my family and i stayed, every one got some kind of food poisoning and we were hungry the whole time. there was no snacks at all. the drinks were not real coke and lemonade and the aclcohol was there version which tasted horrible. also you had to pay fot the real stuff.

I am writing this report in diary style as the holiday goes along

Following reading numerous reports on this forum, and booking two weeks over Christmas and New Year, we certainly had reservations about our booking to the Nubian Village in Egypt.

We booked this as a package, through "Century Travel", with flights from Excel airways and Freedom travel and the accommodation from Med Hotels.

Firstly may I say that a lot of people on this forum seemed to complain about the food, but it can be interesting and tasty, admittedly it is not gourmet (but is never from all inclusive) There are not chips served with everything, which, to my mind, is a good thing, but there are different potato dishes, pasta dishes and salads served with every meal. Admittedly it can be a bit monotonous because there is a lot of the same foods out at most meals, but catering for up to 600 people from different countries can't be easy, and after eating all inclusive at a few other countries this is only to be expected. The food, along with the rest of the hotel is gears more towards the Italians with a few pasta dishes served with every meal and garlic and spices always used with the most simple of things such as roast chicken or baked potatoes

Monday 19 December: Spent the day around the pool, really cold water, so much so, that you can't stay in there for more than 5 minutes or so. Towels are supplied next to the pool bar where you can get tea or coffee as well as local alcoholic spirits and the local beer (stella) which is served in 500ml bottles

Tuesday 20 December: We tried the private beach, very pleasant, the attendants handing out the towels are both friendly and efficient. The sea is a lot warmer than the pool with a very shallow area about 20 meters wide where there is still some great marine life to be seen, leading out to a dramatic clear blue 'abyss like' drop off at the edge of the coral reef, where the sea deepens instantly from about 12" deep to a depth where there is no visible bottom and the countless fish are colourful and of all shapes and sizes. Beware of the undertow in rougher seas, at the drop off of the reef, as it can be quite difficult to swim back to the reef and the coral can be razor sharp and cut and graze your legs if you knock them on it. Wet suits are available to hire on the beach for about 6.00GBP.
We went into Naama Bay this evening. Shops selling lots of "Egyptian tat" and full of restaurants, Very pushy shopkeepers trying to pull you off the streets to buy at "ASDA PRICE". Just tell them no if you're not interested and be persistent, 'cause they are.

Wednesday 21 December: Took a trip into the desert for a traditional Bedouin evening and to see the stars and planets through high power telescopes, unfortunately, this evening was cloudy though the tour guide offered a partial refund due to the weather or a re-booking with no extra charge.

Thursday 22 December: Been to the beach again in the morning, a bit windy but Sun shining and warm. Going to the "Old Market" this afternoon to see if its any better than Naama Bay for some last minute Christmas shopping.
If you want shops, go here, the shopkeepers are far less pushy and we felt more inclined to go into the shops and "browse". When buying be sure to bargain with the shopkeepers, they expect it and after some tedious bartering you can probably get 1/3 off their original price.

Friday 23 December: The weather has turned a bit today with a reasonably strong breeze making the 20 C seem a little chilly, there's not a great deal to do here if there is no sunshine, but a relaxing day sat at the bar drinking beer and coffee, away from the glaring sun has given us time to write some postcards and add a bit more to this report. We have had a birthday in the group here, so we booked into the Corallo "oriental restaurant", don't be fooled into thinking that this is a Chinese as we did, They class their own food as oriental so the food is much the same as the buffet restaurant, although the service is great, with the chef, "Franco", coming out of the kitchen and singing and dancing "happy birthday" in Egyptian, along with waiter.

Saturday 24 December (Christmas Eve): Sun is bright again, but there is a breeze which makes it feel a bit chilly when you're in the shade. We decided to take a walk out of the Hotel grounds and up the road about a mile to the next open hotel with a shop. There are no pavements as yet as the whole area is still under construction so walking can be a little treacherous in flip flops. Nothing to really see or do outside the hotel as yet. There is a Gala Dinner tonight, although we have just been informed that there is a charge of $40.00 per head, even though we are all inclusive and our tour operator has said that all Gala Dinners are included. The Corallo restaurant is also open with no charge though.

