More about Sol Y Mar Sharks Bay Hotel
If you are looking to unwind this is a good place to be.
by TripAdvisor Member Kenandapril
Had a wonderful relaxing week at the Sol Y Mar sharks bay hotel. Rooms are very clean with a queen size bed. Food was excellent with a varied choice every day catering for all tastes. Swimming pool is very nice. Drinks were plentiful and as this is a small hotel in the scale of things there is no queuing or waiting for service.
The staff: probably the nicest people we have had the privilege to meet in all the years we have been travailing. They cannot do enough for you and are so polite. Look out for Ahmed Said in the restaurant, Wael in the upstairs bar, and Barry the towel / sun bed guy. These were three of the friendliest and proudest individuals I have ever met and now consider them as my friends. Would we go back? Yes, without doubt, it may be of the track a bit it may be limited with facilities. But the staff make up for all of those ten times over. Ken & April.
plz read, for honest review
by TripAdvisor Member tinkerbell026
sol y mar sharks bay was one of the niciest hotels i have ever stayed in without doubt.
location ; nice and quiet location, so not rowdy at all.
only 5mins from airport. (lititeraly)
less than 10mins from main tourists resort and action in naama bay. which u can get a taxi or bus from main door of hotel, so the sol y mar has the perfect location.
staff ; staff without doubt make the place, they earn very litte but are so much fun and attentive without bein in your face. they treat everyboby the same and make your stay increddible. so make so you tip them because unlike other hotels they dont look or expect it. but are well worth it. to many great staff to mame them all. loved them. animation team prvided poolside entertainment everyday envolving everyone, without anyone wanting to chillout bein disturbed. thanks sasha.
rooms were spotless, cleaned everyday, sheets and everything, and your swans, hearts etc made with your towels. excellent.
all inclusive. none of that plastic cups crap. proper big beer and cocktail glasses, ps beer was amazing. food was beautiful, somthing for everyone everyday, always a wide selection.
all in all the hotel has been one of the best ive been to an we have been to a lot. so we will be back without question.
try it for yourself
ps the photos are exactly the way you see it
steve and helen
Very happy with my choice!
by TripAdvisor Member AdventureGirlUk
Lovely hotel - at first I was a little disappointed in the location as it is a bit out of the way from any other hotels. But it is close to the main road so I soon found you could get out and about. The food was very good, great choice. The rooms were lovely, bathroom a little bit tight but the beds were very big, huge pillows, very comfortable. Smoking was acceptable everywhere except in the dining room - just to be aware. Very happy with the value for money. The only criticism would be with the "taxi service" provided in the hotel lobby - insultingly expensive.
Beautiful Hotel...
by TripAdvisor Member AndynLucie
Me and the missus went for our 'first' holiday together and we had such a brilliant time that we are even considering going again soon!
Rooms are spacious and cleaned daily, and as it was Valentines Week, we had a variety of hearts and flowers left on the bed. Lovely touch.
Animation team were brilliant. Sasha, Roxy and Marina were both friendly and attentive, encouraging everyone to get involved but were not too full on! Especially in the evenings.
Food was brilliant, various different themes for the evening buffett and for V day we got offered the 'A la Carte' menu and was treated to the best meal of the week....and for only £18, for both of us!
And not 1 mention of the dreaded dodgy stomachs!
Overall, we cannot fault this hotel. Staff were extremely friendly and not stereotypical as we were led to believe (i.e. asking for tips etc)
Tips:
If you have an early morning flight the hotel taxi won't take you, make sure you book your transfer with your booking agent
YOU DO NOT NEED A VISA WHEN YOU LAND AT THE AIRPORT IF YOU ARE NOT LEAVING SHARM EL SHEIKH - YOU ONLY NEED TO BUY ONE IF YOU INTEND ON LEAVING THE AREA E.G PYRAMIDS BUT ONLY THEN YOU ONLY NEED ONE IF YOU STAYING LONGER THAN 24 HOURS!
very clean, staff friendly, great value for money
by TripAdvisor Member partayanimal
Overall hotel very good. Staff couldnt do enough for you, they earn very little so if u feel they deserve a tip, give them1! they are greatful for anything. Rooms were cleaned everyday, excellently, and fresh sheets every day. Came back to swans and flowers made of towels on our bed. Animation team were friendly and did a great job considering they had only been there 2 weeks! Me and boyfriend found the food good, but were not fussy eaters, i can imagin some people to find there to not be much choice. Didnt get an upset stomach which i was prepared for, going to egypt! Location is what lets this hotel down, it isnt on the beach (which is what would have made it) and it is right on the main road so can often hear cars in the night. Also it is 5 mins from the airport which is great for a short transfer time but means you can often hear and see planes landing!! Thats the only negative really. Sharm is a lovely place to visit, we went snorkelling and went quad biiking in the desert which i would recommend. The best currency to take is egyptian pounds and sterling. Can change at reception but they try and rip you off!! and take small notes as often you wont be able to get any change from your big ones, the egyptians do like to try it! Overall a great hotel to stay for a relaxing get away, more for couples than familys as isnt too much for kids to do. Weather very hot in feb, cannot imagin what their summers are like!!!!
excellent!!!!!
by TripAdvisor Member tangoandcash14
I have just returned from one of the best holidays ever,Hotel fantastic,rooms lovely bathrooms could be bigger but very clean!!!
