TRIP REPORT: FS Nile Plaza, Oberoi Zahra, FS Sharm, Evason Ma’In
Oct 15, 2009 | 9:33 pm
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Join Date: Apr 2009
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TRIP REPORT: FS Nile Plaza, Oberoi Zahra, FS Sharm, Evason Ma’In
I returned recently from a 17-day trip to Egypt and Jordan, and for those who are interested, here’s my take on the four properties where we stayed.
FS Nile Plaza
With over 300 rooms, there’s some truth to the complaints most commonly leveled against this hotel for being “impersonal,” “soulless,” and “lacking in local color/atmosphere.” But I found those complaints to be far outweighed by the typical pleasures of staying at a well-run FS property. DavidO had negotiated in advance for a confirmed upgrade to deluxe Nile-view rooms for our party of 4, and we also enjoyed the other Virtuoso amenities (spa credit, breakfast, etc.). The hotel interiors were consistently fresh and polished, not showing signs of age or wear and tear (the hotel’s been open since late 2004, according to their Website). No surprises in the room for those who have stayed at other FS city properties—rectangular in layout, spacious bathrooms, comfortable beds and linens. Very nice, although lacking in design or features that would contradict critics who say that you could just as well be in Dallas as Cairo.
The outdoor pool area is a significant disappointment, looking far more dated than the rest of the property. Given that the area is situated on the east side of the high rise, it’s completely in the shade for the afternoon, and is somewhat cramped and awkward in layout. The spa interior, though, was excellent, with relaxation rooms containing large daybeds situated in front of full-wall views out over the Nile, separate wet areas for men and women (sauna, Jacuzzi, cold plunge pool, steam room in each). Treatment rooms also have full wall views out over the Nile, so I’d recommend a treatment near sunset that doesn’t involve having your head down on massage table—perhaps reflexology or a pedicure—so that you can gaze out over the river and the competing calls to prayer during your treatment. Most of the therapists were from Asian FS resorts (in fact, virtually all therapists at all the properties we visited were Asian, brought in by the properties since, as one put it, “North Africa is not a culture of touch.” Each of us received a treatment (my traveling companions, in particular, are spa aficionados), and had universally positive feedback about them.
Food was underwhelming on site . . . numerous restaurants, but the ones we tried were expensive and just average in quality. The breakfast buffet is large and fine, if a bit boring after several days.
Superb concierge service. My friend forgot her pool flip-flops, and when the FS shop didn’t have any, one of the concierge staff went out and bought a pair for her once stores opened later at night post fast (we were there during Ramadan). We arranged full-day tours through the concierge. They have a list of typical itineraries that combine a variety of sites, and when none of them covered quite the array we wanted, they had no problem redesigning the itinerary to include the elements we wanted. (Perhaps more detail that you want, but rather than the pre-fab itinerary to Giza, Memphis, and Sakkara, we wanted to see all the great pyramids in one circuit– going from Giza to Dahshur to Sakkara, substituting Dahshur for Memphis, which I’d consistently read was less impressive than other sites.) The guide, driver, and vehicle were just as you’d expect from the Four Seasons, providing us with very good excursions.
All-in-all, a very nice stay, providing a comfortable and elegant escape from the frustrations and discomfort of Cairo.
Oberoi Zahra
A class act from start to finish, and easily one of the top “hotel” experiences I have ever had, almost entirely due to the impeccable service throughout. The Zahra has about 26 cabins; 11 were occupied during our week-long trip. (The trip before, only 2 had been occupied, so the family of 4 who occupied those cabins, in essence had their own private yacht for the week!)
Cabins were very comfortable, and while certainly smaller than most luxury hotel rooms, felt much more spacious than typical cruise accommodations. Floor to ceiling windows line the external wall of each cabin, including the shower, with electronic gadgetry for various degrees of screening.
Meals were consistently excellent and served with immense skill and professionalism. The servers noted preferences in the very first meal and from that point we were brought our drink preferences and other favorites without ever having to ask. When one of our party asked if the chocolate brownies she’d had earlier could be made available again, a fresh, warm batch was made for her immediately, and they became a regular “surprise” sidebar to many desserts she ordered thereafter. Breakfasts were a combination of buffet and hot choices from a menu, lunches were always a la carte, and 5 of the 7 dinners were a la carte, the other 2 dinners being themed “Middle Eastern” and “Indian” nights providing a 7-8 course fixed menu. There were typically 3-4 appetizers, 2 soups, 3-4 entrees, and 3-4 desserts on each menu, with significant variation in options from meal to meal. Breakfast and dinner are served in the restaurant, while lunch is an option in either the restaurant or up on the pool deck on tables arranged beneath jets of cool steam.
The guests are organized into small groups for the short excursions, with no group larger than 6 guests, and each group having its own guide and driver. The excursions were very effectively and efficiently planned, frequently timed so that large crowds and the heat of the day were avoided as much as possible. Especially magical were evening tours to the temples of Edfu and Dendarah (Oberoi has an arrangement for a private entrée to Dendarah at night, so it’s really possible to soak up the atmosphere without crowds. And because the Zahra spends seven days on a cruise that typically takes other boats 2-3 days, you see the sights at a very leisurely pace, with lots of time to relax on the sundeck in between excursions. And many of our favorite moments were spent on the deck, reading or watching/listening to life on the Nile banks.
