I have just returned from the Sunrise Island Garden Resort in Sharm El Sheikh, I returned on Mondau night after spending two weeks in room 217, on the ground floor overlooking the pool chutes and, pool area and pool bar/barbeque restaurant.

The room was adequate, room facilities included a mini-fridge, hair drier, shower, sink, toilet, TV, 2 table lamps, one floor lamp, and one wall light. In the WC you have your usual razor power socket, 2 mirrors, and 2 switches for the lights in the toilet. The room also has 2 power supplies, one in the WC and another next to one of the bed. You have a free safety deposit box in the room with which you can set your own 4-digit code which is reset at the end of your stay. A large wardrobe with 4 drawers, 8 coat hangars and shoe rack is also in the room, your safety deposit box is in the wardrobe.

On the TV you have 32 channels, channels 1 and 2 are channels associated with Sunrise resorts and cruises which show in detail the facilities available in each of the Sunrise hotels in Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada and the cruise ships which are all part of the sunrise experience.

I was on holiday at this hotel from the 23rd of January until the 6th of February, I spent my 21st birthday at this property. The staff at this hotel are amazingly friendly and ever so helpful, they could not do enough for you, so many thanks to Mahmoud (bellman), Tarek (barman), Ahmed (waiter), Mohammed (life gaurd), Mo (life guard), Alex (life guard), Olga (guest relations) and all other staff at this wonderful hotel for the service they provided during my stay. I was not expecting to recieve a birthday card and letter from the hotel management on my birthday so this was an added bonus.

The hotel has an Italian restaurant onsite, aswell as a barbeque restaurant, and the all inclusive restaurant. The Italian restaurant provides a nice, cosy, comfortable a la carte environment for you to enjoy your italian themed meals The all inclusive restaurant provides a selection of food, from omelettes in the morning, buffet area, and pasta station. The choice of food available in my opinion and those who I travelled with is below average. I could not enjoy the choice of food, and the menu rarely changed. One night it was British menu, French menu, Italian menu, Asian menu, Oriental (Egyptian) menu, Mexican menu but the variety of food rarely ever changed, it was the same thing day in day out.

You are entitled to one free meal in the Italian restaurant and one free meal at the Barbeque restaurant during your stay, but if you have a problem with the food in the all inclusive restaurant then speak to the guest relations advisor who may be able to give your more access to the Italian and Barbeque restaurants at no extra cost depending on availability Usual cost of the both restaurant in $20 per person. Although it is Egypt, the most noticable currency in use at the hotel and shops around sharks bay in mostly USD (US Dollar [$]) For example it is $4 for 30mins and $6 for 60mins on the billiards table, $6 is 36 L.E (Egyptian pound).

Around the pool you have Pyramids diving centre, which offers excursions to Tiran Island and Ras Mohammed, aswell as many other locations, you also have a health club, football field and tennis court on site.

The sales people around the pool are extremely intrusive, they do not take no for an answer and can be rather intimidating at times, if you say no to buying photos the photographer has taken of your without asking then they can become agitated which makes guests uncomfortable, this is not just my opinion, it is the opinion of other who I spoke with during my stay.

The animation team are a friendly, easy going bunch, they could do a lot better though. If the hotel management provided the animation team with extra funding then I am sure the would be able to provide better quality activites. Morning activites included stretching, darts, water aerobics, and table tennis, afternoon activities included darts, water polo, table tennis and water aerobics. I was at the hotel for 14 nights and witnessed the same evening shows at least 4 times, we had karaoke 4 times, spinning man 4 times, Egytian dancers 3 times, Mr/Mrs Sunrise twice and one night when the animation team put on a comedy performance.

All in all it was a good holiday, but I was expecting more than what was on offer. I would not recommend the resort of Sharks Bay to teenage and younger travellers as there is nothing to do if you are looking for activities. All you have is Soho Square, but this is extremely expensive, for example, it is £25 (GBP) for 30mins in the Ice Bar. The best place to go is Na'ama Bay, or better yet go to Nabq where prices are extremely low, but there is a lot to offer in Nabq, from shops, malls, bars, restaurants and many other locations which will entertain you.

Transfer time to Sharm El Sheikh International Airport is only 10 minutes. If you walked out of the hotel, turned to your left and walked approx 100 metre along the road you are beside the runway. You be become used to the sound of aircraft landing and taking off after a while.