My Russian wife booked the trip to this hotel and based on all the reviews I read everywhere I expected the worst. But instead I had a very enjoyable stay.
Our room was 47114 on the second level of building 47. The room was clean, well maintained and had a safe. A lot of room, comfortable beds, free water in the mini-refrigerator, good toilet and bidet, very pleasant balcony and an excellent sea view towards the Tiran Island.
A spacious shower area, usually with a good stream of hot water. Only one time very early in the morning the system did not give hot water.
The advantage of our room was that it was only 2 minutes from a calm beach, 2 minutes from the Spa, 2 minutes from the fish restaurant, 5 minutes from the Coral restaurant, etc, etc. We never used the Taftaf cars.
The best thing about this hotel is the sea. The coral here is excellent and variated. Ideal for snorkling and diving. I spent hours looking at fish and swimming in the clean water. It was also easy to book a trip on a boat to dive/snorkle at three other locations for a day. (also a 2 min walk from our room). The pontons that you use to go into the water were of good quality. We never used the pools. With a sea like this you really don't want to, unless you have kids.
Our HB gave excess to three free restaurants and the main breakfast restaurant. The options are "International", "Fish" and "Egyptian". I was not impressed by the fish, but mainly because I only like Tuna and Salmon which are not local fish and expensive to import for a buffet restaurant. But there were other options for me while my wife and our friends enjoyed their fish.
The Egyptian restaurant was my favourite. Good kebab, many local vegetables and salads.
The international restaurant is standard stuff. Good enough but not so interesting for me. Breakfast was also served in this restaurant. A good selection of bread, egg, sausage, salad, pomodori etc. Nothing to complain about. Except maybe the juice in the morning, which is water with color. Also all restaurants have a great selection of deserts.
Not once was there a lack of cutlery. Empty plates were swiftly removed and the tables were clean. Hygiene was of a high standard everywhere.
In the evening good dance shows in the Arena, pleasant disco. Also during the day an animation team keeps you or your children busy with sports games, dancing, aerobics etc.
On the beach you can get massages for 30 dollars.
Yes, prices are high. Getting a cocktail, liquor, etc is expensive. Even beer is expensive. If I remember well, a Mojito is 65LE (about 12 dollar) and a non alcohol very tasty Tropicana 35LE (7 dollar). A bottle of cola bought from the bar on the beach was also 12 dollar. Prices in the hotel supermarket are a bit better.
Sure you can get better prices in Naama bay, and even better at the old market in the 7 Eleven supermarket, but the taxi ride there and back costs you 20 dollar. So you get a couple of bottles of cola for 2 dollar but pay 20 for the taxi. I bet other hotels are no different.
It is hard to get strong alcohol in the shops in Sharm, definitely not in any of the supermarkets (nor in the hotel itself). So bring some from the airport shop at arrivals or bring some from home. Wel all took some from home and mixed cocktails in our room to drink on the balcony in a nice relaxed close athmosphere.
Most of the staff was very friendly and helpful. We tipped our cleaner American style, and he made sure our room was cleaned when we went on the beach in the morning. He did a very good job. When I was sick I told him and the next days I was given extra hard needed toilet paper.
Also in the restaurant a table cleaner noticed my sick look and brought me water and asked me about my health.
Most others were friendly and helpful too. From security to street cleaners.
The reason why I got sick was not the food of the hotel, but a packet of juice that I bought in a supermarket. I was the only of our company who was sick and my wife became sick after she tried the same juice.
And Yes, this hotel is orientated towards Russians and Italians. It is bearable for English speaking guests, but if you want to talk a lot, be sure to talk Russian. The Russian guests were polite and behaved well. The only ones who irritated me where young Itialians.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC