"star" classification of hotels. Beach holiday Mean 3 beach line

Reading the offers of travel companies, we often come across terminology, the meaning of which we do not fully understand.

A first line hotel is always more expensive than a second or third line hotel. What is the extra charge for and is it always justified? We'll figure out...

Coastline Rules

If you follow the letter of the rules of hotel associations in most countries of the world, then the classification by lines provides for the following rules:

• 1st line - hotels are located directly on the seashore, the distance from the hotel door to the nearest beach is no more than 100 meters. Between the hotel and the beach there can be no promenade, no road, no barriers, much less other hotels. In this case, the distance is taken geometric - between the hotel and the sea in a straight line. Considering that a first-line hotel may be located in the mountains, and a winding path leads to the beach, the actual distance may be a little more, but certainly no more than 150 meters. Most often, first-line hotels have their own beaches, access to which is free for guests of these hotels. Usually these are 4 * and 5 * hotels, although there are also "three rubles";
• 2nd line - between the beach and the hotel there is a promenade (a promenade along the coast) or a regular road. The distance to the nearest beach is no more than 200 meters (directly). There should still be no other hotels between the sea and the beach. Most of the second line hotels have their own beaches, some invite their guests to the nearest public beach (3* level hotels). From the second line to the beach, most often hotel transport does not go, you have to get on your own;
• 3rd, 4th and 5th lines are city hotels, the distance to the beaches is more than 300 meters. Among this type of hotels there are high-level establishments - 4 * and 5 *. In this case, special transport to the beaches is provided for guests. Depending on the level of your tour, it can be used without restrictions or for a nominal fee. Private beaches for hotels of the 3rd line are a rarity. Most often, customers are offered to relax next to an excellent pool with both sea and fresh water. The cost of rest in city-type hotels, far from the beaches, is significantly lower than in hotels on the seashore, but the level of comfort is no less, on the contrary.

How about in life?

All of the above rules apply to Europe. Here, numerous associations, corporations, ministries of tourism and similar bureaucrats monitor the observance of order. But the East is a delicate matter, therefore, in Egypt, everything can be somewhat different:

• The first line in Egypt will be considered a hotel located near the sea (up to 100 meters), but the presence of a promenade or a busy highway in front of the hotel is not considered an obstacle. The main thing is that there are no other hotels in front of the first line hotel. Such a rule is not mandatory. Old hotels that were built 20-30 years ago are most likely actually located on the coast and have their own beach. But new hotels often “sin” with not very reliable information in their advertising booklets. Exit? Before booking a tour, carefully study the photos of the hotel on the network, read the reviews (the main thing is that they be specific, and not general and enthusiastic, many people like to write reviews for little money);
• It is rare to find a third or fourth line hotel in Egypt. Most likely, in the booklet, the issue of coastlines will be deftly obscured by phrases like: “there is an excellent beach nearby”, “the sea can be seen from the window of every second room”, “a chic pool for the discerning public”. If no coastline is listed, be prepared for your hotel to be located in a city block. Holidays in such hotels are rarely expensive, but if you come to the sea, then get ready for the fact that the cute young Aladdin at the reception will answer your legitimate question about the beach with an indication of where you can find the bus stop, "which in 30 minutes will take you to a chic public beach, where everything is free.” How to deal with it? Be interested in the presence of a beach near the hotel, the cost of entry to the nearest private "shores", the availability of your own hotel transport.

When choosing a tour, remember: only you decide where you will rest. Demand full information about hotels, beaches, living conditions, transport. Check everything yourself on travel forums, review sites, look at photos. Ask questions, get answers. Understanding all the "Egyptian" tricks is quite simple. But this must be done before you board the plane. If the main thing for you on a trip is the sights of an ancient and exotic country, it will be enough for you to stay in a hotel with a good pool. You can get tanned here too. If you just need the sea, sand, a beach umbrella and a comfortable sunbed, then choose a first-line hotel - this is for you!

The beach is a piece of Paradise!

beach holiday- this is the most that neither is a classic of relaxation! Roughly the same as Beethoven in music. Sun, sea, fresh sea air and... you are in the center of all this paradise. Life turns into one continuous pleasure. Unless, of course, you get burned on the first day. You are immersed in this paradise, immersed ... and suddenly everything ends - the vacation has come to an end, it's time to go home. How quickly time has flown by! beach holiday- the best confirmation of Einstein's theory of relativity - the slower you live, the faster time flows. But here's the paradox - you feel, on the contrary, rejuvenated! Here it is, a simple and uncomplicated vacation on the beach!

