Ivy Cyrene Sharm Hotel

Adriano is such a kind, great person, and he made our stay even more special. I also really enjoyed the shisha. The food was delicious and the hospitality excellent, so I was very satisfied with everything during my week here in April. I’d definitely love to return. Thank you so much for everything.

The resort is well maintained, the Italian restaurant is great, the food is good, and the staff are very friendly. I enjoyed everything apart from the beauty treatments, which really put me in a bad mood. I had a facial, manicure, and pedicure, but there was no massage. She couldn’t file my nails or apply nail varnish, and a five-year-old could have done a better job. It was patchy, she kept rubbing my skin, and it came off within an hour. I wasted £50 for nothing. I also had a full-body massage, which was okay. The spa experience is why I’ve taken off a point. The resort itself is very good for the price.

We paid £600 each for 11 days all inclusive in lovely weather, so the holiday was worth the price. Still, I won’t be coming back. The best place to get away from the noise was the beach, a five-minute walk away, though there’s also a bus. There were lots of sunbeds, and lifeguards would move them if needed. The sea was lovely and clear. At lunch, the beach bar served pizza, and there was soft-serve ice cream in the afternoon. There are two lovely pool areas with plenty of sunbeds, and they never got too busy. Some afternoons we were the only ones there. The staff were mostly lovely. When we first arrived, people from the massage parlours, beauty salons, photography, excursions, and entertainment teams kept approaching us around the pool. It eased off after a couple of days, and we were interested in some of them. We booked scuba diving and quad biking trips through fadi, and both were good. I’d recommend them. Restaurant staff were polite but didn’t go out of their way. After my boyfriend had several rounds of all-inclusive food, the table would often still be full of empty plates. The barman at the smaller pool was lovely, though. After a few days, he started bringing drinks when ours were running low. The hotel is about a 10-minute trip from the airport, so getting there was straightforward. Wi-Fi is available, but it’s very slow, especially at lunch and dinner, and you can’t download things. Get your Netflix shows and Kindle books downloaded beforehand. Our room was basic and dated. It had two single beds pushed together, which often separated and left a gap when we moved. I find that annoying in any hotel, as I expect a proper double bed when I book one. There was a small wardrobe, some space for folded clothes, a safe, air conditioning, and a reasonably sized balcony with two chairs and a little table. The bathroom was cramped, with a bath and shower. The shower pressure was strong but the head was small, so water got all over the floor when I stood to shave my legs. There was a large mirror, plenty of counter space, and a smaller pull-out mirror. Rooms were cleaned daily unless you asked otherwise, and towels and bottled water were replaced. The towels were fraying and some were stained, so they didn’t seem to be cleaned thoroughly. The bedding had marks too. The main restaurant has a small buffet with around eight dishes at each meal, plus a fresh station for breakfast omelettes and pasta at lunch and dinner. There was also an outdoor barbecue at dinner. The meat was always very dry. They served soup, fruit, and desserts as well. Four à la carte restaurants are available, but the all-inclusive package only covers one visit to one of them. We chose the Mexican. It started well with chicken quesadillas and meatball tomato soup, then we got fajita-style chicken and rice with no wraps or sauces. The caramel cake was very dry too. I had diarrhoea on six of the eleven days. My boyfriend only had it once, even though he ate more than me. There are five bars, including a swim-up bar and a beach bar. They serve basic spirits with mixers, one beer, and fizzy drinks, but no diet soda, just full-fat cola and Sprite. Cocktails are only served at the restaurant bar, and the list is limited. You can pay €2 for classics like a mojito, but they aren’t included in all inclusive.

The food and pool weren’t worth $100 a night. I’d booked one room for one person by mistake, and even though I called several times beforehand to change it, they said it wasn’t possible. I had to pay the price of two rooms, which was unfair, just because I needed to add one person to my bed. That cost $100 a night. It’s a nice budget hotel, and they work hard to put on lots of shows and entertainment. The rest was okay, but Osama at the front desk was the worst part. The front desk could really improve its customer service. I don’t know why it’s so hard to be a little nice.