Sofitel Taba Heights Hotel

My Girlfriend and I went for a week at the end of August. The weather was baking, but as long as you were careful and didn't stay in the sun for very long you'd be ok. There were two beautiful pools to swim in. There is also a sea water pool which is great when it has been cleaned, about every 6 days. The whole area was not crowded and we were able to relax and just chill. We didn't go anywhere, we didn't need to, the food was a different style every night and we always found plenty to eat. At the end of the afternoon a nice cold beer went down perfectly. We had two birthdays during our week and a cake was delivered to our room for my birthday. For my girlfriends, Ayman arranged a special meal in the minaret at the centre of the Sofitel. We had a lovely meal, the two of us, high up in the tower overlooking the whole pool area, quite spectacular at night. They even set up background music for us. Nothing was too much trouble. It was a special night for us and we even received another birthday cake! But the best thing about the Sofitel is the staff. We would like to particularily thank Ayman & Rachel who helped make our stay so special. But all the staff around the pool area and the bar staff in the evening were really friendly and helpful. There were certain people staying who we felt were very demanding and rude to the staff, but they handled it very professionally. If you go there please be polite and remember to tip where applicable. A few personal tips, the wine is not good and very expensive, but we took a box of good red wine with us or buy a bottle of champagne if you want to celebrate before you fly out. The cocktails and beer are about the same price you would pay in England. We went down to the Marriott, we were glad we didn't stay there. It seemed awfully cramped around the swimming pool and we imagined from the layout that most people would not get a sea view as you do at the Sofitel. The Sofitel is a fantastic place if you just want to get away and relax for a week or two. Thank you once again to all the staff for a great week,we hope to come back and see you soon. Warren & Rachel .

My friend and I both missed out on Holidays last year so booked a lastminute trip to Sofitel Taba. Who would have thought we would have had such a good time. The hotel was beautiful, with a distinct North African flare. We were very impressed with the room (open the patio doors Air Con goes off, close the doors Air Con comes on - Genius). Considering the weather was distinctly cool (freakishly cool according to the ever attentive staff) we made the most of the sun lounging by the pool. Pool waiting staff could not do enough for you and in the week we were treated like queens. Considering the fact they get paid so little they could teach english hotel staff a thing or too. Animation was erm interesting..it made us laugh anyway. The staff at Sofitel made the holiday, the Peltours reps were also very helpful. Go there before everyone finds out what they are missing

I have to say that my first time in taba was really good and i would defintley stay in the hotel again. The staff were very friendly and helpfull. The hotel was amazing and there was plenty to do through the day and at night in the hotel, my little sister really enjoyed the kids club, the pool was really clean, the whole hotel had a very high standard of hygenie. The food was also very good i was a bit worried as im a fussy eater but the was a lot of choice. I loved every minute of the holiday but my only problem was i wasnt there long enough a week was not enough for me! and i wanted to be even browner. And hopefully my mum and dad will book the same hotel for are holiday next year.

I have just returned from a two week stay at the Sofitel. I travelled with my husband and teenage daughter. The weather was fantastic there is always a breeze which is very welcome. the pool areas are very spacious and quite often we had the pool to ourselves. The recreation and pool staff were very friendly and helpful. The waitors worked really hard and go out of there way to help and all spoke fairly good English. we had a problem with our Air con in our room and directly we reported it, it was dealt with and the management were really helpful. The Evening meal wasn't to our liking but what ever we wanted the chefs would try and get for us. The food was plentiful but we found that there were more other nationalities than British so these seem to be catered for. we also found the first week which was the last week in August the dining area was very busy and we had a job to get a table, we found by going later in the evening it was alot easier when the rush was over. During our second week there were no problems because the hotel went very quiet as this is their quiet month. The room was to a high standard and we thought fairly spacious. The bathroom was nice with a big walk in shower. The room was cleaned everyday and was very clean. We had a large balcony with sunbeds. There was a minibar in the room and a TV which had two movie cahnnels. There isn't anything to do at Taba heights it is purely a relaxing beach holiday. There is a childrens club and some entertainmemt at night but we found it started to late. The beach was nice the water was warm and so many tropical fish to be seen if your into snorkelling, if your not your still see them because the water is so clear your see them swimming round you. So if you are looking for a stress free holiday with excellent accommodation you won't go far wrong with the Sofitel. We will definetly go back.

