Egypt for the first time

[johncolm]

Hi

Hoping to book for Egypt in November. Can anyone recommend resorts which will keep my non-diving wife, four year old and one year old happy (preferably all-inclusive)? Also, can anyone give any info on direct flights from Glasgow; I've only been able to find First Choice doing this.

Cheers!

John

[Eddie Clamp]

Hi

Hoping to book for Egypt in November. Can anyone recommend resorts which will keep my non-diving wife, four year old and one year old happy (preferably all-inclusive)? Also, can anyone give any info on direct flights from Glasgow; I've only been able to find First Choice doing this.
John

Can't help you with advice on flying from the far north but can point you to:
http://www.bsactravelclub.co.uk/reports/
where you should be able to find enough info on family friendly holidays (FF) in Egypt from divers (like me) who have bin there, sin it and got the T-shirt :) .

Eddie

[johncolm]

Cheers Eddie

Will take a look.


John

[Eddie Clamp]

Cheers Eddie

Will take a look.
John

You are welcome. I have a non diving spouse and grandchildren who are too young to travel and dive - at the moment! :rolleyes:

Eddie

[Alison Boler]

Hi John
I would recommend the Renaissance Golden View in Sharm. Lovely pools, good spa, big big family rooms, AI option, diving right off the beach if you want. We have a couple of trip reports on it. If not, maybe the Movenpick down in Naama which has/had an excellent children's programme as well as all the usual facilities.
AI is nice but....... Sharm has some really good restaurants and imho you are likely to get better food where it is being freshly prepared than where it has possibly been sitting about being picked over by hundreds of visiting Russians :) Just a thought...... The buffet at the Renaissance was fab btw.
Rather more up the price scale is the Ritz Carlton but the children's facilities are really good.

For packages look at Regaldive, Thomas Cook, Thomson, et al. For flights only check out www.travelrepublic.co.uk

All the best
Allie

[Steve in Sharm]

Hi John
I would recommend the Renaissance Golden View in Sharm. Lovely pools, good spa, big big family rooms, AI option, diving right off the beach if you want. We have a couple of trip reports on it. If not, maybe the Movenpick down in Naama which has/had an excellent children's programme as well as all the usual facilities.
AI is nice but....... Sharm has some really good restaurants and imho you are likely to get better food where it is being freshly prepared than where it has possibly been sitting about being picked over by hundreds of visiting Russians :) Just a thought...... The buffet at the Renaissance was fab btw.
Rather more up the price scale is the Ritz Carlton but the children's facilities are really good.

For packages look at Regaldive, Thomas Cook, Thomson, et al. For flights only check out www.travelrepublic.co.uk

All the best
Allie


Allie,

(edited out - wrong hotel)

Regards

Steve

[Diver@50]

My wife and I have been to the Hilton Nuweiba twice. All the dives are shore dives, and the house reef is stunning.

I found the dive staff to be very good on both occasions, and the hotel staff are exceptionally friendly.


There are lots and lots of day trips that can be done from there as well.

[sharkhunter]

If your going to Sharm El Sheikh (http://www.elite-diving.com/Sharm_El_Sheikh.htm) and looking for a good company to dive (http://www.elite-diving.com/intro_red_sea.htm) with that gives a more personal service, a mate of mine, Alun, has a dive company out there, Elite Diving (http://www.elite-diving.com/), and offers an excellent service.

For more info visit his website: http://www.elite-diving.com/

PS: If you do dive with him say Sharkhunter says hello. :)

[wearypanda]

I would vote for the Hyatt Regency. I have been there with my family four times and it rates as one of the best hotels I have stayed at anywhere. Great swimming pools, a lovely house reef (middle garden) with easy access via a floating pontoon and a good dive operation (Red Sea College) on site.

I would advise against doing full board. A short cab ride into Naama Bay and you can choose from loads of good places to eat at a fraction of the cost of eating in the hotel. Much more fun :-)

[janmal]

try explorers.co.uk as they have a good selection of diving deals and accomodation to suit ALL travellers.

Hilton is very good as well as Naama Bay.

[johncolm]

Thanks for the help guys; food for thought on the AI option! ;)

AI is probably our preferred option so that my wife doesn't have to think too hard about feeding the kids while I disappear diving!

