Nubian Village & Island Hotel

We spent 1 week at the Island with our 3 children, aged 4 yrs, 18 months and 8 months, so this review is written based on the experiences a parent!
Lets start with the positives: very friendly and helpful staff, good variety of food, local drinks especially the wine and beer are very good.
Hotel is typically Egyptian and very big, the gardens are kept very well, close proximity to the beach.
Each pool has a pool side bar serving drinks and snacks, high chairs are available for younger kids.
We were upgraded to a bungalow, which if you have kids you WILL need and the rooms are cleaned every day.
Now for the not so good: you cannot exchange traveller cheques at reception.
There is only 1 bar open at night and it's up 2 flights of stairs from the reception, there is no lift.
There is no waiter service at the pool or beach, the kids club is ran by 2 Russian girls who's English is weak.
The evening entertainment is in Italian or Russian only. The mini bar in your room consists of 2 bottles of water.
It's $25 for a return taxi to Naama Bay (!!!), the shops at the hotel are a bit expensive and your room is not equipped with a kettle or tea/coffee.
We didn't expect everything to be perfect, is it ever, but we would go back to the Nubian Island but would wait until the kids are a bit older - it's not suitable for kids who still need a buggy or a pram.
It was nigh on impossible to properly sterilise the baby's bottles (we had to use Milton tabs and bottled water - tip - take a travel kettle).
We were SO careful with hygiene but despite this, the 3 kids and my wife have all returned with upset stomachs, so be prepared for this.
In all, we had a great holiday and our moans are not meant to sound as such, they are merely our take on where the Nubian could improve on, based on our perception with the kids in mind.

Just got back from 1 week holiday at the Nubian Village. We originally booked to stay at the Village but then was informed of building work, so changed to the Island, but after re thinking, we swapped back to the village.
When we arrived in Sharm, we were informed that our booking had not been changed so we had to stay one night in the Island, found the Island very nice but didn't like the look of the pools.
The Nubian Village we were very impressed with, staff very friendly, rooms and grounds spotless. Pools were absolutely freezing and we only managed to go in them once, if the hotel could improve on anything it would be to heat the pools.
Both my husband and myself got tummy bugs but I can't put it down to the food or drink because we were extremely careful of what we ate and drank. Doctor on the complex was nice and soon sorted us out with pills.
We went into Naama Bay, well what an experience... we were hassled from the moment we stepped off the bus till the moment we got back on it.
All in all Egypt is not for the faint hearted, I would recommend the Nubian Village to anyone, don't listen to all of the negative reviews because I feel that this hotel does not warrant them. We had a great time.

My partner and I travelled to the Nubian Village in October last year and had a great time. The weather was fantastic and the whole holiday exceeded our expectations.
I was slightly worried when we arrived at Sharm airport and the men outside wanted to carry your bags about 10 yards while putting their hand out for money.
We were advised not to tip them by the rep as they are not supposed to be there, although we thought it a nice thing to do to give them a few quid it didn't pay off as he still wanted more. I've learnt my lesson there!
Our room was big and the balcony was massive, a double bed would have been fantastic but we got by without it, the cleaner visited every day and was very friendly.
We tipped him every day as he was so kind and always left our room spotless.
I wasn't so keen on the food served in the main restaurant as there was not much variety for people like me who don't eat vegetables and it was very Italian based foods such as pasta dishes.
My partner loved it all and was up filling up the plate three times at least. I found that the smaller restaurant down at the beach made really good pizzas for a few pound so it was well worth it for me. I was there a few nights in the week.
The guys working in the hotel offering excursions were great (much better than the rep who never bothered turning up for the welcome meeting). We booked the quad trip which is a must and is a trip we will def be doing again in May when we go back.
The hotel is set right on the beach and has a jetty that's you can climb down off and into the sea were the variety of sea life is amazing, we saw turtles, rays and countless types of fish. We have bought an underwater digital camera for this year as the one we bought there in the Nubian shop was terrible and we got 2 pictures out of it.
