Hotel reviews: Amphoras Eden Village

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

Opening its doors in 2004, the Eden Village Club has an Egyptian owner and caters mainly for young guests and families. Easyjet offers daily direct flights to Sharm from London Luton and British Airways offers direct flights from Heathrow several times a week. Arrivals are spread over several days so as to enable staff and management to better distribute guests throughout the resort. The all-inclusive package is available here. Among other facilities, the hotel offers two conference rooms and an Internet area.

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

The Eden Village Amphoras is a complex that boasts curves and bright colours and opens directly out onto the main swimming pool. Private and simple, the hotel extends towards the sea (some five minutes from the reception desk) through a maze of small bridges which cross the stream that runs perpendicularly across the estate.

We particularly appreciated the tranquil atmosphere of the establishment when the sun goes down: soft lighting protects the "residential" part of the resort from the communal area next to the reception (where you will find the restaurant and the main bar). Built on two levels, the resort extends towards the terrace (with a panoramic view, perfect in the evenings if you're looking for a little romance) and all the way down to the beach, which you can reach at the bottom of some steps, or by lift if you have decided that you will not be doing any form of exercise whatsoever during your holiday! The lift is sadly the only means of transport connecting these two parts of the resort. Therefore, despite the presence of access ramps at the entrance, getting around once inside the resort will be difficult for guests with reduced mobility.

The establishment strives to be family-friendly (with some success) and to cater for guests travelling with children: there is a kids club for the youngest guests, various forms of entertainment are put on for the slightly older ones, and an area in the restaurant is exclusively reserved for kids (big signs are there to remind bothersome parents of this!). The establishment's objective to be family-orientated is reflected in both its facilities and its clientele, which is younger than at the Tamra, Sharm's other big Eden establishment. There are green spaces where geese live with their chicks, which is sure to delight children of all ages.

This is a quality hotel, although the style of some of the evenings seemed a little out of place, such as the Egyptian party we went to. There was nothing particularly vulgar, but we were slightly bemused to be presented a catwalk of (mainly female) guests wearing a veil and dancing bells around their belly, courtesy of the entertainment staff - not very Egyptian! Maybe we did not grasp the spirit of the party, but at least this saved us from any embarrassment.

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

The Eden Village Amphoras can accommodate up to 1,200 guests and consists of 7 identical buildings housing the accommodation units. These are organised around the swimming pool and the garden. Maybe the use of a normal key (instead of an electronic key card) would make life easier for the reception staff, but the service is quick enough and if you get locked out of your room, you won't be waiting too long... If you enjoy having a view of the sea, ask for a room number starting with 6 or 7 if one is available: these are the furthest away from the restaurant (and the entrance), but you can admire the sea from your window. The most recently built rooms, the 7000 series, are the management's pride and joy.

Clean and simple, they could be more spacious, but we cannot complain about the level of comfort. Double-glazed windows shut out the night-time noises, you can set the air conditioning to your preference, and the bathroom is clean.

• Location
• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

The main asset of this establishment is undoubtedly the restaurant, with its simple table layout and tasty dishes on offer. The Italian chef prepares excellent Italian cuisine, which is rare outside of Italy: the pasta is al dente, the sauces are tasty and there is ample choice of meat and desserts. The management is very proud of this, and so they should be: the dishes served at the Amphoras are clearly superior to those generally served in Egyptian establishments. The dining room is spacious and offers a view of the swimming pool. Breakfast is served from 7:00am to 10:00am (also served outdoors) and in the evenings guests can enjoy grilled fish and barbecues by the pool. The all inclusive formula includes the three main meals of the day, snacks in the village bars (four of these, including the Cabana bar, are on the beach) and non-alcoholic beverages.

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• TO KNOW
• Overview
• Accommodation
• Food and drink
• Beach
• Photos

The beach is not very spacious and contrasts with the family-orientated image put forward by the establishment. Access to the sea is actually rather difficult, and the small cove does not provide much space. There are some deckchairs and sunshades laid out around 150 m away from the entrance. The hotel is currently trying to buy new spaces to offer facilities on more easily accessible beaches. In the meantime, the hotel also has a second space located higher up that boasts a beautiful view of the sea. However, even worse than in the other cove, it's impossible to come here with children without constantly having to be on the lookout.

For those who wish to discover the splendours of the Red Sea, there is a diving centre with numerous classrooms and changing rooms where guests can borrow wetsuits and goggles. This is a place where diving enthusiasts meet and where training courses are given on underwater life.