More about Moevenpick Resort Taba
Loved it at the Movenpick Taba
by TripAdvisor Member Anagno100
We recently returned from a one week stay at the Movenpick Taba on an all-inclusive basis, booked through First Choice, and we thought it was fantastic.
We stayed in a bungalow to the east of reception - beautiful and real spacious. The bungalows are probably the quietest accommodation, and failing that the rooms in the main east wing are probably fairly quiet too. To the far side of the west wing is the area where the animation team puts on a nightly show, from around 9pm onwards, so if it's peace and quiet you're after request a room on the east side. The bungalows cost a bit extra but they are fantastically close to the beach, and the smaller but quieter second pool area. It's a bit more of a walk to breakfast but we ate so much at the fantastic buffet that I'm sure we needed the extra walk!
Food wise there is excellent choice. Breakfast, morning snacks, lunch, afternoon snacks and dinner, taking you from 6.30am - 10.30pm. Plus drinks including Pepsi, sprite etc, fairly reasonable local wine, and decent local beer, and juices. If you don't want to eat in the buffet every night then you can eat at one of the 3 restaurants onsite. There is a middle eastern, Chinese and fish/Italian restaurant. You can eat off the set menu at these restaurants at no extra charge (just book in advance each day - you can see what the menu's will be ahead of time to plan your dining) or you can eat a la carte with a 35 Egyptian pound credit per person. Yes, I know that is only about £3.50 sterling but to give you an idea one of the most expensive main courses I saw on an a la carte menu was 50 Egyptian pounds, so it seemed very reasonable! We liked the seafood restaurant best which also offers Italian style choices too.
Some people have commented on the fact that the resort isn't 'finished'. Well yes there is an area that is still being landscaped, (although most of the landscaping and grounds are in fact now complete) but we experienced no noise from the remaining work at all. And the gym is still being fitted out, although we heard that they had just received a consignment of equipment. To us these were very much minor points - all the accommodation is complete and frankly we paid such a good price that it would seem petty to quibble about a few missing plants or a lack of exercise bikes. In fact we go on holiday to relax, not work up a sweat in the gym! although if that's your thing then perhaps contact the resort direct to enquire as to whether the gym is fully fitted.
All in all I can whole-heartedly recommend this hotel. The staff are friendly and can't do enough to help you. The snorkelling is excellent (go to the left hand side of the beach, adjacent to the Hilton's beach, as this is where the fantastic coral reef is). Wear beach shoes as there are pebbles on the beach, although there is proper sand too. It is also a good location for excursions (one day to Cairo was £69 with a one day to Petra, including all visas etc was £129). I expect once the final finishing touches are added the cost of going to this resort will jump up so go now!
On another note I can also highly recommend the Movenpick at El Gouna, also on the Red Sea.
Iwould recommend staying in...
by gorghast
Iwould recommend staying in hotels and can recommend the Le Meridien at giza an Egyptian 5 star hotel within walking distance of the Pyramids, good food and great size pool. At Luxor we have twice stayed at The Sheraton, food good and though pool small, its great, splash out on Nile view rooms though. Nb you can eat in any Hotels in Luxor as a non resident, The Movenpick a little out of town has an excellent reputation for its food.
best to book as part of tour where can obtain a weeks summer accomodation for about £480 Bed and Breakfast For Sheraton at luxor try a Nnile view room, and at the Le Meridien at Giza, a Pyramid view room, both outstanding!!
A Relaxing Week at Movenpick
by TripAdvisor Member JW47Berkshire
Just returned from a lovely week at the Movenpick.
We went with the intention of doing nothing and thats exactly what we did! This hotel is perfect if you are after a relaxing, chilled out break.
The weather was fantastic - didnt see one cloud the whole week.
The food was of a high standard. Buffett always had a good selection and the 3 themed restuarants where also varied and tasty - recommend you check these out too. I have been too many All Inclusives and I have to say that this hotel is probably the best I have experienced for food quality & selection on an All Inclusive basis.
The staff are very friendly and go out of their way to ensure your stay is enjoyable. A special mention to Tamar in Recreation - very lovely guy who had the beach towels ready for us!
The beach is a bit stony near the waters edge so recommend you take beach shoes to get in the sea with as your feet can get a bit sore trying to negiotiate your way into the sea. The water is very clear and coral amazing. Literally right on the shore. Went snorkelling every day and saw different fish and plant life each day.
The main pool with swim up bar could get a bit noisy and crowded so we stuck to the quieter pool near the bungalows.
Evening entertainment was a bit tedious but we didnt really go for that so wasnt bothered either way.
We stayed in a bungalow facing the beach which was huge. Immaculate inside and cleaned everyday.
