m0hamed

With no announcement from Hyatt.. how odd.

peteropny

Not so odd - there's some inconsistency in announcements of properties leaving the affiliation but consistency in announcing properties joining the chain (often premature). Anyways, thank you for posting that property is no longer part of Hyatt.

YYZC2

I'm headed to Sharm in two weeks and the Hyatt rates seem out of line with the rest of the pack... the Hyatt wants $135 a night while the other Western chains are asking $80-105... Heck, the Ritz-Carlton is going for $70, although it appears to be out of the way...

Any way to get the rates down a bit? I'm staying Feb 4-9.

RTW1

The problem is that one of the properties is still with Hyatt.......

m0hamed

The Ritz Cartlon has been poorly managed for years now. What was once a beautiful hotel with stunning gardens is now overgrown, not looked after and full ok package tourists. Don't be fooled by the RC name.

Stewie Mac

and the Four Seasons wants $230..... so that seems like quite a decent rate for the Hyatt

m0hamed

The FS is a spectacular property, easily the best in Sharm - but no GP benefits and no club lounge.

peteropny

Modified the thread title again - better?

RTW1

Perfect, thanks.

dewby

Cash and points is good vale for this property particularly for high season bookings.

Cat 1 hotel. Serious! This is a nice hotel for that and a great club. I think it is 4000 and $55. It's 300$ a night over Easter.

Great snorkelling right in front of the hotel.

FS is nice and very upmarket but I prefer the atmosphere and dining options at the Hyatt.

danger

What a resort!

I had a very enjoyable five night stay here this past week and for the most part really enjoyed it.

I'd come from Cairo and before that Doha and Dubai where the weather had been ridiculously hot. The weather here was slightly cooler at around 40 degrees Celsius but the abundance of pools was just what I was looking for.

Check-in was done at a separate GP desk by what appeared to be a manager. I asked for the 1W and the latest check-out possible and was given 4pm. I'd received prior notification on email that the Regency Club was closed for a renovation to the entrance but that alternative arrangements were in place. Regency Club guests also have their own pool (one of many) and Jacuzzi. These were also closed for refurbishment but, again, another pool and Jacuzzi were set aside for Club guests. Oh, and Club guests also have their own private beach.

The Club offering was okay. Nothing extensive but quality food. The only beer was Heineken and there were some spirits. (I don't drink wine but they were available.) The pours were generous. There were two gentleman serving. One in particular, Josh, was particularly efficient and professional, remembering my drink and always adding "enjoy your night". There is a strict dress code: no shorts after 5pm, with evening drinks and canapés from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. The letter provided at reception noted additional guests were welcome for an extortionate USD90 per person. Breakfast was available there or in the main restaurant, Café Fresco.

The property itself is huge, some 35 hectares apparently, with at least seven pools (including the royal and presidential suites pools). It is spread out and is a bit of labyrinth. There are golf carts to hep guests get around. There is a travel agent on-site and ample water sports available right on the resort's private beach, a spa, gym, multiple restaurants, a bar, a bank, a beauty salon, a mini-mart and a couple of other shops selling clothing and sunglasses.

There's also an impressive outdoor food court that opens for dinner called the Souk. There are six different outlets with a mix of foods like Asian, grill, sweets etc. There is live entertainment each evening, such as a belly dancer. The food was of good quality and not expensive. Also by of way of entertainment is an outdoor movie area. Each night a kids' movie is shown at 8pm and then a parents' movie at 10pm, all free of charge. A café/restaurant by the main pool serves drinks and light snacks throughout the day, including pizzas. Really, there is no need to actually leave the resort; it's all here. If you do want to go into town, however, the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle three times a day (each way). The journey is about six or seven minutes.

I used a DSU and received the entry level suite. It has a separate bedroom, lounge area, four-seater dining table, two balconies (with furniture), a DVD player (but no library) and a large bathroom with separate tub and enclosed toilet. There was a small LCD TV in the bathroom but it was in an odd position meaning that using the remote for the TV in the bedroom also activated the bathroom TV. TV channels were extensive but many didn't work and there were few in English.

