Just got back from a two-week stay at Sharm Holiday Resort. While the hotel has many positives, including a great location, beautiful resort and hardworking staff, there were several serious issues that made it an uncomfortable and disappointing experience.
Staff: Most of the staff were lovely and couldn’t do enough for you. Moustafa at the lobby bar deserves a special mention — he had a brilliant attitude, was always friendly, and made the best drinks. However, two staff members really ruined the experience. One male staff member repeatedly made me feel unsafe the entire holiday by asking inappropriate, sexual questions, requesting me to send him bikini photos, wanted to meet me to meet him alone without my mum and sister and pressured me to meet up with him outside of the hotel when he finished work, even after I said no and that I’m not interested multiple times. This harassment left me anxious and scared to use the pool, as I didn’t feel comfortable being seen in swimwear by him after those comments. This wasn’t just unprofessional — it was distressing and a serious safeguarding concern which frightened me.
Another issue occurred at check-out when we were fined 500 EGP for a missing towel card (even though we never used the towels, we accidentally lost the card). While we understood the policy, the receptionist was extremely rude, and began discussing the situation to other guests while refusing to speak directly to us. It was an unprofessional and unpleasant way to end the trip.
Rooms: We stayed in a triple room with a garden-view balcony. The room was clean and a decent size. However, the sleeping arrangements were a problem. The mattress was uncomfortable and gave me back pain, and the sofa bed I slept on was tiny — probably meant for a child, not an adult. Each bed only had one pillow, and we were only given four hangers. We tried asking for more, but the language barrier made communication difficult. Another issue was the balcony. We had a triple room and yet were only given two chairs and no table.
Food: The food was the biggest disappointment. I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt despite negative reviews, but unfortunately, they were accurate. Meals were repetitive — usually rice, potatoes, pasta, and fish — and sometimes cold, burnt, or poorly prepared. The pasta was awful and the shepherd’s pie was essentially mashed potato with barely any mince. After the first week, we chose to eat out. The “one-time” pizza they offer was just okay and not worth the hype. It felt like the hotel was cutting corners to push guests towards paid room service, which was much better quality.
Drinks: The all-inclusive drinks were really poor. Drinks were served in tiny, flimsy plastic cups — you’d get about two sips and it was gone. I understand not using glass for safety, but they could at least use better-quality and bigger plastic or reusable hard-shell cups. There was also no ice available when we asked (only the lobby bar has ice) — which is shocking given the 40°C heat — and drinks were often warm. There were also no dairy-free milk and sugar free alternatives, which is surprising in 2025 when dietary preferences are widely accommodated in many resorts.
Ironically, the drinks we paid for at their private beach were much better — served cold, with proper ice, in glassware or decent cups. That level of quality should be the bare minimum at the hotel itself. As paying guests, we shouldn’t feel like we have to spend extra to get a basic standard of refreshments.
Entertainment: The entertainment was okay, but not really our thing, so we ended up going out most evenings. I also avoided the entertainment area entirely due to the behaviour of the staff member who harassed me, which made it hard to relax in shared spaces. Because of that, I can’t fairly comment too much on it — it may suit others better.
Overall: Sharm Holiday Resort has potential — the pools are lovely, the location is perfect, many staff members work hard, and the setting is beautiful. It’s actually a shame that the food and drink let it down as it has so much potential.
As a young woman, I want to feel safe and comfortable in the resort I’m staying in. Sadly, I spent most of my two-week holiday feeling frightened. This was not light-hearted flirtation that you find on holiday — it was sexual harassment that made me avoid certain areas of the resort, and feel on edge every day. The hotel needs to trains staff properly on boundaries and respect towards guests, and improve its overall food and drink standards.
GB