More about Festival Riviera
Value for money!
by TripAdvisor Member London2009_9
I stayed in the Festival Riviera for one week recently with my partner. Neither of us had been to Egypt before and had heard mixed reviews but it exceeded all my expectations! It's a truly wonderful country with something for everyone.
In terms of the hotel we paid just under £500 all inclusive and I definitely feel we got value for money. The rooms were nice and spacious and we had a great view of the sea which was beautiful. Most of the staff were very polite. It is definitely a great place to go if you want value for money and a relaxing break.
A couple of downsides I would say is the bathrooms, they really good do with being done up and also the food can get a bit boring. If I had been there for 2 weeks I would have probably eaten out more but as we were there for a week it didn’t really bother me. The location although relaxing is in the middle of no where which we didnt realise when booking, you do have Hurghada and El Gouna near but it's not like you can just walk to some local shops and restaurants. You need to rely on taxis to get anywhere.
We did a day trip to Luxor and it was just amazing... highly recommended.
All in all a great hotel and a great holiday
our lovely holiday
by TripAdvisor Member LoveEm
our holiday was lovely in festival riviera, however we read some negative openions, but we went despite of that. Pools and beach are clean and everything is in order, beach staff are there for help at anytime. We received an invitation for a special dinner which was wonderfull, it made us very happy as in buffet restaurant is can be boring if we wouldn't have been invited twice. Buffet restaurant is supervisoed by some kind of managers who work hardly to keep restaurant clean. Room was clean, but it is not super. Somtimes HK boy forgot to put some things in teh room, but right away he bring once we ask. HK boy was always available if we need anything. Recepton staff and lobby bar staff are smiling and initiative to make good service. Terrace near to our room was noisy by people who sit and drink in the night, but luckily we are not light sleepers :-). so it was ok. Shops are available but not enough to find all what you might look for. Shutle bus service is wonderful, only EUR 2 per person up and down to downtown which is very cheap with stay in town for couple of hours which is enough. Reception manager is aware enough for problem solving. And for that we promised him to write on tripadvisor. This hotel is managed by proffessional manager who can make one's holiday happy. We will come back to this hotel again :-)"
Fantastic hotel - honest review!
by TripAdvisor Member roxygurl995
After readingt he reviews before I went on holiday with my boyfriend I can honestly say I was a little worried. I am 19 years old and this was my first holiday abroad with my boyfriend therefore we obviously wanted things to be wonderful. The reviews werent exactly brilliant but I would just like to set the record straight after visiting the hotel for those of you who would like an honest review!
When arriving at the airport it can be quite scary, take care of your own luggage because you will have to tip - just like anywhere - but our Thomas cook reps were there to welcome us and get us to our coach. The hotel is 15mins from the airport, reception is stunning (all marble!) and we were able to check in straight away with no hassle and bags taken up to the room (for free).
The rooms are extremely spacious, high ceilings, average decoration but with a balcony which is lovely! The rooms are in need of a refurb but hardly any time is spent in the room therefore it was perfect for our needs.
Our days round the pool were fantastic, Im not sure why some of the reviews say there werent any beds available, there is SO MUCH space to sunbathe on the beach and round the pool area. There are 4 pools - adult, childrens, normal and beach pool - all chilled with swim up bars which is fab!
Regarding all the comments about the food - it is a large buffet with to be honest a great variety! It is partly true that they do not cater for english people however when you go abroad to the middle east, this should be apparent? They still do lovely meats and the omelettes that are freshly made for you in the morning are to die for, I basically lived off these! The lunch around the pool area includes burgers, hotdogs and chips and for a small price you can order pizza and ice cream. We also got a voucher upon arrival which allows you to have a free meal in one of their 4 restaurants that are not all-inclusive. The Italian was lovely.
We found a large majority of the hotel staff to be very friendly if you are friendly to them, again though this is obvious, they do love english people - a nice change to the rude russians! Yes, the shop owners in the hotel do try to coaxe you into their shop but this is the same with all shops in egypt, you just have to say No Thank you and move on then all is fine :)
Would extremely recommend doing the Orange Concept watersports in El Gouna, about 10mins away from the hotel. Taxis can be booked to go to El Gouna which has beautiful marinas, and is a beautiful day out. We also went to Hard Rock Cafe in Hurghada itself which has brilliant American food for those of you who are home sick.
It is very advisable to avoid the ice cubes and salad as they use tap water which can give you an upset stomach but AGAIN Im not sure why people are complaining about this in their reviews as this is what you would expect from an underdeveloped country.
Overall this was an amazing holiday, would recommend to anyone and the bad reviews on here are written by those who are naive about the country and havent done their research about what is the norm over there!
I hope this helps! :)
Brilliant Hotel
by TripAdvisor Member travel_ky_7
Has to be the cleanest hotel I have ever visited. Stayed on the resort because it was our intention to chill out and relax and that is just what we did. The people are lovely, so well mannered and work so hard to ensure that we had a good stay. The English dinner was a lovely surprise and was cooked to perfection. In general the food was ok-some days were really good and we always found something to satisfy us. The entertainment was a bit lame but as I said earlier we were here for the chill rather than the thrill. The hotel rooms were cleaned daily and the tv had plenty of english films to watch when we decided on an early night. The Thomas Cook rep Lynn was superb and so happy to help where she could.
