Red Sea Holiday Village

Our children had a fab holiday and would return again but we not so sure.
This Hotel could be brilliant but our experience was disappointing.
We have complained to First Choice on our return about our experience and are awaiting a reply.
1. Our case smashed when we arrived at resort. (Warning you have to report this before leaving airport)
2. Information Boards only updated once a week when could be done daily. This meant on Sat we promised our children they could do a High Ropes(£10) course as displayed for Wed but the boards where to be changed on the Sunday to a High Adrenalin which involved more but also cost £20 each that mounts up when you have 3 kids.
3. As a family of 6 we found the 2 drinks only policy brought in half way through our holiday a bit of a shock. The first week we could go to the bar get any amount of drinks. The second week we could only get 2. Although this is in the small print in the broacher we felt this is barmy in a family complex. The reps said they where waiting to see if enough people complained about it over the next few weeks. You could get more drinks if you are prepared to tip/bribe? The staff who should be behind the bar serving everyone instead of the few who where tipping. We think 4 is a more reasonable number for most families and would have worked for us.
It did sadden me although my children are getting older to see after the kids disco (about 8pm) to see all the little girls and boys in their lovely holiday outfits being constantly told to get off the dance floor and sit down. I would have much rather watched them a little more than the entertainment team (who did work extremely hard) as much as we did.
All three adults in our party did get dippy tummies which we expected.
Yes the culture is very different and the Egyptian staff paid our 19 year old daughter a lot of attention again what we expected.
The on site shops are over priced.
You can pay for more things than expected in English pounds on site.
Good pionts
Red sea stunning it’s a must to snorkel.
Rooms big
towels round pool.
Childrens club and waiting staff in main resturant staff.
Pizzas chips and ice cream for my fussy kids.

WARNING: Firstly before I comment I would advise all those that have returned from the Holiday Village recently with they mystery bug to visit their doctors immediately. My wife and I and 3 daughters (24,14,12) arrived at the complex on 26th May. Our first reaction was that it looked as good as the other 3 Holiday Villages we had visited over the last 4 years. THEN, after 2 days my eldest daughter was struck with the bug. She was being violently sick for around 48 hours. The sickness only subsided after we had been advised by one of the Reps to visit the pharmacy just outside the complex, and that he would sort us out. Only stopped the sickness, not the diarrhea or the stomach cramps. Just as she felt better my wife and I started with the stomach cramps. This was followed by severe diarrhea. We've been to many places before but have never suffered like this. We do expect the odd dodgy tummy but never the pain that we were in. Again, reps wouldn't let us make a formal complaint as they said 'that is not what we do here', but only advised us to visit the pharmacy outside the complex. If that still didn't work then they would be able to call out the doctor for us at a cost of £50, (sterling). My wife and I spent almost 2 days in bed with this before we dared to leave our room. We were unable to wander too far as we were barely able to eat or drink properly, as we were very weak and dehydrated. This lasted throughout the rest of the holiday. We returned home in the early hours of 10th June. Later that morning we arranged a doctors appointment for the same evening. We were asked by the doctor to supply a stool specimen. These were duly dropped off the following morning. By the same evening I received a call from the surgery stating that I had Clostridium Difficile, (C.diff), followed a couple of days later by my wife's diagnosis, Salmonella poisoning. I was put on a very strong course of drugs to combat the C.diff. We have been sent details of C.diff from NHS Direct and have been told that this is mainly caused through poor hygiene. My wife's can only be contracted through eating food not properly prepared or contaminated. We are both still suffering from stomach pains over 3 weeks later, and my wife is still unable to return to work. I have only been told late last week that I was clear to return to work. If it hadn't had been for my older daughter who braved out her illness, then my 2 younger daughters wouldn't have been able to have a holiday of any kind at all.
Good Points: We thought the hotel complex was extremely nice. The rooms were very large and airy, and kept clean. Most of the hotel staff were very pleasant and professional, (the exception being the buffet staff who had a strong tendency to leer at my wife and 3 daughters, and the rude bald guy who kept coming around trying to sell us the beach party tickets). Entertainment staff were exceptional, as we have come to expect from the Holiday Villages, especially Scott and Tasha. In-2-Action team, also excellent.
Bad Points: Glasses not washed properly, (only in dishwasher for about 5-10 secs), drinks being served in warm-hot wet glasses, cutlery left on tables for next diners if unused by previous diners even if they had been touched, partly-used bottles of water being taken off tables and emptied into juice containers, staff fumigating the buffet restaurant late at night. Staff not being able to clean toilets quickly enough.
We have never complained about a holiday before, but we are now. We have been to 3 previous holiday villages and the complexes have been excellent in every respect. In the past we have had nothing but praise for the Reps, but unfortunately this time they seemed to be either ill-informed about what is going on around them, (with regards the amount of people being ill), ignorant of the fact by telling everyone that it is the heat and not drinking enough fluids, or just trying to brush it under the carpet so that no one really finds out and it eventually goes away on its own.
One day, at this complex, First Choice will have a crisis on its hands if it doesn't take note of what people are trying to say to the Reps on the site. These bugs that are going around the site need to be sorted asap.