Having spent 2 weeks at the Sofitel this August (2005) I doubt I will ever have a better holiday! Naturally, the weather was glorious (I didn't see a cloud for 2 weeks), the beach was sensational, the pools and jacuzzis cooling, relaxing and fun, the rooms luxurious. BUT the one thing which sets the Sofitel above any other hotel I have ever stayed in (and I'm very fussy) was the kindness and professionalism of the staff. My husband and I and our 5 children all felt that the restaurant & recreation staff made the holiday extra special; all speaking excellent English, they made us feel more than welcome - just like part of the family! I have recommended this hotel to everyone I know as a relaxing beach holiday with excellent service, and I fully intend to book again myself. Although a quiet resort, it is a superb base for visiting the historic sites of Egypt, as well as Israel which is very close. The resort offers the opportunity to enjoy watersports including windsurfing, parasailing, banana boating; and to go out on a glass bottomed boat to enjoy the incredible coral reefs, or a more close-up inspection on a snorkelling trip, or even scuba diving for all levels of ability. All in all I can wholeheartedly recommend this hotel & resort, and look forward to returning with my family in the very near future. Enjoy!

We visited Egypt, Taba Heights from the 25th July 2005 to 8th August 2005. We are a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children – 11 & 8). We travelled with Peltours and stayed at the Taba Sofitel. Peltours use Travel Plus as their representatives in the resort. On arrival, we got the impression that the hotel was far from full. For 1st time travellers; Taba heights is not the same as Taba. The two resorts are about 5 Km apart. I don’t know what the travel arrangements are between the two parts of the resort. I cannot imagine why anyone would want to make the trip, in either direction. This is not a criticism, as you will see from the travel info, there is little in either resort. Taba heights consists of three beach front hotels (Hyatt Regency, Sofitel and Marriott) with the Three Corners Resort about 1Km inland and having a beach location between the Sofitel and the Marriott. Next to the Marriott is the Intercontinental Hotel which is still under construction and due to open in 2006. Beyond this is the Waterworld water sports centre. The road network around this facility is also under construction. There is other building work around this part of the resort. It is fair to say that we were not aware of any construction noise or dust etc during the whole of our stay. From the dates above you will see that we travelled 2 days after the bombs in Sharm so security was of paramount importance during our stay. The Egyptian authorities have responded well to the recent problems and security is high profile around the village and resort. Within the hotels it varies widely. The Sofitel seemed to have the highest level of security with armed guards at the hotel entrance and airport style security at the main lobby. There are armed tourist police in the lobby but this is discreet and not intimidating. The security at the Marriott is similar whereas the Hyatt don’t appear to read the papers and the security at this hotel fell well short of the other hotels. All three hotels have security to prevent unsuitable access to the hotels along the beach, although the guards at the Sofitel were the only ones who challenged us as we moved along the beach. The Sofitel is an impressive building with large and impressive public areas although these were open and not air conditioned except in specific areas – the front desk, the main bar and restaurant. The room (we had a family room) was of average size – a Sofitel employee told us that the rooms at the Marriott were bigger – but the shower room (no bath) was small and prone to flooding from the shower, however the water was always hot in the shower. The room was well decorated but lacked light and a feeling of space. It was single file around the beds. The facilities in the room are basic – 2 double beds a TV, a fridge but with lots of storage space. All rooms have sea view. We missed tea and coffee making facilities in the room (should be standard at 5* level). We took our own but found milk difficult to come by. It can be bought from room service but works out at over £10 a pint. We had the opportunity to look at a family suite which offered a much better standard of accommodation; three times the floor space, two bathrooms (one bath, one shower), two bedrooms and a living area. Water and fruit provided daily with tea and coffee making facilities in the room. All suites are ground floor with access direct to the gardens or pool. In the UK this upgrade will cost circa £300. In the hotel it trebles to $100 per night so book before you come!! Pointing out the UK cost doesn’t cut any ice with the hotel. They acknowledge that better rates are available but won’t offer them to guests. We were referred to Travel