Hurghada, Egypt Holiday?

[Pootlemcsmootle]

Hi all,
Has anyone been to Hurghada in Egypt for a family holiday? My DH just suggested looking into going for the Easter break but I don't know anything about it. We were hoping for a family friendly place with good snorkelling that kids could feel happy doing.

Single woman so I can't comment on the family experience first hand, but returned from Makadi Bay (at the Fort Arabesque) recently for the second year running. No problems with food or cleanliness, so unwanted attention from men, and I went outside the hotel frequently. There were quite a few families and they seemed to be having a good time as far as those I spoke to said.

I think that places are often what you make them - I have never been anywhere "awful" although I am sure that some people might have found them like that. As a student, many moons ago, I worked in a UK holiday resort, and you really do not want to know what went on behind the scenes. Now that was awful.

Take sensible precautions - don't drink the water, understand that food is different so be prepared in case you have an upset tummy, that sort of thing. And if you decide to go, don't shop in the hotels unless you want to pay 10 times what it costs anywhere else.

I wouldn’t go again. I brought my daughter and we couldn’t leave the hotel or go anywhere without being groped, followed and hassle.

The attitude towards women was appalling and I would never again visit a place with similar attitudes. I regret supporting their economy with my tourism money.

The snorkelling in the Red Sea was amazing but you have to come out of the sea sometime.

I also got food poisoning which reoccurred three times after I got home.

We've had a couple of winter holidays in Three corners Sunny Beach Resort to the North of Hurghada. (There are a couple of three corners, but reviews suggest this is the better one) Couldn't fault it, clean, attentive (but not hassling) staff.
Snorkeling off the pier, a few slides, private beach. Went through Easy jet holidays.
Would suggest you take a lot of pounds/Euros with you for extras such as spa/day trips and local cash for tips (cash points are in baggage claim hall in Hurghada airport).
They work on a 1:1 rate for pound/Euros, so Euros will be slightly cheaper🤣.
Not much out of the resort, it is a relax and chill all inclusive place in the middle of a desert.

My mum went and said it was awful so that was enough to put me off! She said she felt like a prisoner, hotel was beautiful but she didn't like the surrounding area the abject poverty was upsetting to her. Like others she got a really upset stomach which persisted after she'd got home, even though the food was good. She said she'd never go back and why would she when there's so many other places to go?!

I'm in Hurghada right now at the Jaz Blurmarine and booked through TUI. It's nice and clean and staff are very friendly but it is quite windy here and there isn't anywhere to snorkel without getting on a boat. We did Sharm last year and I prefer there. Could snorkel straight from the hotel (Coral Sea), less windy from memory too.

I preferred sharm to hurghada. Been twice to Egypt, most recently Luxor, Cairo and hurghada ….no hassle at all. We wondered round Cairo on our own for a few days and loved it. The food was good in the Red Sea hotels and staff lovely.

We went last year to hurghada and have been to sharm before.
We stayed at neverland resort. Also known as jungle aqua park. It was absolutely INSANE. The hotel was amazing. 2 water parks. Kids absolutely love it and want to go back this year.
We did a trip to Luxor and the valley of the kings which was amazing. Couldn’t recommend the place enough.
You do have to remember it’s not a first world country. Obviously it’s dusty, dirty, there is poverty. But it’s also wonderful full of history and the people are really friendly. I would go back in a second

I wouldn't got to Egypt if you paid me. They poison all the cats and dogs to "clean up" their resorts for tourists. My friend runs a charity that tries to help as best he can but it's a drop in the ocean. The practice is barbaric and the deaths are horrific. No amount of fun in the sun would be worth that for me personally.

The same happens in Greece. Sadly animals are treated very badly by people all around the world.

Makadi Bay is a lovely place to take DC. We were there in February and October last year.

In February the pools are heated which is nice, and it’s warm enough to swim and sunbathe, but gets dark fairly early and you will need a cardigan in the evening.

The hotels there are very child friendly and it’s a nice straightforward transfer from airport, about 20 minutes I think

It's fine if you can stay in the hotel for the entire holiday as the staff have to be respectful to the guests to keep their jobs. Outside the hotels is a different story with pickpockets, con artists, leering/groping, innuendos, etc., especially on the local mini buses which are really only safe for the locals, not tourists.

Hygiene, particularly food hygiene is pretty poor, even in the decent hotels. The public loos are usually really grim, and nearly everyone we knew when we were there (and those who've been since) suffered some kind of food poisoning.