THE first time we thought about a family holiday here, the government slapped a no-fly zone on them back in 2015.
And a decade on, getting to this stunning resort at the south end of the Sinai Peninsula couldn’t have been easier, thanks to TUI’s new twice-weekly direct flights out of Glasgow to Sharm el Sheikh.
This time, our teen son went all Kevin McCallister on us — Home Alone version, not the Falkirk footie idol with similar name.
But by the time Susan and I settled on the split new 737 and dipped into the in-flight WiFi entertainment on your own phone or iPad for a bargain £3.35, any fears of him turning the house back in Bairnsville into a nightclub for the week were long forgotten.
At six hours, the flight time isn’t much longer than a trip to the Canaries or Cyprus — but boy, does the weather play ball, and year-round too.
We were there the second week in April, and enjoyed temperatures in the high 20s and low 30s with a lovely breeze coming off the azure-blue Red Sea. Nights were also still a jumper-free zone.
Once you were in the hotel, though, any thoughts of actually leaving it felt like a chore.
Six restaurants, ten bars and cafes, a pristine half-mile stretch of beach, a rooftop gym (so they told me!) and spa, a diving centre and jetties out into the sea to take advantage of the incredible clear waters and marine life.
And the list of activities for adults and kids alike was bottomless.
Post-dawn yoga and pilates sessions in the wellness pagoda overlooking the beach outside our amazing swim-up room were popular every morning, while there were salsa classes, volleyball and boules on the beach, archery, tennis and a vast array of fun stuff for the family in the activity pool to the side of the huge main pool deck, and the pirate-ship-bedecked water park.
If it was peace and quiet you were after — no offence, kids — then the adult-only pool and beach section was bliss.
A top tip was downloading the Tui Blue app — it was a godsend to keep you up to speed with the daily schedule, as well as restaurant menus and opening times, excursions, childcare offerings and so much more. It’s essential.
There was plenty of entertainment at night if that’s your thing, with permanent music in the piano bar from talented turns Craig on guitar and Heim on piano, with their bigger acts — like Dolly Parton and Debbie Harry tributes — filling out the new purpose-built Venue.
Don’t worry about going stir crazy inside the resort, however — TUI’s trip offerings were outstanding, and the star of the show for us was a full-day outing to Cairo.
Yes, it was a long day at the thick end of 20 hours thanks to a 6am departure and a flight delay on the way home. No, it’s not cheap at £259 a head.
But three words of advice — JUST DO IT!
Seeing the Pyramids of Giza, the last great wonder of the world, and the Great Sphinx, up close is one of the most mind-blowing experiences you’ll ever have. Witnessing the gold mask and coffin of boy King Tutankhamun in the Cairo Museum likewise.
The questions that swirl around your head over how a culture could achieve such perfection nearly five millennia ago nag away at you.
And if you’re lucky enough to do all this in the company of our guide, Cairo native and Egyptologist Habib? You’ll be blessed. He was a force of nature, powering a group of 37 of us through 4,700 years’ worth of history as well as the utter chaos of a city of 20million people with passion, humour, knowledge and the patience of a saint.
I’ve never enjoyed a holiday excursion more in my life.
But there are plenty to choose from, whether it’s a trip into old Sharm for a bit of bartering in the market and sightseeing, half-day snorkelling experiences, quad-biking, camel-riding and star-gazing in the desert with dinner at a Bedouin camp — they’re all do-able for around 40 quid a head or less, which struck us as great value.
As for the all-inclusive aspect of the resort?
The drinks were local — big brands were extra — and while the spirits were noticeably a downgrade on their global equivalents, the beer, especially the local Stella, was top class and the house wines, particularly the Obelisk, were a very decent drop indeed.
Food-wise, it was sensational. Big-room buffets can often be more quantity than quality, but not here.
There was something for everyone, both local and international, with fresh pasta and pizza stations and grills on the go every night in a classy indoor/outdoor setting that never felt over-busy.
And the desserts? A nightly war was waged between temptation and the judgmental, raised eyebrow of Mrs W as the belt buckle was loosened another notch — get thee behind me, sweet-station Satan!
But if the nightly global gourmet hoover job becomes too much, their a la carte offerings are even better — three of them included in your package, with the Stone Grill and tepanyaki restaurants an add-on — although neither a bank-breaker by any stretch.
For us, both the Italian, Casa Bianca, and the middle-eastern themed Marhaba were the pick of the bunch — both meals were top end, and the surroundings were superb.
The thing that made the place SO special, though, was the staff. You were greeted like long-lost family at every turn — special mentions to Hossein in the Italian, Mahmoud by the pool whose sixth sense could find an empty glass at 100 paces and refill it, and countless others who went out of their way to make everyone feel like a VIP.
The TUI reps were ever-present on site too, and the word ‘no’ doesn’t seem to exist for them. They strive to make the impossible possible for you if they can manage it.
As a resort, it had everything for everyone — but there’s absolutely no doubt it’s the people who put the charm in Sharm.
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