Hotel Pyrimisa, Sharks Bay

[Paulus]

Thanks peeps,

Lots of help and advice here and by PM.

Ta,

Paul

[Paulus]

Happy new year divers!

I just got back from my trip to the Pyramisa on Monday.

I went looking round the Umbi Sharks Bay resort to see if I could find any sign of Oonas Divers there. I could find no one who had even heard of them! There were a number of dive opperators who seemed to vary from well equiped to dodgy looking.

Mr. Diver were more convenient for me and so I booked their "top ten" diving package and did another two optional third dives on a couple of the days. So I don't think I did too bad getting 12 dives in over the two weeks - considering it was chrimbo and new year.

I'll start a new thread to talk about the dives.

The hotel was ok, just ok.

Not as bad as some tripadvisor reviews implied. There was more and probably better food there than I found at Sharks Bay Hilton a three years ago and Club Fanara at Ras Um Sid two years ago. None of us were sick or unwell.

There is nothing to do in the evenings and you'll be lucky to find somewhere to sit and a have a drink after dinner. drink was scarce and small measures except for the gala dinners on Chrimbo and new years eve, when the tables were stocked up with piles of booze

The "house reef" is mostly dead at the number 1 beach end of the resort and the fish are only there because they are being fed. Further south it is a bit better with some living coral to be found.

Entry to the water is very poor. The floating pontoons are broken or missing. An accident waiting to happen.

Lots of English families there. Next were the Itialians who were noisy and over excited as always. They had to be told to shut up a couple of times in the silly early hours.
Plenty of russian types. They all look the same and keep to them selves most of the time. They were no bother.

Service was terrible much of the time and tipping makes little difference to most staff. The staff are specially trained to do the leat important things first and not do anything that need doing until it is too late or there is an angry queue. But that is Sharm for you not just this hotel

We had a couple of overcast days when the constant wind made it feel rather cold. The pools were way too cold for comfort but the sea was between 22-24 degC and was fine for swimming and snorkelling.

I would not like to be there in the height of summer when the air temp is in the 40's. No place too hide or cool off. You'd die waiting for a cool beer to save you

I wouldn't recommend this hotel but then I wouldn't recommend sharm to any none divers.

I've done my share of land based All Inc's in that area now. My next visit will most likey be another liveaboard or a diving holiday at Camel Divers or some such place.

Thanks for listening.