Larissa Hotels is a dynamically developing hotel chain with its head office in Turkey, specializing in providing a relatively inexpensive guesthouse (about $ 60 per day) to its guests. This economical pricing policy allowed her to consistently open three- and four-star high-quality and cost-effective hotels in promising growing resorts.
On the Antalya coast in Turkey, for example, there are 11 hotels from Larissa. This network launches its boarding houses in other countries. In this way, a corporate strategy is implemented - to grow into a rating network of hotels not on a regional, but on a global level.
The subject of this article is a comparison of four-star hotel complexes named the same: Larissa Sultan Hotel - and built in Turkey (Camyuva village) and Egypt (Hurghada city). Using their example, we see promising management from Larissa: to build standard rating hotels that provide classic level services at econom class prices. However, each of the hotel complexes of the same name has its own characteristics, which come from the economy of the country where it is located. At least, after reading the article, you yourself will come to the conclusion: which of the hotels of the same name - in Camyuva or in Hurghada - is more suitable for you.
Hotel location
As we already mentioned, both complexes are called the same: Sultans Beach Hotel.
The Turkish four-star hotel network “Sultan Coast” is located 65 kilometers from the airport of Antalya. The nearest city from it - Kemer - is only five kilometers away. The main bait for tourists is pure teardrop-colored wine, as Socrates wrote about him, the Mediterranean Sea. According to the classification, this is a first-line hotel complex: the distance to the beach is 100 m.
The hotel is small, "non-party", designed for 137 rooms. It is suitable for families.
The Egyptian hotel complex was built very close to the airport of Hurghada: 15 minutes - and the bus from the travel agency delivers new arrivals to the Sultans Beach Hotel from the airport, covering a distance of 6 km. Unlike its “Turkish namesake”, the Egyptian Sultans Beach is three times larger and is located on the red sea coast of the city, 8 kilometers from its center.
It is surrounded by a very comfortable pedestrian area with shops, shops, restaurants. It is favorable for a successful shopping. The hotel beach on the Red Sea is equipped only 80 meters from the hotel complex.
Speaking about the general features of network management, we note that the tourists of both hotels highly appreciate the sophisticated landscape design of the complexes, aesthetically and far-sightedly built and periodically restored.
General principles of architecture
Note that the architecture of both hotels organically merges into a single ensemble with landscape design. Reviews of vacationers in them note not just harmonious gardening, but simply heavenly surroundings: fountains and flowering trees enliven the relatively small hotel area of Sultans Beach Hotel. In both cases, the inside of the hotel complexes has a pronounced open architecture, and the outside is closed. Another principle of the overall architecture of the Larissa Sultan Hotel chain is its low level.
Architecture of the hotel of the village of Camyuva (Turkey)
In our opinion, the design of the Turkish hotel seems more interesting. It is dominated by a modern interpretation of the Ottoman style. The external facade of the main building, which faces towards the village of Camyuva, looks characteristic. Designers modeled classic Ottoman forms: a dome in the middle and two imitations of minarets on the sides. Close to the main building, limiting the planes of its facades to the hotel courtyard, there are two residential buildings. Original design of the interior facades of all three buildings of Sultan Beach Hotel 4 *. The reviews of vacationers indicate that they really like the graceful combination of arches, columns and flowering trees.
Hotel design in Hurghada
The architecture of the Sultan Beach Hotel 4 * hotel (Hurghada, Egypt) resembles the low-rise and “horseshoe-shaped” layout of the main hotel buildings discussed above.
The main hotel building is a four-story building. In addition to it, the hotel complex includes two three-story buildings, as well as 13 two-story cottages built in a small distance. In the center is the main building, on the sides - residential. They horseshoe-shaped cover a fairly spacious main pool.
It is no accident that such architecture with its contours and the location of the planes of the facades resembles the hotel complex of the Turkish village of Camyuva considered above. You can feel the unified corporate design from the Larissa Sultan S Beach Hotel chain.