Looking forward to the trip, any more suggestions welcome.

[Alison Boler]

John,
I would really advise that you go b&b or at the very most, half board. Egyptian hotels run a massive hot and cold breakfast buffet that allow you to "fill up" on everything from omelettes through sweet pastries. You may then not require a lunch. However, if you do, then they will also have a snack bar pool side which does burgers, pizza etc. You could go half board I suppose, but it would be a terrible shame to go AI or full board. Sharm is a great town to wander about at night, do a bit of shopping, sit in a sheeshah bar and watch the world walk by while you are having a coffee etc etc - the kids will love it. In Naama Bay you have everything from Planet Hollywood, McDs, pizza, Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern, Thai etcetc. And all very reasonable and good food. If you go AI, you will tend to stay in the hotel compound and never experience the main resort at all. I guarantee you that by the end of your holiday you will be so bored with the hotel buffet on AI that you will end up going out for dinners anyway.
People that get gyppy tum, generally eat at buffets. :) A slight generalisation but my view after nearly 30 years of visiting Egypt very often.
Hope you have a lovely time
Allie

[clyde]

My wife and I have been to the Hilton Nuweiba twice. All the dives are shore dives, and the house reef is stunning.

I found the dive staff to be very good on both occasions, and the hotel staff are exceptionally friendly.


There are lots and lots of day trips that can be done from there as well.
hi john me and my wife and kids went to the sonesta beach taba last year
all inclusive anice hotel with a dive school on site . i did my open water course
down the road at the hilton nuweiba. emperor divers have a school on site there. a fantastic hotel plenty for non divers to do .ie. quad biking camel safaris boat trips

[janmal]

Thanks for the help guys; food for thought on the AI option! ;)

AI is probably our preferred option so that my wife doesn't have to think too hard about feeding the kids while I disappear diving!

Looking forward to the trip, any more suggestions welcome.

i agree with Alison.
The first time we went (14 days) we booked half board.
We ate in the hotel 3 or 4 times only and it really was the same food each and every time.
there is so many other - BETTER - places to eat and it is all very cheap.
I had the best ever Steak in the roof at Camel bar, with salad and chips - huge portion for under £7! needless to say this is a fav haunt with us!
there are lovely chinese, pizza, italian, fish places to eat all at affordable prices. In fact, there are too many places to decide to eat!
i used to buy water, cans of coke, fresh milk, at one of the many supermarkets very cheaply and keep them in the fridge in our room.
i have only gone room only or B+B since and highly recommend the B+B as the buffet breakfast is usually very good.

only 3 pointers really:
1. i used to use my own fresh milk for cereals as i found they used a powder milk?
2. at the different hotels i stayed at, the fresh pastries dont have topping on. if there are any used the next day then they put some kind of topping on them,icing, chocolate, bittys,!!!
3. They charge you extra for FRESH juice but the other juices are included in the price.

[Diver@50]

I would definitely recommend AI, because then you can happily leave your wife and children in resort knowing that they can eat/drink when they want.

Also just because you are AI it DOESN'T mean that you CAN'T go out in the evening.

Personally I feel much happier knowing that my wife is on resort, and can get refreshments without having to worry about prices etc etc.

[Steve in Sharm]

I would definitely recommend AI, because then you can happily leave your wife and children in resort knowing that they can eat/drink when they want.

Also just because you are AI it DOESN'T mean that you CAN'T go out in the evening.

Personally I feel much happier knowing that my wife is on resort, and can get refreshments without having to worry about prices etc etc.

I'm with Ali,

(Just off to toilet - to stand in front of mirror and give myself damm good talking too :eek: )

What has not been said so far is that most Egyptian hotels that advertise AI are in fact not AI...... Yes you get 3 square meals in the main restuarant and free drinks etc till 22.00 but if you want "burger n chips" from the pool bar, or Vodka and Coke after 23.00hrs then get your wallet out matey :eek:

[Diver@50]

I guess most of this persons diving will be day dives. This is probably because he has a non diving wife and family. Therefore the AI option in my opinion is the way forward. His wife can get food as and where she wants, and drinks as well.

I accept the Egyptian AI is limited, how my non diving wife and I found that it worked perfectly for us.