I would recommend the Nubian Hotel for families as there is plenty to do for the kids but if you are a couple wanting to chill for a week, then playing bingo or doing aerobics wouldn't be your thing!
I am actually going back to Sharm in May this time for 2 weeks as 1 just isn't long enough but I have chosen the 5 star Oriental Hotel.

Having read some terrible reviews on the Internet about this hotel, after we had booked, it was with great trepidation that we arrived at the hotel.
First impressions were good, it was Christmas Eve and the hotel lobby was decorated beautifully.
Our bags were immediately taken to our bungalow which turned out to be lovely. There was a gala dinner and the selection of food was excellent, especially if you take into account they are catering for Russians, Italians and British.
The staff were great, our bungalow was cleaned every day and the bedding and towels changed also. Tipping is normal in Egypt but contrary to the warnings we read they do not all expect it and are very appreciative when you do tip.
We tipped the beach towel attendant 500le (£5) at the start of our holiday and every day he would put our towels out for us on our chosen sun loungers. We also tipped the cleaner the same amount and every day the towels were sculpted into the most amazing shapes, swans, flowers etc.
The pools were not heated so you had to b very brave to venture into them, the sea however never falls below 20 and is pleasant to swim in.
Do not walk on the coral, every day the beach attendants had to call people off it. It's a living thing and easily damaged. Walk along the jetty and look into the sea and you will see the most spectacular selection of sea life.

All in all a superb holiday. The hotel was 4* however as it's not anew hotel it probably looks more like a 3* however the service we received was certainly 4*.

As many of the more sensible comments indicate the hotel is what it is. It is not 5* Do you really expect 5 * in a country like Egypt? I certainly didn’t. It is an ideal winter sun break.
The hotel is fine, surprisingly clean. The room was OK, bathroom a little dodgy but any complaint and they were straight out sorting it. It is a 3rd world country after all folks. Grounds very nice indeed.
Beach was excellent but I really wish they would make more of an effort to protect the coral. People traipsing up and down at low tide doing god know’s what environmental damage. They need notices in every room and especially in Russian!!!
Get up early because as other authors have noted especially in winter the sun has gone by 4.00 ish and it was dark by 5.00. We had no problems with German style towel tactics, even though it was half term. You should know that this hotel unlike others in Sharm has lots of families and lots of kids. (Fine when mine were young, less so nowadays-- must be getting old)
Food was very good if a bit canteeny and beer perfectly acceptable if a bit gassy. Eat and drunk everything evens salad but no ice. Red wine fine. However spirits are absolutely disastrous. Take some duty free if you enjoy spirits. Had a bit of a dodgy tummy for a couple of days after we got back - probably the plane? My wife who is guaranteed to catch anything was fine.
Moans: Yes the entertainment is dire!!! Yes it’s an isolated resort and yes Naama bay is tacky. One specific moan was the last day. They couldn’t extend the room after 12.00 to facilitate our actual leaving time at 6.00pm. Having assured us that a shower facility was booked they proceeded to allow others in, making our last experience there rushed and very annoying.
Overall, keep an open mind, enjoy it for what it is, guaranteed sun 4.5 hours away in the bleak winter.

We have just returned from a week all inclusive holiday and could not fault a thing about the Nubian village. Spotless hotel, superb food plenty of choice, very friendly staff. Entertainment very good with plenty of activities throughout the day and night.
Tip staff with a couple of £1 coins also take Euro.
The only downside was upset stomachs with a vengeance! Take Imodium and anti-spasmodic tablets by the plenty. Surprised to find this lasted several days after we arrived home.
Would definitely stay at the Nubian again. Flights and transfers were also quick and efficient.

Can't understand why so many people have complained about this hotel I’ve got to say it's one of the best holidays I have ever had. We went to Nubian village at the beginning of October there was 6 of us in our party the youngest being 4 and the eldest mid 50's and we could not fault it. I have to take my hat off to Mido and Olga the animation/entertainment team they made our holiday complete.