Plus to get the UK rate but they never got back to us. Cleanliness in the room (it was cleaned daily) was only average and the cleaners tended to arrive at our door quite early. If, like us, you are not early risers then use the ‘Do Not Disturb’ notice. The restaurant is large and wasn’t crowded. We never had to wait for a table. The food is prepared fresh daily and is of a very high standard. Some dishes re-appear daily but there is a good selection of other dishes which change daily. Add the theme nights to this and the variety is good. It is worth bearing in mind that this is an international hotel and the dishes offered reflect this. UK tourists tend to go to the other two hotels. I don’t know why, the Sofitel is the better of the three overall. If you are looking for British food only then you may find the choice limited but if you try different dishes then the choice is good. Our first night saw Bird’s tongue soup on the menu – leave prejudice at home and try it, we did, it was very pleasant. One night we tried the a la carte restaurant. This carries a price premium. Frankly it wasn’t worth the extra. This isn’t intended as a criticism, its just that the food in the main restaurant is so good that paying more for excellent food when it is available within the package didn’t seem good value. If you can’t see what you want then ask, the staff are keen to please and other dishes can be provided although it may be the following day. The wine on offer is very expensive and not too good. The staff in the restaurant, as elsewhere in the hotel, were very friendly and helpful. Nothing seems too much trouble and the general attitude of staff was good. There was no evidence of the poor staff morale that we read about before we travelled. In simple terms the staff and their demeanour were one of the main contributing factors to our having had one of the best holidays we have ever taken. The pool area is large as are the pools themselves. The fresh water pools were used but the salt water pools were not. When we swam in one of the salt water pools we found the pool bottom to be slimy and unpleasant. The salt water pools are more popular with the insect community – not a problem with the freshwater pools. We never had a problem getting a sunbed or parasol at any time of day although being on good terms with the recreation staff is well worth it as they will look after guests who look after them. A parasol is essential as there is little shade around the pool. The pool is all concrete and does get hot as the day goes on so shoes that can be worn in the pool are a good idea. In some areas the concrete is replaced with ceramic tiles. In direct sunlight these get very hot and will burn feet – young children should be protected from this, especially if they use the open air steps to the rooms etc. As we moved about we would often leave our belongings at the sunbeds. Even travelling to the water sports centre on occasions. In all of this we had no problems with theft or our belongings being moved or touched - even though these would include cameras, money etc. In the welcome meeting we were told that sun cream was necessary during the heat of the day but not before 11:00am or after 4:00pm. This is rubbish! The sun is very strong and will burn from early morning until it sets behind the mountains. Don’t take risks, the heat is intense all day. We saw many people, particularly young children with severe sunburn. Our children used factor 25+ all holiday. The heat also dehydrates. As a family, we drank 10+ litres of water per day. At 11 Egyptian pounds (£1.20 or $2) for 2 litres this soon adds up (see note on suites). The hotel also has a private beach. The beach is OK but a bit course. The beaches at the adjacent hotels are better. The pool and beach area is un-crowded and personal space is not hard to find. The snack bar adjacent to the pools offers light meals and drinks. All drink containers around the pool are plastic to avoid broken glass. If you order drinks you have to ask for ice, also the hotel provides free crisps and peanuts with drinks but, again, you have to ask. The margin of the sea is stony and uncomfortable to cross but once into the sea the sand resumes. There are designate passages to the reef which is 50 yards off shore. Snorkelling is a must do. The marine life and coral are a joy to behold. We found the best area to be between the Sofitel and the Hyatt. It is harder to access but worth the effort. Swim further out to turtles and larger fish. If you are lucky there are manta rays here too (I was lucky!). We spoke to other visitors who had been diving on local reefs, they told us the reefs off the hotel are as good as anything accessible by diving and unless you are an enthusiast – I am a qualified diver but didn’t dive on the holiday – go snorkelling. Equipment hire is expensive and if you plan to do this regularly then bring your own gear, its cheaper to buy in the UK than to hire in the resort. If you like shopping, go somewhere else. There are very few shops