After the second day I missed a cup of tea when we woke up and we went and asked for a ketlle-the bought it up within half an hour-no charge, we used the iron, no charge and two fresh bottles of mineral water in the fridge daily, no charge - a safety deposit box-no charge. Very very impressive.
The only problem we had were with the Russians, rude and very greedy and have never heard the word 'queue'.
I would recommend this hotel to anyone of any age as it had something to do for all.
Thank you to all the staff, so kind and helpful, especially Sali and Sayeed at the pool, and Tito from the amination team.
been there before and going back again
by TripAdvisor Member ThemaBelgium
Nice hotel on the beach with a beautiful garden. Spacious and clean rooms with clean sheets and towels daily. All meals in buffet style. Lots of choice and good quality. Service is exceptionally friendly. Guest ralation helps you with whatever you may need. Hurghada and El Gouna are within reasonable distance by taxi.
We were there in March and December 2009 and will return
I am sure you will love it!
by TripAdvisor Member gbtwirler
I just wanted to give some feedback on this hotel. I hope this helps others make their decision.
Room- The room was very spacious and we even had a balcony that had a good view. The room was cleaned to a high standard. I would recommend leaving your towels on the floor because otherwise they wont change them. There is a safe in each room that you set with a code however beware that if you mess teh code up on your fist attempt at setting it, then you have to wait till the next day to get it open. The other comments on here about the bathrooms are pretty true. The bathroom in our room was in need of refurbishment. Although not enough to put anyone off.
Food- If you are going for a week you will be fine. 2 weeks you might find it tiring eating the same foods. The food was pretty much the same for lunch and dinner everyday. Slight changes but mostly the same. The quality of food was good and I always found something to eat. The also have chips (fries) available at the pool snack bars. Drinks were available from 10am everyday at all the bars. In the evenings we did try adn get a coke to take to the room and they were not happy, insisting that we could not take a drink (even a coke) to our rooms. As for teh comments on the russians well, we did not really encounter problems but we did go to dinner early.
Beach- the hotel is directly on the beach! That was a must for me! It was a slight walk down to the beach, only a few minutes. There are so many lounge chairs that we never had to go out early to reserve one! Even if you dont get a prime chair right by the sea there are hundreds near and around the beach! There was also a long pier taht you could walk out and see the locals fishing, very interesting! The snorkeling was fab at the hotel. If you follow the white markers out into the sea you will see loads of fish, crabs, etc! Also there was no need to bring a beach towel as they were provided everyday with a card exchange system. Saves room in your suitcase.
Pool- we only sat by teh pool once b/c we love the sea. There are 3 pools, even one down on teh beach that are clean and have swim up bars.
Staff- I have to comment that the majority of staff will go out of your way to make you at home! They knew us by name and catered to our every need! They are so friendly!
Location- the location was kinda in the middle of no where! This was nice because once I saw many of the hotels located in hurghada city i was grateful to be outside the city. There is a small row of shops across from the hotel but beside that it is in the middle of the desert! You can book a taxi into Hurghada adn El Gouna right at a table by reception, they are really helpful if you are not up for trying to do the bus thing! . Cheap also!
Excursions- we went to Luxor for a day adn cairo for a day! Amazing and a must do while you are in Egypt! Well worth the money!
Overall I would highly suggest the hotel to couples, families, and singles. It will not let you down! It really is stunning and perfect if you want a beach hotel! Please ask if you have any questions!
Good rest and leisure
by TripAdvisor Member vipnochka
Great territory! Good stuff... if you are polite and show understanding :) Good kitchen but not a big variety of fruit (I expected strawberries due to the season but had to buy them at the downtown).
Lots of Russian-speaking people...
Long walk in the sallow sea until you can easily swim...
Everything on a plate !
by TripAdvisor Member dunfallinover
Almost a theme park with access to Sunrise le Jardin facilities (excluding restaurants ) thrown in . We counted 6 pools with plenty of loungers , lovely gardens separate this from the large beach front which gets busy so recommend finding your favourite spot before 8 if you want front row - windbreaks and sun umbrellas maintain privacy while radios are usually discouraged without earphones .
Had a short sandstorm in the first week but were glad of the fresh sea breeze as temperatures crossed 100 in the second week , sandy beach is raked daily and was fumigated during our stay reflecting a keen attitude to cleanliness and tidiness throughout given the high occupancy rate .
Apart from lounging there was a quaint paddling walkway for about 400m past rock pools to deep beautiful water , dolphins and squid do visit as well as windsurfers and hang-gliders. With a high turnover Spa/Massage/Camel ride salesmen would offer their wares once then seemed to leave us alone , beach attendants and animation team would politely pass the time of day .
All the staff seemed interested in making sure everyone enjoyed themselves , several made it clear they wanted more British visitors among the vast majority of Russians who seemed to regard this as their territory if you let them .
