Happy Life Village Dahab

Great place.

We spent Christmas at the Happy Life Dahab Hotel. It's like a holiday village – we loved it. Beautiful views of the mountains and sea. The first room we received (building no. 4) was terrible, but the next day we switched to one in the renovated part (no. 10) and it was great 😻 with a sea view. The room had standard amenities and a large balcony with a table and chairs. We also received an electric kettle. Two large water bottles were brought to the room daily. The garden is beautifully maintained and decorated for the holidays. Unfortunately, the pools are cold, and none of them were heated. However, the sea water was pleasant – my son snorkeled daily and filmed the underwater life. The reef was nice, but not right by the jetty – it's most beautiful at the Bedouin Reef on the right side towards the mountains. We enjoyed the food; everyone found something to enjoy. On Christmas Eve, there was a gala dinner, followed by colorful drinks by the pool and Santa Claus on a camel 😃. Free shuttles run from the hotel to Dahab (the ride is about 15 minutes). The entertainment and discos take place in the building on the beach. Overall, we really enjoyed it 👍

I usually try not to leave negative reviews, but the numerous favorable comments posted here by hotel guests have left me irritated and stunned. I don't know where these people have been before, and I don't want to explore these places. I have enormous respect for the Egyptians and their hard work, culture, and religion. I travel to Egypt frequently and have stayed in many hotels in various regions of the country. I'm not a demanding lady looking for a spotlessly clean hotel (which is rather hard to find in this destination anyway), nor do I require a place with an Instagram-worthy design—I'm a diver, and all I need at a hotel is a decent cup of coffee, eggs for breakfast, a warm dinner, and a good night's sleep on a relatively comfortable mattress. Based on the advice of a friend who stayed here two years ago, I ignored the recent negative reviews and dismissed them as the rants of people visiting Egypt for the first time, looking for European standards, glamor, and 24/7 alcohol. Ignoring them WAS A BIG MISTAKE. In short, the hotel is located near the mountains and on a nice beach, a nice place, but far from the center – the only advantage is probably the hotel shuttle to Dahab (reservations required). That's where the positives end. I've seen mixed service in Egypt, but here, only a few seem knowledgeable and sometimes save the day in the restaurant, but these are isolated incidents. They lack basic kitchen equipment, such as cutlery, glasses, and cups. During my eight-day stay, I drank tea/coffee "Chinese style," i.e., from soup bowls or cardboard cups, because winning a cup was like winning the lottery. The food is relatively good (for Egypt) – you can find something (very good fish, feta cheese, Egyptian bread), but the chefs serve omelets raw inside, and scrambled eggs are cooked if you watch, with the shells always being included in the freebies. Cleanliness? Waiters wear shirts over hoodies, worn for days, rumpled, and dirty. Table cleaning is very poor. Plastic and cardboard cups are everywhere, both in the bars and the main restaurant. Bathrooms are in terrible condition – nylon curtains with mold on the lower edge, black with dirt. Housekeeping is very poor – bed linen is changed, but fresh towels are not provided daily, despite repeated information about the number of people in the room and the number of towels needed. For this price, you really can find a better standard. The quality of this hotel doesn't stem from its age or the fact that it's not brand new. This suggests it's very poorly managed – it just needs to improve a few things, instruct the staff, provide them with the tools they need, and support from knowledgeable managers who will ensure minimum cleanliness and service standards. This is a huge negative for the hotel management and support for its employees. I definitely won't be returning to this hotel.