However, in Egypt there are no architectural details giving the buildings an Ottoman style: arches, domes, etc. The simulated contour of the minarets is not visible. More and more standard, the Art Nouveau style prevails in architecture. But some simplification of the architecture is compensated by the abundance of panoramic windows.
On the back side, close to the administrative building, limiting the internal territory of the hotel, two four-story residential buildings adjoin with their ends. The number of rooms in the hotel is 328.
The traditional architecture of the Larissa Sultan S Beach Hotel hotel complexes (common to Asia Minor and Egypt) is somewhat reminiscent of a canyon: stone buildings with comfortable terraces surround a man-made pond with fountains, aesthetically designed by designers. There are lovely islands and exotic, majestic royal palms.
The residential buildings of the Egyptian hotel, unlike the Turkish, are painted in pastel yellow, and not in beige. Against its background, snow-white balconies and rich landscaping of the Sultan Beach Hotel 4 * harmoniously look.
Guest part of hotels
A signature element of both hotel complexes is the exquisite landscape design of their territory. At the same time, a spacious, but shallow pool of amazing beauty is positioned in its center.
We are happy to attach photos of both main hotel pools to this article. Thanks to skillful landscaping, vacationers are comfortable here. Gorgeous palm trees, flowering trees, lots of professionally decorated flower lawns are pleasing to the eye.
At the pools on the side of the main buildings are the main restaurants that provide basic food for spa guests by the buffet method.
There are two restaurants in both hotels. One of them (the main one) works according to the all inclusive system , and the second one is paid and serves vacationers by appointment. The open part of the main restaurants is a comfortable area where you can eat and socialize.
Each hotel also has three bars. It is open 24 hours a day in the lobby area of the main building and in the daytime there are bars on the beach and around the pool.
However, we will stop at the pool area. In both Turkish and Egyptian hotels, it is an ideal place for outdoor activities. Judge for yourself: in such a pond you can swim and play water polo. It is pleasant to receive sunbaths on comfortable ergonomic electric trestle-beds of color electrician . The surrounding area is landscaped in such a way that there is enough space for a lounge for all hotel guests.
Of course, a factor improving the quality of relaxation, as well as a kind of know-how of the Sultans Beach Hotel are free spa services: hammam and sauna. A spa man who has a bracelet (a kind of pass) of this hotel can visit the bathhouse daily and for free (according to the all inclusive system).
Respectful is the work of the staff who created such a floral landscape design. Especially in Egyptian Hurghada, where the climate is hot and desert. At the same time, order and cleanliness on the territory of Sultan Beach Hotel 4 * are striking. Management has a great teamwork.
General features of hotel rooms
Hotel rooms belonging to the Larissa Sultan Hotel chain are standard. Perhaps the reason for this is unified corporate standards, but residential suites in Turkey and Egypt are the same. They are compact enough, but well-maintained. We recommend that you check in when you check in to get a more comfortable room. It is better that your temporary penates are higher than the second floor, it is desirable that part of the sea landscape, as well as the landscape by the pool, open from the windows of the room. For guests of the upper floors from the windows and balconies of their rooms, the interior design is organically complemented by the landscape that opens from the windows. There are situations when this request of vacationers is satisfied a few days after it is expressed, as free suites appear at Sultans Beach Hotel. However, asking, of course, is worth it.
Each hotel suite has a balcony and a bathroom. The bathroom has a shower.
The rooms are furnished with solid furniture made of wood. They are very clean, cleaning is done daily. We recommend that you leave a dollar for the cleaner on the first day and later in the day. In this case, the cleaning will be better, and you will see on your bed and swans, and fish, and rabbits, skillfully laid out from towels. At the request of vacationers, you can install another, extra bed (this is normal: the rooms are designed for a maximum of four people.) There is also a refrigerator, a TV with a Russian channel. Air conditioning is good, it works properly. Safe and minibar are paid.
