With our oldest 16 year daughter old in Scotland visiting, and most kids on vacation, our pre-teen is getting bored. A spur of last minute brilliance by wifey was to go to Ain Sohkna, the closest resort area to Cairo, on Red Sea, with most hotels about 1 1/2 drive. It is an easy drive, present day, as the new toll road is open ( 5 LE) with speed limit set at a comfortable 120 km/hr. You still need to navigate the 2 lane road if continuing south through hilly area, where most hotels are, or swing north a few Km's towards Stella Demare complex.
We have made many trips to this area, but our favorite hotels like Ramada (OK for families with non cooking apartment like accommodation , and dogs are allowed), Stella Demare (Swiss Inn), or adjacent Sea Side Hotel (used to be Plane Hotel), also Golf Hotel ,were all full. We also saw a new Movenpick hotel on our drive out.
She chose the Mena Oasis (much over rated as 4*) as only one with available rooms. That should of been our first clue, but for one night - maybe 2, it seemed a go.
We knew this hotel is an Egyptian favorite for day trips, as we could tell when we arrived about 5 pm and had to wait some time for rooms to be made available. It was obvious this hotel had not changed in any obvious way for last 10 years,or more, and seemed in need of a healthy makeover. Some basic maintenance would also be a big improvement. But cheap at about 1/2 price, or more, of other good hotels. So, you pays for what you get!
Let me digress a moment about why all good hotels are all full. Had not seen this situation previously. Most Egyptians migrate to North Coast in heat of summer, but seems now Ain Sohkna has become an overflow area. Also, maybe some tourists, but why in middle of summer I have no idea.
We waited, in hot non air conditioned lobby, and daughter and friend explored. Finally we checked one room that was rejected out of hand for being in disgusting condition, then accepted another a 3rd floor in Chalet type construction, but overlooking beach and sea Hot as hell in the very basic non maintained room, but never the less it was time to jump in the sea.
Young girls did not last long in water as said there were jelly fish. Well Dad had look and they were not a bad type, and others paddling about, so in we went. Was OK in water so all enjoyed to a point. I opted not to go for supper (included in price) as knew it would be very basic Egyptian food in non AC dining room. Kids were not impressed either but we had packed some sandwich making grub.
The room however was still hot as hell as AC was very old, undersized, and noisy. Phone did not work either. This seemed to be one of the better rooms, so we decided to suffer, as getting something better was likely not a possibility. - and suffer we did.
Next morning, after a sweaty night trying to sleep, off to beach but young girls were not interested in sea, or beach, and wanted a swimming pool. Although advertised, a pool is not really on the menu. Thought I could interest them in a pedalo, but not available till after 12 pm - WHY was not explained. Guess we might damage jelly fish in morning hours?
We gave up and returned to Cairo to the wonderful cool of our house - so, it was all a bit of a disaster.
The hotel had some Egyptian familyguests, but this establishment seems best suited to rent a day room and leave in evening back to Cairo. But, I refuse to drive during night time hours so this plan is not suitable, for us.
If interested to journey to Ayn Soukna seems one needs to plan ahead and stick with 5 star hotels. To find hotels one needs to search about on net or egypt yellow pages but here is one site with few hotels. Not sure I can argree with star ratings Where Stella Demare is 4* and Ramada is 5* - seems bit backwards. Portrait, Mena Oasis 3* seems generous. Also Hilton is listed here but not sure it actually exists any longer, maybe different hotel now.
Ayn Soukna area has undergone a huge real estate metamorphosis in past few years with new hotels, chalet and villa type developments popping up the entire coast line from Suez to Zafrana and beyond. Actually this real estate boom is all over Egypt, and property prices had sky rocketed. Simple laws of supply and demand do not seem to exist as seems everyone is on the buy for investment bandwagon. Huge developments seem everywhere, and presence of cash flush Arabs from Gulf states and Saudi is widely seen. I will wait till "bubble bursts" and pick up a steal or two?
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