My wife and I just returned from a week-long stay at The Grand Hotel. We had booked our trip through a travel agency (ETI), so we weren't sure what to expect. Surprisingly, the process of deplaning, transport to the hotel, and check-in were very smooth and fairly simply.
Once we received our room key, we were escorted by an employee to the room. The complex is quite extensive, so it takes a day or two to familiarize oneself with the lay of the land. Shockingly, our room wasn't near a 5 star standard. Considering that it was 2am, we decided that we would speak with Mr. Booker the following morning because we were already exhausted, and just wanted to get a good night's sleep.
In the morning after breakfast, I located Mr. Booker and shared some of my findings with him. Immediately, Mr. Booker instructed his staff to move us to a different room. The room was a vast improvement, so we were generally satisfied. Later that evening after showering, I heard a loud bang and a hissing sound in the bathroom. I had a gut feeling that something happened with the plumbing, so my wife called the reception desk right away. While we waited, muddy water started pouring from the ceiling through the light fixtures. I suspected that the hot water heater exploded, which was confirmed by maintenance. As this was happening, my wife called the reception desk again and complained about the slow response time. Luckily, I was able to move all of our personal property outside the room, and nothing was damaged. Once the maintenance worker arrived, we voiced our displeasure. We realize that the staff can't control this type of an event, but had the staff responded sooner, the damage could have been significantly limited. Luckily, we were in our room when this event unfolded, otherwise our personal property would have been damaged by the muddy/rusty water. All in all, it took maybe 10-15 minutes before someone showed up. We were promptly provided with an upgrade and were able to move in to a new suite in less than 10 minutes. Nonetheless, Mr. Booker personally called us to apologize for the inconvenience.
Besides that, we were very pleased with our stay. Despite the hotel's 5 star rating, it's more closer to a 3 star or at best a 4 star. Previously we stayed at the intercontinental and the movenpick, which are also categorized as 5 stars, and there simply is no comparison.
Our room keeper Ahmed Ali impressed me so much. I observed him on several occasions, and
he is a tireless worker. The guy did not cut any corners, and wiped and cleaned every little corner. The pool staff was fantastic, and very charismatic. I can only imagine how difficult it is for these people to work 14 shifts in the scorching sun, and maintain a happy attitude. Some of the guests are very rude and they literally expect the staff to do everything for them because of the "5 star/all inclusive" billing. The restaurant staff was equally fantastic. We read all kinds of reviews about the best restaurants, and we were surprised by the quality of food and service we received at the Beach. Mohammed and Samir (food and beverage manager) were top notch. This restaurant was very efficient and managed very well. In comparison, at some of the restaurants, the waiters/staff didn't have (at least it didn't seem that they did) assigned spots, and literally ran around from one area to the other.
The one aspect of the staff that I did not appreciate is the massage/sales guys. Within the first hour of laying on the beach, a gentlemen (Yasser) had approached us telling us about a great deal. I realize that everyone is getting a great deal, but it's not necessary to flat out lie to someone. Anyways, after he gave us his little spiel, we agreed to sign up for 4 massages. He indicated that we would need to pay for the service at the main reception in advance of our appointments, which we understood. Our first appointment wasn't scheduled for 2 more days, so there was plenty of time to make payment. Quite frankly, it was our first day there, and we didn't feel like going up the hill to the main reception in order to make the payment. Literally within two or three hours, he was back to talk to us. He asked us if we already paid for the treatment, and we told me that we have not. He started barraging us with questions, and borderline harassing us to pay for the treatment. I told him that we no longer wanted to get a massage and told him not to approach us again. We realize that these guys get paid on commission, but he needs to realize that we're on vacation, and if I don't feel like doing anything that particular day, then I don't need to. Also, he made a few snide comments in Arabic (my wife speaks Arabic), which we didn't appreciate.
The food was decent, the drinks leave a lot to be desired. Besides Pepsi and the carbonated drinks from the bottle, the juices didn't really taste as advertised. The orange juice tasted more like gatorade. Additionally, I think it would be valuable to provide basic bartending classes to the staff who make drinks. Some of the drinks were so strong, that you simply couldn't drink them. At the same time, it's clear that some of the guests were simply looking to get drunk, but for the everyday beach goer, i want to sip on a good cocktail and enjoy the flavor.
Surprisingly, we discovered a bar at the second lobby above the reef restaurant. Basoyunne (misspelled) was the bartender, and it was clear that he knew what he was doing. The drinks was delicious and flavorful. He was also very polite, and very friendly.
The only drawback to this hotel is the access to the water. We knew this before we arrived, so we were fully prepared. The two access platforms are really too small, and it would be nice if they would be at least widened to allow for more guests to use it at one time. Not everyone
In summary, we were very pleased. Based on the previous reviews, looks like a lot has changed since Mr. Booker has taken charge, and it will only get better. If we're back in Sharm, we would certainly stay at the hotel again.
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