Just back from a four-day getaway at Sharm's Hyatt Regency. We stayed in a Regency Club Junior Suite, which had a comfortable two-room setup, both a lavish master bath and a half-bath in the living room, and first-rate furnishings, linens, etc. We did have some trouble initially with drains, quickly fixed, and with lights (on the last day, a recessed halogen light in the master bath, whose fuse had had to be fixed on our arrival, actually exploded). Both living room and bedroom were generously sized; the bedroom featured a comfortable seating alcove with Arabesque woodwork on the windows.
By Egyptian standards, this is a large and somewhat impersonal resort. If not in the Regency Club, we would have been hard pressed to find quiet, pleasant places for breakfast, cocktails, and swimming. The Club's versions of all three, though, are excellent
Service sets the Hyatt apart -- everyone we met was pleasant and professional. In a country where it's almost impossible to find good service, it was a refreshing change.
While the pools are lovely, having so many separate ones means that none is large, and all are crowded. Oddly, none have a deep end. We were glad to have access to the Club pool, which is very quiet and features ample loungers and attentive waiters.
We tried the Thai restaurant, which had good food and a lovely atmosphere on the terrace. The standout, though, was dinner at the Beach House -- a stunningly beautiful setting directly on the seal We didn't have a chance to try the food-court style souk, but I was surprised at how lovely, well run, and generally inviting it was -- on a return visit it would be a first choice for dinner.
We had massages and used the sauna, the latter several times. The staff were wonderful, and the facilities magnificent. The sauna was a great quiet retreat at midday when the sun was too hot.
Unique Qualities: The Hyatt is a genuinely beautiful place that takes good advantage of its magnificent natural setting. The landscaping is gorgeous, and in general there's a level of polish and comfort that's head and shoulders above most places in Egypt. The coral reefs are right off the beach (you can walk out on a pontoon dock and look even if not a diver or snorkeling-fan).
The scale of the place, which can be a downside -- lots of walking -- also means it has a great assortment of facilites -- restaurant choices, recreation options, and accommodation choices. While I'm sure even the basic rooms are fine, they might not be considered fully five-star by some standards; moving up the scale, though, the amenities pile on, and you're getting great value for money on club rooms and suites.
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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$120-180
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Phone: 20 69 60 1234
Address: THE GARDENS BAY, Sharm El Sheikh, SO 0000000
Directions: The Hyatt Regency is located between the town of Naama Bay and the airport. It's about ten minutes by taxi to town, but the hotel has enough to do that, frankly, there's no reason to put up with Naama Bay's honky-tonk atmosphere!
Website: http://sharm.regency.hyatt.com
Other Contact: sharm@hyattintl.com
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on Jun 2, 2004
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