Egypt doubts...

luci

I would certainly consider changing hotels while you have the chance. It should only cost an amendment fee plus any additional difference in costs.

Print off the reviews you have seen and take them to the travel agent. If they won't change hotels, tell them you are accepting the hotel "under duress" if you intend taking it further when you get home.

Have a look HERE to see what your rights are.

gamez-over

Stay at the Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort...you won't go wrong. I don't see why you won't be able to change the booking.

charlea

Im sure that a lot of the dodgy bellies is down to drinking to much ice cold beer at 9am am in the morning followed by sunbathing falling asleep in the sun drinking more beer, lots of shots wine, more beer more sunbathing eating stuff that you would not eat at home and of course the hot hot weather

I have never had a dodgy belly in egypt on the numerous times that i have visited there - just be carefull keep to keep your fluids up (i mean water not beer fluids as its incredibly hot and you will get dehydrated really quickly if you dont drink enough - I went in august one year and you could feel the heat through your flip flops It was so hot)

Read the trip advisor reviews with an open mind - some people do go abroad and expect it to just like home They want there eggs and bacon just right and there cup of tea just the same as they make it at home
They forget that they are in a foreign country and things are generally not the same as at home
Often it takes just one person to start moaning about one little thing and everybody else dose the same

I would agree with gamez-over that the Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort is fab hotel my parents stayed there a few times Also the sunrise island view hotel (in the suites) is amazing hotel and location ( yet when i booked this people were moaning about stuff /food to many russians /italians ect on trip advisor and the conrad which is next door to the sunrise is also really nice

Have a great time though where ever you end up

malid

We have stayed at the Renaissance Golden View on three occasions (all March/April time) on a B & B basis. Lovely hotel with a fabulous breakfast to suit everyone. My husband has the consititution of an ox but has had the dreaded deli belly every time. Not too bad on the first two occasions but last year he was ill for 4 out of the 7 days. We don't think the hotel was a problem at all. We did a trip to Cairo last time and a meal on a floating 'restaurant' was part of the day. I think the cuprit may have been rice (which I avoided) which was been kept warm under a burner.

I have always been very careful about what I eat out there why hubby (to his cost) has been slightly more cavalier in his attitude. Whilst I love salads and the hotel says it uses bottled water to wash stuff, I avoid them like the plague; likewise ice cream, sea food, rice, cold poultry etc. This hasn't been a problem - although it limits choice which is unfortunate whilst on holiday - but I think last time, I was very wary.

I would advise that you just be careful in the hotel; avoid the obvious problem foods and be wary of any stuff that is left hanging about when you have your meal. I also always have my hand gel at the ready. It sounds a bit OCD but I assure you I am not obsessive but the egyptians are used to the climate, food, etc, we are not.

Enjoy

david39

Many years ago I met a lady on holiday whose husband was a lecturer in geology and took students on trips abroad during the summer holidays.
He noticed that most of his students on his expeditions to tropical countries suffered from gastro problems while he never did.
He realised that the difference in his eating habits was the clue - they all ate the local water melons - he, not liking water melon, never ate them.
Water melons take in enormous quantities of water while they are developing and, unlike other plants, do not process it through their leaves but store it up in their fruit.
In order to commercially grow the melons, growers feed them water straight from the nearest water source, which is usually untreated water, often contaminated by sewage - hence, when you are eating water melon abroad, you are often consuming untreated water straight from the local rivers.

I stopped eating water melon on holiday from thereon and have not suffered with tummy trouble abroad since - other family members who do not heed this advice carry on suffering.

malid

david39 wrote: »

Many years ago I met a lady on holiday whose husband was a lecturer in geology and took students on trips abroad during the summer holidays.
He noticed that most of his students on his expeditions to tropical countries suffered from gastro problems while he never did.
He realised that the difference in his eating habits was the clue - they all ate the local water melons - he, not liking water melon, never ate them.
Water melons take in enormous quantities of water while they are developing and, unlike other plants, do not process it through their leaves but store it up in their fruit.
In order to commercially grow the melons, growers feed them water straight from the nearest water source, which is usually untreated water, often contaminated by sewage - hence, when you are eating water melon abroad, you are often consuming untreated water straight from the local rivers.

I stopped eating water melon on holiday from thereon and have not suffered with tummy trouble abroad since - other family members who do not heed this advice carry on suffering.

One of the best tips I've read!:beer:

ALWAYS_POOR

I was once given that advice by an Egyptian in Egypt. Since then I have never eaten melon ANYWHERE abroad.

As for Trip Advisor, sometimes it's worth bearing in mind that it is personal perception of a location which differs from person to person. Some people want foreign countries to be exactly like home and therefore don't like anything remotely foreign so will be very critical and some people relish anything foreign and welcome anything new and unfamiliar, they will usually write good reviews whatever.

I would advise stringent hygiene and do not over eat or over drink and you should be ok. Drink plenty of bottled water obtained from reputable sources. Also a good idea to take anti-bac wipes with you at all times.

Oggyoi

My first time to Egypt, I arrived at the hotel, got to my room late in the evening. Had a shower and jumped straight into bed.
I got bit to death the first night and ended up with upset stomach for the first 2 days. Went into the small outdoor market in El Gouna, ended up speaking to an arab seller there, who asked me to wait while he wandered off. 3minutes later he came back with a tray with 2 small cups of tea. He invited me to pick one and asked if I wanted suger with it. He explained his family were Bedouin and this was what was called Bedouin tea, made with natural plants/herb leaves.

I drank this ( after waiting him drinking some of his ), thanked him and walked back to my hotel. This cleared my stomach up and ensured the rest of my fortnight was incident free. I was so impressed, I went back the 2nd week and asked if I could buy some of these leaves. He sold me a bag, which I brought home. Several months later, a mate of mine was ill, I drove down to his place with some of these leaves, made him a cup of tea, let him drink it. It cured my mate.

odowdchr

malid wrote: »

One of the best tips I've read!:beer:

The other one is..."you can't go wrong with an omelette".

david39

Some years back, we did the Pyramids trip from Cyprus (24 hours in Egypt - 24 hours in Jerusalem)
Before we reached Egypt, we were warned that we were not to eat or drink anything unless it was provided by the tour operator - we were to eat only food supplied on the boat / coach / or at a pre-designated restaurant. They were almost over-the-top in their insistence on this and it was not that they were trying to sell their own food - the food was all pre-paid for in with the ticket.

Similarly, on a Nile cruise a couple of years ago, we were given the same warning and all the trips off the boat to the temples were so arranged that we returned to the ship for lunch and dinner (other than one day where a packed lunch was provided.)

One of the main warnings was to ensure that any bottled drink was still sealed when it was handed to you and not to buy cold, canned drinks from street sellers as the tins were often rusty and dirty.