea formthe jetty it is spectacular and the coral and fish are amazing even when only using a snorkel and mask.
To make up for the beach the are numerous swimming pools one of which is heated but the large pool was bracing to say the least. I would not agree with some reviews that it was too cold to swim in. I swam and even stood in at the edge reading a book for a while to cool down. The sea was warmer though.
We used the spa and both had a 2 hour suana/massage/body scrub/jacuzzi experience for 50 Euro each. We really enjoyed this and were really chilled out afterwards. A good thing about this was that we were together throughout the experience having our massage in a room together at the same time which reassured my partner who had never had one previously.
There is a dive centre based at the hotel and although neither of us had even had a go at scuba diving before we had a 'try dive' off the jetty. This was again 50 Euros each and was worth every penny. It was one to one instruction andwe both though it was a fantastic experience. Something we will both do again. The dive centre also does trips out to some other areas but we didnt do this.
The food was consistently fine throughout the time we were there. There was enough choice to make it interesting everyday even though it was towards the simple side. There is an italian restaurant that you can book for a candlelit dinner with a different menu each day at no extra cost. Whilst pleasant enough the night we did use this the food was not really any different in quality to the main restaurant though the service was nice.
There are several bars, one on the beach, one by the pool and others in the main building. The cold lager type beer they served at each bar was ok but after a week was becoming dull for me. I didnt mind that it was served in plastic near the pool and beach as I prefer not to have broken glass in my feet though sometimes the half pint was more like 1/3 pint because the head. When its free it doesnt really matter. The red wine was adequate even if on the lighter side we didnt try the white. One thing that struck me as odd was the even though the reception bar was 24hrs wine was not served after 10pm. All other drinks including spirits were though - odd?
The animation team were friendly and though keen and enthusiastic didn't make you feel you had to do anything you didn't want to. We didn't get involved in many of their activities as we wanted to just chill out. The singer in the lobby was ok and we were fortunate enough to have some very good kareoke singers which made for a pleasant time.
The room was very nice and spacious. We thought it was clean and in general the hotel was well looked after in that respect. I have a bit of a phobia about cockroaches but you cannot goto hot places and not expect to see any. However i didn't see one all week which i like very much. As for flies I have had more flies come to a bbq in my garden than I saw all week, so again not a problem.
The service was ok but occassionally they could have had more people behind the bar to speed things up but i am picking a bit with that. When we were on the beach we occassionally had people ask if we wanted to ride a camel, go quad biking, wanted a massage or buy a newspaper. Whis was usually less than twice a day altogether and we didn't feel it was over intrusive.
There were several shops in the hotel and although we looked round didnt buy anything other than some perfume from the perfume shops which was an interesting experience. don't let them kid you they only 100/150ml they have 25ml bottles in the desk drawer! In one of the other shops the assistant had a good chat chat with us and gave us a short but free arabic lesson which i did like.
We took Egyptian pounds and £1 coins for giving as tips. I think if I were to go again I would taken more money as Euros since the spa and the trips were all priced in euros and these were accepted in cash. We were a little surprised that we had to pay about 150LE to buy an entry visa once we got to Marsa Alam airport but this was probably down to not doing enough research before we went.
The one disappointment about the whole holiday was the apparent UNCOVERING OF A SCAM going on at the hotel. I note that while we were there someone has posted a review indicating £110 went missing from their locked safe, well a similar thing happen to us. On the second day we returned to our room to find we could not unlock our safe and the electronic lock indicated we had input the wrong code. After several attempts we called reception and a technician came with the key and reset it. A check of the contents seemed fine. It was only a day later when we counted our money that we realised 200LE were missing. Upon talking to another couple it seemed they too had a problem with their safe the day after they arrived and several days later realised £100 sterling was missing. It subsequently transpired that there quite a few people who had problems with their safe and found that relatively small amounts of money had been taken. At least five other couples. We went to the management about this and one couple went so far as to get the tourist police involved. There was a general feeling of the managment not being too bothered about it and the manager who said he would let us know what they found out never spoke to us again. This was disappointing to say the least even though we didnt expect any positive outcome from their investigation an update would have been appreciated. In the end we lost about £30 sterling and we didnt let it spoil our holiday but it did seem to be common and I imagine most people like us would have not bothered. It was only when we realised that others had the same experience did we report it.
Overall we had a good holiday that we thought was value for money in a pleasant hotel at a good location. Hopefully the thief will be outed and justice done. We would not let one thief( or more) be held the fault of the hotel and we did enjoy the place.
Would we go again? Probably - but we would make sure we sealed the safe somehow.
