Your rating of this hotel:
6.0
from 10
Hotel ratings by criteria:
Rooms:
4.0
Service:
7.0
Cleanliness:
7.0
Food:
7.0
Amenities:
9.0
My husband and I rested at the Marina Sharm Hotel (ex. Helnan Marina) in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Naama Bay area. This is our first holiday in Egypt. I chose the hotel according to several criteria: 1) the winds are already starting in Egypt in November, so the choice fell on Sharm, not Hurghada, Naama Bay, for the same reason, was advised by the travel agent from whom we bought the tour; 2) I needed a good sandy beach and a gentle entrance to the sea (fish and corals were not the goal), since I do not swim; 3) a work colleague with her husband rested in this hotel in September and were very pleased with the rest.
FLIGHT and AIRPORT. We flew from Minsk, Belarus, on a Belavia aircraft. Fly 4 hours: 17.55 - 21.55 (in Egypt, an hour less, i. e. , according to local time, we arrived at 20.55). Since the evening flight on board the plane we were fed with dinner: a choice of chicken with potatoes and beef with pasta, lettuce, tomatoes, cream cheese, bun, marshmallow, tea / coffee, juice / water.
Upon arrival at Sharm el-Sheikh airport, you first go to the counters of the host travel agencies - we had Anextur, where they give you to fill out an emigration card and clarify the need for a visa. We did not intend to go on an excursion to Cairo or outside of Egypt, so we indicated “only Sinai” on the map. Then, with the completed cards, you go to passport control, after - for the suitcases.
At the exit from the airport building there are several counters with local mobile operators, from which you can buy a SIM card with the Internet. I bought vodafone 20 gb for 13 usd (10 gb - 10 usd) - the seller helps with a SIM card and connection - but in fact I got 10 gb - I didn’t check right away, as it turned out, in vain: either they gave the wrong SIM card, or they fooled . It was the first puncture of our holiday. The second puncture ran parallel to the first: if you left the airport building upon arrival, for example, to smoke, then you won’t come back.
And the security service is absolutely not interested in the fact that you have a child left inside, luggage or a wife with a suitcase who buys a SIM card)))
MEETING. When you leave the airport, you are met by travel agency employees and directed to the bus, which should take you to the hotel. We were met by Anextur. The bus we took to the hotel was nasty: old, small, smelly, suitcases passed through the window. In contrast to the bus, the guide that accompanied us to the hotel was very friendly, gave some useful and interesting information, but deceived. I repeat, we arrived at 20.55, with all airport affairs on the bus, we were after 22.00 (dinner in hotels is mainly from 19 to 21). The guide said that he had agreed with the hotel administration about dinner: according to him, they had to give out either a “dry ration” or bring dinner upon check-in - nothing of the sort happened. And this is the fourth fake of our holiday (the third one is a bus).
ACCOMMODATION and ROOM.
The Marina Sharm Hotel met us with a chic lobby and a friendly business administrator at the reception. We were given a questionnaire to fill out, asked for the first part of the voucher and put on the hotel bracelets. We had a "standard garden view" number on our ticket. We were given room 205 on the second floor. This is a room without a balcony. I asked if it was possible to have a higher room, so that there was a balcony or at least a partition outside the window (you can dry swimsuits and towels), the administrator said “20 usd per day of stay” - we refused. Although a colleague said that they were offered to change the number for only 10 usd. Well, perhaps we were not so attractive)) We were given two cards for the room and two cards for beach towels, the administrator called the bell boy (porter), but the husband refused - we had one small suitcase and a bag with winter jackets.
The room turned out to be small, but cozy with everything you need: there was a kettle, a bottle of water 0.
5 l, 2 Neskafe instant coffee bags, 2 tea bags, sugar, 2 wet wipes, 2 mugs, 2 glasses, small refrigerator, chair, table, small armchair, large double bed (very comfortable! ), bedside tables and sconces, mirror and a TV, a built-in wardrobe, things in which it was difficult to hang things, because the door opened very clumsily and the hangers were not removed. There was a safe in the closet - we didn't use it. All furniture, except for the bed, is old. There were also napkins and mini-bar prices on the table (we didn’t have a mini-bar, but there was a price tag). Air conditioning was also present in the room. The bathroom is very, very small, it would not hurt to fix the tiles in the shower cubicle, occasionally it smelled of sewerage.
