Veraclub Elphistone: a Veratour resort in Marsa Alam

Veratour resort in Marsa Alam

Highlights of the Veraclub Elphistone resort

Organisation and entertainment

Cleanliness of the resort and excellent room service Hotel-standard rooms with a very nice veranda Value for money

Weak points of the Veraclub resort

the coral reef is 500 metres from the beach windy climate all year round and a very rough sea for any excursions to the distant reefs food of decent standard, but the variety could be improved and sometimes the quality too surprising prices for the excursions the snacks at the breaks were non-existent

--------- impressions -------

veraclub elphistone video

From 27 January to 3 February 2007 I had the chance to spend a week at the Veraclub Elphistone resort in Marsa Alam, run by the tour operator Veratour. We left from Verona on a Eurofly flight, and I have to give the airline a positive review for its service and the quality of the aircraft. The journey was painless, lasting 4 hours, but it was to take us to the warmth of Egypt.

As soon as we arrived at Marsa Alam international airport at around eleven at night, we were greeted by a wind carrying the clearest signs of Egyptian air and a warm, welcoming climate.

The transfer from the airport to the resort was by coach, which took us to the Veratour resort in about 30 minutes. On arrival we were given the keys and our suitcases were delivered to the room. Tips are a must for courteous service.

When we arrived at the resort, my first impression was very positive: cleanliness, a warm welcome and an excellent, certainly first-rate facility.

The Veraclub Elphistone stands near the sea, far from a still-unspoiled coral reef; the fine sand and the beach certainly make the resort appealing to couples with children, but the distance from the reef certainly prevents many people from snorkelling straight from the beach.

The January-February period is prohibitive for anyone who, like me, thought of snorkelling without a wetsuit, since the water is around 21 degrees, a low temperature for staying in the water without a shortie or a wetsuit.

All in all, though, it is possible to swim straight from the beach, where the seabed slopes down gently, ideal for some people.

Nearby, for a 2 euro fee, there is a jetty at a neighbouring resort where you can go right to the end of the coral reef to admire the underwater wonders of Marsa Alam.? why doesn't Veratour think of making an agreement with the neighbouring resort to cut this cost too?

Speaking of the beach, sun loungers, umbrellas and windbreaks are available to everyone, which is very important given the windy climate of Marsa Alam. Every day clean beach towels are also provided.

Speaking of the resort, my expectations of a top-class resort were very high after reading the reviews found on the internet too; for the most part I agree with the many opinions expressed, though I have to report a few shortcomings.

The food offered in the first days of the week was very repetitive, and certainly not up to the standard of a 5-star resort like Veraclub Elphistone. Towards the end of the week the quality of the first and second courses picked up a little. A positive note: the desserts were plentiful, varied and of excellent quality, compliments to the chef, who also masterfully created some very beautiful butter sculptures. Lunch, dinner and breakfast are buffet-style, and drinks are available from dispensers.

The excursion price list I had seen on the Veratour website was different from the list handed to us on site on the first day, with fairly significant price variations. Updating websites is, I believe, essential for a tour operator like Veratour to always offer a first-rate service.

The excursions I can recommend from Marsa Alam: the visit to Luxor is certainly necessary to see for yourself what works man could build thousands of years ago, and then to see with your own eyes also life outside the resorts, in the towns near the Nile that shine with a light noticeably different from those in the desert. The guide Mac Mud will help you discover and will tell you perfectly everything you see. 10 out of 10 for him.

Speaking of the entertainment at the Veraclub Elphistone Veratour resort, I have to say they were excellent; Max'O, the resort manager, was a person truly up to the task. The whole entertainment team was very professional, truly talented young people at building a group and animating the whole resort with their performances. Ivan Rossi, Francesco Calabrese and all the others were exceptional at involving everyone, and it is precisely thanks to these entertainers that the resort lives and thrives. As they say, Attaccati al burrito! and an appeal to Veratour for a pay rise for all of them!

The activities at the resort are many: included in the all-inclusive were canoeing, five-a-side football on a grass pitch (we played a very fun match), beach volleyball, archery, aquagym, bowls, aerobics, ping pong and darts. Billiards is chargeable, as are diving courses and dives.

There is also a wellness centre, where you can have treatments, massages, relaxing, anti-stress, bioenergetic, shiatsu and ayurvedic, but the prices are really high, an unpleasant surprise.

Souvenirs!!

a little tip for souvenirs!! if you buy them in the resort the Egyptians, with their friendliness, will sell you anything at outrageous prices; buy everything on trust at the airport after checking in!! excellent choice and much more convenient prices

Diving. Being an enthusiast, I tried to make the most of my stay by diving at the most beautiful spots. Elphistone reef first of all, where I had high expectations for one of the dives that, according to divers from all over the world, was supposed to be one of the 10 most beautiful in the world!. My hope of spotting oceanic whitetip sharks, Longimanus, vanished when the divemaster told me that the right period was September, October, November! in fact on the dives we only happened to see two sharks, one grey and one reef whitetip. The dives I highly recommend: Salaia, the simplest but in my opinion one of the most beautiful of all, starting from land with a gorgeous reef. abu dabab in my opinion a great dive, but not exceptional for visibility (the sea was rough) and for taking underwater photographs.

The strong point of abu dabab is the encounter with the dugong and sea turtles that live here, thrilling. Elphistone reef certainly the most thrilling, the hardest because of the duration of the boat transfer, 1 hour of sailing mostly with a very rough sea. I assure you that for many the journey there and back was an ordeal. Absolutely to be recommended, the dive!! beautiful, but if the sea is rough it can completely spoil your enjoyment of it.

I will write a more in-depth diary about the dive at Elphistone reef.