In the other reviews you hear people complaining that everything is geared towards the Italians and Russians, but to be fair they are only catering for the guests they have and everything was repeated in English so you still knew what was going on. We even ended up singing along to the Italian songs just making the words up as you go along, makes it all that much more fun. Throughout the day and night there was always something going on and something that any age group could join in with we sure did and loved it. We even bought the hotel CD with a mixture of all different songs on just so that we could take the holiday home with us.
The rooms were extremely clean on arrival although we had no towels but we mentioned it to reception and they were there before we knew it. Rooms cleaned everyday with new towels and clean bedding, air con was a god send.
Main restaurant, waiters and staff very friendly and would do anything for you. Always a good selection of food we never went hungry that’s for sure. A lot of people have been saying that after staying at the Nubian village they all got upset stomachs. Personally I don't think this hotel is to blame for this because I know many people that have been to Egypt and they have all suffered, guess it's just something in the air.
The pool area was always clean and they was always cleaning the petals out of the pool that were falling of the flowers, even on our first night in the Nubian village there was staff in the pool cleaning the tiles with what looked like toothbrushes. Now how many times can you say you've seen that?
Was shocked at how clean the whole hotel was in general I don't think there was any one time that I didn't see 1 member walking around with a broom or a mop.
Very, very impressed with this hotel I would recommend it to anyone and would surely go back myself. We was all very sad to have to go home.

When we booked this holiday were told would be staying in Nubian village. When we got there they had no record of us and told us we must be in the hotel next door Nubian island said they get that a lot. When this happened we were expecting the worst as before we booked the holiday we had researched the hotel that we were told we were staying at. They were obviously linked. But still not the point.
We were however very luck to get an extremely good room right by the pool unlike some others on our flight in the same situation as us. Who were miles away in a maze.
However the rooms and the cleanliness cannot be faulted. We were told there would be entertainment none (at least not if you spoke English only Italian). Pretty boring unless you just want a holiday of total relaxation.
Also I am still trying to recover from a bug I picked up nearly 10 months ago as they cook with their own water which can not be drunk.

Hi, just returned from a week at the Nubian Village hotel, Sharm El Sheik. We were a family of four and opted for all inclusive for a week. As we stepped off the plane and on to the tarmac, I commented to my husband about the heat coming from the plane engines, but we soon realised that was the temperature at night! Had to buy a "visa" at the airport, £15 each. Don’t think you need to buy a visa if you don’t intend on leaving Sharm during your visit. Check up it may save you some dosh. Transfer time took about half an hour from the airport, as there are a few drop offs at the other hotels. The coach had air con, thank god, and an English speaking camp rep told you a few does and don’ts. Hotel looks lovely at night, it’s all lit up. There are barriers and security guards on the hotel entrance, giving a stark reminder of previous terrorist attacks. There are armed police and metal detectors at the doors. On first arriving at the hotel it appeared lovely. The decor is tasteful and impressive, marble and granite every where. It was well lit, lively and busy. There was music, kids dancing, people just chilling out, drinking and smoking. As we checked in, there was a welcome drink given to us at the desk, cheap yukkie orange juice, the kids winced. They took our luggage to the room, everyone expects a tip, be warned. They give you an info sheet to tell you meal times and hotel services etc. Got to the room eventually. It was basic, but clean with toiletries, towels, air-con and a fridge with 2 bottles of water. We had four single beds pushed together, 2 were camp beds, The mattresses are really hard, had a pressure sore on my *** by the end of the week! TIP - Take a plug with you for the bath. We had a balcony with a sea and pool view, that was beautiful. There wasn’t any food offered on arrival. When we asked, we were shown to the "lobby bar" for a snack. The snack consisted of a dried up pastry thing we weren’t very impressed, as the kids were hungry and they wouldn’t eat it. The food was geared up for the Italians. There was a good choice, but