Due, presumably, to cultural perspectives about women in the workplace, the entire crew of the boat is male, with the exception of four Thai massage therapists in the spa. Our package included four spa treatments per person, and they were consistently excellent.
No request seemed too much for the staff. For example, one of our party finished reading The English Patient during the cruise and was eager to see the film. When the on-board DVD library did not have it, we expressed an interest and the assistant manager arranged to have the DVD purchased in Cairo and delivered to the boat so that we could watch it one evening. At another point, one of the staff noticed a slight tear in the sleeve of my friend’s sundress, and when she returned later to her room, it had been sewn and repaired.
So the Zahra experience was easily the highlight of the trip for us, providing a wonderfully curated and luxurious way to experience many of the most incredible ancient monuments I’ve ever seen, far surpassing, in scale and condition, remains of the ancient world I’ve seen in Greece.
Four Seasons Sharm-El-Sheikh.
A disappointing experience overall, much of which was likely due to our staying during a very busy period, the days of celebration after Ramadan in which many families in the Near and Middle East vacation. As a result, the pool was simply a madhouse, with screaming children and babies everywhere, and no adults-only pool. We had quite a bit of difficulty even securing an order for drinks.
Rooms are dated and in response to that sharing my perspective on the rooms in the comment card, I received an email acknowledging the need to refurbish them and the goal of doing so in 2010.
The spa is very small and a bit chaotic, much less impressive than the one in the FS Nile Plaza. Excellent treatments, however, which is what’s most important.
Large breakfast buffet, of uneven quality. Their high-end Italian restaurant provided the worst meal of our time in Egypt (for example: almost inedible “green lasagna” that was basically a bowl of ground beef and tomato sauce).
All this said, the exteriors and grounds are achingly beautiful. It’s simply unbelievable how green and lush they are, with flowering tendrils and vines cascading from terraces and balconies everywhere you look, and courtyards and fountains galore. Unlike the FS Nile Plaza, anytime you are outdoors or in a public area you feel, undeniably, that you are somewhere different and distinct, somewhere that leverages the aesthetic of the Middle East to provide its guests with luxury contextualized within atmosphere. If only the private areas provided that same sense . . . and perhaps soon they will, although the very homogeneous, rectangular format of the rooms will always present a challenge to creating a private space as exciting as the public ones. (We were in the third category up from the standard room, I believe—once again, we received an upgrade and the other Virtuoso amenities thanks to David O).
So I imagine that when the resort is less crowded, it can be a very nice stay, and that will be especially true once the room renovation is enacted. But the lack of an adults-only pool is a fatal flaw, in my mind, and would prevent me from going back.
Evason Ma’In: A Six Senses resort/spa
Perhaps the worst experience I’ve ever had at a “luxury” hotel, despite an upgrade to the royal suite, the top room in the property.
I’d never stayed at a Six Senses property before, but after planning initially to stay at the Four Seasons Amman, with an overnight at the Movenpick in Petra to break up the long drive to/from Petra, I was seduced by the newness of the Evason Ma’In, and the reports I’ve heard about how unexciting and tired the Four Seasons Amman is. What a mistake—we would have been far better off in even the most standard of Four Seasons hotels, and the Movenpick in Petra would have enabled us to enjoy sunset and morning at Petra, as well as the candlelight tour provided on selected evenings.
So it’s clear to anyone who looks at Six Senses properties that they’re trying to create some sort of rustic idyll for their guests, but that shouldn’t mean that everything, and I mean everything, is falling apart and dirty, especially after having been open less than a year. Presumably due to the Virtuoso booking made by David O, our party of four was upgraded to the two best rooms: the 2-bedroom, 2-bath Royal Suite, and the Spa Suite, which had a gargantuan terrace looking out over the waterfall. But within seconds of entering the rooms, the problems began. Barely-functional air-conditioning made rest difficult. The soap dispenser in the shower had clumps of hair on it, raising concerns about using the re-filled pump. The bathroom sink’s hardware had come loose, and the bathtub had been poorly patched up after incurring some sort of damage. Visibly sloppy painting of the walls, with paint also spreading onto the window frames. No trash can, despite four calls to housekeeping requesting one. We requested a bucket of ice, but never received it.
The small swimming pool has only a dozen or so daybeds, so there’s probably some anger when the resort has larger numbers of guests, and the pool service was deeply inadequate, not having towels at several points of the day. Lots of flies. At one point, the steel handrail leading down into the pool was covered by wood to try to continue the rustic theme, but most of the wood has been broken off—and should either have been removed altogether or repaired, rather than being left to look so shabby.
The public areas have some interesting design elements, merging rusticity with a sense of Middle Eastern aesthetics. The dining areas are attractive. But the guestrooms themselves just look cheap and underfurnished, with nothing seeming to function as intended.
