How chav is Sharm el Sheikh?

[sorry4]

We are looking for some winter sun. Looking at Sharm el Sheikh for a week all inclusive. We’ve never done a mass scale tourism hotel before.

Usually we stay in small family run hotels or rent a villa or apartment. Rent a car. Go to restaurants and explore an area.

However we are looking for somewhere very relaxing and an AI 5* seems very attractive.

In house entertainment is our idea of hell - but we could simply not participate.

I’m sorry for the question, but how “Brits Abroad” or “Chav” is Sharm el Sheikh? It’s just not our vibe.

From my experience a lot of people stay in their hotels. There are a huge amount of hotels to choose from so base your research on that.

I personally hated Sharm and felt unsafe outside the hotel as I was a single mother at the time which apparently was akin to a prostitute. Though I did meet a gang of other lovely single mothers which made my holiday.

I have heard that Hurghada and particularly El Gouna is nicer than Sharm. Apparently harassing tourists to buy things there is banned which makes for a better experience if you do venture out

Egypt was a horrible holiday when I went, absolutely scorching hot, and the people were sooo weird

Very. I wouldn't go again.

Dahab maybe?

When you say that you want to hire a car and explore the area, do you mean day trips or just locally? Some of the mainland Red Sea resorts are close enough to Cairo for a day trip.

www.localguidetoegypt.com/amp/egypt-s-red-sea-riviera-where-to-stay

Try Cape Verde instead.
It gets mixed reviews but we really enjoyed it and the hotel (Melia Tortuga) was lovely.
No chavs at all but theres not much to do, we did a couple of day trips and then just chilled out so its fine for a week

For a minute I thought this was another baby name thread.

We went to a 5* AL to Hurghada in September a couple of years ago with a 1yo. Loved it! The service was amazing, the hotel was clean and everything was included. Entertainment wasn't our thing either, we just didn't participate and did our own thing, the resorts are huge so there's something for everyone.

We did venture out to the nearest mall to get some bits and have a look around and it was absolutely fine. Stall holders will obviously try and make a sale you just tell them no thank you and move on.

We're going to Sharm in September, our friends went last year and loved it.

Also to add, we went during term time so didn't come across any 'chavs' lots of Europeans though

Stay at the Four Seasons (if it's still there!), but don't leave the hotel. Not AI, but plenty of good restaurants in the hotel, so you have lots of a la carte choice. Very high levels of service but, obviously, it does come at a price.

I went a few years ago with uni friends, I wouldn’t say it was Brits abroad, more Russians and Germans abroad - but same crowd you get with any AI really. It’s not really my vibe, but was fine for a week of relaxing by the pool, playing tennis and not having to think about food or drink.

If you want winter sun, I recommend Lanzarote. I didn’t have high expectations, but the scenery and architecture was beautiful. We had a villa with our own pool and had a lovely relaxing time.

If you choose Dahab, be careful what time you go.
We went in November, and the first couple of days were bliss - but then loads of Saudi Arabians (I think, they were from across the water - you could see it from the hotel) came over for Eid and took over the hotel for 10 days.
It was awful - I didn't feel safe even though I was with my husband and child, we were relegated to some small area as our eating place, we couldn't get in the pool. The kids just dropped rubbish where they'd finished with it, instead of putting it in the bin, we were very definitely excluded from the entertainment in the evening, the toilets were literally covered in shit. If I even smiled at a small child enjoying itself, the mother would glare at me like I was going to steal it.
We had about three days at the end when they'd left, and the staff were so lovely - they said it happened every year and they hated it.

I really disliked it. Felt unsafe, had a terrible stomach bug and there's nothing picturesque about the place, all feels man made. We also got locked in a shop with several men until we bought something. I would never go again, even if it was free.

It’s not the Brits you need to be thinking about in Egypt. It’s the Saudis. A lot of them behave awfully towards the hotel staff. The men are misogynistic, rude and entitled. We would not return to Egypt for this reason.

Avoid the big all-inclusive hotels, and head for Naama Bay. You'll get the scuba diving crowd, quite an international bunch, and no chance of bumping into the Brits-Abroad crowd. Namma Bay is great at night, lots of bars and restaurants and very vibrant. Far more fun than Cape Verde, I wouldn't go back there again, there's nothing there.

