Hostmark Oriental Hotel Review

Overall Rating

Very Clean
Spacious rooms
Beautiful gardens
Friendly staff

Remote location
No variety at all as far as food is concerned.
Clumsy and disorganised staff in restaurant
Bad smells outside!
Poor quality of drinks

Having just spent a week 'all-inclusive' at the Oriental Resort, I felt I should write all about my holiday experience for the benefit of anyone considering choosing this particular resort. From the description of the hotel on www.medhotels.com, it seemed that the Oriental was the ideal choice, seeing as though it had much to offer in terms of the 'all-inclusive' deal.

On arrival at the hotel the location seemed somewhat remote. The reception area was all in marble and nicely presented. The staff were approachable and friendly, and we were soon taken to our room which was also well presented, spacious and clean. Our balcony overlooked the beautiful lush green gardens, home to pretty flowers, palm trees and water features. After a few days the initial impressions of the supposed good services on offer and splendour of the hotel's grounds began to wane.

Where shall I begin? Firstly, I will begin with the issue of food and drink. On the first night (Friday), it was 'Pharaohean Night' and we were greeted by people dressed in authentic Egyptian costume and had to walk through a pyramid shaped tent. The food was presented well, with different areas designated for the starter, main course and deserts. The quality of the food was not by any means poor, and the deserts were particularly delicious. However, the Marhaba restaurant was let down by its staff and the variety of food it had to offer.

Frequently, I would get through the entire first two courses before even being asked what drink I would like, and the wait was sometimes ridiculous. Generally, the staff seemed to be clumsy and disorganised, creating a chaotic atmosphere. Every meal time plates and glasses were smashed, and one poor soul had a drink spilled all over them. Also, I warn you of the young chap who flits from table to table offering you a glass of sangria or a cocktail, but later returns with a bill for 140 Egyptian pounds for two! In terms of variety there was none as every day the same food appeared although sometimes it was cooked slightly different. The lunch and evening dinner were exactly the same, with the choice consisting of: salad, soup and bread for starters; rice, potatoes, vegetables (carrots and courgettes), beef, chicken, fish and spaghetti/pasta for main course; cakes for desert. After a few days you were sick of eating rice, vegetables and meat. The other theme nights, namely the 'Jamaican' and 'Italian' nights offered the same food too, but the staff wore different attire and the table cloths were different! Wow hey?!

The choice of drinks and the quality of them was actually quite abysmal. The wine was watered down apart from the red which was palatable. The coke, sprite and fanta all had a strange taste - which I believe to be due to the chemical water treatment they use. They are incredibly stingy with their measures of spirits and do not allow doubles. As for the beer, I am not a beer drinker, so I could not tell you about that.

The swimming pool was a decent size but quite shallow, so no diving in! The first few days it was absolutely freezing but seemed to warm up over the duration of the week. If you want a sunbed it is advisable to get one quite early and you can leave your towel on it all day to claim ownership of it. You don't need to take beach towels as fresh ones are provided every day. The only thing that spoilt the sunbathing area and the pretty gardens was the recurrent stench of sewerage. If you see a gardener armed with a hose, try not to breathe, as the smell is quite disgusting that wafts your way. They water the grass with the sewerage water, which is not very pleasant at all despite the lush grass it produces. Also, all the gardeners ogle and stare at any female specimen in a bikini top. This feels quite unnerving.

Finally, the entertainment was not the most enthralling. It appeared that the children were having fun dancing to the 'Superman' and 'the Birdy' song every afternoon at 3pm, but the songs were quite annoying after listening to them day in day out. There was entertainment staff working on the complex, and they tried their best to include everyone in activities and to persuade you to watch their 'shows' at night. They were by no means the most talented of people, but very friendly all the same. I enjoyed taking part in the water aerobics in the pool. Some people took part in various dance and exercise routines by the pool that they seemed to enjoy.

After the 'Oriental' experience I would say that I feel neither completely dissatisfied nor overly enthusiastic about the place, with the final opinion that this resort was just satisfactory. There were some very positive aspects about the 'Oriental', but also so many things that they did not get right. However, it is important to remember that Egypt is not the most advanced, wealthy and prosperous country, so maybe the standards are not so bad after all, when you consider the whole picture. It was only in 1982 that Sharm el Sheikh was beginning to be developed as a tourist area. It will be interesting to see how the area of Nabq Bay continues to be developed, and increased competition from more hotels might just give the 'Oriental' the wake-up call it needs.

The hotel taxis are reasonably priced, and the drivers arrange pick-up points with you which is good. Naama Bay is fifteen minutes drive away, which is full of souvenir shops and restaurants, as well as a few bars. Most of the Egyptians working in Sharm el Sheikh are from Cairo, and everywhere you turn they are trying to sell you things. They try the friendly approach, asking what your name is and all the rest of it, before trying to lure you into their shops where they usually insist you buy things and become offended if you don't- so beware! The Hard Rock Caf was fantastic, with excellent food and mouth-watering cocktails. Little Buddha had a unique interior but drinks were expensive. The Camel Bar was recommended, but the drinks were disappointing and it was nothing to shout about. They have a Pacha nightclub, but I did not go there so could not tell you what it is like, but on a Friday they have a huge party in the desert!

Despite the few downfalls I had a lovely relaxing holiday and the weather was fantastic! Sunny and 32 degrees all week!