Upon checkout, they couldn’t get their credit card machine to work, and the bill they presented us had charges for six different dinners for four, when we’d only stayed for three nights! We tried to explain that it was simply impossible for us to have eaten 6 different dinners when we’d only been there 3 nights, and had to argue for about an hour about that with them. The on-site manager was incredibly unhelpful during our entire stay, constantly trying to coerce us into doing something different than we desired. For example, we prefer to have a spa treatment prior to a meal rather than right after one. So we requested our spa treatments at 6 pm, and availability was confirmed. But then the manager approached us and told us that it was a bad idea to have a spa treatment before a meal, and that we should have our spa treatment right after lunch instead. We told him that we really did not want to lay on a massage table right after a meal, and he continued to insist that it was a bad idea to have a massage before dinner. Every interaction with him felt like a battle in which, for no good reason, he attempted to dissuade us from doing what we wanted to do. Another example: on the last day of our trip, we wanted to relax without leaving the property. But he became insistent that we should leave the property to dine off-site that evening. We refused, and he was somewhat disgruntled about that.
The spa building is also underwhelming, and the pool there seemed unclean, with twigs and residue floating on the surface. Treatments, though, were excellent there from the Asian staff who came from Six Senses properties in SE Asia. Local staff who performed less extensive treatments, like the 30-minute foot recovery massage, were less proficient, however.
Altogether, a really unpleasant stay, full of battles with the management over what appeared to us to be very simple requests, and general discomfort with the state of disrepair and lack of cleanliness. I’ve learned my lesson, and will never stay at a Six Senses property again.
As I said, were I to visit Petra again, I’d definitely stay at the Movenpick. I’m sure the rooms aren’t much better than a standard 3-star hotel’s, but the lobby area is very, very beautiful and atmospheric, and the light on the Treasury in Petra is best in the early morning and the dusk, and it would be great to be able to come and go from Petra to the hotel, which is just 2 minutes from the entrance gate to Petra, rather than doing a long drive from Amman or Ma’In, spending the heat of the day trying to see as much of Petra as possible, and then driving 3-4 hours back. It made for an exhausting day—well worth it to see such a spectacular place as Petra, which I absolutely loved—but how nice it would have been to see it without the long drive home hanging over you all day, and to have been able to take advantage of the candlelight tour in the evening, in addition to seeing all that glorious colored stone changing appearance during morning and evening and noonday suns.
***
One last recommendation. Despite staying at luxury hotels, and eating all meals of the trip (except one) therein, several of us had sustained bouts with gastro-intestinal infections, multiple times during the trip. So I’d strongly advise taking a prescription of antibiotic with you, just in case; the one I took worked wonders.
FS Nile Plaza
With over 300 rooms, there’s some truth to the complaints most commonly leveled against this hotel for being “impersonal,” “soulless,” and “lacking in local color/atmosphere.” But I found those complaints to be far outweighed by the typical pleasures of staying at a well-run FS property. DavidO had negotiated in advance for a confirmed upgrade to deluxe Nile-view rooms for our party of 4, and we also enjoyed the other Virtuoso amenities (spa credit, breakfast, etc.). The hotel interiors were consistently fresh and polished, not showing signs of age or wear and tear (the hotel’s been open since late 2004, according to their Website). No surprises in the room for those who have stayed at other FS city properties—rectangular in layout, spacious bathrooms, comfortable beds and linens. Very nice, although lacking in design or features that would contradict critics who say that you could just as well be in Dallas as Cairo.
The outdoor pool area is a significant disappointment, looking far more dated than the rest of the property. Given that the area is situated on the east side of the high rise, it’s completely in the shade for the afternoon, and is somewhat cramped and awkward in layout. The spa interior, though, was excellent, with relaxation rooms containing large daybeds situated in front of full-wall views out over the Nile, separate wet areas for men and women (sauna, Jacuzzi, cold plunge pool, steam room in each). Treatment rooms also have full wall views out over the Nile, so I’d recommend a treatment near sunset that doesn’t involve having your head down on massage table—perhaps reflexology or a pedicure—so that you can gaze out over the river and the competing calls to prayer during your treatment. Most of the therapists were from Asian FS resorts (in fact, virtually all therapists at all the properties we visited were Asian, brought in by the properties since, as one put it, “North Africa is not a culture of touch.” Each of us received a treatment (my traveling companions, in particular, are spa aficionados), and had universally positive feedback about them.
Food was underwhelming on site . . . numerous restaurants, but the ones we tried were expensive and just average in quality. The breakfast buffet is large and fine, if a bit boring after several days.
Superb concierge service. My friend forgot her pool flip-flops, and when the FS shop didn’t have any, one of the concierge staff went out and bought a pair for her once stores opened later at night post fast (we were there during Ramadan). We arranged full-day tours through the concierge. They have a list of typical itineraries that combine a variety of sites, and when none of them covered quite the array we wanted, they had no problem redesigning the itinerary to include the elements we wanted. (Perhaps more detail that you want, but rather than the pre-fab itinerary to Giza, Memphis, and Sakkara, we wanted to see all the great pyramids in one circuit– going from Giza to Dahshur to Sakkara, substituting Dahshur for Memphis, which I’d consistently read was less impressive than other sites.) The guide, driver, and vehicle were just as you’d expect from the Four Seasons, providing us with very good excursions.
