Tolip El Galaa

The room service was excellent, and Ms Yarra and Ms Yousrina gave great customer service. The location is excellent too. The Wi-Fi, though, was extremely poor. The biggest issue was the rigid approach to guests, with little tourist awareness. Friends aren’t allowed to visit your room, even if you have an executive room, so you have to meet them in the lobby. I think there should be a balance between guest safety and privacy and personal choice. The policy could be applied more flexibly case by case, for the sake of EGYPT’S tourism reputation.

The rugs in the otherwise good rooms need a deep clean. There’s a lot of choice at breakfast, and people living in Egypt may enjoy it, but as a South Asian I found the food average. The hotel is a little far from the old city but close to the airport. A nice place to stay overall.

The security staff kept asking who I was, even when I’d only stepped out briefly to collect a delivery. They also treated Uber drivers badly when they came to pick me up, which was uncomfortable to watch. My room wasn’t clean, and breakfast had very few options and was quite poor. The elevator was extremely slow and old, and there was an unpleasant smell near the pool. The experience fell short of what I expected.

The check-in was completely disorganized, and one receptionist and the concierge were extremely rude. The outdoor breakfast area was so dusty that our clothes were literally covered in dust. Breakfast itself was chaotic, and the food was very poor. Our room wasn’t clean, some rooms had insects, and several guests developed skin rashes. The old, slow elevator felt scary to use. The pool smelled awful even just walking past it, and people were coming and going without passing by security. In our triple room, there weren’t enough water bottles, tissues, baskets, and other supplies for three people. I ordered two bottles of water and was asked to pay when they were delivered to the room instead of at checkout. I also asked the concierge to help carry my bags from the parking area to reception, but they refused, saying there were no cameras in the parking area. This was the worst hotel experience of my life, worse even than basic motels. I’d never recommend it.