Advice: A good place to leave everything at home and chill out
Activities:
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Mar 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Our Escape To The Sun "
Submitted By: Steanie
We had a great Holiday here. We found that at this time of year that the evenings can be a little cool, so a cardigan comes in handy( you would have warm gear anyway from the UK leg of the trip) but the day time temperatures are ideal for us brits being between 21 - 24.5*c, so no need for AC and meaning a comfortable night's sleep in a king size bed! My wife and I both agree that the food is the best that we've had on any inclusive deal. All the staff did all they could for us and we would like to thank everyone, including the Animacion and Hany Al Abd Samea Zaky who kept our room spic and span whilst also entertaining us with his towel creations. The Hotel was not exactly packed so we were very busy with Bocca, Beach Volley Ball, Water Polo (in the indoor pool as the massive outdoor one was very cold..although I enjoyed swimming in it!), Table Tennis and Snorkeling ( the coral reef and fish make it as good as a visit to the Maldives). Ahmed at the bottom of that dodgy jetty, is an amazing swimmer and he was our guide through corridors of coral at a spot further down the coast. If the sea is calm enough, you can get a free dinghy ride ( tip though!) with him; the boat leaves you for an hour in deep water so you need to be a comfortable snorkeler ( I was very aware that there are Tiger sharks in the red sea : 0 ). I managed with bare feet but I would get diving shoes and flippers in future. Also I forgot trainers so I couldn't use the gym which was free. Beach Volley Ball is also probably better played in suitable footwear as I suffered stubbed toes and sand and stones in foot cuts. We had a baby with us who was a year old on our last day and he was made a fuss of by everyone and the restaurant staff sang happy birthday and presented him with a cake. I would take my own cocktail list next time ( having been spoilt ,in this regard,at the Luperon Beach resort in The Dominican ) but the beer was good!
The Lovell family of Irlam.
PS
How could I have forgotten the camel ride, which was great fun!
The Lovell family of Irlam.
PS
How could I have forgotten the camel ride, which was great fun!
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- Date of Holiday:Jan 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" excellent resort "
Submitted By: may & john
We transferred to Dreams Beach for our second week as our daughter son-in-law and grandson were there. It was the best move we could have made. The resort was wonderful I could not fault anything about it. The rooms were cleaned and beds changed daily. The food was very good compared to a lot of all inclusive holidays we have been on. There was always something you could eat. They also catered for Brits which doesn't happen often. The staff were friendly and helpful. I cannot praise our rep Michelle highly enough. She made our move easy and she was always checking if we were alright. I will certainly go back to this resort next year.
May & John Rhyl
May & John Rhyl
Advice: Quiet, don't go if you want a lively nightlife.
Activities: italian restaurant within the resort
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Nov 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Fantastic 2 wks "
Submitted By: simonbarraclough
My partner & i returned relaxed & tanned from dreams. The staff are really friendly & dont expect a tip they will help you as much as they can food was nice & yes like all hotels can be very samey after the first week entertaiment team done there best not many people wanted to get of the sunbeds we met some lovely people & not all were english you should make the best out of your holiday and stop moaning about russians they are only human after all snokling was brill trips were ok not over priced like some people say theres a lovely shopping centre about 10 minutes as you turn left out of dreams thers a wicked restaurant called the onion really cheap as they try & sell you asian & mexican & my place restaurants at the hotel but we thought if we are going to pay for a meal then we would go away from the hotel to do this visit the camal bar in narma bay if you like a bit of a boogie & to watch a bit of footie rooms at dreams are kept so clean & fridge is kept full with fanta coke & bottles of water & you dont have to pay for these also pool & beach towels are included so you dont have to take towels more room in your case.Toget a lovely cup of tea or coffee get it from the bar in the lobby lovely!!!
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- Date of Holiday:Oct 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Direct Holidays
" Hotel Review "
Submitted By: tony shaw
Just got back from Dreams Beach Hotel, Marsa Alam, can't understand any of the complaints about the food, there was a wide range of good quality food, plenty of variety to suit ALL.
The hotel and the rooms where a little tired and showing signs of wear and tear, but still clean and well maintained.
Pool area is typical of most big hotels, what else do you expect.
I agree with the comment about the loud, self centred, rude and arrogant italian animation team.
The beach is a mix of sand, pebbles shells and rocks and with careful navigation you can walk on it barefoot, disapointed you could only enter the sea for swimming and snorkeling via the jetty.
This is OK if your a strong swimmer but if you want to just lie on a Lilo and float around this is not for you.
The brochure or holiday company company NEED to CLEARLY STATE that the wind can be strong most days, which makes the sea rough and therefore inaccessible. We had 6 red flag days from 7. (this is not just winter months).
It is also windy around the pool area.
The staff are very friendly and helpful and are not always looking for a tip, we felt no obligation to tip but did when we felt we had been look after or had good service.
The gym is modern and clean and again the staff helpful. Free to AI.
The main issue we had with the hotel was that if it wasn't included in the AI package, it was expensive, no matter what it was.
All the trips a were on the expensive side.
Examples, because the sea was so rough we asked for a price for a snorkeling trip and was told 35 euros each for a morning. Camel ride on the beach for 1 hour £15 each. Snorkels in the hotel shop ranged from 150 to 350 Egyptiam pounds which worked out between £19 to £44.
We could not relax by the pool or on the beach without staff hassling us for (expensive)trips, special nights in the hotel, etc..
All in all a good holiday but, I wouldn't go back, its too isolated, unable to walk anywhere at night, no shops or bars nearby. We felt like a captive audience. 1 week is probably enough if you just want to chill and relax for a week.
Tony Shaw
The hotel and the rooms where a little tired and showing signs of wear and tear, but still clean and well maintained.
Pool area is typical of most big hotels, what else do you expect.
I agree with the comment about the loud, self centred, rude and arrogant italian animation team.
The beach is a mix of sand, pebbles shells and rocks and with careful navigation you can walk on it barefoot, disapointed you could only enter the sea for swimming and snorkeling via the jetty.