All-in-all, a very nice stay, providing a comfortable and elegant escape from the frustrations and discomfort of Cairo.
Oberoi Zahra
A class act from start to finish, and easily one of the top “hotel” experiences I have ever had, almost entirely due to the impeccable service throughout. The Zahra has about 26 cabins; 11 were occupied during our week-long trip. (The trip before, only 2 had been occupied, so the family of 4 who occupied those cabins, in essence had their own private yacht for the week!)
Cabins were very comfortable, and while certainly smaller than most luxury hotel rooms, felt much more spacious than typical cruise accommodations. Floor to ceiling windows line the external wall of each cabin, including the shower, with electronic gadgetry for various degrees of screening.
Meals were consistently excellent and served with immense skill and professionalism. The servers noted preferences in the very first meal and from that point we were brought our drink preferences and other favorites without ever having to ask. When one of our party asked if the chocolate brownies she’d had earlier could be made available again, a fresh, warm batch was made for her immediately, and they became a regular “surprise” sidebar to many desserts she ordered thereafter. Breakfasts were a combination of buffet and hot choices from a menu, lunches were always a la carte, and 5 of the 7 dinners were a la carte, the other 2 dinners being themed “Middle Eastern” and “Indian” nights providing a 7-8 course fixed menu. There were typically 3-4 appetizers, 2 soups, 3-4 entrees, and 3-4 desserts on each menu, with significant variation in options from meal to meal. Breakfast and dinner are served in the restaurant, while lunch is an option in either the restaurant or up on the pool deck on tables arranged beneath jets of cool steam.
The guests are organized into small groups for the short excursions, with no group larger than 6 guests, and each group having its own guide and driver. The excursions were very effectively and efficiently planned, frequently timed so that large crowds and the heat of the day were avoided as much as possible. Especially magical were evening tours to the temples of Edfu and Dendarah (Oberoi has an arrangement for a private entrée to Dendarah at night, so it’s really possible to soak up the atmosphere without crowds. And because the Zahra spends seven days on a cruise that typically takes other boats 2-3 days, you see the sights at a very leisurely pace, with lots of time to relax on the sundeck in between excursions. And many of our favorite moments were spent on the deck, reading or watching/listening to life on the Nile banks.
Due, presumably, to cultural perspectives about women in the workplace, the entire crew of the boat is male, with the exception of four Thai massage therapists in the spa. Our package included four spa treatments per person, and they were consistently excellent.
No request seemed too much for the staff. For example, one of our party finished reading The English Patient during the cruise and was eager to see the film. When the on-board DVD library did not have it, we expressed an interest and the assistant manager arranged to have the DVD purchased in Cairo and delivered to the boat so that we could watch it one evening. At another point, one of the staff noticed a slight tear in the sleeve of my friend’s sundress, and when she returned later to her room, it had been sewn and repaired.
So the Zahra experience was easily the highlight of the trip for us, providing a wonderfully curated and luxurious way to experience many of the most incredible ancient monuments I’ve ever seen, far surpassing, in scale and condition, remains of the ancient world I’ve seen in Greece.
Four Seasons Sharm-El-Sheikh.
A disappointing experience overall, much of which was likely due to our staying during a very busy period, the days of celebration after Ramadan in which many families in the Near and Middle East vacation. As a result, the pool was simply a madhouse, with screaming children and babies everywhere, and no adults-only pool. We had quite a bit of difficulty even securing an order for drinks.
Rooms are dated and in response to that sharing my perspective on the rooms in the comment card, I received an email acknowledging the need to refurbish them and the goal of doing so in 2010.
The spa is very small and a bit chaotic, much less impressive than the one in the FS Nile Plaza. Excellent treatments, however, which is what’s most important.
Large breakfast buffet, of uneven quality. Their high-end Italian restaurant provided the worst meal of our time in Egypt (for example: almost inedible “green lasagna” that was basically a bowl of ground beef and tomato sauce).
All this said, the exteriors and grounds are achingly beautiful. It’s simply unbelievable how green and lush they are, with flowering tendrils and vines cascading from terraces and balconies everywhere you look, and courtyards and fountains galore. Unlike the FS Nile Plaza, anytime you are outdoors or in a public area you feel, undeniably, that you are somewhere different and distinct, somewhere that leverages the aesthetic of the Middle East to provide its guests with luxury contextualized within atmosphere. If only the private areas provided that same sense . . . and perhaps soon they will, although the very homogeneous, rectangular format of the rooms will always present a challenge to creating a private space as exciting as the public ones. (We were in the third category up from the standard room, I believe—once again, we received an upgrade and the other Virtuoso amenities thanks to David O).
So I imagine that when the resort is less crowded, it can be a very nice stay, and that will be especially true once the room renovation is enacted. But the lack of an adults-only pool is a fatal flaw, in my mind, and would prevent me from going back.
Evason Ma’In: A Six Senses resort/spa
Perhaps the worst experience I’ve ever had at a “luxury” hotel, despite an upgrade to the royal suite, the top room in the property.
