Barceló Tiran Sharm — Hotel in South Sinai

Stayed 11 nights from 13/09/2024, room 3105, the individual pools to the front. Whilst the stay was OK, we didn’t feel that this is a hotel we could recommend / return to. I will try to answer some of the questions regularly asked about this hotel. Room spacious and adequate, with dressing table, sofa, fridge, safe, iron, kettle, two single beds which could be pushed together. Beds were very comfortable, and the air condition had simple easy-to-use controls and was very effective. Some of the furniture / décor is past its best. However, rooms were kept clean and replenished (including fresh water bottles and soaps / gels) by our cleaner, who was very efficient, as well as friendly and helpful. Wi-fi is good. Rooms have universal type plug sockets, which accept UK plugs, EU plugs, etc, without the need for adapters. Food hit-and-miss. Some very tasty dishes, but meats often contained a lot of bones / gristle. There is a carving station, and you might get good clean meat from a new joint, or bony / gristly scraps if you went at the wrong time. Good selection of fruits / cereals at breakfast, and salads / desserts at other meals. Main restaurant somewhat dated, especially the seating areas, and a bit too small for the hotel… we were sometimes having difficulty finding a free table, let alone one that was cleaned and set with cutlery. The food served at the single a la carte restaurant was excellent. Though not themed, you select from a number of set 5-course menus, such as chicken, mixed grill, Italian, fish, etc. The meals were large, filling, with beautiful, tasty meats. Booking is easy via the hotel experience desk, though not many seemed to use it. The snack bar is the worst we’ve seen, offering just bags of chips, hot dogs and salad buns. Ice cream is only served between 1500 and 1700. Drink was equally it and miss. Many of the drinks tasted too strongly of alcohol, and even if you were asking for the same drink repeatedly, it would taste different each time. Outdoor areas are pleasant and gardens very well kept, with a large beach, and some water sports attached. Pools are more than large enough. Sun beds and their blue plastic pads are a rather dated looking, but comfortable. Staff: Some of the reception staff can be brusque / dismissive. Wrist bands cut off at 12 noon check-out. Never had this at any other hotel. We were allowed lunch (although weren’t provided with any kind of ‘pass’ to certify this, just had to hope we weren’t challenged), but only allowed water for drinks. To extend all inclusive is $25 per person, which, given the poor quality of the food and drink, we declined. Whilst waiting for our transfer, the reception bar manager crept over and asked if we were leaving, which would have been obvious from our cases. Another bar worker brought us two coffees without initially charging us, after which the manager came back to ask us how we were paying, and sent the original bar worker over with our change! Earlier in the holiday, we got the hotel security office to book us a taxi to Naama Bay. Initially quoted $25, then £20, the person took £25 for the return journey, which is somewhat more than $25. Drop-off point was a taxi office with a shop of ornaments / perfumes, etc, so we were subject to several minutes of captive unwanted sales pitch before we were given our ticket for the return journey and allowed to go our own way. However, most of the hotel staff are cheerful and friendly and helpful, and we would like to recognise Monsour (entertainments), Ahmed (our cleaner, block 3), Gad (main restaurant), Ali (chef who usually served omelettes / at Chinese station), Mustafa (reception bar service) and Hanny (Bonito Beach Bar) for especially...

Drink Spiked in Hotel Room – Pregnant Partner at Risk – Shocking Lack of Action

We stayed at Barceló Tiran Sharm in November 2024, and what should have been a relaxing holiday turned into a frightening, stressful experience that we are still recovering from.

My partner was eight months pregnant at the time. A few days into the trip, she took a drink from a sealed water bottle in our hotel room late at night and felt something strange in her mouth. She spat it out, woke me up, and we considered reporting it. By morning, housekeeping had removed the bottle, so we dismissed it as perhaps something minor — we had no proof at that point.

Then, two nights before we were due to leave, I spotted something again in another water bottle from the room — this time, it was clearly two capsule tablets floating inside. We were horrified. I took the bottle straight to reception. The night manager admitted nothing should be in the bottle and promised it would be investigated. The next day, the hotel manager reviewed CCTV and confirmed only my partner, myself, and the cleaner had entered the room during our stay. With such strict access, the only possible explanation was horrifying.

