Reef Oasis Beach Resort

Just come back from the Reef Oasis and it was the worst holiday I have ever had. Yes the Italians were very, very rude (other nationalities lovely). It seems that they 'own' the resort that is why they get the preferential treatment (this is apparently a quote from the Manager). The Italians do not know what a queue is, the Italian staff made rude gestures behind our backs when we declined a game of beach volleyball after calling us lazy and there was no attempt to put on any show in English or indeed try and explain some of the very strange things that they did (e.g. old men in pink lycra and tutus on the beach). Some people we had met had been turned away from the Italian theatre because they were English.
This attitude seems to have rubbed off on the Egyptian staff too. We found very few who were not rude, and they wanted money for everything (even to the extent of not allowing us to have sun beds because they had saved them for people who had paid them to do so and who did not turn up till midday. All the Egyptian staff were male and (it seemed) did not like the fact that women would go to the bar and order beer etc.
We were advised by the Thomas Cook rep that the water in the dispensers was ok to drink, but once we had stayed off it for a few days and bought bottled water at 20 pence from the supermarket our Egyptian tummies went away (make of that what you will - but we did see bottles that were clearly not new being poured into the dispensers. So its up to you if you want to drink the water.
One bar (think it was the Rama bar) was where a German team of young people kept the holidaymakers entertained and they were fantastic. Every announcement was translated into English and we were made to feel as welcome as the German guests.
The food was good, but yeah, sometimes it wasn’t too hot and if you wanted a fresh pizza or fresh omelette for breakfast then you had to queue for up to 10 minutes. But in general I liked the food. The beer was sometimes warm and they often ran out of glasses plus you had to prove you were with a big group if you ordered more than 2 glasses of beer. The local spirits gave me a headache.
The sea was lovely and clear and even if you didn’t like snorkelling then you could still see some wonderful fish, stingrays etc from the jetty.
There were some shops in the complex but I would have to say don’t shop there. They were very expensive, my friend bought a snorkel and goggles for £13.00, and it was £6.00 in the supermarket 5 minutes out of the hotel. And yes he did haggle.
My advice, don’t go, pick another hotel, we met people at the airport who said it was the best place they’ve ever been, and they were basically in the hotel next door.

My new wife and I have just come from The Reef Oasis after spending our honeymoon there. Don’t listen to any of the few bad reports about this place its amazing. Both my wife and I have been all over the world on both short and long haul holidays and we have both said that this is the one and only time that we are going to go back to the same resort again.
Yes there are quite a few Italians, but they are not rude and there are also Germans but both nationalities made us both welcome. The food is good and the staff can’t do enough for you. A tip I was given is tip one of the waiters in the bar or restaurant that you go in at the beginning of your holiday and they will look after you for the rest of your holiday, and I don’t mean a fortune just a few quid.
The whole resort is very good as are the rooms. Yes, maybe not 5 star standard but do you go on a holiday to stop in your room? You can have massages buy the pool (£10) for 1 hour and all the entertainment that you could ask for. The entertainment on a night is yes first in Italian but then they translate it in to English. If you want to go to a place where it is red hot all year round and where the people are not that nice all the time go to the canaries otherwise go to the REEF OASIS.
Paul Huskins

Having just spent a week at the Reef Oasis hotel, if anybody is thinking of going there don’t bother, save your money. The first room that we were put into room 608, was next door but one to the 'Italian Restaurant' which meant noise, not just when the restaurant was open but all night as the generator hummed loudly, making sleeping very difficult.
We finally got a room move to room 460, at a cost of an extra 20 euros per person per night, this room was quiet. Wardrobe door was hanging off, cracked tiles outside the apartment and in the bathroom, bathroom flooded when we showered etc etc. The only plus so far was that we were next to a pool, but the next day the workmen moved in. There were building works going on at the front of the hotel, round our nearest pool, opposite the main restaurant and they were re-laying some of the paving, leaving bits of broken tile for you to stumble over at night. And by the look of it the work is set to continue for a while.
And as for the food, I think I lost weight on this 'all inclusive' holiday, very limited and mostly lukewarm mundane fare. Drinks are served by the glass only, you get a free bottle when you check in, but any other bottles you want you have to pay for, which means at night you either walk to the nearest bar for a glass of water (well, plastic cup) or go to the local supermarket and stock up. All the entertainment is aimed at the Italian guests - I could go on and on. Would I recommend this hotel - what do you think?

