Pickalbatros Aqua Blu Resort - Sharm El Sheikh — Hotel in South Sinai

This is our 3rd visit to this PickAlbatros site but last visit was 10 years ago. Reception and Entrance have moved so now much newer. Reception is impressive with decent security access for vehicles and pedestrians. Check in with no issues and an electric buggy to take us and luggage to our room. We paid a bit extra on this visit for a pool facing family room. Room 7120. I'm glad we did. 1 large room with sliding doors to cut off the "kids' room. This has a single bed and a double settee bed in it. Main room has a huge double and a small double bed in it. Double beds were firm. Single bed soft. Bathroom has large walk in shower and hairdryer supplied. Main room has kettle, fridge, daily refilled tea,coffee and sugars. Rooms were spacious, clean decoration was modern with large storage area for clothing and belongings. Safe also supplied in room. We were exceptionally lucky to have our housekeeper as he was brilliant. His name is Farouk. Every day he made animals and beautiful designs out of towels and flowers on the beds and our room was well kept throughout our stay. He made everyone feel comfortable with his presence and was never intrusive. Entertainment. We only went once to the morning kids club and found it hard to communicate with the female staff on duty so didn't return. I brought this up with 1 of the afternoon/evening Entertainment team and was assured this was a 1 off and he would highlight this at their daily team meeting. Afternoon Entertainment was pool parties (kids welcome) magic, clowns and giant animals and bears bouncing around to music. Evening Entertainment was very Butlins lol. It was funny and good fun to see all nationalities taking part with good humour and making fun of all involved. Lots of dance acts with Mr and Mrs Hotel competitions. Entertainer of our stay was Abdel. Really nice guy who took the time whenever he saw us to come talk to our child. Waterpark and pools. Pools around are rooms were well kept, safe full of life before main Waterpark opened at 10am then quiet for most of the day getting lively again late afternoon. Filters in the pools were changed 3 or 4 times a day with daily water testing being taken by a dedicated team. Our regular lifeguard was Ahmed who being a bit older than the other lifeguards had children of his own so knew how to deal fairly with boisterous children and was helpful to anyone that needed it including blowing up untold amount of armbands and rings for the kids. Our Waterpark was great. We've been here previously so knew what to expect. Some scary slides and others less so but all with children and adults constantly up and down them. Lots of lifeguards everywhere keeping everyone safe. What has changed is PickAlbatros have built another Waterpark and hotel complex next door across a quiet road. You can use this as much as you want. From our room that was close to reception it toon less than 5 minutes to walk through our site, cross ghe road and walk directly into the latest addition to thier portfolio. Its super modern with lots of new slides and pools to spend endless hours of water fun in. Drinks and food at this site are included as in our site across the road. Beach. The beach is a short free shuttle bus ride away. Food and drink included as on the resort. Lots and lots of sunbeds. Water is shallow near shore with what look like nets and buoys marking out water sports areas. Lots of Lifeguards on hand. Taxis. Hotel Taxis are more expensive than street taxis but in my mind they look a lot safer. Hamdey was very helpful getting us drivers. Note that when booking a return journey your originally dropped off at a shop near your chosen destination. This shop take a note of your return destination and ticket number and then when you want to go home they will call your car for you and try and sell you various items while you wait. We just gave them 200 Egyptian and said we already bought what we needed. You don't need to give the shop a tip but we felt it only right to. Taxis were modern and well kept cars and the drivers were...

Stayed here for a week at the beginning of November with my wife and 8 year old son. Very friendly staff when we got there, check in took minutes and then we were briefly told where things were during the buggy ride to our block (we were in block 7) and then cases taken to the room - so far everything seemed pretty good.

Rooms (4/5):

The room we had was ground floor and pool facing, which was nice and was quiet as requested. Main room with a king and single, and then another room with another single in. Our son slept in there the first couple of nights then in the main room with us for the rest which was all fine. They're a bit dated, could do with some TLC here and there but have everything you need and it all works. Cleaned every day by Ibrahim who also made towel sculptures which were great, and he was always really friendly.

Resort (4/5):

On the whole, the resort is great. Absolutely loads to do with all the pools, water park, boat rides, entertainment etc, and I really can't fault any of that at all, it's a fantastic resort, plenty of available beds and loungers all over so no need to be getting up at the crack of dawn to reserve some. Shuttle bus will take you to the beach, which is every like 20 minutes or so but eat before you go as the food is dire. In fact although there are plenty of places to eat and drink, the food is definitely the biggest let down of the whole place...

