DO NOT GO TO THIS HOTEL!!!!!Not a 5 star more like a 3 star. room was clean but dated and basic.Food was awfull(we both still have dodgy stomachs)same food all week and not much choice.I was also put off with all the flies in the restuarant.Staff within hotel restuarants are ignorant,service is rubbish. Pool needs a good clean and no way is there enough sunloungers to go round,You had to be at pool first thing in morning to get one or you had no chance.The flies flying around are unbelievable,ive never experienced so many flies before.Also overrun by germans! Egypt is a lovely place dont spoil your holiday by going to this hotel.All inclusive is a joke.we were aware of some limitations going all inclusive but what we were offered was terrible,we were made to feel and treated like lower class citizens!!!Really we can not stress enough DO NOT GO TO THIS HOTEL.!!!!!!!

We needed to move from the hotel originally booked, and were advised by our local agent to move to the Sonesta., paying a further ?335 as it was classed as an upgrade. Could not recommend this so called Sonesta hotel to anybody as it just isn't up to standards of company. During one of our many complaining sessions, we were informed by a member of the 'management' team that Sonsta have only just taken over and they are struggling to bring the place up to a higher standard. Not arf they are! The beach is like a building site and is a disgrace to Egypt, the beach beds, cushions and sunshades are totally worn out and just about standing up. The beds round the pool area are in the same state and the pool is surrounded by broken tiles and is a danger zone if full attention not paid to where you are walking. The main problem round the hotel is the continual swarm of flies which we have never experienced in Egypt in the past. We were informed by the staff when we complained that this is due to the filthy state of the area, and of course, the amount of building work going on in an attempt to expand even further the number of hotels in this awful area which is no more than a building site. The grounds immediately outside the hotel itself are a disgrace with rubbish strewn everywhere and this condition continues along the roads. The food was OK but very boring and repetitive, and being the only two Brits in the hotel, it was certainly an eye-opener to witness the manner in which other nationalities take away mountains of food and eat the lot as fast as possible, as if they have never seen food previously. The Reception staff were very incompetent, aloof, unhelpful, and uninterested in clients, but the bar staff were very pleasant and helpful. All in all, this was one of the worst holidays we have ever experienced, on a par with the Dominican Republic. Had this been our first holiday in Egypt then it would have been a 'never again' situation, but we know that Hurgada is the exception to the rule. The bar staff were horrified, but not surprised when we said we would not be returning to Hurghada because of the standards, particularly as they prefer British tourists rather than the take-over by Ukrainians, but we assured them that this one experience wouldn't put us off Egypt. Take our advice - just don't go!

We went to Pharaoh Hotel Melia to celebrate X-mas and New Year in 2005 and were happy with the hotel. It is huge, beautiful and clean. We have booked a triple room and got a junior suite, room nr. 426. I recommend this room to everyone travelling to Hurghada during the coldest months, as it is a Southern oriented room and through the huge windows it gets pritty warm during the day. As the weather is always sunny but rather windy (in the evenings it is even chilly or cold) it feels good to have a nicely warm room. (Some other, differently oriented rooms had problems with heating.) Swimming pools are very cold, inner pool is too small (and could be nicer), but on wind-free days one can have a short bath in the sea, even in January. Food is not always the very best, but in general it is good. Prices are very cheap (extra food, drinks -except alcoholic drinks!-, laundry, etc.). We liked our holidays in this hotel and would return again.

You want to have a pleasant time at Hurghada then avoid the Melia Pharao. Since we arrive at the reception started our three days nightmare. First of all this is one of the only hotels I have been in my life where you book everything in internet and then you find that you have to pay in reception. Apparently a policy of Melia hotels chain. I am Spanish and Melia is an Spanish company. I have written already to Melia just to tell them how disappointed I was with my Melia experience in Egypt. Where to start the staff, rude, politeness not helpful at all, do not understand English nothing,...... The food is crap and buffet is just packed every night you will fight to eat properly, you will never get a drink with your meal unless you wait for ages........ The restaurants it has along the resort are just rubbish, you will suffer of food poison in you dare to eat in the beach front one. Avoid it at all costs. The only good one is the caffe next to the show stage....but just for a coffe or beer and a water pipe that is all..... Basically this resort is a russian holiday favourite and can understand why, and really either is the presence of this nationality of just the quality of the place, but you stay there and you will be having troubles from day one minute one........ The reef in front of the hotel is amazing, but to be honest anywhere in any part of the coast surrounding Hurghada is amazing so do not decide for this hotel just based on this. This was a decision we made quickly and can not regret more as there are plenty of better options in Hurghada. This hotel is miles away from anywhere there are no shops near it no civilization no thing just the hotel....Taxis from the hotel are a rip off.