Housekeeping was a mixed bag. The room was cleaned very well each day but the amenities were not restocked for the duration of my stay, nor was there any evening service (a published Diamond benefit). One day, I'd started completing the laundry form but decided I'd wait another day. I'd filled in the name and room number only and had the bag next to the laundry, but the housekeeper took it upon himself to put the laundry in. Efficient or intrusive? I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and go with the former. On another day, I had the DND light on but housekeeping still saw fit to telephone me to see if they could return my laundry. Apparently DND simply means don't knock on the door; but by all means give me a buzz. I had a gym singlet that was returned with a stain on it and they happily re-washed it without charge. Early in the stay I discovered that the DVD remote didn't have any batteries in it so I left it on the dining table, face down with the back off so the housekeeper could see it. For three consecutive days the housekeeper simply replaced the back and nicely aligned the remote with its TV counterpart on the dresser. Seriously, what possible value is that to me? Very poor.

Overall, the room was a little dated and will need a refurb soon, in my opinion. If the DSU wasn't expiring (2013) I wouldn't have used it.

Internet was average at best. It was difficult to connect in the room and often not possible to connect in the breakfast restaurant or the souk.

The gym is very small and vastly inferior for a property of this size.

Breakfast was available in Café Fresco each morning. There were multiple stations with one chef cooking eggs and another waffles and pancakes. The food was decent and there was a lot of it. There was only one (commercial) toaster which was insufficient for the number of people.

The big plus at the property, other than its self-contained nature, are the grounds. There are three main pools in the centre of the hotel. The top pool is a lagoon style with an island in the middle. The back half of this pool has underwater jets creating a nice current to float on using what I think were complimentary inflatables. There's a waterfall and an underwater cave. The next pool down is split into two with one part having the flume for an impressive water slide. The slide isn't huge but is probably about two stories high and takes about 12 to 15 seconds to complete, including an impressive speed-up bit at the end that sends you into the water at a good speed. The bottom pool is sort of kidney shaped. Behind that it is a very short walk down onto the beach where there is another restaurant (closed for refurbishments) and the water sports people. There are a heap of sunbeds and towels all over and the pool restaurant staff occasionally walk around offering the menu. The one negative on the pool front is that they close at sunset which, in this weather and given the location, seems far too early. Given there are so many pools, surely at least one could stay open until 10pm. Immaculate landscaping with a lot of lawn and flowers complete the grounds.

I took the hotel's complimentary shuttle from the airport to the hotel. However, note the shuttle is only available for domestic flights (to and from). On the return I asked if there was a shuttle going about the time I wanted to but was told that even if there was I wouldn't be able to take it as I was flying internationally. Seems a bit silly given it's the same airport. Anyway, I took the hotel's sedan for EGP119 (about USD17) where the driver drove at double the speed limit and got me there in less than five minutes.

Despite a few issues, this property is to me exactly what a resort should be - pools, amenities and services. I hope to return.

m0hamed

I entirely agree. We visit here once a year. The club staff are exceptional, particularly Reda and the young Russian girl.

We never leave the resort.

FYI we apply a DSU then downgrade to a Club Deluxe as this are on the second floor.

TerryK

Why this round about? Does property upgrade Diamonds to Club Deluxe without using DSU? What is not-so-good about DSU suites?

dewby

DSU suite upgrades are fine, in fact great. I would not take a room over a suite.

Engage with the hotel and ask for what you want.

A great resort, great staff and amazing value for money.

Go for it.

peteropny

I think he wants the booking to guarantee that category - Diamonds are entitled to the best non suite room available - so it could be not available or (pure conjecture here) the property doesn't routinely upgrade to that category (many properties don't).

But applying a DSU, you could book into a lower category than the entry suite - we did the same thing at the GH HKG with the former free suite nights for Diamonds on the credit card (since discontinued).