Overview

A friend wanted me to accompany her to Egypt and I'd promised but was dreading it, my past experience of hotels there being that disabled guests are not catered for except (maybe) in really expensive hotels. My friend refused to pay over the odds and, in fact, we got a bargain, price-wise, with the Royal Star - booked via Co-op Travel, whose booking service was excellent. Luckily for me, the hotel is ex-Three Corners, until recently owned by a Belgium group. When I contacted the group, it transpired that some of their hotels cater for disabled guests - for instance the Rihana Resort (in El Gouna) "has rooms dedicated to disabled peoples." On the other hand, the Three Corners Ocean View (also in El Gouna) "do not have accessible rooms in our hotel...." A lot depends on the extent of one's disabilities. What I found was that although the Royal Star similarly had no accessible rooms, European influence was in evidence, not least when it came to the disabled public toilet, that I used as much as possible, the loo in my room being difficult (albeit not impossibly low). I found the shower was also manageable but not easy; there were no handrails but it did have a non-slip floor. Otherwise, I depended on staff goodwill. It was agreed that a particular table would be kept for me and this was usually - but not invariably - remembered. It gave me space for my rollator and I felt comfortable there. The beds were hard and I would recommend, if possible, taking a memory foam mattress topper. Also a pillow as those provided are totally unsuitable for anyone with neck problems. The weather in March was changeable, quite often chilly, and there was no heating, so I was glad I had taken warm clothing. In the end, the provision was such I was enabled to enjoy my stay, the major downside being blaring music throughout much of the day and well into the night, being as I am sensitive to noise nuisance. Hurghada Airport is a nightmare. No way could I have coped with the queues and the distances without the assistance I had booked. Nevertheless, a holiday in Egypt actually proved feasible - for me at least.. To repeat, however, a lot depends on the nature and degree of one's disabilities.

Transport & Parking

My flights from Birmingham to Hurghada and back were with TUI. Difficulty getting in and out of my seat was an issue. Co-op Travel booked us a mini-bus transfer.

Access

The lobby and public areas are on the flat. Not so outdoors. There are ramps for getting to the beach, some of which are steep and not all have handrails. The ramps at the entrance to the hotel are fine. However, I stayed in the hotel as there wasn't much within walking distance and the pavements are abysmal. The balconies are inaccessible to wheelchair users. However, the flat roof is suitable for wheelchairs. It is possible to sunbathe up there and the views are amazing. On one occasion, the electricity failed - meaning the lifts didn't work. Another guest carried my rollator up the stairs and I was able to climb to my floor. I doubt I could have managed to get downstairs, had the power failure lasted any great length of time.

Toilets

Kept pretty clean and the toilet itself is reasonably high. A wheelchair could just about fit in the space available but it would be tight. Additionally, the pull-down rail is in front of rather than at the side of the toilet.

Staff

The staff were almost invariably great. Most spoke good English as well as a range of other languages - including German, Polish and Russian.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

On a general note, mornings were my favourite time of day. I would sit on my balcony watching the sun rise over the sea and, a little later, if not too windy, sunbathing and reading. It was quiet then (no boom-boom music). The Royal Star is not the best of hotels for singletons, particularly women, as most of the guests are couples or in groups. My friend and I sometimes found others to socialise with but we did a lot of reading and were grateful for the library containing books left by guests, some of which were in English.