Sunday 25 December (Christmas Day): The wind on the beach is a touch strong again today but if can find a sheltered spot the sun is very hot and intense. There doesn't seem to be much happening today, as it seems like all the Christmas celebrations happen here on Christmas Eve. The carols and Christmas songs are all the same as back home even when there is live music the songs are the same expect with an Egyptian accent. The decorations in the restaurant are spectacular and original, with a Santa's grotto and a snow covered tunnel but with an Egyptian theme.
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With week one over and just about to start week 2, the weather situation is looking promising, although the sun has been glorious there has always been a substantial breeze of around 20Kph making it feel just bit chilly for the first week, but according to the weather forecast published in the guest relations desk in reception, during week 2 it will be dropping to a comfortable 4Kph.
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Monday 26 December (Boxing Day): Took an Excursion on the "Almira Yacht" today, following an hour or so on a coach picking up from various hotels, we arrived at the port where we boarded a 65' or so wooden sailing yacht. This would take us out of port and into "Ras Mohamed" (Allah's Garden) national park. After about 2 hours sailing we reached our first stop which was for snorkelling on a reef. One of the reps from Med Hotels escorted us in the water and around the reef, Snorkels and masks were provided, as were fins, but wet suits have to be hired on the way at a cost of about 4.00GBP. As you are snorkelling there is a safety boat at hand if you have any trouble with anything, or if you tire and do not want to swim any further. The snorkelling is something that you have to do if you visit the Red Sea as the coral reefs and marine life is a fantastic sight that you will not be able to come close to off the UK coast.
Our next stop was at an "Island", this is a spectacular area of sand and coral just about 12" - 18" deep, under clear green, still, surprisingly warm water, which is just off a baron sand coloured cliff face and small deserted beaches. Lunch was served on the yacht while we were anchored of the island, which was both tasty and plentiful
Our final stop of the day was again for snorkelling, this time we moved closer to the port and anchored off some more deserted beaches. Deserts of sliced fruits were served after the swim.
Tea, Coffee and soft drinks are available with no charge on the yacht, but beer, wine and spirits are charged.
The only disappointing event of the day came on our return back to the hotel, where we found we had no hot water in the room, this was reported to reception and the room manager attended in about 5 minutes along with an engineer to correct the problem.

Tuesday 27 December: Not a lot to say really, the weather forecast published in reception was spot on, a very pleasant day was spent on the beach soaking up some hot Egyptian sun, without the chilly breeze that we encountered for the first week.
Going to the Bedouin tent in the hotel grounds tonight for a more "traditional" Egyptian evening with water pipe and belly dancers, (my only hope is the entertainment from the dancers are not part of the animation team, who are all Italian, and very loud and pushy, although in all fairness they do seem to pick on the Italians and leave the Brits alone).
We popped to reception this afternoon to see the Med Hotels rep regarding the New Years eve gala dinner, while we were there we heard a lot of people complaining about the once notorious Spanish tummy, where as no one in our party has suffered that much, all have had a touch of it, but more so during the start of the holiday where the different foods and oils took there toll. But beware, if you over indulge, then it could last.

Wednesday 28 December: Again the weather has been glorious with very little wind and hot sun, we spent the day at the beach again. Took a taxi to the old market again in the evening, about 8.50GBP for a taxi from the Hotel as opposed to the advised 6.00GPB for a local blue and white, but seeing the driving of the local cabs it is well worth paying the extra, if you at the right time of day take a brief moment to admire the sunsets, an crimson sky silhouetting the baron, rugged mountains engulfed in the arid desert sand of the Sinai peninsular is a sight that you must encounter if you're coming here. If you have Achmed as your driver the journey will be as calm as the Egyptians know how to drive, and he will be accommodating and stop for photographs, he will even put some music and his headlights on (I don't know why but nobody seems to turn their headlights on at all). There is a Duty Free shop at the old market for cigarettes and international brands, but remember to take your passport if you want to shop there. If you want cigarettes though there are plenty of street sellers selling international brands, Don't buy at their asking price though, I was able to buy Marlboro at 7.00GBP for 200 by knocking them down, then walking out of the shop when they wouldn't come down to my price, they eventually agreed.
A couple of beers later in the evening I thought I'd have a whiskey, I opted for a Chivas Regal as I'd had some Johnny Walker Red earlier in the week and some of the all inclusive "Egyptian" whiskey, which I will say, would be ok to drink if you have no taste buds, an incomprehensibly strong stomach, no sense of smell and a complete tolerance to all things awful, My wife however has enjoyed the Rum albeit mixed with cola. This will be the only glass of Chivas I have though as it is 6.50GBP for a standard UK size double measure.

