Ritz Carlton

RITZ CARLTON OSAKA, JAPAN

Smaller than Osaka's other top hotels, the Ritz-Carlton combines a homely feel with European elegance in what we feel is the city's most luxurious place to stay. King-size beds with goose-down pillows and dark-wood furnishings in the guest rooms. The bathrooms have plush bathrobes and towels. We stayed on the Club floor for which gives you access to the Club Lounge (more about that later). A rarity in Japan, the room price at the Ritz Carlton includes use of the pool, Jacuzzi, and gym. Of course all of this comes at a price - the RC is Osaka's most expensive hotel but it's worth every penny (or yen).

The hotel is located in the modern Shin-Umeda development and is about 500 m southwest of Osaka Station (JR Line). From there you can get a Japan Rail train (1 stop) to "Shin Osaka" station where the Shinkansen (Bullet) trains arrive and depart (note: Shin Osaka is not within walking distance).

The hotel consists of Dark wood walls, rose marble floors scattered with Oriental rugs, Venetian chandeliers, antique furniture, a mantelpiece of carved marble, a grandfather clock, huge floral bouquets and exquisite porcelain embellish the small reception lobby and lounge. Guests dine alongside Osaka's elite in beautiful restaurants that win acclaim from locals and media alike for their fine service and delectable, justifiably expensive food.

The opulent lobby lounge serves tea to the strains of a string quartet in the afternoon and cocktails accompanied by live jazz in the evening.

Upon arrival to this hotel we were greeted by efficient and courteous staff. Our luggage was taken at the door and magically went its own speedy route to our suite.

As soon as we arrived the staff seemed to know who we were and immediately escorted us to the Club Lounge on the 34th Floor where we were offered champagne, hot towels and a very pleasant check in experience.

Previous to our stay at the RC Osaka, we stayed for 1 night at the RC Tokyo (another excellent hotel with flawless service but not quite as good as their sister hotel in Osaka which has been around for longer and is more established)

Sadly British Airways lost our luggage on our flight to Tokyo. Thankfully the excellent team of staff at both properties took control of everything; from communicating with BA and delivering the luggage to our suite when it arrived. (Thanks again, especially to Urita at Osaka).

The Club lounge itself has a very homely feel and in addition it has fantastic views of the city offering flawless and attentive service. The lounge serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and evening canap s followed by a final drink and chocolates before bed. The Club lounge is like heaven after a busy day in an expensive City.

For breakfast you can help yourself from a wide selection of Japanese food or choose from the slightly smaller western breakfast consisting of fruit juices, cereals, fruit (very fresh), pastries (fresh and daily made), toast, yoghurts and a very nice cooked selection. (The scrambled eggs were excellent!)

As a western guest staying in a Japanese hotel where the clientele are mostly Japanese I felt very slightly like I was on show. By this I do not mean anything negative, the Japanese guests were very friendly and were just intrigued by the western food we chose to eat and by the way we used a knife and fork. It was no different I suppose from us looking at what they were eating and how they used chopsticks with such style and grace.

I personally felt that this added to the enjoyment of being somewhere where the culture is so different.

Due to being out of the hotel for most of the day, we did not sample the lunch presentation although I am sure it was excellent.

We did however have the opportunity to try the Afternoon Tea which is an excellent buffet selection consisting of dainty sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and preserves, dainty cakes and gateaux. Loose leaf Tea and coffee is poured at your table. Champagne is also available.

Evening canap s are served in the club lounge until 8pm and consist of a selection of hot and cold food again of Japanese and Western style. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are also served and if there is anything that isn't on display then just a quick word with a member of the Club Lounge Team ensures it magically appears a few moments later.

In addition to the various food and beverage presentations throughout the day, Alcoholic, non-alcoholic and tea and coffee is served throughout the day in the comfort of the Club Lounge. The food and beverage presentation is more than enough to feed you throughout your stay. There was only one night where we had a room service meal and this was because we were late returning one evening.

It's the little touches that count and the "Little Touches" are many at the RC Osaka.

1. It was my partners birthday while we were in Osaka, he was presented with a small birthday cake and two members of Club lounge staff singing (in perfect English) "Happy Birthday" We didn't even tell them that it was his birthday (they must have seen it from his passport)

2. Club lounge staff remembered that I like champagne with my afternoon tea and as a pre dinner drink. Every afternoon and evening from then on I was presented with a glass without having to ask (served at the correct temperature too).

3. The first cup of tea we had was served with hot milk (common in many Asian hotels). We asked if this could be changed for cold milk which wasn't a problem and from then on we were served cold milk without asking.

