Where to stay when you leave.
7/29/2008 at 11:45 AM
Tags: Nikki Beach Hotels, Egypt Hotels, Hotel Hype
Sure you've heard of Nikki Beach Hotels, a self-styled funky line of resorts in all those cool places like Panama,Turks & Caicos, and Honduras, that pride themselves on hip style, music, and film tie-ins.
Nikki recently announced they're opening up a beach resort in Egypt's Hacienda Bay, which sits on the Mediterranean Coast, about 60 miles west of Alexandria (between Cairo and Sharm el Sheik).
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by annie0007
6/12/2008 at 2:36 PM
Tags: VIP Hotel Reviewer Series, Chris Clarke, Sonesta Resorts, Egypt Hotels, Beach Resorts
We now present you with our VIP Hotel Reviewer Series in which we hand-pick experts in the travel and media worlds and beyond to tell us what are their favorite hotels and why. Once a week, we'll feature a hotel review from said VIPs about their favorite leisure or business hotels. Pay attention: These VIPs are experts at what they do and they don't mess around when it comes to their hotels.
Our next VIP reviewer is Chris Clarke, the blogger behind the hotel industry site Vacant Ready He's traded living in Vancouver for Egypt for a little while and of course is checking out the hotel scene over there. Here's his story on a little holiday he took.
I'm currently based in Cairo, and like most of my colleagues here I look forward to getting out of town for a little R&R. Last weekend I checked into the all-inclusive Sonesta Beach Resort for five days of amazing Red Sea snorkeling. This was not my first time visiting Sharm, but it was my first visit to the Sonesta Resort.
The expansive resort grounds are very well maintained, and offer just about any activity imaginable. Guestrooms are huge, though fairly sparse in amenities. Food and beverage offerings were surprisingly good for an Egyptian all-inclusive -- right up until I got sick the last night after dinner.
This surprised me since my system is accustomed to all kinds of abuse from Cairo's culinary scene.
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by chrispitality
5/23/2008 at 10:35 AM
Tags: Cairo Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Hotel Bars, Hotel Bans, Egypt Hotels
Alcohol may be on the brink of extinction at Egyptian hotels, if the worst fears of tourism officials there come true: After the Saudi owner of the Grand Hyatt Cairo banned the sale of alcohol at the hotel, destroying millions of dollars of the stuff in the process, officials now worry that other properties may soon follow, the BBC reports.
It's unknown why the owner had staff pour bottle upon bottle of wine and liquor down drains, though some suspect it may have something to do with Egypt's enormous Muslim population, which is barred from consuming alcohol, even in cooking, according to the Koran. Supporters say foreign visitors "should respect the local custom," while critics argue that "just as Muslims expect to be served Halal food on international flights, they should be prepared to respect the desires of their Western guests," the BBC writes.
Hyatt has, of course, asked for the decision to be overturned, fearing that Western tourists won't stay at the property and that it may lose its five-star rating, the BBC says.
If the ban does catch on, we expect staying at a hotel in Egypt will be like an overnight at any Disney property--and they're certainly not hurting for business. Plus, guest reviews of the hotel are nothing but raves. Though we do worry: first alcohol; what's next--porn?
[Photo: Chrispitality]
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