Than Egyptian suites are more perfect
However, the elements of the “smart home” technology are implemented in an Egyptian hotel. You yourself will notice it. Having entered the Sultan Beach Hotel 4 * (Hurghada) room and put the keys in a special pocket at the front door, you can freely turn on the light. However, leaving our temporary housing and, naturally, taking the keys from our pockets, we automatically turn off the lights and the TV.
When you open the balcony door, the air conditioner automatically turns off. Also, the room provides additional convenience: you can, without getting out of bed, turn on the light both in the room and in the hallway.
Still, the hotel kitchen in Hurghada is better
Immediately, we note that with a good overall catering base, the Egyptian hotel is confidently in the lead. It's not even about catering. Both in Hurghada and in Camyuva, it is subject to uniform corporate standards (see photo), ensuring rhythmic work and assortment. However, the Egyptian Sultan's Beach hotel does not save money by providing a daily menu with more expensive meat products and a large assortment of fruits. This gastronomic abundance offers tourists this best-selling Egyptian four-star hotel. Unlike the Turkish four-star Sultan Beach Hotel (Bodrum) from the same network, here the daily diet of meat dishes is not limited to dishes made from chicken and turkey. It also includes beef, lamb, seafood. From fish on the menu there are local mackerel (waha), tuna, sardines, sea bass. Squid is also periodically prepared.
Vegetables served in assortment, many salads. Baked vegetables are especially delicious. Potato and rice side dishes taste good. Fruits are abundant in the buffet: guava, watermelon, peaches, grapes, oranges, grapefruits, melons, dates. Chefs at the Sultan Beach Hotel 4 * (Hurghada) work as smoothly as bees.
The first dishes are tasty, but a little unusual: mashed soups and broths.
Breakfast at the hotel from 7:00 to 10:00 , lunch from 12:00 to 15:00 , and dinner from 18:00 to 22:00 . If desired, vacationers on the beach can eat delicious cakes, which are prepared here, on the beach, by a buffet worker. True, you have to defend the line.
Light and nutritious foods prevail in the breakfast menu: milk with several types of cereal, kefir. If you wish, the chef will immediately bake you eggs with you.
The restaurant is always clean and tidy. We must pay tribute to the bar workers for their professionalism. Impressive is their ability to juggle bottles and mix ingredients into a cocktail.
What is desirable to change the hotel chefs in Camyuva
In general, the restaurant of the Turkish hotel Sultans Beach Hotel fulfills its function as a solid "four", providing both assortment and taste of dishes. Many people do not even feel the difference in the quality of dishes, but not gourmets ...
So, what is the opinion of the food of the former guests of the Sultan Beach Hotel? Reviews of tourists often coincide: many recommend a hotel in Camyuva to more carefully optimize their work and not save on beef, lamb, and not to narrow the range of fish dishes.
If we analyze the organization of catering, the conclusion suggests itself that Hotel Sultan Beach should follow Egyptian hotel management, the essence of which is to expand the menu and constantly improve the work of the team of professionals. We must pay tribute: up to a five-star level, the Egyptian hotel has only half a step to do.
Recommended before a beach holiday
Of course, holidaymakers seeking to Turkey and Egypt are attracted not least by beach vacations on the Mediterranean and Red Seas. We highly recommend that vacationers immediately upon arrival visit the Turkish hammam operating at the Sultan's Coast hotels and also have skin peeling. This will prepare the body for a better perception of water and sun baths.
The beach of an Egyptian hotel. Features of the Red Sea
It has its own sandy beach and the hotel under consideration. Entering the water is convenient. However, going into the water, you will find that you are in a fairly shallow lagoon. It is suitable for families with children. And what about young people who want to swim deep and enjoy the spectacle of coral and bright, beautiful fish? Does the hotel beach from the Sultan S Beach Hotel 4 * have no diving opportunities? Of course it does!