4. Extra Bvlgari toiletries during turn down (without asking)

5. We were addressed in perfect English. It is the only place in the world where my surname has been perfectly pronounced the first time round (including England!).

6. The hotel totally managed the lost luggage situation with British Airways. They kept us up to date every day for 5 days and even liaised with the RC in Tokyo to ensure our luggage was returned as soon as possible.

7. Morning coffee was served every day with a wakeup call (this service is only provided in club rooms and suites)

8. We were addressed by name by nearly all of the hotel staff (even from staff who we didn't receive a service from)

Our Suite was 820 square feet in size and was positioned on the corner of the building. It consisted of a small entrance hallway with its own small guest washroom with its own toilet (see below), wash basin, ample Bvlgari toiletries and towels.

The hallway lead into the main lounge which had French doors leading into another small hallway with large wardrobe, etc. Off this was the bedroom which had views across Osaka and then the bathroom.

Bvlgari toiletries were in abundance in the bathroom. There was also a flat screen television inthe bathroom. Separate shower and bathtub, separate WC with washlet toilet.

The lounge had a Stereo DVD player, Exclusive stereo speaker for a digital audio player and Coffee service at morning call are only a handful of the little touches you receive.

In the lounge there are a two, one seat arm chairs, a two seat sofa and huge mahogany coffee table. There is a cabinet with a (bi-lingual) television set complete with CD and DVD player. At the touch of a button on the television you can have Japanese translated into English subtitles and in audio!!! and vice-versa. Watching BBC presenters dubbed in Japanese is very weird!

Tea and coffee making facilities are located in a small alcove together with a mini bar that had a good selection at normal 5 star prices.

There was ample space to in the suite; large desk in the living room, a comfy chair as well.

Ample western magazines and periodicals were presented on a small table to the left of the sofa.

Curtains and blackout blinds offering complete blackout and all electronically controlled from either next to the sofa or from the bedside console.

Between the living room and the bedroom there is a set of French doors (curtained) - ideal if your partner wishes to watch television or work in the living room without disturbing you in the bedroom.

Between the bedroom and bathroom there is a walk in wardrobe complete with ironing board, iron, digital safe, drawers and shoe cleaning bag (for you to put shoes in for cleaning by staff). Ample wooden hangers are also presented. There are also drawers for personal items such as underwear, socks, swimwear / gym wear. An automatic light switches on when the wardrobe doors open.

Onto the bedroom...

The bedroom is behind the living room and offered an ultra comfy king-size bed with four goose down pillows and the finest bed sheets you can find. There is also a mirror complete with dressing table and chair. There was also a cabinet with a second large flat LCD television and DVD / CD player both showing the CORRECT time.

Each side of the king size bed there are two bedside cabinets with bedside light, "do not disturb" button, master switches for all of the lights in the suite (yes ALL of the lights), telephone and clock (I hate hotels which do not offer a clock in the bedroom)

Curtains and blackout blinds offering complete blackout.

Beside the windows (with views of the city skyline and surrounding sky scrapers) there is a comfortable day bed and small table.

Now onto the bathroom...

In addition to the lush surroundings and marble fixtures, there were two marble wash basins both maintained to a very high standard by housekeeping, flat screen television in the bathroom.

It is worth noting that the television has bi-lingual (at a touch of a switch) translating Japanese into English and vice-versa. Ideal if you like watching television in the bath and don't speak English.

In addition to the ample (perfectly presented and replenished) Bvlgari toiletries, there were toothpaste x2, tooth brushes x2, vanity kit x 2, razor x 2, shaving gel x 2, hair brush x2, comb x2, "vanity pack" x2, mending kit x2, mouthwash x2 and bath salts (in a glass jar, replenished daily) x1.

At every housekeeping service the staff would lay out all your bathroom items neatly on a towel ready for your next use.

Ample towels and face clothes in the bathroom and in the separate toilet / bidet room.

Separate walk in shower with excellent water pressure and more Bvlgari toiletries (also stocked daily)

The bath (perfectly maintained and lime scale and crack free) was huge, water pressure (like the shower) was excellent and the bath filled up in minutes. You could lay in the bath and your feet wouldn't touch the other end.

For novelty value, I have to mention "Toto" the interactive toilet, bidet and bottom dryer; for a western visitor this "extra touch" was excellent (and amusing). You can control at the touch of a button, the water pressure, temperature of the water and the oscillation. There is also a function to dry your bits and bobs as well. There is also an "interactive toilet" in the guest bathroom too. It doesn't take much to excite those of us from England!!!!