But, despite all its simplicity, even in beach holiday There are some details worth paying attention to.

Hotel line.

beach hotel always looking at beach. But the beach is just a line of land hugging the sea. It is not always possible to line up all the hotels on this one line. And then the hotel is being built on the next, second line. Second line hotels do not have their own access to the sea. But they can have their own beach on the shore, use municipal or share front line hotel beach. Depending on the popularity of the resort, the actual number of lines can be three or four ... but, as a result, all hotels of a non-first line are still classified as second line hotels.

Holiday cost in hotels of the second line, ceteris paribus, cheaper than the cost of rest in hotels of the first line. Life is calmer there, as there is no noise from the beach. But there may be road noise because second line hotels are usually located across the street from first line hotels or the beach.

Important for a beach holiday distance from the hotel to the beach. And here nuances are possible. The territory of the first line hotel can be large and it may take several hundred meters to go to the beach. While residents of a small hotel of the second line may be just a hundred meters from the beach.

If second line hotel is located at a considerable distance from the beach, then the delivery of vacationers to the sea can be organized by bus or funny electric cars. By the way, electric cars can also be used in first-line hotels if the territory of the hotel, according to the owners, is too vast and difficult to overcome for a pampered tourist. Sometimes second-line hotels are connected to the beach by underground galleries, or vice versa, by suspension bridges. Moreover, an underground gallery can really turn out to be a gallery in the sense of a collection of various works of art, paintings, statues and other pleasant decorations of our life. Check all these details with our managers.

IN second line hotels In addition to a more attractive price, there is often a wider range of services - massage, sauna, children's and sports grounds, and the like. Or even a whole water park (!) as, for example, in a hotel Titanic in Hurghada, Egypt. So, before you refuse the second line, consult with our manager.

Types of beaches.

The beaches are different. Go through a small educational program on the types (types) of beaches. Come in handy.

• Sand beach . They differ in the color of the sand - white and black.
  White sand is ordinary sea sand. Each grain of sand has been washed by centuries of surf and warmed by the sun. You lie down on it and absorb its energy. Your children at this time are building their own worlds from it.
  Black sand is of volcanic origin and is small particles of hardened lava washed by the surf. Naturally, such beaches are found only in the vicinity of volcanoes. For example, in the Canary Islands and Sicily.
  Since not every section of the sea coast is a finished beach, sometimes it is created artificially. In Egypt, for example, some (I repeat, for some) bring sand from the nearby desert and spread it along the shore. Well, since the sand in the desert last took a sea bath many millions of years ago, the quality of such beaches is not always good. I mean sand. Everything else is on the level.
  For holidays with children sand beach the perfect place.
• Sand and pebble beach. This is a beach where time has not yet had time to erase all the pebbles into sand. On a sandy-pebble beach, sand and pebbles can be mixed, or they can go in strips - first sand, and when entering the sea - pebbles. In any case, this beach is comfortable for swimming and sunbathing.
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The surface of the beach is covered with rounded pebbles washed by the sea. According to the size of the pebbles, they are divided into simply pebble and small pebble. If large pebbles cover not only the beach, but also the seabed, then the pebbles can grow with algae and become slippery. Then you need to be careful when entering the sea.




The size of the pebble small pebble beach about the size of buckwheat. Well, maybe a little bigger. In my opinion, a small-pebble beach is even better than a sandy one - there is no dust on it and the pebble is easily shaken off the body.

• Shell beach. This type of beach is rare. Its surface is covered with crushed remains of shell shells. Among them, there are also quite sharp pieces, therefore, it is advisable to visit such a beach in special beach shoes.
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What can be said good about this heap of harsh stones?! Oh yes! Purity! Yes, it is the purity and transparency of water - that's what is attractive rocky beaches. If you are a fan of snorkelling, you will definitely like it. But when entering the sea, you need to try not to slip on boulders overgrown with algae. But with children it is better to relax in another place.