in the resort and these are limited in terms of what they sell. The Three Corners resort has the most shops – accessible by free bus – but check for opening times. Even here the shopping is limited. All the hotels have a shop or two but nothing much and prices are high. A small bottle of after sun costs £12 at the Sofitel so bring from the UK. It is also worth noting that the exchange rates are better in the resort than in the UK. All shops accept a range of currencies but be careful as all exchanges in the shops are via Egyptian pounds so you lose out on multiple currency exchanges. This is particularly the case with water sports where the rates are quoted in Euros. If you pay in sterling then there are two exchanges and the price rises every time there is an exchange. If you plan to do a lot of water sports then bring euros with you – there is also discount for cash payments. The three hotels have a weekly forum to discuss inter hotel issues. We were told, on arrival, that as a Sofitel guest, we had access to the facilities of the other hotels. One day we visited the Marriott. We were accorded the same service as Marriott guests. We used their pool, which is better than the Sofitel’s, and the staff were as friendly and helpful as the staff in the Sofitel. The Marriott seemed to have more children and more British tourists in residence. The following day we decided to try the Hyatt. We were aware of adverse comments made about staff morale and attitude at the Hyatt – this was the main reason for us choosing the Sofitel rather than the Hyatt, which has better facilities, generally. As soon as we arrived we were challenged by the Hyatt staff and told we would have to pay (70 Egyptian pounds per person) for the use of their facilities. When we refused to pay we were asked to leave and then escorted off the premises. This experience was shared by others in the hotel. We were glad we didn’t stay there! A final observation regarding the Hyatt is the maze of paths which are difficult to navigate, we got lost and struggled to find the location we wanted, this is worse at night. There are wider tarmac routes around the periphery. These are the race track for the golf buggies and care needs to be taken, since these vehicles are electric they are difficult to hear and the vegetation means they cannot always be seen – take care. Golf buggies are only used in the Hyatt, the other hotels are safer, as a consequence. In terms of entertainment, there are shows in the evening, mostly performed by the resident hotel entertainment staff. These were OK but repetitive. There are no bars, restaurants or night clubs in the resort outside of hotel facilities. The Hyatt has a casino. There is a children’s club in the Sofitel with a range of activities. These are morning and afternoon with a children’s disco in the evening. The disco is the same every night but the kids seemed to enjoy it. The hotel offers some adult activities. The water aerobics was very popular but beach volleyball was poorly attended (Who wants to play volleyball in 45 degree heat). We found Travel Plus to be hopeless. If you need to use them then be prepared to chase them relentlessly and check details have been confirmed – we booked to go to Cairo for the day and were left in the hotel lobby when the trip was cancelled and we were not informed, this trip leaves at 5:00 am so getting up for this only to be forgotten is not fun. We went on the Cairo trip at the second time of asking but took no other trips. There are trips to local tourist venues in Jordan, Israel etc but you need to take a sense of humour with you as the border crossings can be time consuming. We were warned about these at the welcome meeting. The Cairo trip is a long day but well worth it. We took the 1 day option. The two day option includes a trip to old Cairo, we couldn’t see the appeal of this apart from not having to make two 5 hour coach trips in one day. We were also told that it was possible to fly to Cairo but can’t confirm this. The Pyramids are swarming with tourist police and the warnings about unscrupulous locals should be heeded although the police soon intervene if a tourist is being overly hassled. The trip includes the opportunity to visit a souvenir shop and a papyrus shop, an opportunity well worth declining. The Cairo museum is good but busy and well guarded. We got 2 hours in the museum, a week is not enough although the buildings are not air conditioned and the heat gets too much after a while. The King Tut exhibition is worth seeing although very crowded. As you miss breakfast, the hotel provides a packed breakfast which is singularly uninspiring and few touched it. The food on the trip was good (and included). The restaurant was closed on our return so some cold food (Bread, meat and cheese) was put in our room. This was a nice thought even though we didn’t touch it. An exhausting day but worth it to see what we saw. The watersports were good although a bit dis-organised. There is a free shuttle to the centre every 30 