As mentioned earlier, they offer (for guests in suites and club floor rooms) morning coffee with a wakeup call. To order a walk up call, telephone the switchboard. The next morning the operator calls you right on time and tells you that fresh coffee is outside your door waiting for you, then if by magic you open your door and there is a trolley with a large pot of coffee, together with your morning paper waiting for you to take into your room. (This is done very discreetly so no risk of a staff member seeing you with a just awoken look!)

Due to the fact that BA lost our luggage and all of our evening wear and smart casual clothing were in the suitcases. Members of staff were aware of our predicament and provided a list of department stores where western clothing was sold. They even provided maps, directions and opening times. This freed up time so that we can maximise our stay in Osaka better. Another "little touch" which, was gratefully appreciated.

The hotel has a gym (we didn't have time to use the spa or have any beauty treatments sadly) complete with state of the art (new) Life Style fitness cardio and resistance equipment together with Technogym free weights, weights benches x 2 and a squat rack (ideal for squats) and a stretching and abs area complete with clean mats and a bench (ideal for drop downs etc) Mineral water and fresh towels are available and replenished. After having a run, I turned my back and noticed that my used towel and empty bottle of Evian water was replaced for the next person (this would have only been seconds and was done so discreetly!)

The gym is in beautiful "colonial English" surroundings with neo classical relief around the walls. There is also a water machine and ample bottles of mineral water and complimentary energy drinks on a table. All machines and equipment are perfectly maintained in excellent working order and the entire gym is dust free and perfectly presented.

It is a shame that I was suffering a little jet lag and couldn't maximise my gym workouts in the perfect surroundings. Another reason to return to the hotel!

We used the laundry service. Prices are reasonable for a 5* hotel in Japan. Laundry was re delivered back to our suite promptly and wrapped (yes wrapped) including the underwear!

Check out was efficient and attentive. Our bags and ourselves were escorted downstairs.

Overall a fantastic hotel with flawless and attentive service, little touches and staff who can anticipate our needs.

Would we return? Oh yes!

Very Good, recommend it to my father any day. The Suite we had was very good impecible service and very friendly staff.

Would definetly go there again. Lazy River Is brilliant 24 hour room service.

We stayed at the Ritz for our honeymoon in July, and I have no regrets at all, just miss it so much now!

When we arrived we were advised that we had been upgraded to a sea view room. The view is to die for! They'd made a heart out of a towel, and decorated the bed with fresh flowers. A few minutes later they brought a fruit plate and bottle of wine. Then we were brought a chocolate cake with Congratulations written on it! This was all a great start to our honeymoon.

We enojoyed the pools, and the lazy river. The hotel provides clean towels for pool use and the beach.

The hotels private beach is gorgeous, plenty of sun loungers.

There are about 4-5 restaurants in the hotel. Our favourite chill out place, was Fayrouz restaurant, where we went every night, and smoked sheesha pipe. The staff there are amazing especially Hussein!

The location of the hotel is about 10 minutes from Naama Bay. I think this is perfect, as your not in the noisy part of Sharm.

We were quite sad to leave, but it was all very worth it, and we'd definately go back just for the hotel!

Here with report as promised in my review of the Ritz in Sharm el Sheikh. We stayed at the Sofitel Karnak (rated 5 star locally but 4 star by most European tour operators) from 01 - 15 June this year and each day we congratulated ourselves for making such a good choice. Of course there were a couple of minor niggles, firstly, after arriving and completing the usual formalities we were shown to our room - or not as the case may be - we were simply taken half way, pointed in the direction of one of the outbuildings and told our room was on the top floor. This was the first time I have never been personally escorted to a hotel room. After showering we went for the evening meal which was being served in the Nile restaurant - this is normally the smaller la carte restaurant but when the hotel is approximately one third full they use this instead of the Opet buffet restaurant which is much larger. Again we were just pointed in the general direction of this and we had to return to reception for confirmation of location. The Nile restaurant is in a lovely location alongside the Nile with a small outside terrace - but it wasn't really suited to a buffet style meal arrangement as the room was too narrow for this type of operation and people were constantly brushing past perimeter tables.

However, four days later, due to either complaints or an increase in the number of guests, both breakfast and evening meals were reassigned to the Opet restaurant. This is a large restaurant nicely arranged and decorated (although I felt the wall murals a little OTT) - the main buffets were arranged around a large replica of a Pharonic royal barge. The food throughout our stay was exemplary - always fresh, hot where necessary and attractively presented. The chefs were continually re-arranging the buffets to ensure good presentation. Each day of the week there is a different theme ranging from Oriental through to Tex Mex and Italian etc. In addition each evening there were several types of salad and fresh pasta dishes cooked on an as requested basis. I have to say that in all the places I have stayed on half board, the Sofitel Karnak stood head and shoulders above them. The desserts especially were varied; it was obvious someone had gone to great lengths to ensure they looked as well as tasting good.

