What was the initial impression of the Titanic Palace Resort & Spa 5*?

The lobby was impressive, but it was short-lived as the rest of our experience was a disaster.

Were the rooms available when we arrived?

No, the rooms were not available until 2 PM, despite our early arrival.

Were the pools clean and well-maintained?

No, the pools were overcrowded and dirty.

Was the staff friendly and helpful?

No, the staff was unfriendly and unhelpful, especially at check-in.

Were there any activities for kids?

No, the resort lacked activities for kids, making it unsuitable for families.

Yes, the food was decent, but not worth the overpriced 'upgrades'.

Was the location convenient?

Yes, the location was convenient, but it wasn't enough to make up for the rest of our disappointing experience.

Would you recommend this resort?

No, I wouldn't recommend this resort to anyone unless they enjoy long waits and overpriced amenities.

What was the worst part of our experience?

The worst part was the poor service and the overpriced 'upgrades'.

Titanic Palace Resort Review - Avoid This Egyptian Vacation Disaster

A Titanic-sized Disappointment: My Egyptian Vacation Nightmare

I'd been itching to write a review about my Egyptian vacation in March this year, and if I'm being specific, it's not about the vacation itself, but about the hotel where it actually took place. I'm talking about the Titanic Palace Resort & Spa 5*.

After a 10-hour train ride, a 4-hour wait at the airport, a 6-hour flight, and a 20-minute bus ride, we finally stepped into the hotel and found ourselves in the stunning lobby with statues, crystal chandeliers, and comfy sofas. The first impression was great, but things quickly took a turn for the worse.

We were excited to check-in, relax, have some breakfast, and enjoy the hotel's numerous pools. But, we were in for a surprise. The not-so-friendly guys behind the counter told us that we wouldn't be able to check-in before 2 PM, and it was only 10 AM at the time. We had to change, have breakfast, take a stroll around the property, and wait for an hour before deciding to take a more... persuasive approach. For $100, we were able to secure a room, though we ended up with two spacious rooms instead of the smaller ones we had booked, with a stunning view of the sea!

The rooms were absolutely dusty, it was clear that they hadn't been occupied for a while. But, just like magic, 'Mr. Proper' appeared and quickly dusted off the furniture and TV with a dry towel, and even swept the balcony. Unfortunately, we never saw a single drop of water during our 11-day stay, despite the daily cleaning service.

The rooms themselves are pretty spacious, with two beds, a massive plasma screen on the wall, and a safe. The decor was a bit dated, but it was cozy. We were excited to explore the hotel and its surroundings, but little did we know that we were in for a big letdown.

Granted, if you don't mind the mildew stains in the bathroom and the crumbling plaster on the walls, the rooms are actually pretty cozy. But we didn't exactly come here to hang out in the room, right? We wanted to enjoy the beautiful Egyptian weather and explore the surrounding area.

The hotel grounds are huge, with loads of pools – everything's super pretty and well-maintained, even the walkways get hosed down with shampoo every day, and the pools get cleaned first thing in the morning. But, unfortunately, it was a bit of a challenge to find a spot to relax by the pool.

We've got a ton of pools, but only two of them are heated – one's for kids, and since we were there in March, it was a major bummer. And to make matters worse, the big pool with the artificial wave got clogged up five days into our stay, so we never even got to swim in it. We had to settle for the cold pools, which were freezing. The wind was howling too, making it even more unpleasant.

Folks were still having a blast in the cold pools, but we weren't exactly keen – not only was the water freezing, but the wind was howling too. We decided to explore the hotel's water park, which was actually really cool. There were some awesome water slides, but my husband twisted his ankle on one of the slides on the third day, so we had to take a break.

Forget the pools, the real reason we traveled all the way here is the ocean! And guess what? It's nowhere to be found! I mean, there's no actual ocean there, but if you want to splash around and snorkel, you've got to walk 500 meters along the pier (or take a mini-bus if you're feeling lazy). Then you've got to climb a staircase with all the other wannabe snorkelers, and try to swim between the divers and people just floating on the surface, taking in the fish. And for the whole 500 meters, the water's not even knee-deep. It would've been perfect for our little one, but we coincidentally arrived during the season when the water's still freezing cold, so we couldn't enjoy a dip.

And to make matters worse, we arrived during low tide, so even walking along the beach wasn't that great. The beach itself was pretty sweet, with some nice sun loungers and a bar that started serving at 12 pm. The menu was pretty basic, mostly fries and hot dogs, but it was a bit of a challenge to get anything. They've got some diluted juices, soda, and beer, but finding a clean glass was a challenge. And to top it all off, there are these annoying vendors walking up and down the beach, trying to sell you excursions, massages, tattoos, and hair braids. It's a real pain.

Food-wise, the hotel has two main restaurants - 'Cleopatra' and 'Antonio'. For the first few days, only one was open, so you had to either get there early and wait or show up late and hope for the best. When they finally opened the second one, that problem was solved. To be honest, 'Cleopatra' is more like a cafeteria, but 'Antonio' is way cleaner and cozier. We tried to go there as often as we could, even if it meant waiting a bit longer.

The food itself is a bit one-dimensional, but it's all pretty tasty. The pastries are especially good, and they do a mean beef stew. Fruits were a bit scarce, probably because it's not in season, but I managed to catch some strawberries a couple of times, and the rest of the time it was apples, oranges, and dates. They'd sometimes grill something nice in the evening, and this one lady would even bake some amazing flatbreads right on the street! We never went hungry, and even though the options were limited, it was no big deal. Well, except for the ice cream - it's just not that great.

The staff are generally smiling and friendly, especially for the price, but some even smile and greet you without expecting a tip. The waiters in the restaurants are super friendly, but not so much in the lobby bar!

The animation!!! It's a rare sight, but we did catch some guys inviting us to play volleyball and another game on the beach, and in the morning at one of the pools (not heated), there was a high-energy aqua aerobics session, and nearby belly dancing. For kids, there's not much to do, unless you count the kids' club, which turned out to be a big room with a very dirty carpet and windows that were completely shut. We had the kids' disco scheduled, but we never made it because it just wasn't happening, so we had no way to keep the little ones occupied.

We also got to visit the hotel's hospital after a failed water park ride. They helped us quickly, took some X-rays, applied a cast, gave us some medication, and even lent us crutches. Everything was spotless and sterile in there. The only issue was communicating with the staff, as there was only one Russian-speaking nurse, so we had to rely on hand gestures and broken English with the rest.

So, that's my take! This hotel is great for family vacations with kids, but partygoers will find it pretty dull, so if you're looking for a wild time, this isn't the place. Would I go back? Unlikely, as I'd rather be swimming in the ocean. I even deducted a star for the lack of ocean views!