We had such brilliant weather, I would recommend the lazy boat trip we saw dolphins that swam right up to the boat,and the fish are just amazing.
you can use the beach at the sister hotel which also has a great pool,but it is very busy and full of Italians and Russians,the Russians are very rude and get everything half price!
but worth a visit for a change,you can get a free shuttle from the hotel that will take you there and drop you back.
take small notes as when you go out they never seem to have any change, and just expect you to give them more. also you only get 48 hours to buy duty free,cigarettes are really cheap,about £4 for 200,but pay for them in egyptian pound as this works out cheaper.one last thing the beds are so amazing you won't want to get up.
Not quite Sharks Bay
by TripAdvisor Member huntmaster
Very nice hotel, clean, new, but a 10 minute ride from Sharks Bay. Food is plenifull but could be boring , staff helpful. Hotel beach was frankly very disappointing. The sea life was almost non exsistant. Having snorkelled along most of the area around Nabq down to Naama I counted about 12 species of fish.
disappointing
by TripAdvisor Member taylorMancheter
clean and friendly staff. location poor. food variable. sometimes good and at other times disappointing. the portions of meat served at carving station was embarrassing an the chef served gridgingly. i was disappointed ater reading good revies, the beach was not good and sea life and coral is better in other areas of egypt. i stayed for 14 nights and had 6 days of tummy upset which i think is above average. limited faciltieis at this hotel and the a la carte restraunt is almost non exisatnt. you have to pay for a choice of two choices and it was located at the pool snack bar! come on that is not a la carte. i never saw a single person eat there in 14 days. 3 star at best. it is only 2 months old and the jacuzzi is already closed for maintenance.
Good Hotel but Service & Selection can vary greatly.
by TripAdvisor Member Llamalegs
I booked this hotel for a last minute relaxing break based on all the good reviews on this site. It is a very nice, clean new hotel which is good value for money but there are a few things that I wish I had known before booking:
1. Service & selection of foods/drink can vary greatly. When the hotel was quiet (the first few days) the staff were wonderfully efficient & all was great. We received table service in the bar & restaurant, however as the hotel got busier (Tues - Fri of our stay) the service took a turn for the worse. The staff working were very stretched indeed & just couldn't keep up. The restaurant became a mess with guests having to sit at dirty tables & taking cutlery & cups etc from other tables. Plates piled up at the end of the tables & you had to get your own drinks. The choice of food got very limited too. Meanwhile in the bar, guests had to queue 3 deep at the bar. On one night, there was only one barman & everything kept running out eg: wine, beer, mixers & then glasses. Needless to say, things got abit heated!!
2. The Animation Team - There is loud music & pool side activities from 10.30am. If you want to have a lie in or just want to listen to your own music, then you are abit stuck as most rooms/ sun loungers are around the pool area & there is no-where else to go.
As we just wanted to chill out, we ended up getting the shuttle taxi to the beach most days (there is also alot of music there but it is a much larger hotel so you can usually find a quiet space - plus you can wander along the beach!!). The evening entertainment usually finishes about 11.30pm but can be very loud up until then.
3. Limited Facilities. There is only one buffet restaurant (no a la carte) & one bar/ entertainment area open in the evening. The limited choice can get abit boring after a while. Also the jacuzzi was out of action for the whole week.
4. Location - The hotel is quite isolated & is surrounded by desert / main roads. It is a 10 minute drive to Sharks Bay (where the beach & other hotels are). You will have to get a shuttle bus or a taxi if you want to leave the hotel. It's not possible to walk anywhere.
Very pleasant stay but could have been better with some simple changes.
by TripAdvisor Member scwain
The hotels very clean & modern with really friendly staff, food is average and very repetitive. Unfortunately it is located in a very quite area and not within walking distance of anywhere, taxi's required to go out in the evening. Shuttle bus to beach is available for free and runs hourly. However, it is only a 12 seater and if half the hotel wanted to go to the beach of a morning I could see it taking quite a long time to get you there!!.
Read the other reviews, I have had a look at them and they are all pretty acurate.
Photos
Food & Drink area at the blue hole
Surgeonfish close-up
Auyn Musa Sinai 1975
under water life in Ras Mohammed NP
Forum Posts
Sierra Resort
by Jue22
I am going to this resort on 5th july 2010 and have read that they provide beach towels but was wanting to know if they are large towels or just small bath size as we are tall.
Re: Sierra Resort
by greekcypriot
You will be given towels daily.
Depending on the hotel, but they are quite big. It is quite hot there so they get dry minutes later. So don't worry my friend.
I recommend that you buy one when you reach there because they sell very good quality and huge towels in shops there. Don't carry towels with you. I found the biggest towels I ever bought from this place.
Re: Sierra Resort
by Jue22
Thx for that I won't bother taking any then.