Breakfast was served from 0530 until 1030 - it was served this early to enable people who were going on day excursions to take advantage of the cooler part of the mornings. Those on half board were also entitled to a limited quantity of free drinks with their meal - this was not without some peculiarities, for instance you could have a bottle of Stella beer but Sakhara beer was charged at normal bar prices, similarly you could have a can of Cola or Sprite but not Diet Cola which again you had to pay for in full. I don't know what the limit on free drinks with your meal is but we usually had a large bottle of water and either a beer or soft drink each, which in the circumstance seemed reasonable.

If I have slight irritation it was with the majority of staff throughout the hotel - and that was the frequent slow service even when not busy - you would ask for something, not receive it and ask someone else, only to give up and try and find it yourself. I don't have a problem with this if they are genuinely busy and I am only too happy to help out where necessary but you just never knew if you were going to get what you asked for. Don't get me wrong they were polite, smiling and very welcoming but after experiencing the type of prompt and efficient service you usually get in the hotels in Sharm el Sheikh, the reverse here came as a surprise here - they definitely need a more efficient restaurant manager.

However, that's almost all the niggles out of the way - food as I mentioned is excellent, the rooms are good, not luxurious and a bit on the small side - but no problem if it's just the two of you, however I imagine it would be a bit cramped if you needed a third bed. The bathroom again was good, clean and with a power shower over the bath. Word of warning here though especially for those with young children. The shower does not have a temperature regulator - you would normally expect this to simply result in a sudden stream of cold water, but here the opposite applies, almost without warning the shower temperature can go from tepid to scalding - this happened on a daily basis - so if you are showering down young children, DON'T - give them a bath instead.

The hotel gardens are really lovely and extremely well looked after - the site is fully mature with towering palm trees springing up from green lawns, There are innumerable flowering shrubs and flowers - it really is a picture at every turn. An area that is especially attractive is the gardens to the rear of the fitness suite and down the driveway to the exit gates. If you have young children - do take a walk to the bottom of the drive, just before the exit there is a small menagerie looked after by a young man. It contains a young camel, a couple of donkeys, sheep, rabbits, ducks, doves and two baby crocodiles in a pond - when I asked him what he fed the crocodiles on he pointed to a small shoal of little fish cowering at the far end of the pool - I don't think they slept at night! Don't forget to give the lad a tip - he's saving up to put some glass windows in his parent's house - at least that was my interpretation!

The main pool with swim-up bar is excellent, there are plenty of comfortable sun beds with mattresses and parasols, there is a smaller adjoining children's pool. During the morning and again in the afternoon there is water aerobics and water polo. At the towel station it is

possible to borrow or hire a multitude of games or sports equipment - there is also a book exchange library. A little further away on the lawns going down towards the Nile there are more sun beds, from these you have a great view over the Nile towards the West Bank and the Valley of the Kings et al. Close by there is a further children's pool with small waterside and magic mushroom water fountain. If there is one thing that spoils the view it's the massive electricity pylons slightly upstream with cables that span right across the Nile - these are a bit of an eyesore and you tend to concentrate your eyes in the other direction.

Directly above the Nile restaurant is the Sundowners Bar - this is open from about 4pm until midnight serving drinks and shisha pipes - this as the name suggests is a great place early evening to watch the sun set with a drink or two. Do be aware though that due to its close proximity to the Nile there are a few mosquitoes around. That said the hotel does a really good job of keeping them under control - they have plenty of electric fluorescent flying insect traps around and each evening they mist around the grounds and during the day and wash down all hard surfaces (walkways) with mosquito repellent. Don't be put off by the thought of hordes of mosquitoes they are well behaved, or dead.

On the sporting front there are modern free squash courts, volley ball courts, tennis courts, Jacuzzi and sauna

Drinks etc - the bedroom minibar is very reasonably priced with drinks being the same as you would pay at one of the bars. Inside the main hotel building the main bar is Carter's Bar - this is where the main evening entertainment is held and in actual fact isn't too bad - experienced far worse in Cypriot hotels. They do try to vary it a bit with either a duo or group of four providing both Arabic and European music and songs. This is interspersed throughout the week with Karaoke evenings or Limbo dancing or Casino nights - the animation team do very well and provide just the right level of enthusiasm for their audience. There is also the Moorish caf situated off the lobby which serves all types of drinks from mid-morning until late into the evening. Prices for drinks are I think good for Egypt and this class of hotel - certainly cheaper than at home. A 500ml bottle of Stella was E£18 and Sakhara was E£20. Alcoholic cocktails were all priced at E£35 and from comments I heard seemed to be good and have a fair quantity of alcohol in them. Diet Cola, Sprite and similar were I think, E£9 each for a 330ml can. The exchange rate whilst we were there was E£10.66 to £1 sterling.