Thursday 29 December: Not a lot to say again, spent the day basking in the searing sunshine, Drinking bottles of Stella, and reading Boxing day's Daily Mail, which cost a staggering 3.00GBP. The sun has disappeared behind the mountain again at about 4.00pm, so few drinks in the welcoming bar were in order, then a piping hot shower and a meal followed by a couple more drinks in the reception lounge finishing the day off.

Friday 30 December: Alarm goes off at 7.30am, upon drawing the curtains and being blinded by the sunlight, we decide to get an early start, and get to the beach before the onslaught of the Italians. On arriving on the sands at about 8.30am and getting our choice of sunbeds laid out with fresh towels by the ever welcoming beach attendants, we start the day by trying to get a coffee at the pool bar but the only thing available at the moment is orange or pineapple juice, coffee is not available here until about 9.30am. Another day spent on the beach lazing around in the sun. That's just about it for today, sun has dropped behind the mountains again at about 4.30pm, so coffee and drinks in the reception lounge before shower and dinner later.

Saturday 31 December (New Years eve) : Last full day and as luck would have it things have started to go wrong, there is 4 in our party, one now have a bad stomach, one has a heat rash and one has an ear infection, although with a visit to the pharmacy on site which is manned by a doctor, things are quite easily remedied with some anti-biotic ear drops, some calamine lotion, and some Imodium, all available without any prescription and easily over the counter.
We booked into gala dinner ealier in the week, you have to book a table with a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine, but nobody in our party likes wine, so they let us book a table with a bottle rum instead. The display food was magnificent with the sculptures and decoration all made from different foods. The meal itself has something for everyone, from king prawns to grilled salmon to roast lamb to pasta dishes. The evening folled on by all guests being given a bag containing party hats and masks, dancing and music was supplied in the reception lounge with all staff enjoying the good atmosphere, then at midnight some of the chefs appeard from the kitchen with a huge celebration cake for the new year.

Sunday 1 January: Check out day today, After a quick couple of hours at the beach, and vacating the room by 12.00we sat around the relax pool untill about 3.00 when we asked at reception for a shower room, we were given this room form a couple of hours for a shower with no charge. a couple of drinks in the bar while we waited for our pick up at 6.10pm

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I can't say for the rest of the time but if you are going for a Christmas holiday then you will probably need something a little warmer for the evenings. The weather is similar to a British summer, with warm / hot days, if a little short (sun goes down at around 3.30pm) and the temperature dropping off in the evenings where it can feel cool in comparison the the daytime sunshine. Don't forget that this is a Muslim country, hence there is no full English Breakfast. If you have your Hotel through Med Hotels "Waleed" may be your Rep., His English is good and he seems to try his hardest to sort out problems you may have with a friendly and efficient manner. If you are pleasant to the waiting staff and bar staff and maybe slip them the odd 2.00GBP tip they will always be more than pleased to see you and remember your drinks or find you a table. They are very hard working, some (pool barman especially) working 7 days a week 8.30 till midnight, with only time off for food and a shower for 2 months. Oh! I nearly forgot, don't phone the UK from your room as a 10 minute call will cost 16.00 GBP !!

To Summarise, the resort is a great place to relax, with friendly and very courteous and helpful staff, clean facilities, a well organised and enjoyable hotel and fantastic sea life within easy reach of all, young and old. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Nubian Village to anybody wanting a relaxing holiday, just don't expect lots of entertainment laid on and don't leave it too long as the area has new hotels springing up everywhere and will very soon become just another annoyingly busy resort. Get in quick before the prices and the hotels rise!!

PS. Have a great holiday!!

My wife & I stayed @ this hotel between 8 & 15 Dec. 2005 as the second leg of a Red Sea cruise & stay. Because of both good & bad reports an open minded attitude seemed appropriate.

The transfer from ship to the Nubian Village required a taxi @ our expence, a member of staff suggested £10 to be a reasonable fee. When I picked up the cases @ the dockside, two young boys took them off me & walked with a taxi driver towards the awaiting vehicles where the driver's requested £50 was eventually agreed @ £30, so I gave the boys £1 each for wheeling a case approx 20 yards (which I was quite prepared to do myself)and the driver arrogantly
retorted "only £1 ? ". On arrival my attention was divided between our driver who was unsuccessfully insisting our agreed £30 was per person not per journey and an elderly couple arguing with their driver who had lost one of their cases off the roof.Tom from Tyneside was standing over his split open case, suffering the intimidation of the driver who was insisting that "standing there arguing was costing him money".The lady & a security guard went to reception but nobody was interested.The driver eventually received his agreed £25 (some couples had paid £50)& he speedily returned to catch more mugs with £ signs on their foreheads.This distasteful experience is relevant because all drivers have to leave security/identity passes @ port & hotel gates & ours had boasted that "only the best are allowed in", implying a closed shop ? .