This is OK if your a strong swimmer but if you want to just lie on a Lilo and float around this is not for you.
The brochure or holiday company company NEED to CLEARLY STATE that the wind can be strong most days, which makes the sea rough and therefore inaccessible. We had 6 red flag days from 7. (this is not just winter months).
It is also windy around the pool area.
The staff are very friendly and helpful and are not always looking for a tip, we felt no obligation to tip but did when we felt we had been look after or had good service.
The gym is modern and clean and again the staff helpful. Free to AI.
The main issue we had with the hotel was that if it wasn't included in the AI package, it was expensive, no matter what it was.
All the trips a were on the expensive side.
Examples, because the sea was so rough we asked for a price for a snorkeling trip and was told 35 euros each for a morning. Camel ride on the beach for 1 hour £15 each. Snorkels in the hotel shop ranged from 150 to 350 Egyptiam pounds which worked out between £19 to £44.
We could not relax by the pool or on the beach without staff hassling us for (expensive)trips, special nights in the hotel, etc..
All in all a good holiday but, I wouldn't go back, its too isolated, unable to walk anywhere at night, no shops or bars nearby. We felt like a captive audience. 1 week is probably enough if you just want to chill and relax for a week.
Tony Shaw
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- Date of Holiday:Nov 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Just got back from Dreams Beach in... "
Submitted By: Mr Phil Edwards
Just got back from Dreams Beach in Egypt & thought I'd have my two pennyworth.
The hotel is designated as 5*, this clearly isn't the case. They try very hard & the place is maintained to a good standard. But, the Waldorf Astoria, it ain't. However, I'm guessing that like myself, most people will have found it perfectly acceptable.
The rooms were clean & spacious, air conditioned, serviced daily. Generally very good, if a little dog-eared.
Lots of the reviews complain about the food. Again, if you are expecting 5* haute cuisine, you are going to be disappointed. My daughter, who is 14, and about the pickiest eater in the world, always found something to eat.
They have a good stab at mass catering for an international audience (well European, at least). Being a bit of a glutton & not adverse to trying new foods, I was quite happy with the catering. Yes, it could be a bit samey, particularly breakfast, but try a British hotel & see how much variation they offer for breakfast over a week.
Didn't bother with the animation team & they didn't bother with us. It's up to you if you participate in their antics or not. We went Wednesady to weds, and after the weekend change-over the balance of Italian / British became a little more even. After this the Team seemed to spend as much time with the Brits as the Italians.
Can't fault the hotel staff. They work ridiculously long hours, for very little money & yet always remain cheerful & happy. Yes, I know they want a tip. but for a few Egyptian pounds they will look after you very well.
The non-hotel shop keepers can be persistant in pursuit of a sale, almost to the point of aggression. But, a firm 'No thank you' will work. Same applies to street vendors / beggars etc. if you go on a trip out.
We went on the Luxor trip, long day, but well worth it. And we did a try dive. Not for everyone, but my daughter loved it.
If you want to do any thing but sun scorch & snorkel, you will have to take an organised trip. The hotel is literally in the middle of the desert, so there is nothing to do or see outside of the hotel perimeter.
The 'Tent' is epic. Just a little bar by the sea, mocked up as a Bedouin tent, all carpets & cushions. You can get to try a shisha pipe there too (in with the All Inclusive)
Don't know that I'd rush back to Dreams Beach, although I wouldn't avoid it. But I will be going back to Egypt soon.
The hotel is designated as 5*, this clearly isn't the case. They try very hard & the place is maintained to a good standard. But, the Waldorf Astoria, it ain't. However, I'm guessing that like myself, most people will have found it perfectly acceptable.
The rooms were clean & spacious, air conditioned, serviced daily. Generally very good, if a little dog-eared.
Lots of the reviews complain about the food. Again, if you are expecting 5* haute cuisine, you are going to be disappointed. My daughter, who is 14, and about the pickiest eater in the world, always found something to eat.
They have a good stab at mass catering for an international audience (well European, at least). Being a bit of a glutton & not adverse to trying new foods, I was quite happy with the catering. Yes, it could be a bit samey, particularly breakfast, but try a British hotel & see how much variation they offer for breakfast over a week.
Didn't bother with the animation team & they didn't bother with us. It's up to you if you participate in their antics or not. We went Wednesady to weds, and after the weekend change-over the balance of Italian / British became a little more even. After this the Team seemed to spend as much time with the Brits as the Italians.
Can't fault the hotel staff. They work ridiculously long hours, for very little money & yet always remain cheerful & happy. Yes, I know they want a tip. but for a few Egyptian pounds they will look after you very well.
The non-hotel shop keepers can be persistant in pursuit of a sale, almost to the point of aggression. But, a firm 'No thank you' will work. Same applies to street vendors / beggars etc. if you go on a trip out.
We went on the Luxor trip, long day, but well worth it. And we did a try dive. Not for everyone, but my daughter loved it.
If you want to do any thing but sun scorch & snorkel, you will have to take an organised trip. The hotel is literally in the middle of the desert, so there is nothing to do or see outside of the hotel perimeter.