Likewise if you wanted to eat during the day - meals could be ordered from the Palmerie Bar (pool bar) these were very good value - for example pizza with salad and French fries was approx E£34 and an enormous beef burger with salad and French fries was E£32.00. The menu was quite extensive ranging the sandwiches to steak and chicken fillets - none of it too expensive.

Transport into and out of Luxor is a commendable 11 times per day ranging from approx 0700 in the morning through to the last minibus back from Luxor around 1830 in the evening. The courtesy motor launches are a great way to get a free mini-cruise - many guests simply stayed on when it got to Luxor and made the direct return trip. From what I can re-call the minibuses operate throughout the day and the motor launches operate in the afternoons. Typical journey times are 35 minutes to Luxor by motor boat (against the flow) and slightly less coming back). The minibuses only take 10 minutes either way. They are quite willing to set you down at any point i.e. Karnak Temple or Luxor Temple. Return pick-ups are from outside the Sofitel Winter Palace hotel.

So just how good is the Sofitel Karnak compared with its main competitors in Luxor - well quite simply none of the other compare and I even include the Old Winter Palace, Sonesta St George, Movenpick on crocodile island, Sheraton and Hilton. How can I be sure - because I paid a visit to all of them. OK one or two of them have a couple of redeeming factors for instance:

Old Winter Palace Hotel - yes it's got some history but inside it's somewhat dated (OK that what they call ambiance) and the staff look like they belong to the Adams family - it may be OK for a holiday in which you never wanted to see another living person but that's it. We visited on a couple of evenings and on each occasion felt that we were involved in a murder mystery evening with us two as the sole survivors - so far! Redeeming features - drinks fairly reasonably priced a great shoe shine chair and footstool in the main lobby (feature only) and a drinks waiter who looked like Hercule Poirot complete with black hair slicked back with a pound or two of Brylcreem and matching moustache.

The gardens - these are OK but not a patch on those at the Sofitel Karnak - honest. What I found a little off-putting was the signs instructing you to keep of the grass. The swimming pool was OK (for the purpose of this report OK equates to about 6 out 10). At least it was clean and of reasonable size. What I can recommend though are the ice-cream sundaes at the pool bar/terrace. We went back on a couple of occasions during the day for these. They were full of fresh fruit salad; three scoops of ice cream, sauces, trimmings etc and at E£22 each were a real bargain.

New Winter Palace Hotel - adjoins the Old Winter Palace and shares the gardens and pool. In actual fact I think I preferred this hotel and bar - there were people - moving, just!

Hilton Hotel- now this is the pits and just about everyone who goes to Luxor knows. Why? - because all the other hotels ship their guests there on the day after arrival for INTRODUCTION TO LUXOR aka how the holiday reps try to rip off the holidaymaker even more than the poor locals. Yes folks this is where they get their captive audience - at a pre-arranged time (usually 10.30 am) buses arrive from at least 6 other hotels and you are ushered into a sub-terrain ballroom. You are then subjected to a presentation aided by a slide show from half a dozen reps on how to get the best from your visit. This takes about an hour and a half. Great you think - lets go. Oh no you don't. None of the buses are permitted to leave until those who have been indoctrinated have made the appropriate arrangements with the reps. In the end we gave up and walked down the short drive to the main road and got a taxi.

I forgot all of this of course does not necessarily make the Hilton a bad choice - but the following does. Firstly the hotel, gardens, pool, interior fittings, building exterior are all shabby. When you enter the gloomy hotel its like hitting Smokey Joe's caf - it reeks throughout of cigarette smoke. As I mentioned the pool and gardens are poor - pool furniture needs replacing etc etc. I know that many people who had been on a weeks cruise on the Nile and had booked the second week in Luxor at the Hotel where being encouraged by Thomson's to move at no additional supplement to the Sofitel Karnak as the Hilton was now considered to be sub-standard. Honestly if you have booked the Hilton get a transfer now - just about all the other hotels are better. It's time Hilton sold this hotel on - I fear it's too late for a refurbishment as the damage has been done, it has a bad name.

