Роза пустыни desert rose

Some time after arrival, I want to write a detailed and truthful review that will be useful to someone and can help in choosing. Because it’s also nice to read useful reviews. For those who are too lazy to read to the end, I’ll immediately say the hotel did not make a pleasant impression on me, however, the vaunted lagoon too. The hotel itself is not bad, but for the same money you can find better. Will I choose it again? - unlikely! Definitely not 5*. Solid 4 * without any pluses. The price of the hotel in our case was a bit overpriced…
So, I will try to be objective in my assessments (especially for those with small children).
Flight. Chose Transaero. Well, because it was always convenient and comfortable with them. But not at this time. On the way back, they simply forgot to feed the child with lunch, she gave her portion. Then I got baby food after everyone was served tea and coffee for the second time.

Hotel guides. There are three of them, Milad, Mukhamed, and I don’t remember the third one... I never saw him. Milad is better. I didn’t like Muhamed, I got the impression that when I arrived at the hotel I simply had to buy all the proposed excursions from him at 9.00 at the info cocktail and not a minute later. He persuades persistently and this immediately discourages the desire to go on any excursions at all. Otherwise, I tried not to contact them. Everything that was needed, found out herself at the reception. And about the departure and about the time and where the counter with information...
Desert Rose Hotel is located 10 km from Hurghada Airport. The territory of the hotel is really big, but to be honest it is very poorly planned and stupid. I got the impression that since 2001 they simply could not fully master it. The entrance, the reception building, the swimming pool next to it are pleasing to the eye, but further residential buildings, gardens and flower beds near the buildings, bars, the Olympic pool - no. There is a sense of desolation. The hotel area is not very green and the fact that the hotel area is decorated with palm and date groves is a complete lie. About the reading room, by the way, too, there is a shelf with forgotten books - yes. The paths in the hotel are filled with cement and lined with pebbles, in some places the cement has crumbled and the differences between the cells are very large - we stumbled several times, it was hard to carry the stroller. Shoes with heels and thin soles are not recommended. Even more barefoot. Broken tiles near the pools are also exchanged for pebbles and there are more and more such patches. When choosing this hotel, I was guided by the child (animation, playground, lagoon) and I wanted a building closer to the sea and the playground and on the first floor. At the reception, they immediately smiled at me and announced that my modest desire would cost $ 20, asked me to invest in my passport, the next girl said that it was not the first time she had put 10k in her passport at the hotel. (More than 15 people moved into the hotel with us and everyone wanted to stay in the 6000 building, it's easy to guess that the tip on that day was not bad) The suitcases were taken to the room on a golf cart.
The staff is almost all Russian-speaking - if you do not know English, and even more so Arabic, there will be no problems. 2 girls from Russia work at the reception. The staff is friendly, smiling and polite. Most importantly unobtrusive. They work - they try. I see. The main (about 68%) mass of tourists from Russia, (25%) - Ukraine, (5%) Belarus, (2%) - USA, Poland, Germany - and then they left.
The room is large and fairly clean, the furniture is a bit old, the walls are freshly painted. BUT, what surprised me in a 5 * hotel and the most sought-after building was that the safe did not work, the refrigerator did not work, the TV remote control was broken, the sink was clogged, the toilet did not flush at first, and then all 14 days murmured incessant water. They fixed everything - they replaced it quickly, except for the toilet bowl, they assured us that this was normal. The room was cleaned cleanly, nothing was done from the towels. We left tips every day. What is still strange for 5 * - they did not put shampoos, hand soap, shower caps, etc. never at all.

