Fort Arabesque Resort and Spa

Spent from 5th June to 15th June at this gorgeous hotel. We stayed in the west wing which is adults only, and highly recommend trying to get upgraded to this wing. This review is quite lengthy, but bear with as this will benefit you if you go there. When we arrived the temperature was over 40 degrees at 1030pm with a very strong wind. Don’t let the wind lull you into a false sense of security. Do so at your own peril!!! Once at hotel check in was a breeze and we asked for upgrade to west wing adult only block. Highly recommend you ask for this if you are travelling as a couple. Due to late arrival food was brought to our room and we headed out in the dark to have a quick look around. In the dark the place looked lovely. It wasn’t until the next more in the light of day that you can see this place is simply stunning!!! The gardens are truly beautiful and the gardeners seem to work 24hrs a day to maintain them and make them look their best. The west wing offers adult only buffet and pool and bar. The food is probably the best we have experienced in Egypt. All cooked to perfection and plenty of choice. We headed to the main pool with the swim up pool bar. This could do with a little update, but can understand that as the hotel is constantly full, this would be difficult. However, the pool wasn’t the reason we came here. We quickly headed to the beach, and wow. The beach was so so clean and the beach boys were always on hand to assist you. They do say that you cannot reserve beds on the beach or pool, but you can. TOP TIP it is worth getting up when the towel centre opens, about 6.30am and heading to the beach to claim your spot, they do fill up quite quickly. You do have the option to pre select your beds on the beach for a cost of €50 per week, this will also get you an ice box full of drink and fresh fruit delivered to your bed, a sign is placed on the parasol so no one else can claim it. To be honest, this is a good idea, but we found no problem bagging the same spot each day directly outside the beach bar, so drinks we a mere minute away. The beach bar serves food daily from 1pm and it’s your usual pasta cooked fresh or kebab chicken, beef, burgers, hot dogs etc. You can help yourself to drinks rather than waiting to be served. One thing I would recommend is maybe the hotel looking at installing another cubicle in the men’s toilet as there is only one. Sometimes during mid ‘poop’ some bang on the door as they’re desperate to get in there. There isn’t very many toilets along the front. This would help as opposed to having to clutch your butt cheeks together waiting to get in!! Having said that, Ali the housekeeping guy who works there keeps those toilets immaculate. Dashing in between guests to clean and spray scent. These toilets were top rate. The coral gardens off the beach were stunning. The fish were incredible and literally came around you swimming so close. We were lucky to see a vast array of different fish plus a moray eel and an octopus!! Staff here again keep this area pristine and desperately try to educate guests on the importance of not walking on the coral. This coral has only grown 1cm in the last 10 years. Lifeguards are constantly blowing their whistle to ensure that guests abide by the rules. This can be a little confusing. I suggest the hotel put small signs along the beach saying “enter sea here” this I think would help the lifeguards in their role and educate the guests in the importance of keeping the coral growing and protected. There are several places to eat here. The pizzas made fresh around the main pool between 1pm and 5pm are lovely. You can either queue for them or grab a table and they will come and take your order and deliver it to your table. Club 159 is against charge for food unless you upgrade to the purple ultimate all inclusive. Although the drinks are including in standard all inclusive. This is a beautiful spot overlooking the bay with decking and parasols. We did pay to eat here one night and for €15 pp it was worth it as the food was gorgeous. You have a Buffet in both the west wing (as mentioned adult only) and the east wing which is geared towards the families and can be a little hectic for our taste! The entertainment within the resort is very low key. A few singers at some bars and music playing at a low level. Sorry guys if you have booked with kids to come here, unless they love swimming and snorkelling, there isn’t much else to do. They do have a kids club at the resort but in the 10 days we were there, it hardly opened and didn’t seemed to be used much. I think that if the hotel offer this benefit, the animation team need to work harder in getting the kids involved. Which brings me to my next point.... The Arena. This is where the nightly entertainment takes place. There is a mini disco for kids at the beginning of the evening and a show for all about 9.30pm. This is where the hotel need to do something to set them apart from all those around it. Again the animation team let this down and on talking to some other guests who have visited year after year, this is the worst they have seen it. You get a show for 30 minutes at 930pm, when it’s finished they switch the lights off here and you all leave. I think that the hotel could at least look at maybe there being a weekly disco here to bring the guests together and have something where people can have a dance and chat to each other. It is pretty poor. Oh yes, they cop out of the entertainment on a Friday evening and project a movie onto a big screen. Who wants to sit and watch a movie in a 30+ degree heat??? There was absolutely no one there. Each room has cable tv and if you find the NBC2 channel this plays English movies 24 hrs a day, so why waste a night on this. This is the only thing that the hotel does not do very well at. On looking at videos on YouTube before we left we saw beach parties and dancing etc, there was no evidence of this at all. Fort Arabesque seriously need to have a word with the entertainment team and get them engaging with all of their guests and not the select few. Yes there is aqua gym around the main pool and water polo but that’s around an hour a day and also football and volleyball are organised, but of a night is when this hotel should try and put something on that will get their guests together in the holiday spirit. So to conclude.... is this hotel worth staying at??? A resounding YES!! The staff are so friendly and will do all they can to make your staff a relaxing one. Could it be improved???? YES!! The entertainment let it down a little and the WiFi is against charge. I’d be happy to pay a little upfront to get the free WiFi. Who does this hotel suit more??? I would have to say couples or families with older children. Would we return???? A resounding YES!!!!