Sheraton Hotel - dark dismal, poorly kept gardens and grounds. In what can only be described as a cul-de-sac. Swimming pool the size of a postage stamp - poor choice - you can do better - much better.

Sonesta St George - Credit where credits due - this hotel is a much smarter affair, internally anyway. I thought the exterior looked a little decadent - or was that wishful thinking. No this hotel stands head and shoulders above it's competitors in Luxor centre with the possible exception of the Old Winter Palace aka The Morgue. A smart lobby, smart restaurants, smart bar - all staff here seemed extremely sharp. I visited here twice, the first time we had a single drink each, the second time about a week later we went into the bar and the waiter knew what we wanted - well done to the Sonesta. Can I find any fault - you bet I can - the hotel despite its good points is similar to a shopping mall - it's as though they have sub-let (indeed they may well have done) what can only be described as shop units which you have to pass in order to get anywhere - like Meadow Hall its all marble and clean but not where I want to spend a week or two. Secondly the exterior area, as I mentioned are directly in off the shabby street into the hotel - to the rear is the swimming pool and the Nile. This is another swimming pool that is truly postage stamp size and despite the small area the garden occupies it is not well maintained. There is a floating pontoon, which in effect give more outdoor area - but not very pleasant - covered in faded Astro turf and parched tubs of plants. Now if all you want from a holiday is a base from which to explore the sights and be right in amongst the mayhem of Luxor then the Sonesta will suit you fine. But if part of your holiday is relaxing by a pool in pleasant surrounding then the Sonesta, Sheraton or Meridian Hotels are not for you - if you have children they are definitely not for you or them.

Meridian Hotel - very close to the Sonesta St George, A monstrosity. Despite being fairly new it doesn't look good. Again straight in off the street and you have to pass through an internal courtyard surrounded by overlooking bedrooms. The courtyard contains seating areas, bars, cafes etc. Like the Sonesta much of the hotel is given over to secondary trading - but unlike the Sonesta these aren't shops but stalls - some may call it an authentic Egyptian Bazaar or Souk - I call it shabby. If at all possible the rear garden is even worse than the Sonesta and the pool is microscopic - you need to be on good terms with other sunbathing guests and just hope that filter system on the pool is working efficiently to remove the perspiration and sun tan cream from countless bodies - ugh!

Movenpick Hotel (Crocodile Island) - I had great expectations for this hotel but - yes you've guessed it - give it a miss. In theory this should be similar to the Sofitel Karnak - it's out of town and has plenty of space. That almost all the good points. We arrived there early evening and left in fear for our lives. Greeting us immediately outside the entrance were the usual security guards and what can only be described as two industrial grade Mosi Zappers - these were going off like continuous firecrackers as kamikaze mosi's flew unceasingly to a crisp end. Do I exaggerate? NO. Now the Movenpick has supposedly had a revamp but the interior didn't look anything too special - there was plenty of staff who seemed very efficient, but it was difficult to see exactly where all the money had been spent. We decided to risk a look at the pool area and gardens - I fear this is another area in which people may be disappointed - the lawns were Astro turf (Movenpick seem to prefer this type of ground cover in preference to grass - both of their hotels in Sharm el Sheikh use it to a great extent) a pity as it doesn't look good especially when worn and faded). The pools and surrounding area was a reasonable size but the pool furniture was rickety and needed replacing. Most of the tiled footpaths around the gardens were broken and with tiles missing. One or two brave soles were trying to sit outside but the mosi's must have thought it was feast day. On the flight home I spoke to chap whose family had stayed at the hotel - he confirmed that it had been hell and they were all covered in bites The reception staff provided each room with a plug-in mosquito repellent - which was fine until they left their room. Apart from the hotel entrance little seemed to be done to try and nullify the critters.

The bar I tried was reminiscent of an English city pub of the 1960's complete with fireplace. Good service, not particularly cheap - so my recommendation is - don't stay here unless you have the skin of a rhino.

TIPS

Haggling - this is a way of life for most traders in Egypt - it's a habit and there's no point getting harassed or angry by the continual assault of everyone from children to caleche drivers offering you every type of trip or service. It really is full on in Luxor; it put many people from going into town a second time. I reckon that in the first week you will have to say 'la shukran' (no thanks) approximately 50 times per 100 metres of travel - this does reduce by the second week when you have a better tan and they realise that you have wised up to them or have probably been on most trips. Whatever you do try to keep good humoured - if you show the slightest sign of being rattled they will simply look upon you as further amusement for the next 5 or 10 minutes.

Language - do try to learn a few simple words or phrases, believe me it works wonders, invariably they are highly delighted that someone as taken the bother to say please, thank you, good morning etc in their language.