1 reader found this review helpful

As Mr Hall says.... Ignore the negetive reviews ! People always need to find something to complain about !!
I was in the same party as H Lucas and I really cant find any real fault with the holiday at all ! Ok so a couple of us had a funny tummy, but I should imagine it was not looking after ourselves in the heat - eg drinking more water etc instead of the fizzy drinks we had all the 2 weeks!! The people are so lovely and the place is really clean. Our room boy made our room spotless every single day we were there, changing the cot sheets, making patterns from clothes and toys etc. It really made a difference. The complex was beautiful, the gardens i have never seen anything like it !
We tried the indian and the meditereanian restaurant and both we would recommend highly.
The entertainment was brilliant, they really do earn the money they get, faultless. The kids club and creche were also very good. My baby son went to creche quite a few times and was very well looked after.
My son was quite poorly for a few days with the runs etc, but the chemist just outside the complex was very helpful and sorted him out brilliantly.
I would defiantly go back again and in fact am looking at prices already for next year.

what can i say never again ! After been delayed and not been told at checkin then on to a plane that could have done with a good clean no dvd for the kids to watch as was broke ! To get to the hotel room that we request a double and got twin beds ! not finished well at all the shower was hanging off the wall and only trickled out toilet light never worked they would come and replace the lamp and as soon as switched on would blow the floor and shower had mold growing all over not inpressed at all !
sunbeds round the pool yeah only if you got up at the crack off daylight .
food if you like to eat the same thing over and over again they alternate bbq and international night and its just the same over and over again ! well that was when we could go and eat as we all had the bug not pleasent go on holiday to relax and see the views but cant veture far from the toilet if i talked to 1 or a 100 they had all at some point had the bug ! talked to the reps and they all said its the climate i dont think so been to hotter places and never been as poorly and the cemists where on to a good thing as the imodiem dont work it just makes it worse u need antibiotics and anti sickness and some other tablets for the squits.
While we were there they were three incidents in the pool off floating brown fish and all they do is go and fish it out with a net throw a few chemicals in and they say pool ok and then you wonder why is every one ill !
the only good thing this place has going for it is the staff and the entertainment on a night .
def not value for money and def not a 4 or 5 star hotel that first chioce sells it as and dont book late check out with first choice as you have to be out for 5 not 6 book with the hotel when you get there its half the price and you get to stop in your room longer

We have just returned from a 2 week holiday,29th may-12th june. There was 10 of us all together with 4 children ages 5.4.1 and 11 months.
The airport isnt as bad as people make out,coaches were a bit far from the airport but managable!
The hotel is beautiful,on arrival the bell boys take your bags and bring them to your room, we had to go and get ours as it was late at night and they were taking there time.
we were in block 10 with ajoining rooms,the rooms are huge with massive beds,very clean.
you do need to get up early to get a sunbed but you can get one at somepoint.
the kids pool is brillant, bit chilly but with the heat its nice and refreshing!
The kids club is really good, my boys went a few times and enjoyed it.the night time enertainment was really good, my kids loved "kids village time" and the adult entertainment was good aswell!
the beach is lovley and you can walk out in the sea quite far with it still being knee lenght!
The food was ok, same sort of stuff all the time but fine, the sari resturant was really good, aswell as the med, myself and my husband went to the chinese and the next day we were both really ill but my parents went there a few days befor and were fine.
we all got dodgy tummy but soon sorted that out!!
overall we really enjoyed our holiday and would defianlty go back.

after just returning from the holiday village i would advise any person reading any of the negative reviews to take no notice.
i traveled with my wife and two young children the accommodation is of a very high standard the rooms are immaculate the staff are very helpful and nothing is to much trouble for them.
we found the food in the buffet restaurant was varied with a different theme each day which stops it becoming boring the al'carte was out of this world and in the sea food retaurant which you have to pay locally for but is not by any means expensive you can still get free drinks form your all inclusive package.
the facilities for children are excellent and i have just booked to back in the october half term.