• Concrete beach. What to do if you have the cleanest gentle sea at your side, and the coast is very narrow or such that it is simply impossible to put your foot on it? The brave soldier Schweik, known for his wisdom, would say - there's nothing you can do about it! But there were people who came up with concrete beaches. Such beaches are concrete platforms right on the seashore, and sometimes raised on supports from the water. On concrete beaches it is convenient to sunbathe, although there is, of course, no certain amount of romance there. To enter the sea, as a rule, ladders or steps are used. Often concrete slabs are combined with natural stretches of beaches. You can use such beaches, for example, in Croatia and Montenegro.
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Saying "beach" we usually imagine a gentle shore. And this is true, because the word "beach", translated from the Turkic languages, means bald (remember - bald). But words are words, and the banks are quite steep, and then you have to arrange terraces on the slope or build decks on which you can sunbathe. And in some cases, when the coast rises almost sheer, sunbathing places have to be simply cut down in the rock in the form of niches. (pictured is the beach of the hotel Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort(Maritim Jules Ville), Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.)

Bathing season (aka - beach season).

Beach holidays, unfortunately, are not without drawbacks. Apart from the ban on swimming behind buoys and the danger of walking with a peeled nose, its main drawback will be dependence on the weather - you can relax on the beach only during beach (bathing) season. Therefore, a tourist who is going to devote his vacation to relaxing on the beach should know when and at which resorts the swimming season takes place. To answer this question, I created a small database of climatic data on the resorts of Russia and the world and determined the periods when you can and want to swim.

We take the following criteria for determining the beach season:

All criteria are taken relative to average monthly climatic indicators.

Beach (bathing) season.

Looking at this table, you will definitely have some questions. For example, why is the swimming season so short in Sochi and Crimea - only two months. And in the Maldives, it turns out, they swim for only three months!

Unfortunately, I can't help here - such are the statistics and these are the criteria we have chosen for the season. But you can still get the answer to your questions - go to the page bathing season. There you will have the opportunity to change the criteria for the beach season to your liking, or simply view detailed data on the climate of the resort.

Entry into the sea.

Entry into the sea for a beach holiday it's important. In most cases, entering the sea is the same as the beach. But there are also some "layer pies", as, for example, in Turkey in Beldibi. Here the beach begins with sand, then comes pebbles, go into the sea on the rocks, and swim above the sandy bottom!

Depending on how and with whom you are going to relax, the criteria can be directly opposite. Therefore, there can be no general recipes.
What you need to pay attention to.
If you you can't swim, or go on vacation with young children, then the entry should be smooth and gentle. It is desirable that the bottom is either sandy or pebbly. When traveling with children, it is better to avoid concrete beaches and beaches with rocky entry into the sea.
However, a gentle entry also has disadvantages - if there are sea ​​urchins, then by inadvertently stepping on it you will get, if not a ruined vacation, then at least a few sad days with a doctor's call from the insurance company, an operation to pull out needles and several dressings.

The most problematic entry into the sea - rocky. Going into the sea on sharp, slippery stones overgrown with algae is not an art, but a rather dangerous test. Oddly enough, children pass it easier than adults. Nevertheless, it is not recommended to relax with children on the beach with a rocky entry into the sea. On beaches with rocky entry, it is highly desirable to use a special beach shoes, which will protect your feet from sharp stones and slightly reduce the risk of slipping. You can usually buy such shoes directly at the resort. It costs from 5 to 15 dollars, depending on the quality, materials and ... your presentability. The capitalist thirst for profit (nothing personal, just a Soviet stamp) pushes the owners of beach hotels to correct the inherent shortcomings of beaches with rocky entry. In the photo you see the simplest and cheapest, but very effective way of arranging a convenient entry to such beaches - the white ridge is sandbags with which the path along the bottom of the sea is lined. It is very popular with children and people suffering from hydrophobia. But the most common use is for entering the sea and.

Coral reefs.

Coral reefs beautiful, but it is simply impossible to enter the sea through them. It happens that reefs quite severely limit the space for swimming. In such cases, on good beaches, special passages are cut through in the reef ridge, or a flyover is built along which you can go beyond the reef line, as you can see in the photo.

Tide height.

Entry into the sea depends on the height of the tide. A wonderful beach at high tide at low tide can be very inconvenient for entry - the waters that have receded from the shore can expose a very unpleasant bottom along which you will have to wade knee-deep in water for quite a long time to the place where you can finally swim.

Scared? No need! Hotel owners are well aware of this situation and equip their beaches overpasses, sometimes quite long, along which, even at low tide, you can comfortably and safely get to the desired water. And this photo was taken just from such a flyover. So in a good beach hotel you can swim regardless of the moon phases and the positions of the planets!

In general, by definition, pier This is a port facility for mooring ships from two sides. Often it is done in the form of a dam. But in tourism, this beautiful word is used to mean flooring on piles, where vacationers sunbathe and from which it is convenient to plop right into the sea, without wasting time entering it. The pier helps a lot with a rocky entry, and adds romance.