Food (2/5):

Yes, there are 7 different places to eat but these are different by name only really. Nearly all the restaurants serve the same things with some variations of pizza, pasta, chicken in sauce, meat in sauce and vegetables. The chicken is to to be avoided like the plague unless you basically like the whole carcass in a dish. Chicken curry... with all wings in instead of breast or thigh was a new one on me for sure! The beef is hit and miss also with some being really nice and the rest leaving you chewing parts of the animal you just shouldn't be. The koftas in the med place were actually really good and with a flat bread and some of the lovely salad, you're onto a winner, but this was every other day. It's such a shame that meal times became a hunt for something tasty and edible instead of a pleasure - yes, I'm a real foodie and no I wasn't expecting Michelin star, but the standard could have been way higher for sure! Drinks are also on the strong side, which doesn't bother me too much - but in a G&T I'd still like to taste the T and not just have the glass threatened with it. Beer is frothy and tasty and the wine is drinkable for what it is, all pleasant enough.

Summary:

The pools are amazing, there's lifeguards everywhere and the whole place feels safe, lively and fun. Entertainment is actually really good for both kids and adults and generally we enjoyed our stay. It was mainly the food that really let this down, and the manners of certain nationalities also at the hotel but that's not the resort's fault. You can also walk across to the sister resort which has another aqua park and use that for free, with drinks also being AI

Would we go again? Honestly I'm not sure. We enjoyed it for sure, as said apart from the food and our son absolutely loved it. Staff were great (especially Taz, Il Bako, Ibrahim and Ahmed one of the lifeguards - although they were all great fun) but just not sure if we would go again. I saw a review that said someone was unsure why this wasn't a five star place which is ridiculous as it really isn't. I've stayed in a lot of five star places, and this is no where near but is it terrible?... no, it's not. It's a fun, very family friendly place which has lots to do in a great climate. If you're not fussy about food then you'll probably really enjoy it.

Leaving SES is absolute chaos - like CHAOS. Always the same apparently so if you're used to it, then that's fine. Try and stop the "trolley dolleys" from picking up you're luggage when you get there otherwise they'll fleece you for as much as they can and can be pretty persuasive (read aggressive). One got us, the other...

I recently visited a resort in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, with my family, including two kids aged 9 and 13. This was our second visit, and it was just as wonderful as the first.

The resort offers a variety of pools and an incredible water park with rides for both kids and adults, ensuring everyone had a fantastic time. The lifeguards were exceptional—friendly, helpful, and always attentive. They took great care of the kids, ensuring that everyone followed safety precautions on the slides and in the pool, which gave us peace of mind.

Our room was another highlight of the stay. It was spacious, comfortable, and well-appointed, providing a relaxing retreat after a day of activities. The daily cleaning service was excellent, with the housekeeping staff keeping our room spotless and well-stocked with fresh towels and toiletries. They even added thoughtful touches like towel art, which the kids absolutely loved.

Dining was another highlight, with multiple restaurants offering buffet meals and live cooking stations. Breakfasts were delightful, with live omelette stations, and evenings were made special by the BBQs. Alongside the BBQ, there was a salad bar where Ahmed and Mohammed prepared exceptional salads for us, adding a fresh and flavorful touch to our meals. The Italian restaurant was another favorite, with made-to-order pizzas and pastas. We also discovered Culina, the seafood restaurant, which was outstanding. Serving locally sourced seafood, it was a true delight for any seafood lover. The experience was made even more memorable by the gondola that runs from the reception lobby to Culina in the evenings—a charming way to start your meal.

The service we received from the waitstaff was exceptional. Ali and his team took great care of us throughout our stay, and on our last day, they went above and beyond by arranging a special table for us, making our final meal truly memorable.

For those looking to relax and unwind, the resort also offers a spa with Hammam and massage facilities, as well as a salon and nail parlour. These services are available at an additional charge and require separate bookings, but they are well worth it for the added luxury.

The bars were well-stocked with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, including expertly crafted cocktails. Special thanks to Mohammed and Eslam, who made our bar experiences unforgettable. There was also a dedicated coffee bar offering a range of hot and cold coffee beverages, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Evening entertainment was top-notch, with engaging performances that catered to both kids and adults.

The beach was easily accessible thanks to a shuttle service, and with a bar and restaurant available at the beach, it was the perfect spot to relax.

We booked our airport transfers directly through the hotel, and the process was seamless. The ride was comfortable and took just 30 minutes, making our arrival and departure stress-free.

The resort's location was convenient, with a nearby market offering groceries, dining options, and a pharmacy, all within walking distance. The 24/7 reception was managed by exceptional staff, with Ahmed (AKA CR7) providing particularly outstanding service.

While on-site taxis were slightly more expensive than local options, the added security and convenience made them worthwhile. Plus, the resort's proximity to Nama Bay market, just a 20-minute drive away, was ideal for shopping and exploring local culture, whether you enjoy haggling or prefer fixed-price shopping.

Overall, our stay was fantastic, thanks to the resort's excellent amenities, exceptional service, comfortable rooms, and prime location. We can't wait to return again...