I’d never stayed at a Six Senses property before, but after planning initially to stay at the Four Seasons Amman, with an overnight at the Movenpick in Petra to break up the long drive to/from Petra, I was seduced by the newness of the Evason Ma’In, and the reports I’ve heard about how unexciting and tired the Four Seasons Amman is. What a mistake—we would have been far better off in even the most standard of Four Seasons hotels, and the Movenpick in Petra would have enabled us to enjoy sunset and morning at Petra, as well as the candlelight tour provided on selected evenings.
So it’s clear to anyone who looks at Six Senses properties that they’re trying to create some sort of rustic idyll for their guests, but that shouldn’t mean that everything, and I mean everything, is falling apart and dirty, especially after having been open less than a year. Presumably due to the Virtuoso booking made by David O, our party of four was upgraded to the two best rooms: the 2-bedroom, 2-bath Royal Suite, and the Spa Suite, which had a gargantuan terrace looking out over the waterfall. But within seconds of entering the rooms, the problems began. Barely-functional air-conditioning made rest difficult. The soap dispenser in the shower had clumps of hair on it, raising concerns about using the re-filled pump. The bathroom sink’s hardware had come loose, and the bathtub had been poorly patched up after incurring some sort of damage. Visibly sloppy painting of the walls, with paint also spreading onto the window frames. No trash can, despite four calls to housekeeping requesting one. We requested a bucket of ice, but never received it.
The small swimming pool has only a dozen or so daybeds, so there’s probably some anger when the resort has larger numbers of guests, and the pool service was deeply inadequate, not having towels at several points of the day. Lots of flies. At one point, the steel handrail leading down into the pool was covered by wood to try to continue the rustic theme, but most of the wood has been broken off—and should either have been removed altogether or repaired, rather than being left to look so shabby.
The public areas have some interesting design elements, merging rusticity with a sense of Middle Eastern aesthetics. The dining areas are attractive. But the guestrooms themselves just look cheap and underfurnished, with nothing seeming to function as intended.
Upon checkout, they couldn’t get their credit card machine to work, and the bill they presented us had charges for six different dinners for four, when we’d only stayed for three nights! We tried to explain that it was simply impossible for us to have eaten 6 different dinners when we’d only been there 3 nights, and had to argue for about an hour about that with them. The on-site manager was incredibly unhelpful during our entire stay, constantly trying to coerce us into doing something different than we desired. For example, we prefer to have a spa treatment prior to a meal rather than right after one. So we requested our spa treatments at 6 pm, and availability was confirmed. But then the manager approached us and told us that it was a bad idea to have a spa treatment before a meal, and that we should have our spa treatment right after lunch instead. We told him that we really did not want to lay on a massage table right after a meal, and he continued to insist that it was a bad idea to have a massage before dinner. Every interaction with him felt like a battle in which, for no good reason, he attempted to dissuade us from doing what we wanted to do. Another example: on the last day of our trip, we wanted to relax without leaving the property. But he became insistent that we should leave the property to dine off-site that evening. We refused, and he was somewhat disgruntled about that.
The spa building is also underwhelming, and the pool there seemed unclean, with twigs and residue floating on the surface. Treatments, though, were excellent there from the Asian staff who came from Six Senses properties in SE Asia. Local staff who performed less extensive treatments, like the 30-minute foot recovery massage, were less proficient, however.
Altogether, a really unpleasant stay, full of battles with the management over what appeared to us to be very simple requests, and general discomfort with the state of disrepair and lack of cleanliness. I’ve learned my lesson, and will never stay at a Six Senses property again.
As I said, were I to visit Petra again, I’d definitely stay at the Movenpick. I’m sure the rooms aren’t much better than a standard 3-star hotel’s, but the lobby area is very, very beautiful and atmospheric, and the light on the Treasury in Petra is best in the early morning and the dusk, and it would be great to be able to come and go from Petra to the hotel, which is just 2 minutes from the entrance gate to Petra, rather than doing a long drive from Amman or Ma’In, spending the heat of the day trying to see as much of Petra as possible, and then driving 3-4 hours back. It made for an exhausting day—well worth it to see such a spectacular place as Petra, which I absolutely loved—but how nice it would have been to see it without the long drive home hanging over you all day, and to have been able to take advantage of the candlelight tour in the evening, in addition to seeing all that glorious colored stone changing appearance during morning and evening and noonday suns.
***
One last recommendation. Despite staying at luxury hotels, and eating all meals of the trip (except one) therein, several of us had sustained bouts with gastro-intestinal infections, multiple times during the trip. So I’d strongly advise taking a prescription of antibiotic with you, just in case; the one I took worked wonders.
Oct 16, 2009 | 12:57 am
#2
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rather than the pre-fab itinerary to Giza, Memphis, and Sakkara, we wanted to see all the great pyramids in one circuit– going from Giza to Dahshur to Sakkara, substituting Dahshur for Memphis, which I’d consistently read was less impressive than other sites.) The guide, driver, and vehicle were just as you’d expect from the Four Seasons, providing us with very good excursions.
...
The guests are organized into small groups for the short excursions, with no group larger than 6 guests, and each group having its own guide and driver. The excursions were very effectively and efficiently planned, frequently timed so that large crowds and the heat of the day were avoided as much as possible. Especially magical were evening tours to the temples of Edfu and Dendarah (Oberoi has an arrangement for a private entrée to Dendarah at night, so it’s really possible to soak up the atmosphere without crowds.