CLEANING AND WATER. The room was cleaned every day: towels, bed linen were changed, a bottle of water 0.5 l was left, shampoo and shower gel for each person. Water 0.
5 liters for 2 people is not enough for drinking and brushing teeth, so after meeting with the guide we went to the Corfur store and bought a 6 liter bottle for 15 Egyptian pounds (about 1 usd).
HOTEL RESTAURANT. The restaurant is spacious. The food is varied and delicious. You can find something for yourself. Salads and sauces, buns and sweets. From seafood only fish: either fried or grilled. Every day for lunch and dinner, chicken and beef were offered in different forms. Tea bags black and green, hibiscus. Juice is yuppie/cevita. Coffee from the machine. For lunch and dinner soups, milk porridge, muesli. Pasta, rice, potatoes, grilled vegetables. The chef went outside at every meal. The dining room staff was always friendly and willing to help.
HOTEL BEACH and SEA. The beach is sandy and quite spacious. There are enough sun loungers for everyone: you can on the beach, you can by the pools. The entrance to the sea is gentle, there are some pebbles, the bottom is clean - corals (special shoes) are not needed. The water in the sea is clean and transparent, the bottom is clearly visible.
The shallow area is fenced with buoys. Who wants to look at the fish with a mask or swim at a depth, you can swim behind the buoys, you can also dive from the pontoon, but you should be careful because of the parked boats and boats with a parachute (25 usd for a flight for two), a tablet (15 usd for two ), banana. For lovers of snorkeling, this hotel is not suitable, because there is no coral reef and, accordingly, there are not many beautiful fish.
ANIMATORS and SHOW PROGRAMS. A big plus for the hotel and the maximum rating is brought by the animation team: Amir, Dana, Irina. Well done guys! Incendiary dances, cheerful beach games, pleasant conversations. For me, aquagym with them is one love! In the evenings in the hotel garden at 20.30 there is a mini disco for children, and at 21.00 shows for adults. Programs alternate: something Egyptian and competitive. From competitions, for example, there were Mr. and Miss hotel, from the show - fireshow, folklore evening, belly dance.
Late in the evening you can go with the animators to a disco in one of the Sharma clubs: 10 usd (entrance + 1 cocktail) within the bay, 15-20 usd in other bays, for example, in Nabq.
GRILL RESTAURANT on the beach of Marina Sharm Hotel. Each guest of the hotel, who rests according to the All inclusive system, can once for free go to the grill restaurant for dinner and spend a romantic evening by candlelight. This is not mentioned either during check-in or during the meeting with the guide. I found out by chance: I was sitting at a table on the beach and reading how the owner of the restaurant Gamal, pleasant and polite, approached me and told me about this opportunity. Dinner is very tasty. Portions are big. Vegetable salad with different sauces, several types of bread, pasta or lentil soup, stewed beans, for hot we took a meat mix (grilled chicken, kebab, liver), garnish - rice and potatoes, assorted fresh fruits for dessert. Drinks such as your type of food in the hotel (hard, soft all). The evening turned out to be atmospheric and unforgettable.
EXCURSIONS from ANEXTUR. The meeting with the guide was scheduled for the next day of arrival. Our guide's name was Mahmoud Youssef, cheerful and pleasant to talk to. Knows a lot of things from Chukovsky)))
- Overview of the city. The price of the tour is 5 usd per person. As Mahmoud said, it used to be free, but people signed up, but did not go out, so they made it paid. This tour is our 5th stopover. The time was set for 9:00. At first we waited outside in the morning sun, then we returned to the hotel for tea, and just at that time the bus arrived. It was 9.25. Accompanying tour guide with a collision "where we go" did not even apologize for being late. The first point of the tour was the sculpture "Sign of Peace". We were given 10 minutes to walk around and take pictures. The second point is the El Salam Mosque mosque and 15 minutes for a walk. You cannot enter inside the mosque. The third point is Hollywood Park, which was given 1 hour 15 minutes and there is nothing to do. We were told "this is an entertainment complex-amusement park. " Haha.