we felt it was cheap and bland, no taste wonders I’m, afraid. TIP - Make sure it’s cooked! One night the evening meal presentation was fantastic. There were beautiful food carvings by one of the chefs. The puddings are plentiful and fab. There is usually a scuffle at breakfast time for the coffee. It’s the Italians v the Brits! This consists of poorly laid out table are with a large thirsty queue. I did complain about this. The lobby bar serves cappuccino at 09.30 get your coffee fix there! The breakfast chef will cook you an omlette, fried eggs and pancakes fresh whilst you wait. There is always pasta and chips for the Brits at tea time and ketchup. Lots of chewy squid most nights and the roast fish was full of bones. On the whole, the food aint too bad I suppose. Mind you some Brits wouldn’t touch it! The complex its self is quite well kept, with flowers, lawns and fab cactus displays. The staff appeared helpful and friendly, probably hoping for a tip. We did do a few tips, but we didn’t receive any better service, unlike some reviews I had read. The swimming pools are large and the water is warm. The pool nearest the hotel attacks the Brits, whereas the pool nearest the sea is full of Italians. There is pool bar at each you can swim up to and get your all inclusive drinks, some times these were warm and flat. The guy at the pool bar is a pleasant. The sun beds around the pool present with the usual early morning challenge. My hubby got up at 7am most mornings to lay down our territorial towel, otherwise you were stuffed. Its that hot in the day its unbelievable, there was a welcome breeze from the sea. Use a high factor sun cream. Going back to the pools, both my kids and a few other Brits we spoke to had ear infections and deli belly. A few people complained that the pool was cloudy. We noticed a more concentrated effort to clean it after the complaint. They charged my hubby £16 for 2 blister packs to stop the runs and cramps. Prices are hyper inflated especially for you! One family paid £100 quid for antibiotics and another family pain £100 to have their young sons chin stitched after falling. Take a pharmacy and DR with you, its cheaper. If you fancy quad biking or camel riding in the desert, book through a really nice Egyptian guy called Martin from Royal Safari Tours. He walks around the pool and complex selling his tours. His trips are well organised, insured he tells us, great fun and informative. He's a lot cheaper than the reps! The quad biking is fab. It should come with a health warning, not for people with dodgy joints or any back and neck pain. Its extremely bumpy but brill. Went to a Bedouin tent on the camel ride excursion for food and drinks in the desert. This was a good night, but goodness its hot. Naama bay was disappointing. Its all new build and full of restaurants and shops aggressively selling either food or tat. Don’t be fooled, if they get you in their shop, god help you. They use hard sell and aggressive questioning if you don’t buy from them. We had to make a sharp exit form a carpet shop before I got lynched. Be careful about prices, accept you will get ripped off and you’ll be fine! If you want old Egyptian and culture, Sharm El Sheik AINT THE PLACE. Us Brits agreed its the new Benidorm. There are hotels being built all around. Its pure tourism run by men. The town of "Old Sharm" was built in 1984! We didn’t go, but we were advised not to by one Brit family whom met hostilities there. During the day, there isn’t a lot to do. Sit round the pool and fry, eat and drink but that gets boring, but the kids loved the pool. There aren’t any life guards. Safety aspects are quite lapse. We did snorkeling in the sea. The fish are amazing from the end of the jetty, if you can get past the Italians to look. TIP - Make sure you all wear rubber aqua shoes else you feet will be shredded when you step foot in the sea. The sea is so blue and warm and we never saw a cloud in the sky. They do trial dives in the pool where the Italians dominate at 11am. I turned up as arranged and no dive staff were interested so I didn’t bother. The night time entertainment leaves a lot to be desired. There’s a disco of sorts for the kids on occasion, which they loved. There’s a mock up Bedouin tent on the complex. They charge £6 per head and kids under 12 go free. They provide kebabs and belly dancing and give you a? Bedouin experience. Nearly all people that went said it was a load of rubbish basically. Again another money making escapade. Glad we only spent a week there, any longer wed have been tearing out hair out. On the whole it was good, but it depends on what you’re looking for in a holiday. We wouldn’t go back. Hope this aint been to boring and of some use to you. By the way, you can get free ice cream from the lobby bar and they put out a tray of chocolates at the about 5pm, so don’t miss out.

