just back from spending 2 weeks at the badawya the weather was great hot and sunny every day.the hotel has some bad points but loads of good points .As has been said before the food is limited but we never went hungry ,breakfast was as any AI hotel great yogurt, fresh croissants, eggs as you like them ,cheese and meat.dinner and lunch were simalar soup some good some so-so rice,a potato dish pasta and fish with either beef (which was excellent)or chicken somtimes in a sauce.Then jelly cake etc for dessert.If you want mayo or ketchup just ask,after two days our preffered drinks were on the table as we sat down and filled as soon as they were 3/4 gone the service in the dinning room was superb ....roney,and miro were 2 of the best waiters we have had any where no they dont wear uniforms but they become friends very quickly.The rooms are a good size ours was on the ground floor as we requested with a terrace and have everything you need comfy beds tv wth english film channels and bbc world news (terrible channel)fridge, safe (free) air con good shower and a hair dryer,our cleaner sam was a credit leaving all sorts of towel designs for us even baloons and a birthday cake made from towels for my wifes birthday .The pool is a good size but cold in january you had to be brave or mad to go in plenty of sun beds towels were put out for us every day on the beds we wanted by mohammed.The two bars are good plenty of drink the 2 barmen mido in the camel and serge? in the splash were good at there job always remembering you preferred poison and the boss always about for a chat about whatever football(sadly a man utd fan ) but no ones perfect, for my wifes birthday he paid for all the drinks after the AI bar closed until the last man standing staggered to bed great guy.The position is perfect next door is an english pub(the half crown) all the prem and cup games 150 yards to the shopping mall with maccy ds kfc pizza hut starbucks etc also a great steak house cafe royale and of course shops.Also a 25egp taxi ride to namma bay ,to sum up a three star hotel with 5 star staff go with an open mind and you will have a ball miss them already see you soon keith and tricia.make sure you go to the bedouin night great value and a laugh give bob the camel a kiss from me .

Met some fantastic people from all over the world!
staff were friendly and very easy to talk to.
rooms cleaned every day.

My only criticism would be the quality of the food of a night but plenty of places to eat out.

Would definitely go back 100%

Cheers!
Charlie Firmin
London

***I read a lot of reviews about this hotel before I went there & I seen there a few mixed reviews. A little tip, when you see someone complaining about a bit of paint was missing off the bed etc & they leave a 1* review, please save your time & don't bother reading them. Im a big fan of constructive criticism though, because I feel it can help make a better place. So when you read the reviews (whether they be good or bad) always look for people/reviews who seem reasonable***

From outside the hotel, I thought it could have done with a bit more lighting. It wasn't bad, I just feel that first impressions go a long way so if I owned the hotel, I would have more lighting because its more welcoming. I didn't see anyone complaining, Just my 2 cents.

The reception was very clean & classy, and the guy at the reception was very friendly. We (me & my girlfriend) arrived pretty late, so the first night we went for some food in the restaurant & decided on an early night. I have been on a few all inclusive holidays & usually the main let downs are the food & drink, im a vegetarian so im kind of fussy. But at the restaurant there was a decent selection of food that I could eat (rice, pasta, potatoes, salad, vegetables, fresh fruit, cakes etc). There was also a few meat dishes which I didn't pay attention to (being a vegetarian). Like mentioned, my other main concern was the alcohol, I have been to many all inclusive hotels around the world & I get sick & tired of horrible beer in little plastic cups, so when the guy at the restaurant brought me over a nice GLASS (not plastic cup ;) a weight was already lifted off my shoulders, then when I had a little taste, the larger was very nice (best I have had on a all inclusive holiday) and they pour it from bottled beer, so its nice & fresh. I was already happy at this point, any more good points would be a bonus from here on out :)

Ok I rated this hotel with a 5* excellent review & there is one thing that makes the hotel is.....the staff. I met a lot of great people on this holiday & every single person I met said the same thing "the staff are great". The management, deserve major success because they are the brains behind the hotel & something that they excel in is hiring great helpful staff. Seriously, the staff will go out of their way to help you, not only that, you can see they have great pleasure working at the hotel. When the staff are happy to be working at the hotel, I believe it rubs off & sends a positive vibe around the hotel. All the staff walk around with big smiles on their faces & its genuinely nice to see. I spoke to one of the guys who works at the bar & asked him if he was happy to be working there etc & and he told me that the manager/owners are excellent & are always VERY polite & respectful to the staff. So when your staff genuinely like you & WANT to work for you, you have a recipe for success.