The 'Tent' is epic. Just a little bar by the sea, mocked up as a Bedouin tent, all carpets & cushions. You can get to try a shisha pipe there too (in with the All Inclusive)
Don't know that I'd rush back to Dreams Beach, although I wouldn't avoid it. But I will be going back to Egypt soon.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" it was a nice hotel although there is... "
Submitted By: Miss
it was a nice hotel although there is only 1 big pool and a few little pools, certainly not 9
also the hotel was flooded with italians and there was hardly any english people or english speaking. the majority of people were italian and very rude to the english
there is an italian animation team but they were very rude and didnt include anyone other than italians within the entertainment, drinks, groups etc.
the food was ok but ice cream is not included in all inclusive and things are very expensive over there
the beach is stoney and because of the coral u cannot walk in you must go off a jetty which had mostly a red flag whilst we were there meaning the sea was too rough to go in the sea
a couple of people we had met there were meant to have left half an hour before us for their manchester flight with thomson but were 24 hours delayed
it was an ok holiday but i will not be returning
also the hotel was flooded with italians and there was hardly any english people or english speaking. the majority of people were italian and very rude to the english
there is an italian animation team but they were very rude and didnt include anyone other than italians within the entertainment, drinks, groups etc.
the food was ok but ice cream is not included in all inclusive and things are very expensive over there
the beach is stoney and because of the coral u cannot walk in you must go off a jetty which had mostly a red flag whilst we were there meaning the sea was too rough to go in the sea
a couple of people we had met there were meant to have left half an hour before us for their manchester flight with thomson but were 24 hours delayed
it was an ok holiday but i will not be returning
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" I thought I would leave a review for... "
Submitted By: Mr AJ Aston
I thought I would leave a review for Dreams Beach Marsa Alam which I returned from a couple of weeks ago.
I didnt look for any reviews before I booked the holiday and had only seen what was on the Internet.
We arrived tied and had enough after the flight and got to the hotel about 6.30pm, the reception was welcoming and easy to check in, we got showed to our room, which we had paid an extra £160 for the 2-weeks for been as we booked a family room.
Overall we had a good time and I wouldn't say there was anything wrong with the hotel it was just in my opionion rated too high from Thomson.
The food
There is only the one main restaurant which is buffet style and although I cant say the food was bad at any point I can say that it was very repetative and not a great variety in what you could choose, you need to remember that 75% of the guests at the hotel are Italian so they cater more for that side of Europe. You get one night at what they call the Italian restaurant what doesn't serve Italian food?!?!?!?! I know. You get a six course meal which was excellent and it was a shame you can only go for 1 throughout your stay.
The Animation Team
I was suprised to see there were two team, 1 just for the Italians and 1 for as they called it the International guests. The Italian team wont really speak to other nationality guests if they can help it and can be very self centered and rude some times. But the International team are great, if you say no then they dont keep on pestering you but if you are willing to join in the fun then they will help in anyway they can. Momo, Cobra, Angelina are the main 3 but there are another 3 about who you see more at night.
The Italian team seem to 'run' the music system for around the pool which I think they only have about 3 CD's and you seem to hear the same things everyday at the same time, mst of the sungs are in English so it isnt too bad just played a little loud at some points but if you don't like loud music then don't sit that side of the pool.
Both teams work from 10am - 1pm and 4pm until the last guest goes to bed so they all do long hours and 6-days a week.
the night entertainment you need to take with a pinch of salt and remember they are not professional but they give it all they have and tongue in cheek they dont do too bad if your expectations aren't high
Pool
the pool area is excellent, the large pool could fit about 1000 people in so it is never crowed at any point of the day and believe me with the heat there you will be in and out of the pool all of the time. there is also a diving pool that you can swin in which is about 10ft deep, there is also a kids pool with a water slide and then an additional water slide which is quite a good laugh for something to do.
The Beach
the beach is very stoney and you can't really walk on it without footwear, you get quite a breeze off the sea due to Marsa Alam's location in the Red Sea but due to the heat you will need to keep in and out of the water to cool off. You can snorkle of the jetty but the sea can get very rough and you need to be a confident swimmer if you go out on a red flag. We didnt have a green flag for our two-week it was either amber or red the whole time which shows how rough it can be.
Scuba
We booked this hotel because it had a SCUBA centre attached. Although it was Italian all the staff were top always willing to help and spoke quite good English, I dived some amazing sites and enjoyed every dive. the cost worked out at about £250 for 10 dives (took my own gear) which you can do 2 morning dives or 1 afternoon dives so still leaving enough time to laze by the pool. Gigi and Alberto were really friendly and even when you weren't diving came around the pool and spoke to you.
we met some really nice people over there what I hope we keep in touch with, shout out to Mark and Hazel and Dave and family. You made our holiday a really good laugh.
well i think I have bored you enough now, so if you are looking for relaxing worshiping of the sun then go for it but of you want 4* as the brochure states then I would look else where.
Allan
I didnt look for any reviews before I booked the holiday and had only seen what was on the Internet.
We arrived tied and had enough after the flight and got to the hotel about 6.30pm, the reception was welcoming and easy to check in, we got showed to our room, which we had paid an extra £160 for the 2-weeks for been as we booked a family room.
Overall we had a good time and I wouldn't say there was anything wrong with the hotel it was just in my opionion rated too high from Thomson.