I would rate this hotel as a 4 star and would definitely say its worth a visit.
Excellent,Brilliant ,Fantastic Movenpick
by TripAdvisor Member RoddieSomerset
I traveled with my partner and 3 kids 8,11 and 12 in june 2007 for 2 weeks All Inclusive.
As it was a newish hotel I wasn't quite sure how good it would be or if it would be completed but it exceeded my expectations!
The hotel was fantastic, the staff were all very friendly and only too pleased to serve you in the restaurant always with a smile. A small tip and a little Arabic will go a long way.
The rooms were lovely and cleaned every day.We had a deluxe room with a terrace with amazing views.We awoke to the camels outside our terrace the first morning which the kids thought was great.
The restaurant had a fantastic choice of food,which we didn't get bored with and even my 12 year old ate it which says a lot !
The Chinese restaurant is worth a visit to.
Make sure you take your snorkel as the coral reef just off of the hotel beech is amazing! you can certainly spend a few hours watching the different species of fish, I became addicted.
This is a fantastic hotel with great staff nothing is too much for them to do for you and we will defiantly be returning again! !
Honeymoon
by TripAdvisor Member NN10
We were on our honeymoon and really enjoyed our trip to the Movenpick on an All Inclusive board. Unfortunately we picked "one of the busiest weeks of the year" with it being Easter and all the kids were off school so it was very busy round the pool. It was still a great holiday, but would have been nicer had there not been screaming kids everywhere we went.
Room was lovely and we were upgraded to a suite which was nice, although the champagne and fruit on arrival that we were promised by our representative never materialised.
Our room was only cleaned three times in the whole week we were there and that was after ringing down to reception for them to send someone with clean towels and loo roll.
However, when they did clean, they were very thorough.
The food was lovely, and there was a lot of variety. The waiters were very friendly and helpful and despite what we had been told before we went, they didn't expect tips, although most nights we did as they were all so nice.
There isn't much in the way of entertainment and so in the evenings we were quite bored.
Overall, a good experience and we would defintiely visit Egypt again, but maybe try a different hotel next time.
It was OK but we've tried better!
by TripAdvisor Member Stepsahead
We have been regular visitors to the Red Sea over the last 8 years simply for the excellent weather, diving & value for money. Why pay £300 - £400 to stay in a 3* hotel in Costa Crap when you can stay in a 5* accommodation in Egypt with no chavs in sight. We've previously stayed at the Hilton, Marriott & twice at the excellent Hyatt Regency. We've also been to Sharm twice (Radisson SAS & Pyramisa) and
Hurgardha (Hilton Plaza). We've enjoyed our stay at all of the mentioned hotels.
We spotted a excellent deal on Sky Travel for a weeks HB at the new Movenpick in Taba and jumped at the chance. I contacted the hotel via email to ask about room upgrades & we were responded to promptly.
As there were 4 of us (2 x adults & 2 x children), we were advised that our room was suitable but it would be cramped. So I ask my self,
if the room is too cramped for 4, why offer such a room in the first place???? We were offered a upgrade to a family room for $20 a night which we agreed to. Got a email back to say all the family rooms had already been booked and were offered the executive suite for the same
price. A nice start to our holiday.
We were surprised on our flight by 2 friends of ours (Mark & Helen) we originally met in Taba 7 years back. Me & Mark did our Open Water Padi Diving course together at the Taba Hilton and we have been diving buddies ever since. We've always stayed in touch and have had 3 further Red Sea holidays together. They new we were going to Taba as we had asked them to join us but unfortunately they had to turn us
down. If you were on our First Choice flight on Tues 20th March and you heard someone shout out 'YOU [----]' very loudly, that was my shocked response after being surprised by Mark. First Choice are using all their old fleet of planes to fly to the Egypt (the new ones
are being used to fly long haul). The old fleet are cramp with poor leg room & pop down video screens which you can't see from your seat if you are short. My daughter was very frustrated and said she never wanted to fly First Choice again. The movie on the way out was
'Casino Royale' & on the way back it was 'A Night At The Museum' &
'Flushed Away'.
Took ages to get through passport control. One person stamping passports for a whole plane. Some points to remember - always make sure you visit the toilet on the plane before you arrive at the airport as the toilets in the terminal stink really bad (makes you want to heave!). Also there is no hand dryer or paper tissues, but there is a toilet attendant there trying to sell you toilet sheets. If someone offers you a trolley, he'll want a tip. The man that loads
the suitcases on the coach will also want a tip. These guys earn very
little but they can be a little pushy let alone cheeky.