More like an unfinished abandoned hotel. We were during the day. Perhaps if we had arrived in the evening, the impressions would have been different, but there is, as it is. Cardboard figures of stars and iron sculptures of monsters, a hodgepodge of Greek mythology and marine themes. Two huge waterless pools, but we were assured that there was a singing fountain show.
Everything can be, but, several times passing by the complex in the evening, we did not notice a show program or any life there. A small table where you can buy water or beer for 2 usd. There was no information content (something from the history of Egypt, culture, lifestyle). But! Throughout the entire route (almost as soon as we left the hotel), a wonderful woman guide told us about Egyptian oils and their miraculous power, and here's why: after Hollywood Park, we were taken to an oil and cotton store with a large Anextur sign on the roof of the building.
At first there was a lecture on oils that are indispensable to everyone and everyone, then they were taken to the trading floors where one could buy these same oils. Part of the bus listened and bought with pleasure, part (large) was indignant, because money was not paid for oil shopping and half of the sunny vacation day was spent (it gets dark in November around 17.00). There were also those who called a taxi and left this underexcursion. Oil was spent about 1.5 hours. When we were allowed to get on the bus, the guide said that according to the program we also had a shop with sweets. Notice, not a cultural attraction or iconic place, but a store. But the whole bus wanted us to be taken to the hotels, which was done.
- Sea walk "Mermaid". The price is 75 usd per person. There were no mistakes with the meeting and the bus for the tour arrived on time. We were driven around the hotels for about 40 minutes, collecting tourists, and taken to the port.
"Mermaid" is a large four-deck boat, on which the inscription Liberty cat was visible)) First we were offered juice and told the program. We were taken to the Ras Mohammed nature reserve. The walk consisted of several stages. The first was the bathyscaphe. We went down to the lower deck (3 meters under water) with glass windows, where we sat on chairs and watched the corals and fish.
Then, on the upper deck, they conducted a safety briefing, talked about swimming groups: 1) in wetsuits and away; 2) with masks and fins and close; 3) next to the boat for those who cannot swim. Each group had several guides. The swimming part took about an hour. There was an inflatable slide on the ship from which you could ride (go into the water) - an instructor caught you in the water and hooked you to a life buoy)) After there was lunch: several types of salads, pasta, squid, fried fish and shrimp, seafood soup.
Tea, coffee, water and juice were offered throughout the walk. Then another water-swimming stop on the same principle and a 30-minute entertainment program: a belly dance from a Belarusian beauty. Three children had a birthday - they were congratulated and they brought out a cake. I liked the walk very much. One of the best vacation days!
FLIGHT and AIRPORT. We flew from Minsk, Belarus, on a Belavia aircraft. Fly 4 hours: 17.55 - 21.55 (in Egypt, an hour less, i. e. , according to local time, we arrived at 20.55). Since the evening flight on board the plane we were fed with dinner: a choice of chicken with potatoes and beef with pasta, lettuce, tomatoes, cream cheese, bun, marshmallow, tea / coffee, juice / water.
Upon arrival at Sharm el-Sheikh airport, you first go to the counters of the host travel agencies - we had Anextur, where they give you to fill out an emigration card and clarify the need for a visa. We did not intend to go on an excursion to Cairo or outside of Egypt, so we indicated “only Sinai” on the map. Then, with the completed cards, you go to passport control, after - for the suitcases.
At the exit from the airport building there are several counters with local mobile operators, from which you can buy a SIM card with the Internet. I bought vodafone 20 gb for 13 usd (10 gb - 10 usd) - the seller helps with a SIM card and connection - but in fact I got 10 gb - I didn’t check right away, as it turned out, in vain: either they gave the wrong SIM card, or they fooled . It was the first puncture of our holiday. The second puncture ran parallel to the first: if you left the airport building upon arrival, for example, to smoke, then you won’t come back.
And the security service is absolutely not interested in the fact that you have a child left inside, luggage or a wife with a suitcase who buys a SIM card)))
MEETING. When you leave the airport, you are met by travel agency employees and directed to the bus, which should take you to the hotel. We were met by Anextur. The bus we took to the hotel was nasty: old, small, smelly, suitcases passed through the window. In contrast to the bus, the guide that accompanied us to the hotel was very friendly, gave some useful and interesting information, but deceived. I repeat, we arrived at 20.55, with all airport affairs on the bus, we were after 22.00 (dinner in hotels is mainly from 19 to 21). The guide said that he had agreed with the hotel administration about dinner: according to him, they had to give out either a “dry ration” or bring dinner upon check-in - nothing of the sort happened. And this is the fourth fake of our holiday (the third one is a bus).