This was our first trip to Egypt and I have to say, I wouldn't go back to the country never mind to this hotel if I was offered an all expenses paid trip! When my partner and I first booked up, we read all the reviews and thought "Some people are never happy"! We are both v.positive people but I have to agree with all the negative comments. They are absolutely spot on! Before we set off we took down notes about what to do/where to go/their culture etc so we were prepared and we also took £50 worth of £1 coins for tips. Luggage: The minute we landed at the airport the Egyptian men were very forceful (we expected this but just not as bad) and were trying to make my partner take a trolley for a tip. We were told to say "La" to them - which means no but they wouldn't hear of it. They were pushing it in front of us shouting "You take, you take". My poor partner had sweat dripping down his face while trying to wheel 2 suitcases while struggling with these guys. They finally left us alone after much shoving about. Taxis: Trying to get a taxi to the hotel was just a nightmare. We literally set foot outside the airport and the drivers crowded round us and were all shouting for us to take a taxi and to give them money. We were told to avoid the blue and white one's and to try and get a limo but the B&W taxi's were the only one's about so I agreed to pay 5 English pounds (I was told this is how much it would cost to the Nubian and no more). My partner put our suitcases in the back and just as he did this, about 5 Egyptians came up and basically shut the door of the car and then each demanded a tip. My partner told them they weren't getting one when they hadn't done anything so they crowded round the car and started becoming aggressive. The leader of the group demanded £20 for the ride and at that point I just exploded and told my partner to get out. I asked to see a Medhotels Rep about getting on a transfer bus. By this time, the airport was emptying and we were left alone with these taxi drivers. I started to panic which is not like me! The Rep pointed us in the wrong direction of the transfer bus several times & then we finally found one. On my way to the bus, the leader of the taxi gang started following us and threatening me for not paying £20. I shouted back at him and told him to take a hike and he left me alone but as much I am not easily frightened, I was. We sat for nearly an hour at the airport waiting for the rest of the people to get on the bus but at least I felt safe and the bus was air conditioned - where as the B&W taxis are not. The transfer cost us £8 for the two of us. The Nubian Village is only 10 minutes ride from the airport but it took us another 1/2 hour to get there after dropping people off. Hotel: Our first impression of the hotel from the outside was lovely. The reception looks very grand and I thought things can only get better! We were given a welcome drink on arrival which I thought was delicious and then we were taken to a bungalow with a garden view. I gave the courier 15 Egyptian pounds for dropping off our luggage and he seemed very happy with this. Rooms: To start with, we were pleased with the villa. It was spacious and had air conditioning. The hotel is advertised as a 5 star but the reception and grounds are about a 4 and the rooms are around 2/3. This didn't bother us - we were happy as long as the room was clean. However, our bathroom wasn't nice at all. The shower cubicle was especially revolting. It was very dirty, the wall had cracks all over it, the shower didn't work properly - it was just trickles of water that came out and it was half hanging off the wall. There were beetles everywhere and the floor just looked filthy. Only one of the lights in our room worked and our fridge was broken and it kept falling forward. We just tried to get on with it and not complain...so we decided to get glammed up and head to the lobby bar. Drink: I was told to take Smirnoff as apparently their vodka is like turps. I gave it a try and I actually really liked it. My partner didn't mind their Stella either. He did keep burping because it was gassy but it wasn't too bad. :-) He said it was like Spanish beer. Entertainment: We were warned about the entertainment but we tried to join in and we enjoyed watching the kids singing. However, we did this for 3 nights and then it starts wearing thin. It is mainly aimed at the Italian guests. It would have drove me round the bend having to watch that every night! In saying that, the guy who plays the keyboard is really friendly and always acknowledged you when you passed. Rip off merchants: We went AI but after 12 you pay for your own drinks which was fine. As I had quite a few vodka's left over from the free bar, my