Large buffet with wide choice , not much fresh fruit but lots of beef,lamb and fish with extended dining hours so avoiding Russians who also liked everything on a plate . Good quality and plenty of theme nights with excellent A la Carte , service was great and provided another chance to practice our comedy arabic . Beach restaurants and the Bistro offered nice chips at lunchtime with more beef plus chicken,fish or stir-fry .
Hotel provided kettle after advance email request which got round the lack of 24 hr AI service , there was a free wall safe and 5 english language movie channels . Evening entertainment was fine but the lobby is large enough to sit and relax anytime , big tv upstairs in a separate lounge with a ping-pong table . Bar service was good although the main beach bar attracted queue jumpers ( if you let them ) again a little arabic comes in useful . Hot drinks ( real Nescafe ) available all day from machines , fruit juices better than expected .
We bought our visas for $15 each at the bank kiosk to the right of immigration in Hurghada arrivals so avoiding another rep queue and their commission , egp exchange rate was better there than at the bank in the hotel next door as was the ATM in our hotel . Guest Relations were superb for any queries and through hotel management got us a refund and an apology when a trip did not meet expectations , they also arranged packed lunches should we be out for the day . Fair range of hotel shops inside and across the road , shop-keepers never hassled us but prices reflect the location and could not come near the tatty charms of the golden mile of souvenir shops in Hurghada departures .
All in all a busy place trying very hard to attract British visitors through theme nights and excellent service .
laid back.
by TripAdvisor Member primroseCumbria
nice hotel,very clean and comfortable room,nice pools,not such agood beach area.the staff are very good,and they are not over attentive,i travel on my own,and i found this hotel was safe,and i didnt feel out of place because i was on my own.i had a little problem with one of the shops in the hotel,but i got my money back when my rep came into the shop,and my room was a bit noisy,and they moved me to the top floor which solved the outside noise.my only complaint is the lack of food choise,it was the same each night,i have lost weight!!!,overall a good holiday,and i will go back,and recommend it to my daughter who is a agent for thomas cook.
Very relaxing week
by TripAdvisor Member 280157
Overall a great week, the room was clean and comfortable and we were in a central position so had easy access to all areas of the hotel and grounds. Service was outstanding - the staff were generally very helpful and as in all work situations some never stop and some appear to stand and watch!!!
The layout of the grounds and facilities are very good and we enjoyed spending some days by the pool and some on the beach. The landscaping of the grounds is very attractive.
The food wasnt the highlight but typical all inclusive fare - a trip to Hard Rockk Cafe in Hurghada and Moods in El Gouna helped eased the monotonity. Breakfast was good but the variety and standard of the fruit was poor. Snacks were available all day and a bit more variety would have been good.
We didnt take part in any of the trips as we wanted to relax, sunbathe and read but guests we spoke to had enjoyed a trip in a submarine and visits to Luxor.
The animation team tried to encourage guests to take part in activities during the day but thankfully were not nuisances with this. We were approached by others wanting you to have a massage etc but a polite and firm no thank you worked, its best not to get drawn into a conversation.
We heard a variety of conflicting comments about the evening entertainment we tended to play cards in the lobby but I think families with children and teenagers may have struggled keeping them entertained in the evening.
The hotel attracts many Russian guests some of whom were quite rude and the idea of queueing was not a social skill they had learnt and I particularly didnt like how they treated the hard working staff. A please, thankyou or just a smile makes such a difference and I imagine the young men working at the hotel dont earn very much.
The management are very aware of how the Russian guests can 'take over' and are trying hard to make the English feel very welcome and address the issue.
It was a great holiday and I would recommend it to others - we probably wouldnt go back only because we like trying different places - enjoy!
Photos
the Jeep: so much fun!
Under the sea :D
Hurghada - Walking along
Hurghada - Beach
Forum Posts
paradise island
by pamelaandneil
hi can anyone tell me about the paradise island and how much the boat trips cost to get there .
Re: paradise island
by hurghadalady
Mahmaya Island, also known as Paradise Island is a little bit of heaven on earth.
If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Hurghada, this is the place to go. It takes approximately 45 minutes by boat, usually from the Sheraton Marina. Surrounded by the warm tranquil Red Sea, the snorkelling is excellent.
Going with your rep from the Hotel will cost approx £17.00. This includes snorkelling gear, and lunch. Usually two snorkelling sites are visited.
There are also half day trips available.
Re: paradise island
by sunshine9689
I just got back from Hurghada.
Payed $30 for a day trip with 4 locations: P. island (1 hour) snorkeling, coral reef snorkeling (1 hour), lunch, coral reef snorkeling (40 minutes), coral reef snorkeling (1 hour).
Was back at the hotel at 4pm or so.
It was good, not mind blowing though.
Recommend taking sun block, water and hat/glasses.
Re: paradise island
by sunshine9689
P`S` There will be a camera man filming everybody on the boat. After wasting $25, my only advice is - Do not bother buying their DVD (CD or VCR) - it is poorly made.