ACCOMMODATION and ROOM.
The Marina Sharm Hotel met us with a chic lobby and a friendly business administrator at the reception. We were given a questionnaire to fill out, asked for the first part of the voucher and put on the hotel bracelets. We had a "standard garden view" number on our ticket. We were given room 205 on the second floor. This is a room without a balcony. I asked if it was possible to have a higher room, so that there was a balcony or at least a partition outside the window (you can dry swimsuits and towels), the administrator said “20 usd per day of stay” - we refused. Although a colleague said that they were offered to change the number for only 10 usd. Well, perhaps we were not so attractive)) We were given two cards for the room and two cards for beach towels, the administrator called the bell boy (porter), but the husband refused - we had one small suitcase and a bag with winter jackets.
The room turned out to be small, but cozy with everything you need: there was a kettle, a bottle of water 0.
5 l, 2 Neskafe instant coffee bags, 2 tea bags, sugar, 2 wet wipes, 2 mugs, 2 glasses, small refrigerator, chair, table, small armchair, large double bed (very comfortable! ), bedside tables and sconces, mirror and a TV, a built-in wardrobe, things in which it was difficult to hang things, because the door opened very clumsily and the hangers were not removed. There was a safe in the closet - we didn't use it. All furniture, except for the bed, is old. There were also napkins and mini-bar prices on the table (we didn’t have a mini-bar, but there was a price tag). Air conditioning was also present in the room. The bathroom is very, very small, it would not hurt to fix the tiles in the shower cubicle, occasionally it smelled of sewerage.
CLEANING AND WATER. The room was cleaned every day: towels, bed linen were changed, a bottle of water 0.5 l was left, shampoo and shower gel for each person. Water 0.
5 liters for 2 people is not enough for drinking and brushing teeth, so after meeting with the guide we went to the Corfur store and bought a 6 liter bottle for 15 Egyptian pounds (about 1 usd).
HOTEL RESTAURANT. The restaurant is spacious. The food is varied and delicious. You can find something for yourself. Salads and sauces, buns and sweets. From seafood only fish: either fried or grilled. Every day for lunch and dinner, chicken and beef were offered in different forms. Tea bags black and green, hibiscus. Juice is yuppie/cevita. Coffee from the machine. For lunch and dinner soups, milk porridge, muesli. Pasta, rice, potatoes, grilled vegetables. The chef went outside at every meal. The dining room staff was always friendly and willing to help.
HOTEL BEACH and SEA. The beach is sandy and quite spacious. There are enough sun loungers for everyone: you can on the beach, you can by the pools. The entrance to the sea is gentle, there are some pebbles, the bottom is clean - corals (special shoes) are not needed. The water in the sea is clean and transparent, the bottom is clearly visible.
The shallow area is fenced with buoys. Who wants to look at the fish with a mask or swim at a depth, you can swim behind the buoys, you can also dive from the pontoon, but you should be careful because of the parked boats and boats with a parachute (25 usd for a flight for two), a tablet (15 usd for two ), banana. For lovers of snorkeling, this hotel is not suitable, because there is no coral reef and, accordingly, there are not many beautiful fish.
ANIMATORS and SHOW PROGRAMS. A big plus for the hotel and the maximum rating is brought by the animation team: Amir, Dana, Irina. Well done guys! Incendiary dances, cheerful beach games, pleasant conversations. For me, aquagym with them is one love! In the evenings in the hotel garden at 20.30 there is a mini disco for children, and at 21.00 shows for adults. Programs alternate: something Egyptian and competitive. From competitions, for example, there were Mr. and Miss hotel, from the show - fireshow, folklore evening, belly dance.
Late in the evening you can go with the animators to a disco in one of the Sharma clubs: 10 usd (entrance + 1 cocktail) within the bay, 15-20 usd in other bays, for example, in Nabq.