...
the light on the Treasury in Petra is best in the early morning and the dusk, and it would be great to be able to come and go from Petra to the hotel, which is just 2 minutes from the entrance gate to Petra
...
The guests are organized into small groups for the short excursions, with no group larger than 6 guests, and each group having its own guide and driver. The excursions were very effectively and efficiently planned, frequently timed so that large crowds and the heat of the day were avoided as much as possible. Especially magical were evening tours to the temples of Edfu and Dendarah (Oberoi has an arrangement for a private entrée to Dendarah at night, so it’s really possible to soak up the atmosphere without crowds.
...
the light on the Treasury in Petra is best in the early morning and the dusk, and it would be great to be able to come and go from Petra to the hotel, which is just 2 minutes from the entrance gate to Petra
* the cairo tours were with FS staff? may i ask what pricing was like?
FYI someone reported to me that the CEO of six senses responded very positively to a report of a fairly simple booking dispute with a GM.http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/10057355-post32.html
http://www.talaatmoustafa.com/newtmg...ls.aspx?NID=62
owner news >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...new-owner.html
kingdom hotels sold their 39.3% share to majority owner in april.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12303274-post40.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12908973-post44.html
FS nile plaza also has what seem to be 72 serviced apartments and 60 condos. the kingdom hotels site says they "may be entered into the hotel rental pool in the future." not sure how they rent now. >
http://web.archive.org/web/200803231...lazacairo.com/
its definitely NOT recommended to have spa treatments after major meals, especially if they include alcohol...
requested a bucket of ice
Despite staying at luxury hotels, and eating all meals of the trip (except one) therein, several of us had sustained bouts with gastro-intestinal infections, multiple times during the trip. So I’d strongly advise taking a prescription of antibiotic with you, just in case; the one I took worked wonders.
Despite staying at luxury hotels, and eating all meals of the trip (except one) therein, several of us had sustained bouts with gastro-intestinal infections, multiple times during the trip. So I’d strongly advise taking a prescription of antibiotic with you, just in case; the one I took worked wonders.
* what about bottled water? and what antibiotic did you have success with? i presume there was no issue with customs.
while zahra report makes me regret not going last year, sounds like rates are more than reasonable.
base rates >
2008 as of sep 18 07 - $350 / $600 (then equivalent to €252 / €432)
2008 as of oct 16 07 - €270 / €465 (USD rates dropped)
2009 - €750 / €1200
2010 - €870 / €1380
thinking about it, thats actually a deal compared to bora bora cruises (€1785, 20 cabins) which has been one of the 2 cruises on my "list."
http://www.architecturaldigest.com/r..._zahra_article
The restaurant, accented with orange draperies and lampshades, is the only one on a Nile cruiser that serves each meal ŕ la carte (as opposed to buffet style). “The menu for every lunch and dinner is different; no dishes are repeated,” says Tapan Piplani, the ship’s manager. “The cuisine is international with a bit of Egyptian and Indian influence.” Here the window height was lowered to allow passengers to watch the scenery as they glide by at nine knots per hour.
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Dec 8, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Oct 16, 2009 | 5:31 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2007
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Programs: AA 4MM Lifetime Platinum, Delta Gold, Bonvoy Titanium (LT Platinum), Hyatt Globalist, iPrefer Elite
Posts: 116
One last recommendation. Despite staying at luxury hotels, and eating all meals of the trip (except one) therein, several of us had sustained bouts with gastro-intestinal infections, multiple times during the trip. So I’d strongly advise taking a prescription of antibiotic with you, just in case; the one I took worked wonders.
Sorry to hear that you weren't pleased with the restuarants at the FS NP; when we were there several years ago, we were very impressed with all of them, and thought they were quite inexpensive, though (as expected in Egypt), the wine list was very skimpy, and they were often out of many selections... But overall a spectacular stay. There are also some excellent ex-pat guides in Cairo that are a fraction of the price of the FS tours, with a dedicated driver, american guide, and an Egyptian historian/egyptologist (if you want)...
Oct 16, 2009 | 6:02 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: UA1K, *G & Wife of UA1K MM
Posts: 3,525
Fantastic report! We really want to go to the middle east. It sounds like the nile cruise is a must-do.
Regarding the Pepto Plan, we do it on every trip. The CDC recommends two tablets 4-times daily. But we are also very careful to avoid food and beverage items that we know are iffy (lettuce, cut up fruit, etc) and we use the Purell like crazy.
Thanks!
Regarding the Pepto Plan, we do it on every trip. The CDC recommends two tablets 4-times daily. But we are also very careful to avoid food and beverage items that we know are iffy (lettuce, cut up fruit, etc) and we use the Purell like crazy.
Thanks!
Oct 16, 2009 | 6:03 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 27,210
Agreed. Based on my 2 nights at FS Nile Plaza a couple of years ago, I think you're a little harsh (although I agree about the pool, which is useless after 2pm due to shade). The bottom line is that if you lifted up the hotel and put it in any major European city it would immediately be a major contender, and to find it in Cairo is a minor miracle.