minutes, you can walk but the heat makes this inadvisable. There are also free scuba trials in the pool of the Marriott and Hyatt (Wonder if the Hyatt charges for this too!) on selected days. Waterworld has a café which serves good food. We didn’t do much in the watersport line so can’t comment much. One observation, If you want to do an activity as a family, make sure this is understood as the staff will try to fill activities and will split you up to suit themselves. The weather in July/ August is hot (40 + every day), all day; hats are essential. Occasionally the wind picked up in the afternoon and a regular visitor in the evening was a hot dry wind from the north – a bit like sitting in a tumble dryer. We caught a glimpse of a cloud or two in the late afternoon but often remained on the pool side until after 7:00pm when the heat became more bearable. In summary: The Taba Heights resort is all about relaxation and leisure. In spite of the apparent lack of activities we were never bored or at a loss and the 14 night went by all too quickly. You will spend most of your holiday within the hotel or at least the resort. If you seek nightlife or shopping don’t go here. The Sofitel’s 5* rating is not accurate from a UK/ USA perspective (more like 3*+) but is a decent standard hotel. The staff are brilliant, always friendly and cheerful. The food is of a high standard. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and came home relaxed and refreshed. Would we go back? Probably not but this has more to do with a desire to visit other places than not wishing to return. If we did it would be in a suite not a room. We would also wait a couple of years for the resort to be completed. It has the makings of a very sophisticated place, once completed. Stu & Jann

Having read most of the previous reviews concerning the Sofitel I was convinced we were in for a treat - I was not wrong !! If you are looking for a very high quality, secure, family friendly hotel with great pools and fantastic staff then look no further. We booked on a late deal through travel counsellers for 14 days and decided to pay extra for a family suite. The suite was incredible offering two large bedrooms, one with a super-kingsize bed and the other with two double beds. Both bedrooms had luxurious on-suite bathrooms one with a large sunken bath and a walk in double shower in the other. Also serving both bedrooms is an additional living area which contained a settee, dining table and five chairs. There were a total of 3 Tvs , 2 mini bars, tea & cofee and daily supplies of mineral water, hand made biscuits or baskets of fruit all included in the price of the suite. All the fixtures & fittings, mattress etc are very high quality and these suites are only available on the ground floor which makes them ideal for children. We paid a little extra for the suite but it gave us much needed extra space and was worth every penny and far exceeded our expectations. Housekeeping was very efficient and trustworthy - rooms were left spotless every day. The food is of a very high standard and freshly prepared daily. This was confirmed by a guided tour around the kitchen and in-house bakery. The hotel has very high hygiene standards i.e ice making and any use of water with food is with pure mineral water only. Nothing was too much trouble and the chef's will prepare any special dishes on request. There is a good range of activities at the hotel from gym, tennis, kids club, aerobics, step as well as three enormous swimming pools and two outdoor jacuzzis. The beach is adequate even if the sand is a little on the gritty side. That said, the snorkelling is awesome and easily matches that of snorkelling in the Carribean. Watersports are available by using the free shuttle bus (10 mins away) and all acitivities can be pre-booked with the on site watersport rep. We tried parasailing, waterskiing and doughnut rides - all were worth the money. The watersport centre also provides a bar, restuarant and shower facilities. Other reviews have mentioned tipping. It is true that the waiters will appreciate a tip - who wouldn't ? but you will still get excellent service whether you tip or not. There's no pressure either way. Evening entertainment is a little thin but you always have the option of walking to the other hotels if you want a change of scenery. If you want all-night discos and thumping bars then this romantic, family hotel is not for you. All in all this hotel is fantastic and we found our stay both relaxing and very enjoyable. Apart from the superb facilities it is the staff that make this hotel great. We would like to mention those staff who made our holiday so special: Mr Hassan (Residential Manager) - very helpful and always willing to help. Rachel (Hotel rep) - Friendly, helpful and efficient. Mohammed (pool area) - Kind, helpful and great fun. Executive Head Chef - Very kind, generous and even baked a cake for our return home. We all had a great time and can't wait for our next holiday to Sofitel planned for February 2006.