MUST DO's

1. Change the bulk of your money at the ATM's or banks either in the hotels or Luxor town - all offers a fixed rate which is 10-15 percent more than you can obtain in the UK.

2. Turn right outside the entrance gates to the Sofitel Karnak and walk the 200 yards or so to the village - here you will come across a row of small one-room open-fronted shops all seeming to sell the same basic food items. Here you can buy large sealed bottles of water for E£3 or E£4 and cans of Coke etc for about E£3 each.

3. Do not pay more than E£20-E£25 for a taxi from the rank outside the hotel to Luxor Centre - that's per cab not per person.

4. Do not pay more than E£5 (50p) for a caleche (carriage & horse) ride within the confines of Luxor town.

5. Do not be taken in by a promise to take you to the various bazaars or markets - almost certainly you will end up at a shop where the caleche or taxi driver gets a percentage.

6. Never, never purchase a sight seeing trip from an hotel rep unless you have money to throw away - in which case my address is ..

Finally, do I recommend Luxor - yes, and I will be going back, but only to the Sofitel Karnak. To be honest it was the only hotel we have been to where I would have been quite happy to stay for the entire 2 weeks without stepping foot outside. It was only as we were getting to the end of the first week that we realised we really ought to make the effort to see some of the sights. So my recommended sights are:

Morning - In one morning you can see the Colossi of Memnon, Valley of the Kings (a single entrance pass entitles you visit any 3 of the open tombs with the exception of King Tut's (this carries an additional premium of E£70. Valley of the Queens (again 3 tombs per single entrance pass) - in actual fact I think you could give these a miss - Kings are better. Finally round off the morning to see Queen Hatchepsuts (think I've spelt that wrong) Temple. You should be able to get a taxi to take all of you - wait for you and then return you to the hotel for approximately E£80 -120. Allow a similar amount per person for the various entrance fees.

Day visit - to Edfu and Esna Temples - Edfu is approximately 75 miles upstream of Luxor and you will need a police escort. You should be able to get an air-conditioned taxi for approx E£180 - E£200 for the return trip. Again that's for the taxi not per person. Allow approx E£50 for entrance fees.

Morning - Visit Karnak Temple and Luxor Museum - courtesy hotel minibus will drop you off at either free of charge. Allow approx E£60 per person for tickets.

Morning - Visit Luxor temple - again free courtesy bus. Entrance fee about E£35. Then head inland behind the temple and try to find the main Luxor street market - this is great, free but perhaps not for the squeamish - I really enjoyed it, a real eye opener, you may well be the only Europeans present. Don't worry though this area is completely safe and almost 100 percent hassle free.

Two day trip - to Aswan - this is one trip I should have liked to have gone on but couldn't as the locks at Esna were closed for de-silting. It is possible to do it in one day by taxi but it's about 150 miles away (4 hours each way) and makes for a long day.

So hope you all have a good time - and if it's not too late, change your booking to the Sofitel Karnak.

PS - No, I'm not on commission!

Ritz Carlton:

Sorry for delay - ref my earlier notes regarding the Intercontinental and the Ritz. As mentioned we did go to the Ritz for 2 weeks from 24th May onwards. I am pleased to say that we had an excellent holiday - the very large gardens are a real joy, immaculately kept and daily informal but informative tours by the head gardener. The staff are in a class of their own, knowledgeable and politeness personified. Very smooth, slick operation from initial reception - greeted by a Nubian band - they perform each day throughout the day to greet and say goodbye to guests. On arrival you are immediately seated and given a cool drink and cold towels. Booking in is very quick and efficient and then it's to a motorised buggy along with your baggage for a tour of the grounds and facilities before ending up at your room.

Rooms are very spacious - but - there's always a but isn't there? The rooms were being upgraded and the one we were allocated quite frankly looked a bit weary - however no problem, a comment to one of the deputy managers the following day immediately saw us packed off to a newly refurbished room overlooking the lower swimming pool. That said however I couldn't help but feel the rooms still looked very dated - not quite sure why but considering it is a relatively modern hotel they looked a bit sixty-ish and not as stylish as the Intercontinental rooms, although they were much larger.

The general foyer/bar/lounge area is large and impressive - 1000's of ceiling lights, black marble and acres of glass together with large fresh flower arrangements. I particularly liked the bar! Drinks are amongst the most expensive in Sharm/Naama Bay - but all in all not greatly above a moderate hotel price in the UK with the possible exception of wine and some of the more exotic cocktails or shorts. A 500ml bottle of Sakhara lager was approximately 27 Egyptian pounds (the exchange rate when we went was approx 11.30 Egyptian pounds to the UK pound). Pool areas excellent, beach no more than OK - would we go again - definitely. Food prices in the a la carte generally very expensive - much better to go into Naama or old town Sharm and eat well and safely at a fraction of the price.