Our fourth visit - Why do we return? Reception staff: efficient, helpful, friendly. Room: excellent, always clean. Grounds: beautiful, a delight to walk around, staff always greeted us. Several swimming pools, but we prefer sea. Meals: hard working staff, friendly, helpful, efficient. Plenty of choice with several areas where food is freshly cooked, no problem finding something different, also variety of eating venues. Bars: staff. How do they remember our favourite drinks? Towel/beach service: Friendly, work hard. Beach. Sandy. Wade in a short distance to see colourful fish. Close to shore I was amazed to see a Manta Ray. Every visit I discover fish I’ve not seen before. Sun beds: with comfortable mattresses and wide sunshades. Evening entertainment: Bit hit and miss. Hits were Havana Dolls, singers/musicians. Also Robbie Alan at Club 159. Miss – Male singer who sounded bored and forgot his words. (Mainly in East Wing)

We arrived at the resort week commencing the 6th June 2019. On arrival we were given an envelope with all the information for bars, restaurants opening times. However, this was handed to us and it’s contents not explained, felt that reception could have spent more time in welcoming us, first impressions count. Weather was excellent in the mid 35c and a good breeze occasionally helped along the beach front. Beach - very clean and excellent coral reefs at the beach that are well commented by visitors. We saw an octopus, stingray and all variety of fish. A red flag policy prevents beach vendors approaching you. However, in general not an issue and very few vendors. No windbreakers on the beach and it can get windy. Beach bar, pizza station and a number of drinks area are located within easy reach. Kids - standard facilities you would expect at resorts. Pools - well positioned around the resort including one with a swim up bar. Adults only pool near the adults only section of the resort. Food - good variety of food however, this does become repetitive. Excellent to have an adults only restaurant situated in the adults only West section. Gardens - Awesome and safe for walks at night. Palm trees and lighting give you a feeling of paradise. Well kept meticulously by gardeners. Rooms - we stayed in a superior room within the adults only West wing. 4th floor with excellent sea views. Rooms are large and spacious with balconies. No iron in the room however, laundry service is very reasonably priced. Cleaned daily to a good standard with fresh towels. Shower gel, shampoo, body lotion replenished. Staff - friendly and polite. Clientele at the hotel appear to be mainly mature adults. Piano is played in the main reception and is relaxing. Shops - several shops are located near the reception and some in the grounds of the hotel. Also a shisha area is located to the rear of the main pool. ATM located outside the reception. Excursions - You can book a variety of excursions at the reception area or from vendors at the beach. Entertainment/shows - we only watched 10 mins on to occasions and were not impressed however, this is clearly subjective and may not be a true reflection. I would most definitely stay here again and fully enjoyed our stay. Will aim to return in the near future.