We went here from 27th Nov - 4th Dec and loved every minute. Our expectations were low given we have not been to Egypt before and were a bit concerned over the media reports however we shouldn't have been worried.
Key points:
- hotel probably cleanest we have ever been to
- staff could not do enough to help you they were excellent - every single one!
- temperature in Dec really good 27deg plus - really comfortable
- water is provided in all inclusive
- shower is not great but seriously - you are in middle of desert so u have to take this into account. it's not europe!
- food is excellent and lots of choice
- try the egyptian beans for breakfast
- go snorkelling!! (thanks to our thomson rep being more interested in selling trips we did not realise that there is an excellent snorkelling experience on the beach of the hotel until the 3rd day when we wandered down the pier!)

Thanks to everyone who made our holiday a good one. For Egypt virgins, just try it, and stay at this hotel it's great!

We have just got back from a week in a very sunny Marsa Alam. Never been to Egypt before but we'll definitely be returning!!! we went with three other families, all the husbands dive so they joined the dive school & had an amazing time, the mum's enjoyed the pool, beach & cocktails whilst the kids loved the snorkelling & water park. Something for everyone here.
Staff at the hotel couldn't do enough for you & Hany the Thomson rep was a gem. The food was of a very high standard & varied throughout our week. The choice was endless & the children were catered for too. Not many Brits at this resort so really felt like we were away from it all. We caught a taxi into Port Ghalib one nite which was well worth it, great handbags!!! We also went on a trip to Abu Dabab (organised by the dive school) & saw turtles swimming in an amazing reef. Loved our week, 5 out of 5 on every level.

We're just back form a week at Sol Y Mar and had a really fabulous time. The hotel yes is fairly small so that means less options at mealtimes but what is there is presented beautifully and is fresh and tasty made with what seemed to be very good quality ingredients. They try hard to accommodate your needs and have a varied option on every night. Breakfast got a little boring as it never changed from day to day and I would say that just having one chef only doing all the egg products wasn't enough as by the time you got back to your table the rest of the family had finished theirs or were back in the queue for their crepe/omelette or whatever. Crepes are going to go so would make sense if they cooked batches constantly not one at a time.
There was plenty of choice of sunbeds and outside tables for meals, something a guest from one of the bigger hotels we met said was an issue at theirs where the restaurant closed for half an hour at 8 to restock!

Most of the staff, not all were terribly friendly and would go out of the way to make you feel special, they learnt childrens names and what you liked to drink so they could get it for you. A couple of the staff made you feel like you were a complete nuisance which was a shame. The pool area, bedrooms, public areas etc were exceptionally clean and comfortable. My only gripes about the room was that the air con was v noisy and the shower was extremely disappointing!
We didn't engage much with the animation team but what we did see of them i was very impressed by and our children (girls aged 7 & 4) loved all the team, especially the mini disco!
The beach area was exceptional! Gorgeous bay with v warm shallow clear water and beautiful fish to look at even if not snorkelling. Our girls mastered this on day one due to the lovely water and loved every minute. The beach facilities were also excellent, good beach bar and i loved having a massage in the outdoor 'tent' with the sound and smell of the beach breezing through the muslin curtains, bliss.
Our rep Hany was brilliant, great sense of humour, always a smile and went out of his way to do something for us which was beyond his duty. Sadly he was moving off to another resort after we left but we were lucky enough to meet Sarah who just joined as we left and was on our desert safari trip for familiarisation training and she was a joy to spend the day with, even in her 'civvies' was fantastic with our girls and will no doubt be an asset to the resort.
We took two trips - one on the seascape submarine which we all really enjoyed and were lucky enough to see sea cows as well as hundreds of other stunning fish. Good value and well executed.
And we went on the desert safari trip. In hindsight it was very good if a little 'set up' and throughly enjoyed the whole experience, quad biking, camel riding, seeing the 'raw' desert and the moon rising etc. Lots of things to see and do, good food and bedouin entertainment. It was very pricey though (over £300 for family of 4) but a good experience to try though i wouldn't do it again, its a one off trip.
All in all loved Marsa Alam and this hotel, will definitely go back in another october, 33 degrees, sunshine everyday and 31 degree sea temperature, its a perfect half term destination.

Just had a week at Dar El Madina at Marsa Alam. Went to do some snorkelling in the Red Sea, something I've always wanted to do. We were advised by our tour rep (Hany, of First Choice) to start around 6am - excellent advice, the water was clearest and the fish most numerous at that time of day. After that, just took it easy by the hotel pool or on the beach. Incidentally, Hany is about the best tour rep we've ever had.

The hotel staff were briliant. All were polite, friendly - you really felt cared for. Everywhere was immaculate, food and drinks were plentiful and in great variety. Egyptians are such charming people, perhaps we in Britain should think about sending some of our tourism/hospitality people out there for a few lessons!

My only gripe was the sound level of the music around the pool, which I think was organised by the animation team. Fine while the activities (water polo, aqua excercise etc) are going on, but either silence or the music at a much lower volume would have been nice the rest of the time. We went to the beach, about 250 metres away, for peace and quiet.

We were the only Brits at this hotel. That suited us - felt more 'abroad' than if surrounded by fellow countrymen.

Overall, a great holiday. Lovely people, beautiful fish, warm sunshine and delicious food.