The relief of the Red Sea in general and its coast in particular is original. There are tendencies both to shallow water and to an abrupt increase in depth. On the beach of the hotel in question, to reach the depths, swimmers just walk thirty meters from the lagoon to the left. Moreover, without special shoes, i.e. barefoot, this is not worth doing. Under water, you can cut your leg on sharp corals (note that the latter is a common feature of the bottom of the Red Sea, and not just the hotel area of Larissa Sultans Beach Hotel 4 *). The most vivid impressions of holidaymakers are associated with specially organized sea excursions.
Hotel beach in Chemiu
A 50-meter sand and pebble beach is fenced and landscaped. Sun beds, umbrellas and towels are free. At lunchtime: from 11 00 to 15 00 - here you can have a meal in the bar for free (all inclusive system for hotel bracelets owners).
The sea in the water area of the beach is warm, like milk, and crystal clear, with a turquoise tint. The phenomenon of the Mediterranean is its attractive power: if you swim in its waters once, the spa person will want to again and again experience contact with the waters of this ancient and young sea, which once became the cradle of ancient civilization.
How to buy a tour
Buying excursions for vacationers in Turkey and Egypt has common features. The pricing strategy of the hotel agents is expressed in one of the known types of financial transactions - speculation.
Suppose you in an Egyptian hotel decide to take a sightseeing tour of the island of Tobia (it is also called Paradise Island). You can save. For example, right at the hotel, his guest can buy a ticket for this tour for $ 20-25. And with quick wits, he can find a travel agency outside the hotel that offers the same ticket for $ 14. This option is preferred. At the same time, we do not recommend using the services of overtly dumping artisanal entrepreneurs offering a price of $ 10. In order not to return to this financial aspect further, we summarize: we still recommend, before buying any excursions at the Sultan Beach Hotel (Hurghada), to compare their cost with market prices from several tour agencies. Save money, do not overpay one and a half to two times.
Recommended excursions from the Sultan's Beach Hotel (Turkey)
What excursions are most in demand by holidaymakers vacationing in the vicinity of the village of Chemiuva (Turkey)? In the "stone city" - Cappadocia; to the famous cascade of travertine baths, including the Cleopatra pool - Pamukkale; to the ancient Byzantine fortress Ich-Kale; to the magnificent underground stalactite grotto Dalmatash, a secret ancient base of corsairs. It is also worth visiting some objects of the modern infrastructure of Antalya: a water park, Discovery Park, the eastern market of Alanya.
However, if you are a lover of watching the underwater world, then you still better choose a tour to Egypt on the Red Sea.
"Land" tours of Egypt
Where else can go on excursions for the spa guests living in one of the hotels that Hurghada is so rich in. Sultan Beach Hotel, generally speaking, can be the starting point for many excursions. Firstly, to the Valley of the Pyramids, a visiting card of the Land of the Pharaohs. A good and popular option is to make an excursion trip to Jerusalem (Israel) with a visit to Christian shrines. Tourists often choose excursions to Luxor (the ruins of the ancient capital of Egypt), diving and snorkelling enthusiasts prefer to visit the Ras Mohamed National Park.
Conclusion
To summarize the above. Where to go to a tourist who did not plan to specifically see the beauty of any one of the countries: Turkey or Egypt? Can he buy a tour to this or that hotel Sultan Beach Hotel? Both options are good! Resorts reviews indicate a high level of service in both hotels. However, do not forget that these are four-star hotel complexes. Accordingly, with the existing basic service, hotel guests plan their own excursion program and their leisure time. By and large, you choose an alternative: the Mediterranean or the Red Sea.
Mediterranean is convenient for entering the water, ideal for swimming, swimming. Red has its limits: shallow offshore with a steep difference in depth. However, it has a rich coral underwater world, the beauty of which opens to divers and just bathers.
In any case, the choice of country and hotel is yours.