@Blisterly what sort of temperatures were you getting in Lanzarote?

AI can be awesome. No cooking, washing up or shopping. But having been once to Egypt I would never never set foot in that country again. The sheer aggression and harassment was unlike anything I've experienced and I have been to many countries so it's not like I'm sheltered. They literally hate women, especially women that look like they have independence and freedom. So I would say do AI, the price will reflect the quality of food and accommodation, but don't do it in Egypt. (Was in Cairo, Hurghada and Valley of the Kings)

I am lucky enough at the moment to rarely get ill. I was horrendously ill in sharm. I think it's very common. I was in a 5 star hotel. I would never go back. (Maybe I should actually as I could do with losing a few pounds!)

I think it depends on your hotel- we went some years ago and there was really not much to do outside the hotel (the kids enjoyed a bedouin night and seeing the stars and hated camel riding), the hotel had a reef straight off the beach and that's where we spent most of the time snorkelling.

it was our first AI and I wasn't keen, there were a lot of boozed up Russians who were really rude but mostly stayed in their own bit of the hotel.

We also as a couple went to Hurghada just before the pandemic - as a few days at the end of a Nile cruise and visit to Cairo (both of which were amazing and I'd go back like a shot!) and weren't that impressed either....big AI hotel - very soulless.

I think if you want a pool and AI for convenience it's probably fine...but you have to like snorkelling and the weather has to be calm enough for it. I wouldn't rush back.

The only other AI we've done was with the kids in Turkey and that was like night and day - much better food, choice of food, people....

I'd never go to Egypt after my parents (and everyone else) were mugged by whatever the entry staff are called, who "asked" for the cash in the wallets as they passed through security on arrival. Nobody dared say no to the men in uniform holding guns.

Have you considered staying in Luxor instead? Unless you are desperate for a beach, Luxor has some wonderful hotels, and it is one of my favourite cities. There is no need for all inclusive as there are many excellent and very cheap restaurants, and I can't think of anywhere else in the world where you would have better sightseeing opportunities.

Egypt is possibly my favourite country I've ever been to and if you approach it with the right attitude you will have a wonderful time.!

Just to add that while we nearly always hire a car, Egypt is the one country where we haven't done so. I don't remember ever seeing any car hire offices in Luxor or Aswan and the standard of driving is fairly bad. Many cars are also in terrible condition. But if you haggle, you can hire a car and driver for half a day or a full day very cheaply. Luxor is a very safe city and I've never felt in the slightest bit uneasy wandering round late at night. You would also avoid the mass scale tourism issues thst you're concerned about and the in house entertainment, which has always put us off some places.

5* in Egypt is not what you might expect. It's not luxury.

I usually do holidays like you and have tried AI twice (Once in Turkey and once in Egypt - not cheap options either) and really dislike it. Unless you can do an AI premium (like Ikos) then I really would avoid it.

I didn't notice it being particularly chavvy. There were people from all backgrounds when we went. It's a slightly odd place but we enjoyed our holiday. I particularly loved snorkelling and swimming with all the brightly coloured tropical fish. It was amazing! The sea was warm. The markets were interesting. The food was OK (don't remember it being good or bad) although I got the worst food poisoning there.
A couple of Egyptian men asked my DH how many camels he'd accept for me but it was done in a very jokey way. We got a bit of hassle but not too much. There was a blonde woman who came on a walking tour with us and crowds of men were calling after her in the street - "beautiful lady!" etc etc. but I was generally left alone (I'm brunette).
We spent time at Hurghada at the coast which I preferred to Sharm. It had a much more relaxed, laid back feel to it. If I was going back to Egypt I'd stay there.

It would be a very long day trip. Trust me, I used to live in Egypt. It's best to stay overnight and even it's tiring.
Op I haven't been to Sharm for about 15 years but we used to love the Movenpick resorts there. It's a very good chain so I can believe they have maintained their standards. Sharm is really a base for touring. You could perhaps quad bike in the desert or go snorkelling.
The best Red Sea resort by a mile is El Gouna. It's worth checking out. It's more upmarket and very relaxed.

I’ve been to Egypt a few times for work and I’ve not had a good experience. 5* is most definitely not European or US five star. The driving is awful, the men are often awful, the food is average at absolute best and there’s a permanent edginess which is definitely more unsafe than cool.