The food
There is only the one main restaurant which is buffet style and although I cant say the food was bad at any point I can say that it was very repetative and not a great variety in what you could choose, you need to remember that 75% of the guests at the hotel are Italian so they cater more for that side of Europe. You get one night at what they call the Italian restaurant what doesn't serve Italian food?!?!?!?! I know. You get a six course meal which was excellent and it was a shame you can only go for 1 throughout your stay.
The Animation Team
I was suprised to see there were two team, 1 just for the Italians and 1 for as they called it the International guests. The Italian team wont really speak to other nationality guests if they can help it and can be very self centered and rude some times. But the International team are great, if you say no then they dont keep on pestering you but if you are willing to join in the fun then they will help in anyway they can. Momo, Cobra, Angelina are the main 3 but there are another 3 about who you see more at night.
The Italian team seem to 'run' the music system for around the pool which I think they only have about 3 CD's and you seem to hear the same things everyday at the same time, mst of the sungs are in English so it isnt too bad just played a little loud at some points but if you don't like loud music then don't sit that side of the pool.
Both teams work from 10am - 1pm and 4pm until the last guest goes to bed so they all do long hours and 6-days a week.
the night entertainment you need to take with a pinch of salt and remember they are not professional but they give it all they have and tongue in cheek they dont do too bad if your expectations aren't high
Pool
the pool area is excellent, the large pool could fit about 1000 people in so it is never crowed at any point of the day and believe me with the heat there you will be in and out of the pool all of the time. there is also a diving pool that you can swin in which is about 10ft deep, there is also a kids pool with a water slide and then an additional water slide which is quite a good laugh for something to do.
The Beach
the beach is very stoney and you can't really walk on it without footwear, you get quite a breeze off the sea due to Marsa Alam's location in the Red Sea but due to the heat you will need to keep in and out of the water to cool off. You can snorkle of the jetty but the sea can get very rough and you need to be a confident swimmer if you go out on a red flag. We didnt have a green flag for our two-week it was either amber or red the whole time which shows how rough it can be.
Scuba
We booked this hotel because it had a SCUBA centre attached. Although it was Italian all the staff were top always willing to help and spoke quite good English, I dived some amazing sites and enjoyed every dive. the cost worked out at about £250 for 10 dives (took my own gear) which you can do 2 morning dives or 1 afternoon dives so still leaving enough time to laze by the pool. Gigi and Alberto were really friendly and even when you weren't diving came around the pool and spoke to you.
we met some really nice people over there what I hope we keep in touch with, shout out to Mark and Hazel and Dave and family. You made our holiday a really good laugh.
well i think I have bored you enough now, so if you are looking for relaxing worshiping of the sun then go for it but of you want 4* as the brochure states then I would look else where.
Allan
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We have been home from dreams beach... "
Submitted By: Mrs H Long
We have been home from dreams beach for 3 days now and wish we were back there,due to the great british weather!!!!
This was a wonderful hotel, very clean,with very friendly staff,most of the time!
Having read previous reviews on the food i would agree on the fact that it is very repetative,but we were never hungry always found something to eat!Also read the review about the singer in the main lobby, yes he does sing the same songs every night but this becomes quite funny when he does YMCA you get up and do the dance for him and he cant sing for laughing at you!!!A big well done to MoMo & Cobra from the animation team as they did the best they could,it wasn`t great entertainment but amusing at times,we went along to support them as they were always friendly and up for a laugh. A few people had tummy upsets during our stay and put it down to the food,(as you do) not the fact it could be the intense heat and the fact they just did not look after themselves, both my husband and i were ok no upset tummys,the guys in the wellness center were great i had jarred my shoulder on a jeep safari and asked when they could look at it for me and i was taken straight in to be sortred.Overall if you want a chillout holiday with some good laughs thrown in for free then go!!!!if you read a review that about 9 people were being rather loud at the pool on 9th july in the morning,anyone stood near it went in it, that was us on our last day having one last good laugh :)so go on get youself there and enjoy................we did
This was a wonderful hotel, very clean,with very friendly staff,most of the time!
Having read previous reviews on the food i would agree on the fact that it is very repetative,but we were never hungry always found something to eat!Also read the review about the singer in the main lobby, yes he does sing the same songs every night but this becomes quite funny when he does YMCA you get up and do the dance for him and he cant sing for laughing at you!!!A big well done to MoMo & Cobra from the animation team as they did the best they could,it wasn`t great entertainment but amusing at times,we went along to support them as they were always friendly and up for a laugh. A few people had tummy upsets during our stay and put it down to the food,(as you do) not the fact it could be the intense heat and the fact they just did not look after themselves, both my husband and i were ok no upset tummys,the guys in the wellness center were great i had jarred my shoulder on a jeep safari and asked when they could look at it for me and i was taken straight in to be sortred.Overall if you want a chillout holiday with some good laughs thrown in for free then go!!!!if you read a review that about 9 people were being rather loud at the pool on 9th july in the morning,anyone stood near it went in it, that was us on our last day having one last good laugh :)so go on get youself there and enjoy................we did
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" Just got back from Dreams Beach on... "
Submitted By: Mrs T Lipscombe-Rowlands
Just got back from Dreams Beach on our honeymoon, the weather was absolutely fantastic, not a cloud in the sky for the whole week. The staff at the hotel were great and extremely friendly they could not do enough for you. Although reading through different reviews before we went the hotel is beautiful although not a typical 5 star more like 3 to 4 but the staff made up for this no end.....very clean and tidy hard to believe that it is run totally by men (I would like to see this standard back home) My partner had a bad stomach for the whole time we were there but nothing that a few tablets from the local pharmacy sorted out.....they cost about £16. This all added to the holiday atmosphere tho it wouldnt be egypt without a dodgy belly would it.....beautiful holiday tho the bar was 24 hours in the lobby but great for couples of all ages. Not suitable tho (cos its too hot for kids and not enough going on for early 20s) for youngsters but fab for a honeymoon if you want to just sit down and relax for a week.....BEAUTIFUL there loads of Italians which people grumble about but if you want to holiday with all brits go to Benidorm.
