Club El Faraana Reef

There are lots of stairs down to the beach, though they do have some kind of tuktuk transport. The hotel itself is lovely, with different pools and beach access. Food was basic but okay, and service was consistently friendly. It seems to host a lot of Italian and Russian guests. Farisha next door is a great place to catch the sunset.

The hotel is nice, but I had a problem with the animation staff. My wife and I were staying there, and an Egyptian man was looking at my wife. I want to change the Egyptian animation team, with the hotel’s permission. The hotel is nice, but some of the Egyptian animation staff are bad.

The good points are the sea access, which is really nice, and the beautiful corals. The location is convenient too, right by Farsha Café, one of Egypt’s most popular cafés. But those are the only positives, and they aren’t enough to make a stay here worthwhile. This place does not deserve four stars. Our standard room was dusty when we arrived, with a dirty floor and mold and grime in the shower. We didn’t expect a sea view, but did expect a clean, tidy room. The floor was never mopped, the sheets weren’t changed once, and we had to ask reception for toilet paper because housekeeping hadn’t noticed it was running low. There was only soap and shampoo, not enough for three people over six days, and they were never replaced. The food seemed plentiful, but quality clearly came second to quantity. One pie was raw, and so much of the food was oily, greasy or deep fried that it was hard on the stomach. The pans and stoves in the dining area were covered with burnt residue and leftovers from earlier meals. Around the hotel, the floors needed regular cleaning, and some poolside tiles were broken, a concern for parents with children. Staff should look presentable, but some wore oversized, torn, dirty T-shirts, which matched the neglected condition of the grounds. For a four star hotel, that matters.

The coral reef and exotic views add a lot to a stay at Faraana Reef, but the food was the real cherry on top for me. It was delicious and varied, with fresh vegetables, salads, grilled meats and lots of seasonal fruit. The place is very clean, and the friendly staff work hard to make guests feel looked after. I’ve always liked the Egyptian feel here. Even as parts of the hotel are being modernized, it hasn’t lost that character. The work was planned carefully and seems to be going ahead efficiently without disrupting the hotel. The renovated buildings and rooms look elegant and modern while keeping their Egyptian uniqueness. It’s one of those rare hotels that seems to get better as it gets older.