If you are told that you have to pay a visa tax on entry to Taba, then you only need to do this if you intend on travelling outside of Taba, eg. Cairo or Petra. It's about $20. If you don't intend to travel anywhere then just put Sinai Only on the back of your entry card which you will be given either on the flight or at passport control.
The airport to hotel transfer is interesting, especially the drive down the winding roads through the mountains. The views are spectacular with huge rocks and mountains making you feel like you have gone back a million years to a Prehistoric desert.
Check in went smoothly & our executive suite was lovely. First thing we did was go for a quick drink or three (well we are on holiday). We were welcomed by Yousef who was a lovely chap in the Pharo's Bar along with Amed, Mohammed, Waied & Mahmooooooooood! All the staff we met were brilliant & made our stay very welcome. The service which was great for us and we were always joking around with the staff. They love to chat & will bend over backwards for you. Couple of tips at the beginning of the holiday ensured we were well looked after.
There are good points to this hotel & bad points. Unfortunately this time there were more bad points than good.
As the Movenpick is just over a year old, it's got a long way to go before it can truly say it's a 5* hotel. 15 months after opening, the
main feature of the hotel is still not complete. They seem to be building some sort of flowing river with bridges & landscape surroundings. We witnessed big trucks arriving to dump sand to be used in this feature (which the wind blew in our direction). Not something one wants to witness on holiday but it will look brilliant when complete.
We've eaten in many Red Sea hotels & I have to say that the food was a little disappointing in the main buffet restaurant. When things run
out they are not replenished quickly enough. The food was very hit & miss. I've had better meals, salads & deserts at the other hotels I mentioned above. On a positive side, we did enjoy ala-cart menus in both the Sea Shells & Chopstix, but then again if you have to pay for
it then it has to be nice. Did get a £3 discount per person didn't really make a difference to the bill. Service was excellent & made up
for it. We enjoyed Chopstix so much we ate there twice. But the main problem were the other guests. It seems that we had taken our holiday
the same time as the Palestinian & Israeli holiday season. The hotel become flooded on day 4 with screaming kids and very rude parents. They don't know the meaning of queuing, pile up food on their plates which they will only eat a fraction of. Add to this 300 - 500 daily pilgrims from Nigeria who are on their way to Jerusalem. Luckily, they ate their meals in the indoor swimming pool area which was especially set up for them.
The Gym & Spa is still not open even though the First Choice rep in our welcome meeting said it was.
The entertainment staff need to be a little more enthusiastic. One of the team had this habit of saying 'whatever' in all his conversations. Very annoying! But you had to see his face when I told
him that's what all the chav girls say back in London. He stopped say
it after that....but only temporarily....I suppose he thought he was being cool.
The snorkelling directly off the Movenoick beach is very disappointing. It's been named 'The New Reef' by the newly opened Aqua Sport centre who provide the hotel with all the diving facilities, pedlo's, snorkels, fins, etc. but it has a long way to go before it gets to the same stage as the reefs off the Hilton Beach
next door. If you try snorkelling 100 yards out in line with the fence that separates the Movenpick with the Hilton, you will be rewarded with the sight of hundreds of different types of fish you find in your local Aquarium Shop. Talking of Aqua Sport, they are a brilliant lot. They are mainly based in the Hilton next door were they have all the diving tanks, equipment & 3 boats. They are going to be investing in a electric buggy to transport guests between the two hotels which will save you walking (especially if you bring your own equipment like I do).
We struck a good deal with Aqua Sport to hire our own private boat complete with Captain, Chef, Dive Guide & a Helper. They provided lunch for 4 adults & 2 children, 6 dives & 1 introduction dive. All of the that came to £400 which I split between myself & my friend. We had a superb day out leaving just after 9:30am & returning at 4:30pm. Our diving guide (Kalied) invited us to his newly opened restaurant (opposite the Movenpick, about 100 years to the left). The locals mainly go their after a hard days work to eat & smoke shisha. It's called Taba Gardens and we jumped at the chance. We ate in the open gardens & were served a huge freshly caught fish, spicy rice, salad, etc. Unfortunately, they do not serve alcohol here but we had a few warm up drinks in the hotel bar before we went.
We paid a day visit to Eilat. The journey through the 2 borders (Egyptian & Israeli) can take a while, especially at the Israeli end but ours went smoothly. The border is only 10 minutes walking distance from the hotel. You then catch a taxi on the other side of the border to taken you to Eilat which costs. Eilat is nothing more than another seaside town with lots of shops but don't expect cheap bargains. There is a couple of markets to visit and some good restaurants. We went to a lovely Mexican restaurant (sorry can't remember the name but it's very close to The Sheraton Hotel). Note that if you do go into Eilat, you will have to pay £4 tax on the coach on the way to the airport (that's if you coach is stopped and someone gets on to inspect your passport).