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" Travel.
We stayed a week at... "
Travel.
We stayed a week at Dreams Beach Hotel at the end of June 2008. The 5 hour flight over with Thomson from Gatwick was one of the best I have had on a package tour.
The in-flight entertainment was very good with a personal TV set and controls offering films, tv shows, games, sports and a constantly updated travel map explaining flight details as we travelled.
On arrival at Marsa Alam airport we were greeted with £10 (Sterling) tax to pay, which was slightly annoying, but this is for the Egyptian government and not a con by anyone on the make. The travel from Airport to Dreams beach was one stop in an air conditioned coach that took about 40 minutes. Dont forget to take in the scenery on this trip, as you need to remind yourself how remote you are in the desert!
Service at Dreams Beach.
On arrival at Dreams Beach we were greeted with a cold towel and a drink so we could cool off a little prior to checking in. We were personally taken to our room and shown how the facilities work in our room (air con, safe, etc that were all free of charge). Our cases were brought to our room by the staff.
This kind of excellent service set the scene for the rest of the week. A small occassional tip (about £2 or £3) is very much appreciated by the staff.
Special thanks go to my new friend Hassan who works in the main dining area and made us feel like we were his special guests. Also all the guys at the pool bar who were not only always cheery, but would bring drinks/fruit/cooling towels out to us at our sun loungers around the pool.
Rooms
All rooms have air conditioning, TV and a safe. The bathroom was spacious with a shower unit above the bath. The room was cleaned and beds changed daily, and the male chamber maid left some amazing decorative towels (swan, crocodile and starfish). I couldnt fault the room - the balcony overlooked the central river area which was pleasnat to sit out on.
Gym
This was a real bonus find for us. The gym was the best I have come accross at a resort with it being clean, cool and all equipment working! Despite what I read in another review, this was free to use. The jacuzzi, steam room, sauna (why would you want one!) were also free to use. The only thing to pay for in the fiitness centre was beauty treatment and massage (which cost about £20).
Beach
The beach is shingle and the swimming directly into the sea is not permitted due to the sharp rocks underfoot as it gets deeper. However, paddling to knee length is OK. To swim into the sea the jetty must be used. We went swimming with snorkels in the sea 4 days out of seven. The fish are very impressive. There is a lifeguard on the jetty to make sure all are safe, and he does a good job by being vigilant and telling people if they are going too deep (he is a proper life guard, not some kid falling asleep!).
After being in the sea for a while, I was greeted on my exit by a cool drink of lemonade by a waiter who had made a special journey down from the main bar to the jetty. Typical of the top notch service offered at dreams!.
Food
OK, so up until now all has been positive.... Well, before I went to Dreams, I read a lot of reviews saying how bad the food was so I was expecting the worst. I have to be honest and say that although its not the best, we certainly didnt go hungry. We stuck to what we liked, Breakfast was ommelette (cooked to order) on toast, Nesquik cerial, cornflakes, fruit juice and coffee. Lunch was mostly spent at the pool bar having pizza/pasta/chips/salad. Then every evening we stuck to pasta (cooked to order) vegetables, rice, salads, bread.
What I have listed here is what we tended to keep to, but there was a lot of other food on offer. Rather than risk some of the fish/meat etc., we kept to what we liked.
My summary on the food is, if the main part of your holiday is going to be dictated by food, then Egypt probably isnt the right place to go. But we were happy enough with what was on offer.
Pools & Activities.
The main pool is superb for dipping in and out of to cool off. There is also a diving pool that is 3 metres deep. This is also used for training of scuba divers, which I had a go with, again free of charge.
The water slide was open every day which is great for the kids. Again, this is supervised by a lifeguard for safety reasons.
There is a childrens area that is under cover that has such things as table tennis, bar football etc.
The indoor pool has water polo goals at each end and a daily game of Italians V the rest of the world was played daily. (we won most days!)
A darts competeing was also played daily at the pool side.
The main 'river' running through the heart of the complex is not for swimming in, but there is a pedlo boat you can use on it, which is good fun.
Weather
It was 37 degrees every day, so make sure you have plenty of sun cream! Due to the extreme heat, I would not recommend this a holiday for younger kids.
Summary.
Due to the remoteness of the hotel, you are not going to go anywhere else unless its planned. For this reason, if you dont want to relax by a pool and just 'chill out' (in hot temperatures and excellent service), then think twice about whether this is the kind of holiday for you. Although everyting was really nice for us, two weeks would have been too much 'chilling out' for us at dreams because staying in the same place for that long is not our thing.
We did meet some people who had been sick and were slating the place off. My take on this was that they probably went too 'gung-ho' with the change in diet, probably didnt drink enough and because they werent feeling well, blamed everyone else apart from themselves.
