"We have just returned from our fourth visit, and despite a slightly shaky start we had another fantastic holiday and are already excited to return next year for visit number five!
✈️ Arrival
Our flight was slightly delayed, so we didn’t arrive at the hotel until around 10pm. Unfortunately, the check-in experience wasn’t quite as warm as we had hoped. We had requested a twin room through easyJet, but were initially told that we had been allocated a double room and that nothing could be done that evening. We were also given a ‘Fun & Sun’ room rather than the room type we had booked. There wasn’t much of a welcome or any welcome drinks offered, which was a little disappointing. However, we returned to reception the following morning, when a different member of staff was on duty, and they arranged a room change for us. It took a little while to organise, but we were very pleased to eventually be moved into a Sultan Garden twin room, which was much more suitable.
🚕 Hotel Taxi
We used the taxi service based at the hotel for a trip to SOHO Square. It was expensive, but the service was good. They even provided us with a phone so that we could call them when we were ready to return, which was very convenient.
🏊♀️ Pool
We spent most of our time at the adults-only North 38 pool, which we absolutely love. A special mention to the lifeguard Mostafa Khalaf he is brilliant! So attentive, friendly and professional, and we always feel very well looked after when he is on duty. The pool waiter Amr Gamil as also fantastic. He remembered our orders and genuinely couldn’t do enough for us. The service around the pool really makes a difference. There were also plenty of sunbeds available, so thankfully there were no sunbed wars here! 😂☀️
🏖️ Beach
The beach is sandy and has two jetties, approximately 250m apart. There are lots of fish and other sea life to see, making it a fantastic spot for snorkelling.
We absolutely love it — the sea life is super! 🐠🐟
🤿 Eagle Diving Centre
The Eagle Diving Centre, located by the beach, deserves a huge mention. The whole team is fantastic. We did a shore dive from the jetty and, a few days later, went on a boat excursion to Tiran Island. We felt completely safe and well looked after throughout both experiences.
A massive thank you to Tommy, Achmed, Ali and all the boys — you were brilliant and made our diving experiences so enjoyable. 🤿💙
🍽️ Dining
A special thank you to Mohammed Said for the brilliant service throughout our week. He remembers us every time we visit and is always so lovely and attentive. Thank you, Mohammed!
The food in the main buffet restaurant was, as always, amazing, with plenty of choice.
We also ate at the à la carte restaurants Fleur De Lis and House of Spice. We had a lovely main course at Fleur De Lis, although we thought the starter and salad were just okay.
Unfortunately, House of Spice didn’t quite live up to our previous experience and we felt it wasn’t as good as it had been during our visit in May. That said, tastes are personal and we still enjoyed trying the different dining options.
🍹 Bars
Another big thank you to Ahmed Mandy and the bar waiter Amr Gamil for being so lovely and attentive throughout our stay. It’s these friendly faces and personal touches that make returning to a hotel feel special.
🌍 Guests & Entertainment
There were only a small number of British guests during our stay, with the majority being Russian, Kazakhstani, Uzbekistani and Egyptian. We did find that some guests had a different approach to manners and personal space compared with what we are used to in the UK, but this is simply part of experiencing a different mix of nationalities and cultures. The animation team and entertainment were also clearly tailored towards the majority of guests.
❤️ Overall
Despite the disappointing start to our stay, we had another wonderful holiday.
The things that keep bringing us back are the beautiful beach, incredible sea life, diving, fantastic pool service, friendly staff and the overall atmosphere of the resort.
We’ve now visited four times and we are already looking forward to returning next year for our fifth visit.
See you next year! ☀️🌴✈️"