What can I say about this hotel run by the French group Sofitel - it really is as everyone says a gem in the middle of nowhere - there are three hotels on a strip of sand and it's almost as if they've been dropped from the sky! Here's my thoughts in no particular order ... SERVICE AND FOOD - could not be faulted, however, be very aware that you tip for absolutely everything - whether you go to the bar or have your drink bought for you expect no or little change - seems really tight to mention it as these guys work very hard for little money but the extras do add up. We went half board on a lastminute cheapo - £359 for a week half board. The food is buffet style and it's eggs (ask for fried or the omelette's they are lush) and toast in the morning with fresh fruit and veg and in the evening hot meal, fantastic freshly-baked bread and dependent on which night it is fresh fish, pasta, etc - you will not go hungry! As for the local drinks the Egyptian beer Stellar was very good and the best of a not-so-good bunch - don't have the Heineken - a small can costs you £3 even though it's brewed in Egypt! I paid for everything I bought and did not run a tab on my room - the hotel adds an extra 2% if you do. THE ROOMS - we had a twin bedded double room which was brilliant - cleaned every single day and the sheets were changed daily I'm sure, the towels were changed daily and the room was fully air conditioned. The safe is free and worth using - ask reception how to use it. Was worth taking a hairdryer if you've got long hair as the pipe to our- wall-dryer was broken. ENTERTAINMENT- every day the entertainment or "animation team" put on something - there's a kids club apparently (but as I don't have kids didn't explore it) and every morning we were asked if we fancied a belly-dancing lesson or to join in on the aqua aerobics - everyone who did seemed to enjoy it! To check what's going on have a look in the hotel lobby as every day they change the board and let you know what's going on. There were probably loads of stuff going on that I didn't bother myself with because I was happy taking in the view and the sunshine. There isn't really much to do at night so if you fancy dancing until the early hours don't chose Taba Heights but if you're looking for a relaxing break where you read, do very little and enjoy the sunshine and a week of early nights it's absolutely perfect. THE BEACH/SWIMMING POOLS - You need to buy shoes for the water's edge - whilst it's a manmade beach and sandy the shoreline is very stoney - we bought some cheap shoes for a bargain price of £6 from the hotel shop. We also bought a snorkel kit from Tesco before we left and it was worth every single penny and of course if you're not a professional diver. If you forget you can buy stuff in the Hotel shop but again it's worth the effort before you go and doesn't weigh much in the case. The water is incredibly hot, the sealife incredible and you MUST have a go because the sights are out-of-this-world - parrot fish, coral, etc. Buy an underwater camera from Boots - wish we had and regret it! Both the swimming pool and beach have umbrellas and sunbeds and beach towel tokens are given to each guest - it's your responsibility to look after the towel because if you lose it you will be charged - you can change it as many times as you like during the day! MONEY - I took US dollars but the rate of exchange was rubbish - I ended up getting Egyptian dollars from the cashpoint at the Hyatt - the Hotel does have a bureau de change but it was never open when I went there! HAPPY HOUR - there's a happy hour between 5 and 6 at the Sofitel (beers and soft drinks) but we walked up the beach to the Marriot where their cocktail happy hour was very nice - between 7pm and 8pm - take a torch if you go late as the beach is unlit - fine for those with men but if you're girls alone it's worth lugging with you! Spirits are imported and the Egyptian wine is vile so if you want a nice G&T before you go to dinner buy a bottle of duty free at the airport and use the mixers from the hotel fridge (which isn't cold!) TOURS - didn't do any as only had a week but there are trips on offer - certainly through our travel rep - Peltours - to Cairo, a market, and St Catherine's Monastery - you could also swim with the dolphins in Eilat too. SUN - the sun is fierce - expect to use factor 30+ - I've got dark skin and thought I'd drop to a 15 - no chance - unless you want to burn and peel! Went to buy extra in the hotel shop only to find they stocked just Factor 100 so stock up on plenty of high factor stuff before you go. Think that's about it only too say that I would definitely recommend the Sofitel at Taba Heights - in fact all the hotels along the "strip" looked brilliant and from what we experienced were incredible value-for-money. The Egyptians are welcoming and LOVE kids. This is a review from a thirty something female who went with her fifty-something mum!