partner went up to the bar 3 times to get himself a beer and each time with a 100 Egyptian note. He didn't have a clue how much 100 was so I was left in charge of that side of things. On the 3rd occasion, I noticed he came back with 20E and he said the guy had gave him that each time - meaning a bottle of beer was 80E - around £8. I thought that can't be right so I approached the bar and I found out that it had been the actual bar manager who had been serving my partner. I asked how much did a bottle cost and he said 17.50 E (around £1.50). I asked why had he then charged my partner 5 times as much AND on 3 occasions. He completely denied it so I asked to see his manager. The bar manager told me I had to speak to the reception area. By the time I reached there, he was already on the phone to his boss to cover his own back! I digged my heels in and showed him my change and eventually got all the money back but the bar manager grudgingly handed it back to me and said "You complain about less than 20 euros!!". Meanwhile the sweat was pouring off him. As my partner rightly pointed out, how many Egyptians do you know who sweat? I couldn't believe he said that so he knew exactly what he was doing! I said "I don’t care if it's 1 Euro! You are ripping people off and it is wrong". That was our first night and after that, he couldn't look me in the eye. After that, they tried to rip us off on a daily basis - from the paper boy, the reception, the internet guy, the bar guy (again!) and any taxis we got. We didn't think it would happen in a supposedly 5 star hotel but it did. We know it is a poor country but we were very generous with our tips and it made me sick that they'd do anything to get more money out of you. The only person who didn't was the beach boy and that was because we tipped him twice at the beginning of this week. I always stood my ground but it did start to wear me down. On our last day I asked to buy a bottle of red wine for a friend back home. If I had been drinking this in the hotel, it would be free but the bar man said 120 E (around £12). I said forget it so he said 100, I eventually gave him 90 but it was just another example of them trying to rip you off at every chance. Beach: I read the complaints about the beach but I have to say that I really liked it. I am not even a big beach fan (although my partner is) but I took two books and I enjoyed relaxing there. You had to be down early to get a sun lounger or you had no chance and that was really annoying because people were sometimes away all day and other people could have made use of them. One day we left our own beach towels for a few hours and when we returned someone had stolen them. The most irritating thing is the constant interruptions of people harassing you - trying to get you to go on excursions or buy papers/magazines etc. Saying no to them just doesn't sink in. They want to know why?! Eventually my partner suggested not looking them in the eye and that seemed to do the trick for a wee while. The paper guy tried to charge my partner 100E (about £10) for a Daily Mirror but he told him to sling his hook! Twice I got two papers and they were a fiver each and were flaming 2 days old! It is true that there is no beach bar. It would have made the world of difference because it is quite a walk back up to the pool bar and in 45 degrees heat, you felt like you were going to pass out when you reached the top! Pool: The towels were always down on the loungers really early so we never got a chance to sit by the pool. I thought this was really unfair. Food: My partner is a big pasta fan so he was quite happy with the food. I like spicy food myself and there was nothing like this at all. The pasta chef got to know my partner and always made special dishes for him so I can't really complain about the service. Me personally, I thought the lunch & dinner food was quite bland and most of the time I ate rice on its own. I loved my brekkie though because the pancake chef was very friendly and he would make any kind of eggs you requested and as I can live on eggs this made my brekkie enjoyable! The dining hall itself is like a canteen. It is def not 5 star, more like a 2 but is clean and I guess that's what really matters. The waiters work really hard and we got to know one of them who always got us a table. Illness: We both ended up with upset tummy's which lasted about 2 days. We expected it so we didn't let it get us down. I took Imodium but these did not help as they were not strong enough. My partner had to walk to the next hotel to buy us diahorrea tablets for £12 for 2 packets and they worked wonders. Excursions: The hotel is situated on a long strip with nothing outside of it so you can get very bored if you