My advice - go to dreams and enjoy - remember you are in a vastly diferrent country with climate and food changes.
We stayed a week at Dreams Beach Hotel at the end of June 2008. The 5 hour flight over with Thomson from Gatwick was one of the best I have had on a package tour.
The in-flight entertainment was very good with a personal TV set and controls offering films, tv shows, games, sports and a constantly updated travel map explaining flight details as we travelled.
On arrival at Marsa Alam airport we were greeted with £10 (Sterling) tax to pay, which was slightly annoying, but this is for the Egyptian government and not a con by anyone on the make. The travel from Airport to Dreams beach was one stop in an air conditioned coach that took about 40 minutes. Dont forget to take in the scenery on this trip, as you need to remind yourself how remote you are in the desert!
Service at Dreams Beach.
On arrival at Dreams Beach we were greeted with a cold towel and a drink so we could cool off a little prior to checking in. We were personally taken to our room and shown how the facilities work in our room (air con, safe, etc that were all free of charge). Our cases were brought to our room by the staff.
This kind of excellent service set the scene for the rest of the week. A small occassional tip (about £2 or £3) is very much appreciated by the staff.
Special thanks go to my new friend Hassan who works in the main dining area and made us feel like we were his special guests. Also all the guys at the pool bar who were not only always cheery, but would bring drinks/fruit/cooling towels out to us at our sun loungers around the pool.
Rooms
All rooms have air conditioning, TV and a safe. The bathroom was spacious with a shower unit above the bath. The room was cleaned and beds changed daily, and the male chamber maid left some amazing decorative towels (swan, crocodile and starfish). I couldnt fault the room - the balcony overlooked the central river area which was pleasnat to sit out on.
Gym
This was a real bonus find for us. The gym was the best I have come accross at a resort with it being clean, cool and all equipment working! Despite what I read in another review, this was free to use. The jacuzzi, steam room, sauna (why would you want one!) were also free to use. The only thing to pay for in the fiitness centre was beauty treatment and massage (which cost about £20).
Beach
The beach is shingle and the swimming directly into the sea is not permitted due to the sharp rocks underfoot as it gets deeper. However, paddling to knee length is OK. To swim into the sea the jetty must be used. We went swimming with snorkels in the sea 4 days out of seven. The fish are very impressive. There is a lifeguard on the jetty to make sure all are safe, and he does a good job by being vigilant and telling people if they are going too deep (he is a proper life guard, not some kid falling asleep!).
After being in the sea for a while, I was greeted on my exit by a cool drink of lemonade by a waiter who had made a special journey down from the main bar to the jetty. Typical of the top notch service offered at dreams!.
Food
OK, so up until now all has been positive.... Well, before I went to Dreams, I read a lot of reviews saying how bad the food was so I was expecting the worst. I have to be honest and say that although its not the best, we certainly didnt go hungry. We stuck to what we liked, Breakfast was ommelette (cooked to order) on toast, Nesquik cerial, cornflakes, fruit juice and coffee. Lunch was mostly spent at the pool bar having pizza/pasta/chips/salad. Then every evening we stuck to pasta (cooked to order) vegetables, rice, salads, bread.
What I have listed here is what we tended to keep to, but there was a lot of other food on offer. Rather than risk some of the fish/meat etc., we kept to what we liked.
My summary on the food is, if the main part of your holiday is going to be dictated by food, then Egypt probably isnt the right place to go. But we were happy enough with what was on offer.
Pools & Activities.
The main pool is superb for dipping in and out of to cool off. There is also a diving pool that is 3 metres deep. This is also used for training of scuba divers, which I had a go with, again free of charge.
The water slide was open every day which is great for the kids. Again, this is supervised by a lifeguard for safety reasons.
There is a childrens area that is under cover that has such things as table tennis, bar football etc.
The indoor pool has water polo goals at each end and a daily game of Italians V the rest of the world was played daily. (we won most days!)
A darts competeing was also played daily at the pool side.
The main 'river' running through the heart of the complex is not for swimming in, but there is a pedlo boat you can use on it, which is good fun.
Weather
It was 37 degrees every day, so make sure you have plenty of sun cream! Due to the extreme heat, I would not recommend this a holiday for younger kids.
Summary.
Due to the remoteness of the hotel, you are not going to go anywhere else unless its planned. For this reason, if you dont want to relax by a pool and just 'chill out' (in hot temperatures and excellent service), then think twice about whether this is the kind of holiday for you. Although everyting was really nice for us, two weeks would have been too much 'chilling out' for us at dreams because staying in the same place for that long is not our thing.
We did meet some people who had been sick and were slating the place off. My take on this was that they probably went too 'gung-ho' with the change in diet, probably didnt drink enough and because they werent feeling well, blamed everyone else apart from themselves.
My advice - go to dreams and enjoy - remember you are in a vastly diferrent country with climate and food changes.
-
- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" We found the hotel very nice but does... "
Submitted By: Mr S Williams
We found the hotel very nice but does not look NEW!!
Myself and my son fell ill on the 2nd day and the doc stuck a drip in my arm and gave my son injections but girlfreind was fine.