On entering the dining room that evening, the term organised chaos sprang to mind,extreme heat & noise, lack of made up tables etc. caused one lady to smile at my obvious concern & say "short of staff". Lunch next day was calmer but when a white cup with a large brown chip on it's rim was returned to the waiter before he poured my coffee, he casually swapped it with one on the next table. Another waiter who dropped clean (?) cuttlery on the floor just picked them up & placed them in the box ready to make up place settings. The doubts were growing fast, my open mind was bieng abused and the dining facilities now portrayed a U.K. truck stop without the hygene !.
Next day we tried to keep away but by evening realising we had to eat, after only one portion of warm (not hot)lasagne I just managed it accross the foyer to the toilet before my body rejected it.My wife lasted one day longer before the inevitable and we spent the rest of our "holiday" on pills which didn't work and trying to rember where the nearest toilet would be if we ventured from our room. Admittedly an alternative dining facility near the beach was available for lunch only but the tollerance of sparrows on the tables (with their assosiated waste)was just too much.
Numerous other bad experiences were encountered such as sultry ,uncooperative staff, mainly in the bar, the one lift which didn't work etc. etc.but my overall complaint is of bieng ripped off whilst at the same time bieng made ill.

Prior to this venture, experiencing different cultures accross the world has proved enjoyable and rewarding, this one suggests that if the flying time of over 6 hours is extended just a little longer,then a more deserving people can have our money.

my partner and i got back from sharm on 12 dec2005.we stayed at the nubien village.we arrived on the monday night of 28 nov.by midnighton tuesday 29th i had got food piosoning in a bad way .i had to see a docter in the hotel;have two injections ..two lots of tablets..and was laid up for the rest of our first week.and all because the catering staff have not got a clue about food hygiene.i sat and watched one night in the hotel restaruant as the so called chefs put luke warm chicken into just warm baine maries.just the ideal enviroment for bactieria to grow,and this was happening with all the food served there day in and day out no wonder half the hotel was laid up sick in there rooms.
we paid for an all inclusive holiday in a five star hotel...the hotel was more like a three star..the drinks ..coke.lemonade ectall tasted of the cleaning fluid used on the drinks machine.so we ended up having to go into narma bay too eat and have a drink..so as i said never again.oh and by the way ,,the first time we saw the rep was the day we were leaving .i reckon he couldn;t take all the complaints and hassle he was getting from the hotel guests.

Where do I start with this place?

Well when I and my girlfriend arrive at this place we were pretty impressed.
The reception was nice but as soon as we got to the room it all went wrong! It was clean but looked very tacky! The bathroom was nasty, we had book a double bed and we got it but it was 2 single beds joined together and was very uncomfortable! The next day we changed room which was a bit nicer but still got 2 single beds joined together as the hotel does not have double beds.

Hotel Staff: Well the cleaners are so much nicer then the actual staff…Staff at the front desk give you attitude and are rude and unhelpful. Bar staff get the orders wrong and look like they don’t want to be there. Catering staff are not bad, but they could make more of an effort!

Hotel Food: If you love sea food then you will like the food here but be prepared a lot of people that we meet had got upset stomachs. If you are a vegetarian you are not going to like anything there! The only thing they cater for vegetarians is PASTA! Not up to the standards!

Hotel General: The only good thing I found at this hotel was that it was very clean. The entertain is rubbish same thing every night. The Spa is quite good but be prepared to pay London price and also for drinks! The gym is very small I have a bigger one in my garage! The beach is very nice, the shuttle bus that tale you to Naama Bay is way to small and you would expect something better and classy as they do say that they are a ‘5* Hotel’ The pool are is ok not bad for sun bathing and is very quite. The hotel is way to far from Naama Bay, a hotel Taxi will cost you around 6-8 English pounds, when really it should cost you about £3.50. So you should go outside the hotel and grab a blue and white taxi!

Overall: I would not recommend this hotel to any couple or family, if you are looking to be lazy for a whole week then this is the perfect place. Other then that this is no way a 5* hotel more like a 3*.