The food is average. There are few fruits, you will not find a variety of dishes, half-cooked vegetables and undercooked potatoes, pastries at first were only biscuits and puddings, then there was more choice. Chicken, fish, a couple of times in two weeks there was tuna on the grill, the children's menu (rice, pasta, potatoes - all without spices, without salt and without changes throughout the rest) did not please me or the child. The child generally ate almost nothing, although in other hotels this was not noticed behind him. He ate only bread, potatoes and pasta from the common table. Everything else is as usual, you won't leave hungry. Breakfast, lunch on the beach, lunch (miniburgers and fries), late lunch in a cafe (pasta and pizza or shawarma in a tortilla), dinner, late dinner (I never caught it, so I saw what they give). Of the drinks, I drank only beer (it was tasty sometimes....And sometimes non-alcoholic, probably) Jupi, fanta, cola. I didn't try the wine, but they said it was ok. There was also Auzo in the bar, such as Turkish raki or sambuca only without sugar - I recommend it to lovers. Without your knowledge, it is not possible to dilute it; when you add water, it immediately becomes cloudy. They make cocktails - yupi or soda, syrup, alcohol of your choice. The child drank hibiscus (I brewed and then added ice) and milk.
Beach. What is called the pride of the hotel is a completely closed lagoon (nets are stretched), the open sea is almost invisible. Sand and small pebbles with shells, good shoes are required for children. There are few jellyfish, fish too, no hedgehogs. Everything that enters the lagoon from the outside is caught and thrown back. Depth doesn't start right away. In general, this lagoon is more like a small lake with salt water. Outside the lagoon with corals, it’s hard to swim away, or swim near the pier (but there’s not much to look at), the entrance is not very good, you need shoes. On the left there is a sandy beach. To the right of the lagoon are large stones. The beach itself, the one inside the lagoon is watered, from which the sand between the sunbeds is compressed and feels like asphalt to the touch. Why they do it, I don't understand. Yes, with a stroller you can drive straight to the water's edge, the wheels don't get stuck, but you can't drip, it's unpleasant and hot to walk barefoot. The child fell a couple of times when running and tore his nose and knee on the "beach sand". The beach is perfectly clean. It is practically “sweeping” all day long. The water in the lagoon warms up very poorly, it is warmer in the sea. If the winds blow, then it is quite cold to swim (we were in April). The last two days the child refused to enter the water. I did not like the lagoon, there is no feeling that I was resting on the sea. Although everything is amateur...
The water park is on the territory from 10-12.00 and from 15-17.00 - 6 slides, 2 levels. Rode a few times. The child liked it, and so did I. But quickly bored. For older children, a great alternative to the kids club. There are two more slides (completely for children) in the pool closer to the lagoon, where the child swam himself, they work all day. The depth of the pool is 60 cm. Watch out for children in the pool, you can cut your feet on the edges of the tiles. It is not chipped, just the seams are poorly worn. We swam in crocs and my legs were intact and I was calm.
The animation is very weak. In the morning, only an hour and a half from 10.30 to 12.00 - exercises, water aerobics, boccia and volleyball. Volleyball after lunch, mini disco in the evening (beginning at 20.30 local time at 22.30 Moscow time) every day we tried to live up to this disco and fell asleep without waiting. During the day, the child was tired and fell asleep instantly. At 21.00 program for adults. Performance cycle 2 weeks (Miss hotel, best couple, fire show, etc. ) Animation team (Russia and Ukraine) 5 people and 1 children's animator - she is also a paid nanny for 10 dollars per hour. Every day everything was the same, just some kind of "Groundhog Day". All two weeks, every morning I listened to the same music and the same words of greeting and calls. The guys were led by Mr. Sam (who came up with the rules for the animators, turning the rest into Groundhog Day). The playground is stupid and not interesting. She looks much better in the photos. Kids Club - just tears. There are no toys, almost no furniture, the one that is old, old TV, and dull and shabby walls. Older children call the kids club a barn and do not go into it. Children's animator for 4-7 year olds. The rest are not interested. And, here's what, the children were given free ice cream from 15.30 to 16.30. BUT (! ) You could get it only if you had a child, and you had to go to the bar through half the hotel. An animator took older children there, and we were in flight, because it was difficult and hot for us to get there with a small child, and no ice cream without a child...

The infrastructure outside the territory is weak, a number of shops and that's it. You have to bargain all the way, a children's dress offered for $ 25 or a T-shirt for $ 15 costs no more than 4. And handmade rhinestones and embroidery do not cost more than 5. You can take a taxi ($ 10) or take a minibus for 2 pounds to the center of Hurghada ( drive 25 minutes), but there is NOTHING to do there at all dust, dirt, construction is everywhere and asphalt is being shifted on the main street. I couldn’t even buy fruit… from the hotel for $1 (if you bargain) for a maximum of $2 (no longer worth it) you can get to SENZO mall. This is a European shopping center (all brands are represented) and a supermarket. There I bought juices, dates, fruits, porridge, diapers, baby wipes and sweets. The prices are acceptable. There's a bank there. The promised exchange office was not on the territory of the hotel. And if you walk from the hotel to the right after 200 meters, the Cleopatra Bazaar store has pleasant, fixed prices and everything. For example, oils from 0.5 pounds to 2.5, i. e. from 3 to 15 rubles per ml. Souvenirs within 30-60 rubles. Bargaining is not appropriate, and is not needed. On the territory of the hotel shopping center Horus - prices are 2.5 times higher than on the street. They are inferior in price badly, but they try to convince that the quality of the goods is excellent. This is not true. Everywhere everything is the same.
Excursions were taken not from guides, but on the territory of the hotel (paradise island 30 USD and a glass bottom boat 20 USD - 2 hours) 30-40 minutes earlier. They are fed on a yacht for a C grade. The rest is ok. For hotel guides, as past practice has shown, everything is about the same only more expensive.
Internet is available at the reception - paid. 4 computers, 1 did not work, all with webcams and Skype installed. As compensation, we were given 30 minutes a day for free because we got into repairs. But we didn't really use it.
In general, the rest was not bad, the staff tried to please, the weather was good, the vacationers were friendly. By the way, a lot of money has been invested in repairs (the chessboard is now made of marble) there are such giant chess pieces there. The main restaurant is freshly painted. Showers near the pool are lined with new tiles, everything is tinted, trimmed, watered, reconstructed. And since the situation with food has improved by departure, there is hope that the hotel will become much better. If you have already bought it, do not be discouraged, your vacation will not be spoiled. If you haven't bought it yet, check out the alternative. Thank you for reading to the end : ) Good luck with your choice and have a good rest!