I am going to have to cut this review short, so I will be concise about the rest of the review:

Rooms: pretty basic but ALWAYS clean. Im not fussy about rooms as long as they are clean. They have a fridge, air conditioning & a tv etc, so everything you need really. With that said, who go's on holiday to spend all their time in their room?

Location: I personally found it very good. There are lots of great beaches nearby & a short walk (5 mins) to lots of shops & small markets etc. Not far from Naama bay etc & about 45 minutes to airport.

I think thats about everything covered. I originally planned to stay at this hotel for 1 week & ended up staying almost 3 weeks. That says it all really. I will 100% be returning to this hotel, because I feel I will be able to go back & fall straight back in to the relationships with the staff etc.

A big shout out to all the great staff, especially the brains behind the hotel Mr Achmed & Karim. These guys are doing it right & they deserve all the success in the world.

Also if you visit, make sure to look out for Serge, he works down the tent smoking flavored shisha all day. Quite possibly the happiest man I have ever met & a great friend.

If you are a happy person & want to be around happy & helpful people, this hotel is perfect.

Damien

The tittle of this review was once told to me by a journalist, so we are going to forget the story and give you the truth.
I fell in love with the Badawia on my first visit back in April of last year, since then I have been back twice and will be returning for another 2 weeks in April of this year to catch up with 4 other couples that my partner and I met during our previous jaunts.
I will put it in simple terms. I can afford 3 holidays a year at the Badawia, it is not a 5 star. It is however, clean, tidy, and very friendly. If you want to go out of the hotel and eat at a fancy dining facility you can. If you want 2 weeks of living in a clinical 5 star, with staff that only know you as sir or madam then do not go to this hotel.
When we got off the plane on 29th December we collected our luggage walked through the security point and stood waiting was the hotel taxi, brandishing a big smile and a board with our name on it. Please note that the return taxi for 2 people was on £25, a lot cheaper than booking a transfer via the tour operator. And we did not get crammed into a bus along with other groups of holiday makers, and then taken on a tour of Sharm as I am always the last to get dropped off, It just happens like that.
We arrived at the hotel 20mins later where we were show to our room and headed straight to the bar, having been greeted by half the staff in the hotel to say welcome back. This was a genuine welcome back not a "Nice to see you again sir" that I have received in various 5 star hotels around the world in the past. By the time we got to the bar, the drinks where on the bar waiting for us. A bit like popping down to your local where the landlord knows what you are going to drink as you walk through the door.
The hotel has, (I may be corrected on this) 100 guest rooms, they are in the process of redecorating these rooms, however it is a bit like the Severn bridge, by the time you get to the end its time to start again. The grouting in my bathroom at home is not perfect and in places it could do with a lick of paint, when I go away I am on a budget, I would rather 3 holidays a year at the Badawia, over 1 holiday at one of the 5 star resorts and a weekend away in Blackpool.
The hotel has had a few bad reviews on here, I personally think that some people just like to complain, in order to see how much they can try and get back from their travel agents, towards their next holidays. Either that or they just want Waitrose finest quality whilst paying Tesco’s value prices.
In my view this hotel ticks all the boxes for what you pay. If you want a suite with 24 hr all incl and staff, in suits that act like robots, don’t stay here. The Badawia management have got this hotel right. Every member of staff has their own personality, they remember your name because they want to, not because they have had to write it down on a chit that you sign to say you have had x amounts of drink.
I can sit down and say it needs this and that, yes it does in places. However look at the international news, no one in their right mind is going to spend millions of pounds on a massive complex if they are not going to be able to get back the investment eventually. Egypt is rebuilding, and if certain powers get in you will not be able to drink alcohol at the pool, and the ladies will have to be covered up. I would suggest to everyone go and do this now whilst you still can. If the political situation goes to certain factions then you will not be able to have this holiday ever. However it could go the other way and the hoteliers will start to reinvest. Missing out on the history of such a great country and culture will be a great mistake in my book. If you don’t fancy the Badawia then go to a glitzy 5 star and enjoy all the country has to offer. I am happy to say that during my time at the Badawia I have met some very nice people from all over Europe, who were staying as guests and a large group of staff who I am happy to refer to as friends.