Halomy Hotel Sharm el-Sheikh

samen met sylvia en mathijs

I stayed at Halomy in March of '07 and really enjoyed it. The view is second to none; the snorkelling FANTASTIC. The rooms on the other hand...basic, but clean. I changed rooms mid-stay (one with a view of the bay became available). The bathroom in the first room, however, was bigger. That being said, try your damnedest to get a room in the 100 or 200 block as they face the bay. If you don't, you'll be stuck staring at the wall of the room next to you, or some random passageway. I guess there are 'garden views' too, but trust me, the 100 block! Even if it means greasing some palms. :)

All Inclusive:
I definitely wouldn't do this unless I got a really good bargain. Breakfast was superb, but dinner was not my cup of tea the two nights I tried the buffet. I am not a picky eater, but I found myself more looking forward to the dessert selection than anything else. Go bed and breakfast, and eat in town.

Staff, including the front desk, are friendly though they never did manage to get a copy of my passport the whole time I was there (4 days). The machine was broken or something. After day 2, I just retrieved my passport, told them I'd make a copy in town and bring it to them. I never quite got around to it.

Taxis:
From what I was quoted by a few drivers and hotel staff, a taxi from the hotel to the airport SHOULD cost 40-50LE, however if you book it through Halomy's reception desk upon departure, the taxi will run you approx. 100LE. My suggestion if you're not burdened with luggage would be to just walk down the stairs and hail a taxi. This can be done at any hour. Another alternative would be to take the cell phone number of one or two taxi drivers that you've taken in your first few days there, and found to be reliable and honest. That way, an affordable ride is just a call away and you can make all arrangements yourself. As an aside, taxis FROM the airport usually cost more (in most cases LOTS more) because they have a captive audience. Try to pre-arrange this with the hotel or ...someone. Taxi drivers at the airport would rather see you walk (tons of luggage and/or kids in tow) than bargain. They know you're eager to start your holiday, and that the airport is the last place you want to be.

Entertainment:
The only show I saw was the Pharaonic(??) show (every Thursday I think), which was just ok in my opinion. The dancers ranged from uninspired to taking themselves entirely too seriously. Only about 1/2 of the people were left at the end of it. Food, once again, was 'ok'. The best part of the show was the audience participation. People really got involved and had fun so if you've got nothing else planned and you're up for some laughs, then this is definitely the ticket.

The Steps:
If you're even reasonably fit, the steps into town aren't anywhere near as bad as some people make them out to be. The ones down to the water are longer and even they aren't horrible if you take your time. There are benches along the way, though I never actually saw anyone use them. Be careful though; the steps aren't evenly paved. The pathways between the rooms can also be better lit at night. You definitely don't want to go drink-crazy in town and have to navigate the paths around the perimeter-rooms after dark.

May annoy:
The internet cafe wasn't open ONCE in the 4 days I was there. No one seemed to care though. Everyone was too busy in the water.

Last Tip:
There is a mini mart on the hotel grounds. If you're a beer drinker, get your beer here. They cost 8LE. The hotel charges 15-20LE for a can of Stella. The guy in there said no one ever thinks to go there to get beer. Heck, I didn't until the second to last day!

I definitely plan to go back next year. I like Halomy's coziness and did I mention the view?! There's a massive hotel going up next door which I was told will also be Halomy's. The views from some of those rooms will be unbelievable. I can't wait. I expect they'll cost much more than the old wing but they'll be worth it. Try Asiarooms.com to get the best rates.

I've attached a few photos - none of the rooms, sorry.