This is a floating bridge. But in a beach holiday, it is used not as a crossing from one coast to another, but as a convenient entry into the sea, especially on beaches with a rocky entry.

Pontoons are metal and plastic. For a beach holiday, plastic ones are the most popular - they do not heat up under the sun and it is pleasant to step on them with bare feet. The disadvantage of pontoons is that in case of strong waves it has to be removed, for example, towed away into the sea, where the wave is not so steep.

Whose beach?

beach hotel one way or another, one must have at one's disposal the beach. The form of ownership of the beaches has two specific options and one vague option, or, as it is popularly called, “wild”:

1. Municipal (state, royal) ownership of the beach. In most countries of the world, the coastline of the sea belongs by law to the state or the monarch. As a rule, they transfer the rights to manage them to local municipalities, which provide beaches for public use, including hotels. Examples of such states are Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Thailand well, etc..
   Unfortunately, in Russia, where the coastline is federal property, the effectiveness of beach management is low. In this regard, on December 16, 2013, Deputy Prime Minister D. Kozak proposed to transfer them from federal property directly to the municipal one. Municipalities, in turn, must concession the beaches to hotels, so that they keep them in good condition. The Deputy Prime Minister naively (?) assumes that such concessions will by no means turn the beaches into private territories ...
2. Beach private property. There are not many states that allow private ownership of the coastline of the seas, but they do exist. Among them are Egypt, Dominican Republic, Morocco, Ukraine… In these countries, beach hotels can actually have a private beach.
3. Wild (no man's) beach. A wild beach is understood as a section of the coastline not equipped for swimming and recreation, which, at their own peril and risk, is used by people just for swimming and recreation. The coastline on which the wild beach is located almost always belongs to the state, but there is no specific economic entity that manages it as a beach.

For an organized beach holiday are used only municipal and private beaches. And here again we have several options that are useful to know about when choosing a beach hotel.

Hotels with private beach.

When we read in a hotel advertisement what it has private beach, this does not mean that the beach belongs to the hotel on the right of ownership. As we already know, in most countries the ownership of the coastline is state-owned. "Private beach" in this case means that in one way or another the hotel has exclusive right to use the beach.

In practice, a hotel can have a "private beach" in the following ways:

• renting or, if possible, acquiring private property coastline and the arrangement of the beach.
• rental of part or all municipal beach.

For vacationers, the form of ownership does not matter. But hotels-tenants have to think about maintaining their lease rights all the time. For example, in France, beach rental rights are reviewed every five years.

As a rule, first-line hotels have their own beaches. It is very rare that a second-line hotel has its own beach.

Hotel with private beach is the most preferred choice for a beach holiday. In this case, in first-line hotels, the beach is adjacent directly to the hotel, and all hotel services are available all the time. All beach equipment on the beach - umbrellas, sunbeds, towels, as a rule, are provided free of charge. The beach itself may additionally have a pier or pontoon, from which it is convenient to enter the sea. Moreover, the beach bar will work a few meters from the place where you sunbathe.

Private beaches are also preferable in terms of tourist safety- strangers are usually not allowed on them. I say “usually” because in some countries, by law, it is impossible to close access to rented and even private beaches for the population.

Beach rental. Second line hotels.

Second line hotels physically located so that the beach cannot be directly adjacent to the property. In addition, hotels of the second line are located on the second line because the first line is already occupied. That is, there is nowhere to rent or purchase an unoccupied section of the coast. And in most cases, the problem with the beach by second-line hotels is solved in the following ways: rent of a part of the municipal beach rent of a part of the beach of the hotel of the first line. and the third, less common way - it happens that the hotel and the first and second lines belong to the same owner. Then the hotels share one beach. On rented beaches of second-line hotels, beach equipment - umbrellas, awnings and sunbeds, as a rule, are provided free of charge. Not all hotels provide towels, and a beach bar is also rare.

Beach holidays on the municipal beach.

Except beach hotels there are also ordinary city ​​hotels, and just boarding houses are different. They do not have and will not have any beaches, neither their own nor rented - their task is to provide you with accommodation, and the guest must think for the beach on their own. And then where to go to the poor seconded to the Canary Islands (not to be confused with just "bunk beds"!)? Of course, on municipal beach! Moreover, he will go there on a general basis. That is, you will need to pay for entry to the beach (entrance may be free), for umbrellas, sunbeds and towels, if any. Thus, the vacationer receives the full range of beach services, including a beach bar, but only pays for all this on the spot.