Yes you do pay for the doc and yes it is expensive but most others we spoke to where just putting up with it and not having the best time, Me and my son where cured in just 24 hrs and got on with the rest of our stay with the post office paying our bill (they have agents in egypt who come out to pay it in person)
Jeep safari was fantastic
Hotel is not near anywhere so you cant just go off for a walk
Staff are so nice and bend over all ways to help you
They do want a tip but they do work hard for 15hrs a day, 7 days and 5 weeks running
They get £30 a week for it, Im sure you would be looking for tips to build your wage up!! (i know i would)
Myself and my son fell ill on the 2nd day and the doc stuck a drip in my arm and gave my son injections but girlfreind was fine.
Yes you do pay for the doc and yes it is expensive but most others we spoke to where just putting up with it and not having the best time, Me and my son where cured in just 24 hrs and got on with the rest of our stay with the post office paying our bill (they have agents in egypt who come out to pay it in person)
Jeep safari was fantastic
Hotel is not near anywhere so you cant just go off for a walk
Staff are so nice and bend over all ways to help you
They do want a tip but they do work hard for 15hrs a day, 7 days and 5 weeks running
They get £30 a week for it, Im sure you would be looking for tips to build your wage up!! (i know i would)
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- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:MyTravel
" My family and i have just got back... "
Submitted By: Miss J.p.l Dalton
My family and i have just got back from the so called hotel called dream beach which was more like hell
after a day of being in a so callled 5 star hotel the weather was great the pools where great but a wee bit cold and the staff where fab but the food was a different story its the same all the time its naff!!!
and me and my 3 year old didnt eat 4 about 6 days my boyfriend ended up very ill from eatting what was there and we ended up paying to get home a week early then planned
i would never go back to this hotel even if they paid me to go
its upsetting as we needed a holiday before our baby is due in novemeber and lost alot off money so if u are thinking off going to this place think again as my dream turned in to a nightmare
after a day of being in a so callled 5 star hotel the weather was great the pools where great but a wee bit cold and the staff where fab but the food was a different story its the same all the time its naff!!!
and me and my 3 year old didnt eat 4 about 6 days my boyfriend ended up very ill from eatting what was there and we ended up paying to get home a week early then planned
i would never go back to this hotel even if they paid me to go
its upsetting as we needed a holiday before our baby is due in novemeber and lost alot off money so if u are thinking off going to this place think again as my dream turned in to a nightmare
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- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" My wife and I have just returned from... "
Submitted By: Mr P Radford
My wife and I have just returned from the Dreams Beach Hotel and did not enjoy our stay.
The holiday brochure did mention that every day it is constantly windy, so you can not go in the sea as the conditions are dangerous.
The food is the same every night.
The service provided is sub standard and you are treated as second class, only the Italians and Russians are treated decently.
The allinclusive option dose not cover the use of the gym or entertainment, we had to pay to use the facilities.
The rooms are clean and tidy.
The Egyptian staff at the airport are extremely rude, arrogant and hostile.
Overall the hotel is a boarder line 3 star, not 4 star plus. I would not recomend this hotel to anyone.
Go to Sharm instead.
The holiday brochure did mention that every day it is constantly windy, so you can not go in the sea as the conditions are dangerous.
The food is the same every night.
The service provided is sub standard and you are treated as second class, only the Italians and Russians are treated decently.
The allinclusive option dose not cover the use of the gym or entertainment, we had to pay to use the facilities.
The rooms are clean and tidy.
The Egyptian staff at the airport are extremely rude, arrogant and hostile.
Overall the hotel is a boarder line 3 star, not 4 star plus. I would not recomend this hotel to anyone.
Go to Sharm instead.
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- Date of Holiday:Apr 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
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Went with my boyfriend, we are both in our late 20s. Chose marsa Alam knowing it was in the middle of nowhere, as we just wanted a week lying in the sun, relaxing and being romantic. Fulfilled our needs perfectly! Plus I came back 6 lb heavier (despite using the gym and running on the beach) as the food and drinks were so good.
It was my 2nd time in Egypt and all my expectations of good sized room (though we did pay a £20 upgrade each as the basic were all gone), spotlessly clean inside and out etc were fulfilled. Howwever there were a few nice surprises: 1) No drunk, pushy Russians, which I had expected; 2) no argy-bargy needed to secure a table at dinner-time, or the best food. Both tables and food were more than plentiful; 3) more than enough sunloungers. This hotel has double the normal amount of sea-front as it has nothing either side of it, so getting a parasol and sun-longer right by the sea (or pool if that is your preference) was never a problem; 4) I found tipping was not as expected as it was when I went to Sharm last year. Pleople didnt stand and wait for a tip if it was not proferred. However, after we left the cleaners a modest tip, we came back the next day to find out towels made into heart shapes, and petals decorating the bed :-)
Did find trips and activities quite dear, this is probably a side-effect of being in the middole of nowhere, there simply isnt any competition, but it was made up for by the perfect service, high 20s-30C temp, and peace and quiet. We couldnt even hear the animation team once we were on the beach.
Am planning on going back to this resort in the Easter hols next year with my daughter, if you are considering this resort, go ahead and book with no reservations. Just done expect to be served 'traditionsl' English fare like burgers and chips. Go with an open mind about trying new cuisines and you won't be disappointed.
Advice: Peaceful, quiet, good snorkelling off the jetty
Activities: Unusually good quad biking trip; watching the sunset in the desert on horseback
Good for: Beach