I went with my family to the Reef Oasis Beach resort in the Easter half term for two weeks. After reading the other reviews I was a little worried about going but it was BRILLIANT!
Although entertainment was aimed at the Italians there is an international club who are at the Colombo pool which is close to the beach.
The snorkelling was amazing and everyone was so friendly.
Sometimes the food got a little repetitive it was always hot and plenty of it
I would definitely recommend it to anyone!

We enjoyed our 2 week stay at the Reef Oasis, mainly due to the perfect weather conditions and friendly local Egyptian staff plus we believe a holiday is what you make of it.
However we do question the 5 star rating, as in the past we have had better 4 star (all inclusive) resorts.
The facilities and rooms are of a good standard as is the food, and the overall cleanliness is superb.
We agree with the overall general comments with regards to the majority of Italian guests being rude and ignorant to other guests.
The resort has a coloured wristband policy, White for Italian, Blue for UK, Green for German/Dutch etc, it was obvious that a white wristband received quicker and better treatment than others, most non Italian guests would turn the wristband inside out to appear white. This matter of equality was brought to the attention of the management whilst we were there and they said they "will look into the matter".
Lastly do not ask mainland Europeans how much they paid for the same holiday, it will break your heart to find out that they pay roughly half the amount we do from the UK.
We would like to go again but we are looking at how to book from somewhere like Holland or Germany.

As a party of six we have just returned from a most enjoyable holiday at this excellent resort. Contrary to some reviews, we rate the Reef Oasis as having 5 star service and good 3 star food. With exception of cold scrambled egg one morning, the food was hot. Quality and variety, especially in the main restaurant, was excellent. Other Brits we spoke to, who read reviews, were surprised and delighted with accommodation and food. Bedrooms were spacious and clean. There seemed to be an army of staff who kept the gardens and pool areas spotless.
5 star treatment – porterage on arrival and departure – bed sheets changed every day and fresh flowers + an artistic towel arrangement in the shape of a swan left on the bed – pool attendant places a mattress and your hotel beach towel on your sunbed every morning and brings you chilled drinking water. (the water was safe as no one had a tummy upset). A smile, a please, and a thank you goes a long way. With or without a tip the staff were the most friendly and helpful we have encountered.
Being one of the ‘less mobile’, I was probably more apprehensive having read about the steps and ramps. I need not have worried. Any time I wanted to go to the beach I was taken by buggy. When I wanted to return, I `phoned from the beach bar which also provided delicious pizzas, cold beer and soft drinks. There was no shortage of sunbeds at any time either on the beach or around the pools. The pools were cold, except one heated, but we came to Sharm for the Red Sea and the snorkelling was marvellous.

Only downside to the holiday was:- 1. Organised chaos at Sharm airport. 2. Rude and noisy Italians. 3. Local spirits not drinkable.

We will certainly be back to the Reef Oasis.

Was feeling apprehensive after reading some of the reviews but were generally pleased with the holiday. Accommodation was excellent, cleaned everyday, if you tip the room boy you get good service! Several pools, only 1 heated which was so warm it felt like you were getting into a hot bath.
The grill restaurant was the best one (overlooking the sea) for breakfast and dinner and the beach bar was good for lunch. On occasions the food could have been hotter but generally was o.k. They opened a new pizza/pasta restaurant when we were there but the pizzas weren’t that great.
If you get chance go down to Naama Bay (£4.00 in taxi), very busy but plenty of places to shop or eat & drink. Also the place to get the glass bottom boat to watch the fish (£4.00 as opposed to £30.00 in the submarine).
All in all a good holiday. It was getting very warm so just need a cardi for evening not a jacket. All staff expect tips but will get better service if you do so. Entertainment was in Italian but was good fun watching the dancing in the evening and down on the beach! You soon start to get the hang of the dancing and eventually join in.