don’t go on any trips. We went camel riding which was hilarious. My partner's camel was like a donkey and was very temperamental. He he! We also went on the underwater submarine. Both were around £25 each per person but on both occasions they try to find a way to get more money out of you. On the camel trip, they wanted tips for the bus drivers, the people who walked the camels and even the rep! We were taken to a Bedouin tent and we were asked to tip them too and then they beg you to buy more stuff from them. During the submarine trip, the driver wanted money and on the boat they give you what you think is a free drink but then they come round wanting the money of you. They also try to sell you hats and a DVD of the trip. 3 of them harassed my partner for not buying it. They only left him alone when he said "Look! I just don’t want one OK?". We also paid for a snorkelling trip and we were told to be up at 7am for them to pick us up so we had an early night so we would be bright eyed and raring to go and they didn't collect us! My partner made sure we got our money back but we were very disappointed as it was our 2nd last day and the snorkelling only took place two days a week. Namma Bay: We were told to visit here because of the shops so we did on our 3rd night. The minute the taxi dropped us off, we couldn't walk an inch without guys harassing us to buy stuff. As I said, we were prepared for this but we didn't expect it to be so frightening. We both agreed we'd be firm with them but they would follow you, shouting in your face and waving their arms about because they seen it as being disrespectful if you walked by. I would've happily bought shoes and a bag if they just gave me a break and my partner wanted a pair of swimming shorts but you couldn't get a second to look at anything. It was just hassle, hassle, hassle! It was way too much!! A crowd of guys cornered us at one point and were shouting at my partner "Do not walk anyway from me when I'm talking to you" and the guys were making lewd comments towards me. We pushed them away from us but all along I kept thinking they were going to harm us. I also made sure I wore a long pair of shorts and a top which covered my shoulders etc but they would look you all over, make comments and stare. It freaked me out! Ugh! Eventually we went to Hard Rock Cafe, and it didn't take long for us to be seated. We enjoyed our meal but I wasn't looking forward to going back outside. I didn't even want to look about the shops because of what happened earlier. Some taxi tout in the street offered us a taxi back to the hotel and we followed him. I was apprehensive but I just wanted out of there. We agreed on 60 Egyptian pounds and the taxi driver seemed like a young, friendly guy. When we reached the hotel I also gave him a tip. At first he said "Hmm this isn't right". Of course he was trying to be sly but I said that’s what we agreed. He had the locks on and my partner said "let us out" and eventually he did. Cleaners: We noticed the hotel itself had fag butts and dead flies everywhere so we're not sure about the cleaners in there. But our own room cleaner was a called Ahmed and we tipped him 3 times during our stay. We thought he was a nice guy. He made a love heart out of our towels which was very pretty and we left him £3 every second day. However, on 3 occasions, I put the do not disturb sign on the door and he still let himself in. I tried to explain why I had put the sign up and that we were having a rest but he insisted on cleaning the room. I had to repeatedly tell him no thanks. We told him to come back tomorrow but he came back later that day. I believe they do this to ensure they get a tip. He knew what we were telling him but he wasn't listening. On the days you didn't leave a tip, they would hang about outside the villa until they saw you coming back after they cleaned the room and they would hand you one towel just so you would tip them. The day before we left he asked us for more money as he was leaving for Cairo. We had already paid him £9 so we said no. Creeps: I have never known a country so full of sleazy guys. From the minute we landed in Sharm, they would stare, make comments and try and come onto you at every opportunity. They even did it several times in front of my partner! I was told that they like fair skin and blonde hair but I never expected to feel so intimidated. I never once felt at ease during my full stay in Egypt because of the men. I once counted 6 Egyptian's guys coming up to me as I walked from the beach to my villa on my own. If I ever seen Sharm again, it will be too soon! Suffice to say, I couldn't wait to get home and was so happy to see Scotland again - even if it is wet & windy most of the time!