The Sotitel Taba Heights Resort was Fantastic the staff, Location, weather and price was great. From the minute we arrived we felt like Kings!! Definetely 5* accommodation the reception was grand and the staff were very welcoming bring out a welcome drink( taste awful but the thought that count). Our rooms were on the same standard. The resorts grounds were very good especially with the private beach a stones throw away. You need to go snorkel the views below the sea are amazing it was my first time to snorkel and i hope the next time i go will be as great as that time. We went with Soliman Travel and they too were very good the rep was always there for Questions. The trips available were good if there for 2 weeks would of done Cairo trip( 5hrs there and 5hrs back). When in Egypt you must ride a Camel!!! The staff were very friendly and the entertainment team were Fab aswell with Belly Dancing in the Morning followed Aqua Aerobics with lots more to follow. Once settled on your Sun Lounger the drinks were always available with the waiters always there to put a drink in your hand with a selection of fresh fruit juices, soft drinks and alcohol. The price of everything was near to Britain and the accept English, Euro, US Dollar and Egyptain pound anything goes. Watersports are also available on Taba Heights Resort this organised from your hotel( Parasailing was amazing). If you get anything from this view it would be that the Softiel Taba Heights is Fantastic and you will have a great time!!!!

My friend and I stumbled across this one when looking at last minute deals through our local travel agency. I chose Sofitel out of the Hyatt, Marriot and Sofitel purely because of the Tripadvisor write ups (thank you all). Let me begin. If you are after a holiday where you simply eat, drink, sunbathe and sleep this is idyllic for you. If you need to be kept busy then I would say unless you are an avid diver, snorkeller or waterskier/wakeboarder then this resort will not suit you. The transfer - 40 mins by airconditioned coach through all I can describe as very big rocks! I would not waste your film. The hotel. Starting with the staff, very friendly and excellent service however like all Egyptians always looking for a tip (their salaries are very small and they all have to work 3 weeks on and 1 week off - Mohammed - they were all called Mohammed, seemed to be working from the AM when we got down to the pool and we were leaving him to carry on working once we left the bar!) Other holiday makers complained that additional items would appear on the bills when signing against the room rather than paying cash however this did not happen once with us. I suggest you simply keep note of what you order and check when you sign each bill. They are always happy to help and if you want exceptionally good service I would slip one waiter £20 on arrival and ask to be looked after, I swear he won't leave you alone all week - could be good - could be bad. The rooms - very high quality and clean, housekeeping very good, no stolen valuables - you get a small coded safe in the room FOC anyway. One thing that did irritate me was like with all hotels you get the note in the bathroom bliting on about preserving the most precious gift they have - Water - so you're asked to reuse towels or if they need changing leave them on the floor however every bl**dy day they are out sprinkling the grass trying to give the hotel some greeness, it is a desert and you don't see any greenery for miles! Alittle hippocritical really. The Gym - excellent The Spa - did not use but looked lovely and reasonably priced. Daily events - Aqua Gym - you have to watch for the comedy value, belly dancing lessons - same again - some people just have no rhythm, Volley ball on the beach, stretching yoga type class in Gym. The Food - Surprised me a little - very good, lots of it although I would go earlier rather than later. Deserts are the best - expect to put weight on. Overall it was a pleasant holiday the only thing I would say is be aware that on Weds & Thurs - alot and I mean alot of Israeli's drive over for their weekends. The hotel gets max'd out. They are too loud and I found them quite overwhelming and a little rude, once they go it all calms down again. I witnessed a group of lads in their late teens being really horrible verbally and making the Egyptian staff unnecessarily run around after them. I found that disgusting and ill mannered. I think the Egyptian staff handled it very calmly as if to say 'yeah we get this all the time' - no doubt if I was them I would be gobbing in their food out the back and also having a big smile on my face! Well that's all I can think of for now - overall it would be a good holiday and great value for money - we paid £390 for one week with breakfast and dinner - we only spent £70 each on lunch and soft drinks all day and night for 7 days. Others there who booked right before they left managed to get deals of £300 for 7 days half board.