After reading the reviews before we left we were rather worried but when we got there we were very happy with the hotel. The rooms were big enough and very clean the cleaners came in every day and cleaned our room thoroughly. All staff do expect tips but if you are pleasant and tip them they will look after you.
The main restaurant is a bit like a cattle market so it is best to go to the grill restaurant which is on the way to the beach as it is much quieter and the waiters look after you more. There were occasions within the week when some of the food was a little cold but it was only if you waited until very late on and was mostly because people left open the dishes which the food were in.
The hotel does cater for the Italians but I don’t think this would be different in any of the other hotels in Sharm.
The comments about how cold it is at night in February are true don’t just take a cardigan, take a warm jacket!
We had a great holiday and would definitely go back to the hotel if we returned to Sharm.

On arrival I was really impressed with the Hotel, and cannot complain about our room which was lovely.
After only being here 36 Hrs we both went down with the dreaded S&D, the food in the main restaurant and the Grill we found cold or luke warm. The only hot food is a pizza as they cook them as you wait or a omelette in the morning or a burger lunchtime on the beach the rest of the food I can only say we thought was ****! But then its no fun eating cold food.
The other main issue here is the drinks the beer is the only thing we thought tasted okay the local drinks all tasted like moonshine just different flavour added, you also have the rules over one bar serves beer one other serves wine and again you cannot order round of drinks unless you keep queuing up.
All entertainment is in Italian they really are not ready for the English here.
We found the staff very nice and helpful but this hotel does not cut it as a 5 star, I was surprised to be told by Thomson we were the first to lodge a complaint against the standard of food and drink.
The Coral Reef really is amazing but anyone going there now you do need a jumper in the evening, and the trip into Nama Bay cost 30 Egypt pounds £3.00

This was our third visit to Sharm El Sheikh and both hotels in the past have been very good, but unfortunately not this one.
Having looked through some of these reviews, I agree with alot of what they say.
Firstly, we were not overly impressed with the standard of the room, quite basic for a ‘five star hotel’. On returning to our room after a day on the beach, we found that the room had been made up and the bathroom with fresh towels, but the floor had not been cleaned and there was no toilet roll anywhere in sight!
The restaurants were full of rude Italians who were obviously forced to come on holiday as they looked sooooooo miserable, and seem to have no manners to mankind at all. The staff seemed quite miserable but once they knew you could say please and thank you and smile, they were really nice!!! If you have a sweet tooth, then stick to fruit as the desserts were disappointing, seemingly stale cake, just covered in different toppings to disguise it!!
Although the brochure states a few restaurants, the fish restaurant is not included in the All Inclusive, and the small pasta restaurant did not look very appetizing. So it was basically a choice of 2. In the grill restaurant, there is a lovely polite pizza man who makes a fresh wicked pizza.
On a terrace overlooking the sea, there is a superb ‘chill out’ area, which includes 3 warm Jacuzzis with massaging jets, and a clear notice at the entrance forbidding children under the age of 12. Well, all we can say is that the Italian children sure look old for their ages. Each day, whilst trying to relax in the beautiful location, we were dive bombed, splashed and crowded by lots of children (clearly under the age of 12) accompanied by the parents who thought it was funny to wear the mask and snorkel in the Jacuzzi!!!
The main bar near the reception does not sell wine and you have to queue for your drinks, as well as queuing to get into the restaurants!
The beach however, is very nice with a beautiful reef to explore the many colourful fish.
The entertainment, however, on the beach is something to be desired. Each day, at regular intervals, the Italian with the microphone, starts up with the ‘beach games’ beginning with the ‘Club song and dance’.
All the theatre entertainment is in Italian but might be worth a watch if you really have nothing better to do!!
We ‘escaped’ for the night into Naama Bay and sat down together in a quiet intimate restaurant!!
All in all, I would not recommend this hotel, unless you find the need to be entertained every minute of the day, like queuing up for your food, and sometimes having to share your dinner table with others you don’t know.
I would recommend the Laguna Vista which is a five star in Sharm el Sheikh with nice big rooms, a funky cave bar, good food and lots of variety.
The weather in early Feb was lovely during the day, but take something for the evenings as the temperature does drop quite rapidly.
On summing up, I would say the Reef oasis resort resembled a slightly upmarket Butlins.