Sharm - this is useful, as I thought they had already made a start on the refurbishment but obviously not. It was on my list of potential places to take our little one this time next year, so I will look out for signs of refurbishment progress before booking.
Sharm - this is useful, as I thought they had already made a start on the refurbishment but obviously not. It was on my list of potential places to take our little one this time next year, so I will look out for signs of refurbishment progress before booking.
Last edited by Raffles; Oct 16, 2009 at 7:30 am
Oct 16, 2009 | 7:27 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: just West of London, UK
Programs: British Airways Silver
Posts: 123
Thanks OP - so much really useful info in your post. Planning a trip to Jordan for next October and Six Senses is now NOT on my list of places to visit.
Interested in what you wrote about the Movenpick in Petra. From my research there is nowhere any good at Petra and Movenpick is best of a very indifferent bunch (but I HAVE to see Petra!).
Interested in what you wrote about the Movenpick in Petra. From my research there is nowhere any good at Petra and Movenpick is best of a very indifferent bunch (but I HAVE to see Petra!).
Oct 16, 2009 | 7:52 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Here, There, and Everywhere
Posts: 226
Thanks OP - so much really useful info in your post. Planning a trip to Jordan for next October and Six Senses is now NOT on my list of places to visit.
Interested in what you wrote about the Movenpick in Petra. From my research there is nowhere any good at Petra and Movenpick is best of a very indifferent bunch (but I HAVE to see Petra!).
Interested in what you wrote about the Movenpick in Petra. From my research there is nowhere any good at Petra and Movenpick is best of a very indifferent bunch (but I HAVE to see Petra!).
Rooms are typical FS but it is definitely the best hotel in Jordan with very good leisure facilities and 2 good restaurants.
We stayed a couple of nights in the Dead Sea region and I think that the best option now is the Kempinski ( they were building it while we were there). There is also a nasty Marriott and a tired Moevenpick.
The Moevenpick Petra is the best option in town and right at the entrance of the site. Don't expect a luxury hotel, it's full of tour groups but believe me the only thing you will need at the end of the day is a good bed.
Ideally I would spend 3 nights in Petra. The site is huge and one of the most wonderful place I have ever seen. We only stayed 2 nights and wish we had spent more time.
Make sure you start your visit with the " Light & Sound" show before visiting the site the next morning. It only runs once a week if I remember well.
If you can try to visit Syria too. Damascus is only a relatively short drive from Amman and has a very nice Four Seasons.
Oct 16, 2009 | 8:04 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Dublin,Ireland and Nice France
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,408
Thanks OP for that.
We're booked into the 4s Sharm at the end of january-I wonder what it will be like then? It won't be renovated obviously but I'm thinking service wise and busy wise?
We're booked into the 4s Sharm at the end of january-I wonder what it will be like then? It won't be renovated obviously but I'm thinking service wise and busy wise?
Oct 16, 2009 | 8:12 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: just West of London, UK
Programs: British Airways Silver
Posts: 123
Dead Sea Kempinski. Has anyone stayed there from this forum?
What a great idea - Damascus also really appeals. Thanks for 3 night tip for Petra too. I didn't really like the look of the Dead Sea Kempinski. Has anyone stayed there from this forum?
Oct 16, 2009 | 8:18 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Here, There, and Everywhere
Posts: 226
Second time everything that could go wrong went wrong. The hotel was full and unfortunately a wedding of a Middle Eastern princess took place while we were there.
For 3 or 4 days some of the restaurants were closed and staff were struggling to meet demands of regular guests. A complete disaster.
Not too sure I would give them another chance which is a shame since FS Sharm is the ideal winter break destination if you live in Europe.
Oct 16, 2009 | 11:04 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Here, There, and Everywhere
Posts: 226
I would stay away at all costs.
The FS despite the problems we experienced on our 2nd visit remains a very beautiful and inho the only reason to visit Sharm.
Oct 17, 2009 | 7:38 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New York City
Posts: 408
So thanks, Ericka and vineyarder, for your Pepto Bismol plan. I'll definitely follow that next time! And for the record, the antibiotic I took (and will also always carry with me in the future) was Cipro (full name: Ciprofloxacin HCL 500 mg tablets), which you take twice daily for three days, and it cleared it up the problem within a day of taking the first dose. No problems with customs.
Raffles, I agree that my review of FS Nile Plaza came off as too harsh--not my intent, since I'd absolutely recommend the place. I was ust trying to set expectations about it being a large, city hotel that isn't impervious to criticism about its lack of cultural atmosphere and ambience. It is, however, very elegant and comfortable, and just what you need after an exhausting day in Cairo. So I agree with your statement that it's a minor miracle that they achieve what they achieve in Cairo, which is quite in dire shape following the country's slaughter of its entire 300,000 swine population a few months ago, completely dismantling their trash reduction system, so the city is even filthier than usual, a really sorry state of affairs.
Revolution, I agree that there's no other resort that could draw me back to Sharm than FS, even given my concerns about the dated rooms. I am sure that when it is less crowded it is lovely, and apparently from the ocean it cuts a startling swath of green, unlike any of the other surrounding resorts.
