Baron Palms Resort Sharm El Sheikh

Would not rate as 5 star . Rooms outdated . Old shower cubicle with cracked and mouldy grouting. No bar service in restaurant at least for a glass of wine with dinner. The beach was beautiful with lovely comfy sun loungers. The service from Mohammed on the beach was amazing in fact he was the most hard working person at the hotel. The other staff on the beach avoided eye contact. No Wi-Fi once checked out at 12 midday and unable to reserve and pay for late check out as no rooms available. Told to shower at spa but would need to bring own towels and shower gel. Only one shower available therefore have to queue and no hairdryer. Have stayed at other hotels in Sharm and hurghada with better facilities and service but wanted to try somewhere different. Would not come back here

we will come back again to this great hotel, food, pool, beach, service, everything was brilliant, and the entertainment made our vacation the best

This has to be the most disappointing holiday I've had in a long time. This is not at all what I expected based on my previous visits to Egypt and I couldn't wait to get home.

Upon arrival we were checked in quickly and asked if we would like a cold plate delivered or the option of going to the Egyptian restaurant. We chose the former. The chap then proceeded to tell us at lightening speed about everything to do with the hotel and we were then directed to our room. I think this is the first time we've never been shown to the room. Another couple checking in requested a ground floor as the wife was in a wheelchair. However there are no lifts and so she had to be assisted down a number of steps. This hotel is not fully accessible if this is something you need.

The room itself was decent and we had a nice view. The mini bar with soft drinks was refilled each day. We met another couple who were having issues getting theirs filled (also booked with TUI).

The pool was nice with well spaced sun loungers which were comfortable and each had an umbrella and table. Towels were also a good size. The slope into the pool could really do with sanding off and recoated. For the class of hotel this little bit of maintenance should have been addressed before the season began really and I'm not generally picky about things like this but I think it just irritated me given the other bigger concerns. The grounds were well maintained overall including interiors. The toilets were always clean.

The beach was a short walk away and again decent loungers. Towels could be collected from here too.

This is pretty much where the positives for me ended as to be fair a clean room with a minibar is pretty much the minimum standard I expect given its rating. The price was also pretty much on par with what we have paid for other holidays. The standard was nowhere near close to what I'd expect.

The food was by far the most disappointing part of the holiday. I'd liken it to school canteen food. It was bland, rarely hot and we couldn't get a drink with a meal so restorted to getting them from the pool bar on our way in.

At the gala night and indeed on the other couple of occasions we had the carvery we were served dry meat which was predominantly gristle/bone or fat. I think my husband had a duck throat at the gala night. Vile. I don't know if the chefs were just taking the p*ss to be honest.

I joked to my husband that there was pizza one day and you couldn't mess up pizza. It was stone cold. Another day they had little koftas. The man serving would only allow me one not two as asked (and there was a pile of them so not being greedy and leaving none for others). I asked for a piece of chicken too. He begrudgingly gave me it. He gave my husband the smallest piece possible as we watched him select a piece then change his mind (he'd asked for the same - all because we didn't want it in a roll it seemed). This is the first holiday in over 15 years where I've lost weight rather than gain a couple of kilos. My dog ate better at my mum's whilst we were away.

We were never sure if the table was clean as whilst it looked turned over there were things like the water not being replaced and glasses looked used. We weren't also sure if napkins were being changed over. Yet the staff seemed to be changing over tables rather than attending to a drinks service. We think people were lifting bits off tables as they had various parts missing so it became a vicious cycle for everyone.

At the pool bar we waited 45 mins for a pizza. No cutlery was provided. No napkins and again no flavour. It was however hot at least. I think possibly one of 3 hot meals in the week.

The day before we left there was an issue with the water. I called reception to ask if they had any idea of what was happening and if it was being attended to - basically water the colour of urine was coming out the taps. I was very briefly told it was an outside issue and was hung up on. No follow up or explanation. We've had this in Egypt before and the reception staff were just much more polite about things. I don't think we met anyone who showed any genuine care or interest.

Everyday the guest relations ladies came by the pool to ask if all ok and took room numbers. Having heard others raise issues which were never addressed we said all was fine as no point in raising any issues re food and we did not have proper hot water. We had by I would say day 2 accepted that this was just going to be a poor experience and we would not return - we have never said this about another hotel in Egypt before. We would happily return to all of the others (and have been back to one hotel 3 times).

I should of known we'd have issues with the late check out when the guest relations lady didn't know how much it would be. This is surely a fairly standard request and we've had no issues with charges being pretty reasonable elsewhere. We appreciate that late checkout is never guaranteed but we're told that it could not be requested until the day of departure. By this point both of us had upset tummies and it would of been much appreciated to have access to the room. The receptionist couldn't of cared less and said we could not be accomodated. Fair enough but frustrating nonetheless. I have only been ill once on hols and so this was kind of the icing on the cake.

At no point during the holiday were we ever rude to anyone so this attitude was just our experience throughout.

We were told we could continue to use the AI all day and the pool. Again, this has been standard for all our hols. We've never had it "cut off" due to a later departure in years. It was presented like we were getting a special favour - the option was to shower at the spa. My husband went in to ask what time they closed and was thankfully advised that they have no towels or toiletries. We got new towels from the pool and took in toiletries. So no real provision for departures that are later on. Just basic and not aligned to a 5T TUI hotel at all. I'd liken it to the hotels we went to in our 20s. Basic but did the job of a week in sun. To top it off the WiFi was cut off we assume about the time of checkout on the last day. Again, never had this and not expected at this supposed calibre of hotel.

I appreciate there are some good reviews but our experience was not a good one. Staff were coercing people by the pool to do reviews whilst they stood over them. We and the two other British couples who we met on our last day are of the view that the reviews are at best questionable.

Is this a 5T hotel.... absolutely not. 2-3 is generous and TUI should take this off their books. If this had been half the price we'd actually paid I'd think we'd have got a reasonable deal and my expectations would have been aligned for a basic sun hotel.

This hotel does not remotely compare to our favourite hotel in Hurghada which is priced very similarly. At points in the year this hotel is priced on par with some of the nicest hotels in Egypt. It's taking the absolute mickey. You couldn't pay me to come back here and I feel absolutely robbed of a lovely holiday.

The last time I ever let my husband pick a hotel. The reviews based on our experience are wholly misleading.