I'm over six feet tall, and my girlfriend is bang on six feet, which meant the flight was very unconfortable. And in the future i'd definately think twice about doing 5.5 hours on a charter flight.
Ok, so to the hotel. It looked amazing in the pictures, and as far as facilitiles go, it's everything it's cracked up to be. Until, that is, you look closely. From reading this website it's obvious the place was finished in a rush. And boy does it show! In fact i'd say it's easily the worst built hotel i've ever stayed in. The tiling, not just in our room, but throughout the entire resort, was attrocious. The place is only a year old and already its falling apart. And the wiring, particularly the light in our wardrobe is very worrying. The air-conditioning is awful. The hair-dryer never worked.* The fridge didn't cool anything. I could go on all day.
But i don't go on holiday to make a list of faults, i go to enjoy myself. And i have to say this - the "swim up room" is the best invention ever. It totally made my holiday. We were in block 9, which was quiet. For couples looking for peace and quiet its ideal. And for families its ideal also, as you can keep a close eye on your kids. We had a few families in our block and they didn't disturb us at all.
So all in all i had a fantastic time. My other half, it has to be said, didn't have such a great time. She was sleazed over by many of the staff, and most of the locals in naama bay. Nothing outrageous, just constant sexist / sleazy remarks. And we won't be going back to egypt for this reason alone.
Maybe it's a culture thing, i don't know. But after the first day my girlfriend was reluctant to either go to the bar, or even leave the room on her own. I understand girls with blonde hair are thin on the ground in egypt, but the way the some of the locals behave when they see one is unnaceptable. And it tarnished what would have been a great holiday.
* note on hairdryers - we heard a rumour that it wasn't just ours that wouldn't work. And they had all been disabled after one caught fire in a womans hand.

15th-30th May 2008 the the airport is terrible the local staff in the resort are fantastic.
If your idea a a good holiday is never venturing more than 50 yards from a toilet then this is the resort for you, every other person we spoke to had what is politly known as a gippy tummy personally I suffered for 10 days on holiday and a week after returning. Only 2 toilets in the main pool area, more often than not no toilet paper, this is also the venue for what is known as the evening entertainment I realy dont think so, considering the size of the place. Reps perfoming and singing is not my idea of entertainment. Butlins does a far superior job and is a lot cleaner but colder.
On the plus side our swim up room was very good plenty of space good
air conditioning, our cleaner could not do enough for us especialy when he found out we were suffering.
I found the food to be OK nothing special although on our 2nd week a British chef appeared and things did improve

This is a bad experience. The only highlights were what we made of the holiday. Also the swim club is good for the kids. Most staff are great there. Bad Food, Bad Accomodation, Bad Drinks, Bad Excursions. I will upload video and photos.

me and my family have just returned from the holiday village.
some of the reviews on here are totally unfounded. ok the guys at the airport do put your cases on the coach and put their hand out for a tip but there's no pressure its upto you.
the transfer time is only 10 mins which is great when you have been on a flight for 5 and half hours. upon arrival you will not fail to be impressed. the place is massive. the only problem we had was the room we were put in was quite far from the main restaurant and pool. it was abit of a trek. the only problem we had was waiting 2 hours for our luggage to be brought to our room. the bell boys have to bring them up for you (again you are expected to give them a tip but this is not compulsary). their are about 4 or 5 restaurants to choose from, the food is quite good with lots of variety. we read the reviews before we went and was expecting to be disapointed but were pleasently surprised! the first choice staff were excellent with an office based on site, they were always on hand from early morning til about 9 at night incase you had any problems. the overall entertainment was excellent. lots to keep the kids entertained and the whole family aswell. the night time shows were brilliant you don't even have to leave your chair as the bar staff bring it on a tray to you. they are abit keen to collect your glasses though, so if your glass is hal empty, keep hold of it otherwise you will lose it! egyptians are very friendly people and are polite at all times. it's the british and russians who are very rude. there is also an on site doctor incase you should need one. there is a pharmacy outside the main gates to your right. all in all we loved it, egypt is a lovely place and the beach is also outstanding. do be careful if you hire the electric scooters based on the beach, the paths are quite slippy and my husband skidded and fell off one and hurt his leg. we also saw somebody else who did the same thing but needed stitches from the doctor. we are big lovers of spain, but after sampling sharm el sheikh, we think it beats it hands down and are hoping to return next year to the same hotel. don't be put off by the negative reviews, as long as you don't eat salad or drink their tap water or have ice cubes in your drinks, you should avoid any unpleasant stomach upsets. there is also a mobile cash machine on site outside the reception, so you have everything you need without having to leave the complex. the only downside we found was the 5 and a half hour coach ride to see the pyramids in cairo, which we didn't do because we were only there for a week. however, next year we plan to book for 2 weeks and go to cairo and stay overnight in a hotel so we can experience the cultural side of egypt like the river nile and luxor. so if you are going, have your wits about you and you should have an excellent holiday.