Kage, you asked about the tours in Cairo. The driver and vehicle were FS, but the guide was independent, arranged via FS. There are probably less expensive ways to do this, but it was nice simply to rely upon the FS to take care of it all, and the guide they provided was quite good, and kept the touts away from us, more or less, and made purchases on our behalf so we wouldn't be charged "tourist rates." The cost for a full-day, 8-hour tour was $170, with a $60 charge for each additional person. We had a group of 4, so we took took a van, which costs $230, plus $60 for each extra person. So this means that for a party of 4, the tour was $410, or about $100 per person. When compared with a round of golf, or an evening at the theatre, we didn't feel that $100 was at all too expensive for an 8-hour tour. Again, I'm sure there are less expensive options with terrific local guides and drivers, but I didn't want to investigate, and found it easiest just to rely on the FS in such a city.
In Cairo, the tours we did were:
1. Full-day: Egyptian Museum (the shabbiest major museum I have ever seen, in total disrepair, with cobwebs and dirt everywhere, little-to-no signage, no real lighting to speak of or air-conditioning--it's just terrible . . . which is so frustrating given the absolute value of its unparalleled treasures. So you've got to see it, but what a shame); Islamic Cairo (the Citadel and two of its mosques, as well as Sultan Hassan's mosque, the highlight of Islamic Cairo for us--simply astounding); Coptic Cairo (which was a great disappointment, total lacking in atmosphere, more touristy than any place we went in all of Egypt--tourist shops everywhere, simply overwhelming any ambience that might once have been in that area).
2. Full-day: Pyramids. We did this in a reverse chronological order, since that's the only way you've got a chance at a ticket to climb up inside the Great Pyramid at Giza, which was a highlight for me. My expectations were low, because many report that it's just a dark empty room, but for me, it was an astounding experience to be in that space, and somehow I got lucky and, for a minute or two, was the only person in the central chamber before other tourists arrive. While the pyramid is primarily of limestone, the ancients built a room of exactly 100 smoothly polished black granite blocks in the center, with air shafts that align with various stars, for whatever reason. Napoleon self-mythologized by claiming to have some sort of mystical experience in it, and Hitler had it reconstructed beneath Nuremberg stadium as a place of meditation prior to his rallies, so it has strange and horrifying connections to more recent history. Altogether, I found the climb to be really fascinating--the feel of all that stone above and surrounding you. At Giza, we did a short camel ride in the sands behind the pyramids, which was hokey but also quite fun. From Giza, then to Dahshur, the site of the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid (we also went inside the Red Pyramid, which I thought was less fascinating than the Great Pyramid). And then finally to Sakkara, site of the first pyramid, the Step Pyramid, which is the oldest stone building on the planet. A great day.
We also arranged a tour through Four Seasons Sharm to climb Mt. Sinai and visit St. Catherine's monastery, and I have mixed feelings about it. Some of my party loved it, finding it a highlight of the trip. For me, it was a low. The only option is to go for the sunrise, and that sounded nice in principle. You leave FS at 11 pm, drive for 3 hours, and then either climb or sit atop a camel for the 2 hour hike to the top of Sinai to watch the sunrise. Then you hike back to the base and visit the monastery with the hordes of other tourists when it opens at 9 am. It sounded like a great experience on paper, but that mountain is just completely overrun. Imagine a single file line of hikers back to back--like being in a traffic jam. So when you reach the top there are just thousands of tourists sitting on every available surface. Several of our party who don't enjoy animals hiked, while several (including myself) rode camels up the mountain. Parts of that experience were magical--the clear night sky, with many shooting stars; the quiet sway of the camel; seeing the trail of flashlights zig-zagging up the mountain above. But overall, it was much more exhausting an experience for me than rewarding. The hike back down the next morning (camels are excruciatingly uncomfortable going down, so they aren't even an option) was grueling, and by the time you reach the monastery you are so hot and tired that you have no energy to battle the thousands of tourists all rampaging through its small spaces and past its priceless collection of Byzantine icons.
And yes, all things considered, I actually felt that Oberoi offered good value for the money, since it's an all-inclusive experience. I did go in September, right at the end of their low season when rates are the best, so it was definitely very, very HOT, unpleasantly so on some of the excursions, so if you can afford it, an early November cruise would probably be ideal if you want the weather warm enough to be able to enjoy the sun deck, but not uncomfortably so.
Oct 20, 2009 | 4:23 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,733
Petra is not a hard trip from AMM at all. 25 JD PP will get you a Jett Mercedes 8 seater fully equipped with fridge/flat screen satellite TV etc. Driver picked us up at Sheraton(right across the street from FS) and delivered us back before 8 PM. The hotels at Petra are for the most part not worth the price, and restaurants are way bad. Partner also had gastro twice, in both countries. Nothing that a little Cipro couldn't take care of. Jordan/Jordanians were much easier to deal with than the Egyptians, thus making that part of the trip more enjoyable. From the sounds of it, it was the right choice to not stay at the FS in AMM.....the Sheraton was surprisingly good and the pool/gym/rooms/food all of high quality.