GRILL RESTAURANT on the beach of Marina Sharm Hotel. Each guest of the hotel, who rests according to the All inclusive system, can once for free go to the grill restaurant for dinner and spend a romantic evening by candlelight. This is not mentioned either during check-in or during the meeting with the guide. I found out by chance: I was sitting at a table on the beach and reading how the owner of the restaurant Gamal, pleasant and polite, approached me and told me about this opportunity. Dinner is very tasty. Portions are big. Vegetable salad with different sauces, several types of bread, pasta or lentil soup, stewed beans, for hot we took a meat mix (grilled chicken, kebab, liver), garnish - rice and potatoes, assorted fresh fruits for dessert. Drinks such as your type of food in the hotel (hard, soft all). The evening turned out to be atmospheric and unforgettable.
EXCURSIONS from ANEXTUR. The meeting with the guide was scheduled for the next day of arrival. Our guide's name was Mahmoud Youssef, cheerful and pleasant to talk to. Knows a lot of things from Chukovsky)))
- Overview of the city. The price of the tour is 5 usd per person. As Mahmoud said, it used to be free, but people signed up, but did not go out, so they made it paid. This tour is our 5th stopover. The time was set for 9:00. At first we waited outside in the morning sun, then we returned to the hotel for tea, and just at that time the bus arrived. It was 9.25. Accompanying tour guide with a collision "where we go" did not even apologize for being late. The first point of the tour was the sculpture "Sign of Peace". We were given 10 minutes to walk around and take pictures. The second point is the El Salam Mosque mosque and 15 minutes for a walk. You cannot enter inside the mosque. The third point is Hollywood Park, which was given 1 hour 15 minutes and there is nothing to do. We were told "this is an entertainment complex-amusement park. " Haha.
More like an unfinished abandoned hotel. We were during the day. Perhaps if we had arrived in the evening, the impressions would have been different, but there is, as it is. Cardboard figures of stars and iron sculptures of monsters, a hodgepodge of Greek mythology and marine themes. Two huge waterless pools, but we were assured that there was a singing fountain show.
Everything can be, but, several times passing by the complex in the evening, we did not notice a show program or any life there. A small table where you can buy water or beer for 2 usd. There was no information content (something from the history of Egypt, culture, lifestyle). But! Throughout the entire route (almost as soon as we left the hotel), a wonderful woman guide told us about Egyptian oils and their miraculous power, and here's why: after Hollywood Park, we were taken to an oil and cotton store with a large Anextur sign on the roof of the building.
At first there was a lecture on oils that are indispensable to everyone and everyone, then they were taken to the trading floors where one could buy these same oils. Part of the bus listened and bought with pleasure, part (large) was indignant, because money was not paid for oil shopping and half of the sunny vacation day was spent (it gets dark in November around 17.00). There were also those who called a taxi and left this underexcursion. Oil was spent about 1.5 hours. When we were allowed to get on the bus, the guide said that according to the program we also had a shop with sweets. Notice, not a cultural attraction or iconic place, but a store. But the whole bus wanted us to be taken to the hotels, which was done.
- Sea walk "Mermaid". The price is 75 usd per person. There were no mistakes with the meeting and the bus for the tour arrived on time. We were driven around the hotels for about 40 minutes, collecting tourists, and taken to the port.
"Mermaid" is a large four-deck boat, on which the inscription Liberty cat was visible)) First we were offered juice and told the program. We were taken to the Ras Mohammed nature reserve. The walk consisted of several stages. The first was the bathyscaphe. We went down to the lower deck (3 meters under water) with glass windows, where we sat on chairs and watched the corals and fish.
Then, on the upper deck, they conducted a safety briefing, talked about swimming groups: 1) in wetsuits and away; 2) with masks and fins and close; 3) next to the boat for those who cannot swim. Each group had several guides. The swimming part took about an hour. There was an inflatable slide on the ship from which you could ride (go into the water) - an instructor caught you in the water and hooked you to a life buoy)) After there was lunch: several types of salads, pasta, squid, fried fish and shrimp, seafood soup.
Tea, coffee, water and juice were offered throughout the walk. Then another water-swimming stop on the same principle and a 30-minute entertainment program: a belly dance from a Belarusian beauty. Three children had a birthday - they were congratulated and they brought out a cake. I liked the walk very much. One of the best vacation days!
Translated automatically from Russian. View original
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