Four Seasons - Sharm el Sheik: This was the first time I visited Sharm El Sheik, though it was my third time to Egypt. I expected the place to be busy and chaotic like Cairo can be, but as soon as our plane landed, I was pleasantly shocked on how wrong my expectations were. We were in Sharm El Sheik to review two properties. The Hyatt Regency (click here to see our luxury hotel review of The Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheik) and this one, the Four Seasons Resort.

We went through the airport without much fuss and met with a representative from the Four Seasons. We had arranged for an airport transfer in advance.

Within a few minutes, all our bags were loaded into a nice Audi and we were on our way to the resort. It was a short drive and before we knew it, we were at the Four Seasons Sharm El Sheik.

A five-star luxury resort, the Four Seasons is one of Sharm El Shiek’s most peaceful hideaways. With over 197 spacious and well-equipped rooms and suites, the resort also features three residential villas tucked within lush gardens, a luxurious spa, a tennis center, and a 1,000 square meter pool with cabanas.

In contrast, the nearby and much larger Hyatt, another five-star resort, has similar quality living spaces, though with 439 rooms scattered throughout the grounds, not much space is left for flowers and greenery, and the sense of privacy is lacking when compared to the Four Seasons.

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First Impression/Lobby: Upon arrival at the Four Seasons, our first thought was how the marble lobby was a little on the small side, though it did have the typical Four Seasons flower bouquets. The lobby also offered a great view of the sea.

Though infused with a colonial-Arabic style, the resort still maintained a definite Four Seasons feel to it.

Reception: Check-in was rather quick and painless though the staff was lacking in warmth and professionalism, which was not typical of a Four Seasons resort.
The grounds of the property were gorgeous and meticulously maintained, with a lot of green shrubs, flowers and palm trees; a highlight which the neighboring Hyatt cannot compete with given its relatively cramped surroundings.

The gardens also had a magical view of the Red Sea, which was a definite aesthetic plus.

The Room: Our room was called the Premier Sea-View Room With One King Bed, though nothing about the view can be called premier.

From our balcony, we could see the Red Sea, but cluttered in the foreground were the rooftops of half the resort and four huge palm trees. The view we expected when we booked the room was missing.

As for the room itself, it was smaller than I expected, especially since it was marked as a “premier” room. What exactly made it a premier sea-view room was beyond me. Neither the view nor the room was premier in my opinion.

The room consisted of a bed, couch and two side chairs. The décor was classic and done in shades of tan and beige with accents of blue thrown in. The bathroom had twin sinks, a bathtub, a stand-alone shower and a private toilet stall.

Room Service: The room service menu had a variety of International food and Middle Eastern fare. Everything was expensive and we did not get what we paid for in terms of quality, on-time delivery and presentation. In all, I’d say room service was a total failure.

Housekeeping: Housekeeping was pretty straightforward; however, it lacked the special touches we’d normally get at the Four Seasons, like the folding of clothes, lining up of shoes and general tidying up.

Restaurants: There are five restaurants in the resort, and each has its own distinct dining experience. The restaurants are:

Arabesque – a restaurant in the main building that offers Mediterranean, Moroccan and Lebanese specialties, one can dine indoors or al fresco.

Reef Grill – A beachfront restaurant on the coastal strip near the shore, it overlooks Tiran Island and provides a relaxing experience amid swaying palm trees. Food is Mediterranean inspired with salads, prime cuts, seafood, and fine wine.

Waha Pool Bar & Restaurant – Offering a sophisticated poolside dining experience, the Waha Pool Bar & Restaurant serves traditional Continental European fare with a variety of salads, sandwiches and beverages. Pasta and light desserts are also available.

Gezira Pool Bar & Restaurant – A family restaurant by the pool, Gezira serves a children’s buffet and is perfect for dining families. The restaurant offers light International fare with tasty sweets and beverages.

Il Frantoio – An Italian restaurant that boasts of serving authentic Italian regional cuisine, this specialty restaurant is one of the more popular ones in the resort.

During our stay, we dined at the Waha Pool Bar & Restaurant and at Il Frantoio. At the Waha, the food and service was fantastic, while Il Frantoio’s was just average in both food and service.

Pool/Spa/Activities: The resort has four pools, each with a different use.

Spa Lap Pool – A heated rectangular pool that is about 154 square meters. It is perfect for those looking to workout.

Waha Pool – A heated free-form pool, it is about 1,000 square meters and ahas an outdoor whirlpool. It also features a landscaped pool deck, island bar, private cabanas, underwater music, and a view of the Red Sea.

Aladdin Pool – A 50 square meter children’s pool that also has a separate playroom and playground.

Gezira Pool – This one is located between chalet clusters. It measures 830 square meters and also has a children’s pool.

From what we experienced, service at the pool was spotty at best. The beach on the other hand, was beautiful though rather quiet. The Hyatt’s beach and water was much nicer and more fun, in my opinion.

Check-Out: Check-out was generally quick, though we were puzzled how the bill had errors in it since we only stayed there for a couple of days.

Employees: The general attitude of the employees was pretty bad. Throughout our stay in the resort, we passed many of the staff and not one of them offered us a “hello”, “good morning”, or even a smile. At a five-star resort like this, we expected to feel welcomed, but instead felt as if they could care less if we were there or not.

Overall Impression: Overall, though the place was generally gorgeous, my biggest complaints were the lackluster service, maintenance issues with the trolley that ran from the top of the hill down to the beach and pool, the pool area running out of complimentary sunscreen and then not caring when asked where we could get some, and the four-star service from the housekeeping and in-room dining.

I typically enjoy myself a low-key quiet resort, but in this particular one, it was definitely too quiet for my own taste.

In all, because of the high prices charged and so many flaws we give the Four Seasons Sharm El Sheik a rating of Almost Not Bombastic.

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