We stayed in Nubian Village for a week. This hotel is definitely not a 5* hotel. It would be lucky to make a 3*! Rooms: These were fairly clean. We stayed in a bungalow on our first night and the bathroom was disgusting so we changed room the next day. The reception staff were all generally quite rude and unhelpful and did not make things easier for us. They didn't understand what we were dissatisfied about. The reception staff in general were all ignorant and unhelpful on most topics which I assume they are asked on a frequent basis. Customer service is not high on their list.
The rooms were cleaned everyday but to a level which you would expect in any hotel. Food: We were all inclusive and what a mistake! Being vegetarian our main options everyday consisted off Pasta, salad and Bread. No originality with the food or variation. Eating in the restaurant for us was a last resort. Location: The hotel was too far from Naama Bay and on average we spent between £12-£20 pounds on cabs as the free bus service ran at inconvenient times. The one occasion when we did take the bus there was a scramble o find a seat because the bus is small, old and rusty looking. We were advised a few days into being in Sharm by an Egyptian that they double the fares for tourists and the hotels are in on this as well. On average it should be £6 return from Nubian Village to Naama Bay! The hotel cites £12! Entertainment: The hotel did not provide any entertainment in my view but that would depend on if you find tacky European Karaoke amusing. Naama Bay- This place is good fun if you ignore all the Egyptians on the street hounding you to buy something or go into their shop. Good places to go are: Little Buddha and Camel. I wouldn’t recommend Hard Rock Cafe unless you are into house music. Be prepared to haggle for everything here! Excursions: Quad Bikes were great!! We also went to Tiran Island which was nice if you like snorkelling, the glass boat trip is good as is the Bedouin night. Haggle on the price of these too. Overall: I would return to Sharm but I would definitely stay in Naama bay and I would not recommend Nubian Village!!

This hotel was great, we went for a relaxing week which is exactly what we got. People complain of upset stomachs but if you are careful not to use the water then you should be fine. The food was of an excellent standard. People who complain obviously only want steak and chips - you wont get this. There was fish, chicken, veal and beef, pasta and a whole erray of vegetables. The service was excellent, people went out of their way to help and were extremely friendly. The pool was a bit cold but once you were in it was lovely. The beer is good too! Entertainment was not great but then if you go with good company then the conversation is always good enough. All in all a fantastic holiday, there are loads of things to do and it is a very beautiful place.

Booked a last minute break on text, paid around £350 for the all inclusive. Wonderful value for money. Excel airline - staff very cheerful, good flight and on time. We stayed in one of the bungalows situated in beautifully kept gardens, near the 'quiet pool'. Lovely accommodation, lots of space, nice secluded terrace, the bungalows are situated so that your terrace is not overlooked by the neighbours. Sheets and towels changed daily. All staff very friendly. Food excellent, so much choice and the desserts were numerous and absolutely delish... There were no chips - hooray - It was great to try sweet potato with coconut and lots of vegies served in a variety of ways. Pastas, potatoes sometimes three different varieties. Three meats i.e. (chicken, Duck, Beef, lamb, steak ) and two or three fish dishes each night. Lots of salads and breads. Breakfast, hot and cold also great. The pool (although cold) was excellent and the beach was very special. You can walk into the water up to your knees and look down and there will be several dozen tropical fish in the most vibrant colours swimming around your legs. A walk along the jetty will bring you the other side of the reef and you can clearly see the very large tropical fish and the beautiful coral without getting wet!!! It could be a little quiet for those who like a lively evening but a free bus into Naama Bay (pay to come back late) could be the solution. The Tirian Island snorkelling trip is a must - absolutely stunning. We did not get a visa, we said Sharm El Sheikh only and did not have to pay the $15. Take Euro's or Amercian Dollars - the taxi driver refused the Egypian £'s. They do try to confuse you by giving change in another currency, and the shop-keepers drive you batty trying to get you into their shops. Would I go back - You bet - Superb holiday, weather good, Nubian Village great.

Hotel was clean, rooms were cleaned every day and clean towels, beds changed. The hotel was mainly oriented for the Italians and Russian. The food was a big let down for this hotel with many people having bad stomachs. Food for British children was non existance, me and my partner came back with food poisioning i would not recommend this hotel to any who asked.

the hotel i must say was beautiful.. the food was disgusting and many of the holidaymakers had upset stomaches..the all inclusive snacks were non existant.. not good when the children are expecting to be able to get them.. both my daughters and myself lost weight..the entertainment was very poor too.. same old thing every night..people in other hotels say they had a wonderfull time. obviously we picked the wrong hotel and it has put us off going back there..which is sad as the fish and coral is amazing