Would we return to the Movenpick? I'm afraid not. The service was great, the staff were friendly but we've stayed in better hotels. Out next visit to the Red Sea will not be for a couple of years now and if we do come back, we want to try the new Intercontinental or the excellent tried & tested Hyatt Regency. Our friends have also recommeded The Hilton in Nuwieba. But, if you see a bargain that's too good to turn down, then jump take it up .... it's OK, just not brilliant. Also, we wouldn't return in March again as the pool & sea was far too cold, and the indoor pool reaked of chlorine. Best time to visit is the end of April/May or Sept to early Nov. I hope that helps. Please do email me if you have any questions.
Fantastic staff, nice 4* hotel, but be wary of the entertainment!
by TripAdvisor Member Jake_Vicky
We booked through First Choice and travelled 8-15th May 07. We had a lovely, relaxing week and would recommend the hotel primarily for the
fantastic staff and service. However, we have a few reservations (see
below) which means I would agree with previous entries that this is a
4* hotel at present.
First Choice
Flight pretty cramped and staff mixed. Rep in resort was good and resolved a couple of issues for us, but excursions through First Choice are pretty expensive and can be arranged locally (there's a travel agent outside of the hotel, turn left & 2mins walk).
Rooms
Spotlessly clean and modern, though the bathroom wasn't that big. We originally had a room with no balcony - we complained and were upgraded (after several false starts - make sure you speak to managers - who were excellent - not just reception staff) to a pool/sea view which was really nice. We found out that First Choice don't reserve the rooms without balconies so if you get these then request to change.
Food
We went all inclusive which is worth it for the unlimited drinks alone (local wine is £12 per bottle otherwise and you'd have to pay for water). Food is fine, though by the end of the week I'd echo previous comments of buffet being repetitive and chicken being a little dodgy. Try and eat for no extra charge in the other restaurants off of the set menu at least once - this was great.
Other guests
The hotel was quiet for the majority of the week, though over the weekend period was noticeably louder by the pool and busier in the restaurant. We heard horror stories about the Arab Israeli holiday period though - definitely avoid this time as the hotel clearly isn't set up for being full and we wouldn't have liked the hotel if it had been any busier and full of rude guests.
There are a mix of Western & Eastern European guests (lots of Ukranian/Estonian/Russians) - the mix was fine and we met some really nice people. The worst guests are those with kids so avoid school holidays!
Staff
Fantastic without exception - they cannot do enough for you and we had to insist that our favourite waiter accept the tip we offered as he didn't want to take it. I didn't believe before I went on holiday that this would make such a difference, but all the hotel staff were excellent (bar the entertainment staff - see below!) and this made for a really relaxing and enjoyable week.
Hotel, pools, grounds etc
As per previous reviews - the pools are nice though exposed and you do get a very welcome coastal breeze, which when it's 35degrees is lovely! The grounds are still not completely landscaped & not as established/green as other hotels - this was still being worked on but will be lovely when finished. Gym/spa/casino still non-existent. Beach is nice and you get fantastic views. The pool by the bungalow is quiet & more relaxed than the other so would definitely recommend this.
Entertainment
This was dire. Apparently the new 'animation' team have only been there a month so not sure if this has been noted before! In the day the loud music started by the pool at 9am and went on all day, along with incessant tannoy announcements about water polo/aerobics/belly dancing etc that nobody was interested in and was the same every day.
In the evening the entertainment was repetitive and incredibly loud and could be heard across all the hotel grounds and in our room when we wanted to sleep. We complained twice and in the second half of the week the music was quieter, but make sure you whinge if it gets turned up again!
Overall
We had a lovely, relaxing week. The location is perfect for relaxing and the staff at the Movenpick made it a pleasure to be there. However, be wary of busy periods, vary your choice of restaurant over the week and make sure the entertainment is kept in check to ensure you have a good week.
Happy to be contacted if people have any questions!
Jake & Vicky
Photos
View from the Movenpick hotel Cafe as the sun sets
Forum Posts
Movenpick
by FOUBERT
hi all,
We're staying at the Movenpick Hotel and Casino in Sharm around the middle of September, has anybody any info or has anybody been there?
much appreciated
Re: Movenpick
by ratherton
Never stayed there but I know where it is. It's in a central location so everything is within walking distance (except the airport)
Re: Movenpick
by ashcanada
I have stayed in Movenpick in Naama bay, the location is the best in all Sharm Elshiek, it is central, the food is great, the room is nice and clean. The staff is very helplful and friendly, the pool is spotless, I think it is a great place, we had a wonderful holiday, go a head book it , you wont regret it.
You will have a wonderful time, we did.
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