I also checked out the Four Seasons - very good, but to me it felt a little bit lonely - not a lot of interaction between guests or staff - but that is just what some people want.

Whilst out that way I called into the Savoy - I get the feeling it's living on its name - looked a bit weary and unkempt around the edges - it's not that it's particularly bad in any department - it's just that in an area where there are many first rate hotels you can do better at a cheaper price

I also paid another visit to the Intercontinental and have to say we were very disappointed - couldn't believe how it has seemed to deteriorate in less than a year - pool areas looked dirty and a general air throughout of tiredness - a great shame as this really was a hotel with a difference with excellent features. I've heard good reports from the recently opened Renaissance Hotel near the Ritz and Hilton Waterfalls. This hotel comes under the Marriott umbrella.

Tips - change your money in either the ATM's in the hotels or in Naama Bay - much better rate than the UK. Also do try the Mexican restaurant, part of the Naama Bay Hotel complex near the promenade - very good food at excellent prices. Watch people going by on the promenade from the elevated seating positions at the front of the Hilton Fayrouz Hotel - seek out Yaseen (excellent waiter). Later in the evening do more people watching from the outside seating area of the Cataract Hotel a street back from the seafront opposite the main shopping mall (look out for Mohammed - sheesha pipe captain - no further description necessary!)

Top Tip No 1. - Unless you are very young go for one of the hotels outside of the main resort area of Naama Bay - they can be better value in terms of more spacious grounds, accommodation, facilities and with a couple of exceptions are cheaper. They are also cooler - it can get quite hot in town, especially once you get off the promenade and into the back streets. All of the hotels outside of Naama Bay run a shuttle bus into town several times a day - either free or for a small nominal charge. Taxis are also cheap, for instance from Naama Bay to the Ritz or Hilton Waterfalls shouldn't cost you more than £25 Egyptian and even those further afield such as the SAS Radisson should cost more than £45 Egyptian.

Top Tip No 2. - Do go to Fantazia (Alf Leila Wah Leila) not far from the Hilton Waterfalls and Ritz - this is an Egyptian version of Bollywood and Arabian Nights all in one - guaranteed to make you smile - all completely new comprising of minarets, shows, side stalls and caf /bars. A complete hotchpotch.

PS - on request the Ritz will pick you up and return you to the airport at no charge if you contact them via their website.

PPS - sorry this report is a bit disjointed - typed as it came into my head.

PPPS - I shall try to come back to this page more frequently - if anyone has any questions regarding Sharm - please leave a message.

We stayed in Ritz-Carlton, about 8 km from Naama Bay. Free shuttle bus is available several times per day. Can recommend this hotel. Fantastic architecture and decoration in main building. Pool area is large (150 m long pool) and there is a jetty to snorkelling directly at the coral reef, and a very good diving school. Fitness room is 7 on a scale to 10. The Lebanese restaurant is of another world (July 04) but prices is more like a European level. The other two restaurants is also on a very high quality. The bar and lounge area and the terrace outside will give you peace in mind and soul in the evening, looking towards the sea and smoking sheesha. Rooms are OK, about 50 sqm, but there are tiles on the floor (like all beach hotels) so it's not this warm feeling u get in 5 star business hotels. Very professional and friendly staff. They have golf-carts to drive u around the property if u doesn't want to walk. We have also tried Intercontinental here, and Ritz is far ahead.

The Ritz-Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh is a truly wonderful hotel on the very tip of the Sinai peninsula. From the cool, marble foyet to the comfortable suites and the friendly and professional service, this hotel delivers on every count. The wonderfully landscaped grounds (quite a feat considering the outside temperature) are plush and large enough to get lost in. The restaurants in the Ritz are of a high standard and the prices are very similar to those in the UK. I particularly recommend the Fayrous Lebanese restaurant and in particular the Mezzeh which as a starter can be filling enough to be a main. Delicious.

You would have to be extremely picky to find a fault with the hotel and very unlucky to have anything but exceptional service. Please visit this superb hotel in a stunning part of the world, just not all at once.

Sharm el Sheikh Ritz Carlton - This is luxury beyond luxury. The Suites are fabulous, the service impeccable, the children's pool and lazy river is beyond recommendation, it is a must-do. Truly recommended this hotel as its staff, location and amenities are awesome and well deserve a 10 out of 10 across the board.