Hot in Hurghada
On arrival at Hurghada airport I have to say it was a little overwhelming and didn't seem very well organized, but we were soon in our private taxi to take us on the 20 minute transfer to our hotel, Sunrise Grand Select Crystal Bay. Upon arrival at approx. 9:30pm the temperature was still 31 degrees. Excellent!
The hotel was spotlessly clean and the staff were very attentive. We were greeted with a welcome drink and shown to our Deluxe Room, which overlooked the perfectly manicured gardens. We woke up to pure sunshine, 40 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. That's how it remained for the week.
Ours days were spent around the pool, mostly under the pool cabanas, as the sun was intensely hot and very little breeze. However the pool bar ensured we were kept well hydrated. Come the afternoon a little cocktail was very welcome! The pool area was huge and spacious, however you did need to reserve the sunbeds early in the morning, something we were not use to doing but hey 'when in Rome...' as the saying goes!
As an all-inclusive hotel we had a selection of places to eat, the main buffet restaurant had plenty to choose from and did cater for all. There were quite a lot of European guests so the selection catered for them considerably. We enjoyed the specialty restaurants, the Indian in particular.
After a couple of days we were upgraded to the Pool Suite. Wow, this was amazing! The Pool Suites have their own private pool, located on the beach with your own private beach Cabana and butler to supply drinks during the day. Anyone thinking of staying here really must stay in a Pool Suite. Not only is the suite huge and luxurious, the benefits totally change the overall holiday experience. Most of all not having to worry about getting up early to reserve your pool sun loungers! You can also rent the beach cabanas daily if you are staying in the main hotel rooms. They are approximately $25 per day.
The Sunrise Grand Select is ideal for couples. Families are of course welcome and there were a few families there during our stay but the children's entertainment is quite low key. So I guess great if you have kids but don't want the full on 'Butlins' vibe!
I always like to check out the Spa and have a treatment whilst I'm on holiday. During my stay I had two facials and they were amazing, I would highly recommend having that done at some point.
Would I go back to the Sunrise Grand Select Crystal Bay? Yes, but in a Pool Suite without doubt.
So after a week back home and just enough time to do my laundry and repack, I was heading to Hurghada again. This time I stayed at the Sunwing Waterworld Makadi with Gaby and Kirsty. The airport didn't seem as bad second time round as I knew what to expect.
This holiday was quite different as the Sunwing Waterworld is a family orientated hotel with its own waterpark. I was highly impressed with the design of this hotel, which opened in 2012. Within the Makadi complex, which hosts the Makadi Spa Hotel, Makadi Palace, Grand Makadi and the Makadi Mall which includes some of the all-inclusive specialty restaurants.
Our Junior Suite room overlooked the Lazy River. The room itself was a good size, with a separate lounge area and massive bathroom. Another plus point, there were plenty of mirrors. So many hotels I notice lack mirrors!
As you'd expect from a waterpark hotel, it catered really well for families. The waterpark for the younger children was a big hit and meant that younger children stayed around this area. The Lazy River was great for all ages, the three waterslides catered for the older children and the wave pool was a hit with all ages.
We were happy to spend our days around the main pool, taking a dip every 10 minutes to cool down. The hotel is located on the beach so we'd also nip down to the sea for a quick swim. The girls would be happy doing their own thing and I was only too happy to stay on my lounger reading my Kindle whilst they went on the slides or in the Lazy River. Kirsty was great at waking early to pop to the pool and reserve our loungers. Again I didn't feel happy about doing this, but it was a case of having to!
The beach was lovely with plenty of sun loungers with rattan shades. The sea was crystal clear and like walking into a warm bath; perfect for swimming and snorkelling. Being so clear, the fish were easy to see without actually having to snorkel.
The hotel has plenty of dining options. Each restaurant you had to book in advance apart from the buffet restaurant. Thankfully we only had to eat at the main buffet restaurant once, as we weren't keen on it. The other restaurants were great: Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Egyptian, French and Mediterranean. During the day there was also a pancake and waffle station which was very popular. So plenty to choose from unless of course you're a fussy eater!
During June, July and August the weather really is hot and the evenings very warm too, not dipping below 30 I noticed. But unlike the Caribbean it's a very dry heat, so if like me, you have unruly wavy hair naturally and straighten it daily, you don't have the worry of it going frizzy in the humidity! Another plus point for me!
Being so dry also we didn't have the worry of mosquitos! Although some people had more to worry about - Egypt tummy. However if you go prepared like we did using Antibac hand gel and watch what you eat you'll be fine. So if you want a holiday with guaranteed sunshine, good standards of hotels, all inclusive, close to home then consider Hurghada.