Worse still, before we even discovered the tablets, housekeeping had knocked on the door one afternoon while we had the “Do Not Disturb” sign on, and the cleaner tried to enter the room with his card despite the sign. Thankfully, we had the internal door catch on, which stopped him. When I confronted him, he said he was just putting towels in. We reported this too, but reception did absolutely nothing and brushed it off as part of his job.

After discovering the spiked water, we were on edge for the rest of the holiday. Our trust was completely shattered. We barely slept and were terrified something else might happen. When we landed back in the UK, we didn’t even go home — we went straight to the hospital to have my partner checked. Fortunately, she was okay, but it could have ended very differently. We had the water tested privately, and the tablets were confirmed to be benzodiazepines — a serious sedative also known as a date rape drug. This could have seriously harmed my partner and our unborn child. I can’t begin to imagine how different things could have been if the sedative was ingested.

We submitted a formal complaint through loveholidays as soon as we got home in November — including photographic evidence, hospital documentation, and test results. After over six months of chasing, we finally received a response today (May 2025). The outcome? No apology. No compensation. No accountability. Not even a refund for the cost of the testing.

The hotel claims everything was “in order” and that their suppliers are safe — despite admitting that only a cleaner could have accessed our room, and despite having never once asked to speak to us directly about what happened. The claim about their suppliers being ‘safe’ is beyond ridiculous due to the fact the water bottles come sealed — this bottle was not sealed and clearly tampered with by the cleaner.

This has been traumatising, and the lack of action or empathy has made it worse. If we hadn’t spotted those tablets, the outcome could have been tragic. The hotel had a chance to do the right thing and show care for their guests — instead, they’ve hidden behind vague denials and refused to take responsibility.

If you value your health, your safety, and your peace of mind — do not stay...

Barceló Tiran Sharm. April 2024. Plus - Minus. I am completely delighted with this hotel in one very special aspect! In my opinion, the hotel has the best business model in the hospitality industry in terms of capital return efficiency. Capital productivity. Built and equipped many years ago, it brings greater satisfaction to guests and hosts. The three most positive aspects of the hotel. 1 Guests are self-sufficient, energetic, cheerful. From all over the world. The hotel is safe and friendly with these guests and staff. Guests perfectly combine activity and relaxation. 2 The sea - for those who have not been to other places in the Red Sea, it will seem very colorful and attractive. 3 The design of the complex provides the most effective sea view from almost all rooms. Location – The hotel is practically the last in the Nabq hotel chain. There is no particular place to go outside the hotel and there is no reason for it. Due to the location of the hotel, it can be very windy at night and in the morning; heavy furniture saves the situation. The beach area consists of two parts. Small - bathing room, the size of a dining room. A huge aquarium zone of shallow water, which becomes shallow with low tides and causes a fit of rage and whistling from the Life Guards if someone dares to enter this sandy and stone shallow water misunderstanding. Cases and rooms. Renovation, furniture, design, interiors - everything in the hotel is very old and shabby. But at the same time it is made so well that everything works surprisingly well. The staff maintain order and cleanliness in all public places and restrooms, and guests will have nothing particularly to complain about. Transfer – Impeccable! 15-20 minutes quiet drive to the airport. Food and Drinks: In the bar of the central hall and the beach, you will be treated as friendly and courteous as possible according to all your wishes. Especially if you are a single, pretty girl. (Spring, bikini. Just kidding). All inclusive - The food can be absolutely wonderful, delicious hot meat and fish dishes or absolutely terrible, overcooked meat, half-raw crabs. I still don't understand the pattern. Perhaps two or three combi ovens will stabilize the kitchen, but this will have to ruin the capital productivity and business model. I was upset by the total lack of normal coffee. There are jugs of instant coffee in the dining room. But even in Nescafe coffee machines, Nescafe instant coffee powder and even decorative foam will be made for you on the cappuccino maker, but it’s terrible! The most interesting thing is that no one pays attention to this, which is strange. Although very cheap - return on assets! Very disciplined issuance of towels! This is right. Very strange beach cleaning. In the evenings, Life Security smooths down the sand along with cigarette butts, I still don’t understand the meaning. But the guards whistle very provocatively if someone takes a step into the shallow water. It was very entertaining, but we decided to never go here again unless absolutely necessary at our...