How much does it cost to visit the beach? In the photo you see municipal beach Jumeira Beach Park in Dubai on which I escaped from the heat of Arabia. Entrance cost 5 Dhs ($1.34), umbrella - 10 Dhs ($2.74). Quite reasonable prices and excellent quality of the beach. By the way, the hotel where I stayed provided free shuttle to the beach.

In countries with a developed beach holiday industry, municipal beaches are of high quality. For example, Spain with its exclusively municipal beaches for many years ranked first in the world in number.

Wild beach.

Wild beach… brrrr, straight the hair on the back of the neck stands on end. But in fact, everything can turn out to be not even bad, and sometimes just fine! After all, the main problem is not that the beach is wild, but that people sometimes go wild there - they leave behind garbage, inscriptions on the rocks. Well, remember, probably - we all come from there, from the caves. But some are still there...

However, enough about the sad, back to the beaches and beach holidays. Of course no guide will send you to swim on a wild beach- there is no equipment, no cleaning, no lifeguards, no "amenities" either. But sometimes there is such a beauty - in front of you is a piece of the famous wild beach in Beldibi, Turkey. Tourists and locals enjoy swimming here.

The main condition that must be met when swimming on a wild beach is safety. Entry into the sea must be safe, do not swim far, do not swim when the sea is very rough. And it is desirable that you are not completely alone on this wild beach. Just in case.

Beach quality and blue flag.

The blue flag is a sign of the quality of the beach.

If you want to relax on the beach, the quality of which absolutely and uncompromisingly meets all the highest international standards of cleanliness, safety and comfort, then you need a beach, over which blue flag with a white circle in the middle and three waves in it! This is a special sign that the International Federation for Environmental Education - FEO (Foundation for Environmental Education - FEE) marks top quality beaches in countries that participate in the special Blue Flag program. Beach quality, confirmed blue flag, is the highest and indisputable mark recognized all over the world.
More about the Blue Flag program, criteria beach quality and countries participating in the program, you can find out on our website in the section.

The only thing that can be regretted in connection with the program is that not all states are participating in it yet. For example, Egypt, our favorite Egypt, and has not yet been marked with a single blue flag. As a consolation to all of us, we note that Spain, Greece And Turkey are world leaders in terms of blue flags.
And we love them even more for it!

This is what a tourist looks like when he sees a beach in Maya Bay on Lay Island in the Phi Phi archipelago, Thailand.
Don't believe? Come and see!

Beach holidays at any time of the year from GlobEx!

Call us or press the button and book a beach holiday or call back. We will find you a place where you will swim with pleasure.

More than three dozen and choosing the best is not easy. To help you with this, we have made this review.

Since we have been living in this resort for several years, we are well versed in the areas and places where the hotels are located. In our opinion, almost everyone comes here for a beach holiday, and not for entertainment, excursions and shopping, which are in second and third positions. Accordingly, the main criterion will be the proximity of the hotel to the sea and, if possible, housing should be located in a quiet place so that there are no bars with music and busy roads nearby.

Therefore, hotels located in the city center, close to nightlife and Volkin Street, were immediately weeded out. Of those that remained, we have chosen the best options near the sea, which have many good reviews.

It is worth noting that in Pattaya, 3-star hotels rarely stand on the 1st line, since this is the prerogative of more expensive hotels. However, you can find offers located across the road from the beach or a couple of minutes walk from the sea.

In our top list, we have selected one hotel on each of the popular beaches of Pattaya. Although they are located in quiet places, they have all the infrastructure nearby with massage parlors, restaurants, and shops. You can quickly get to markets or nightlife. That is, you can combine a relaxing beach holiday with entertainment.

By the way, many of the hotels are more profitable to book with tours, check on the Travelata and Level.Travel websites (Misto.Travel for Ukraine). There you can compare the prices of all tour operators at once.

The hotel is located in the northernmost part, in a relatively quiet place. The beach is right across the road (there are no hotels at all on the 1st line).

In 5-7 minutes you can walk to the Central Marina shopping center, which houses an inexpensive Big C hypermarket. The same amount of time to go to the show of transvestites Alcazar and Tiffany, as well as the Art of Paradise Museum. In 10 minutes and 10 baht you can be on Walking Street if you take the songthaews that pass next to the hotel.

On the territory there is a swimming pool, jacuzzi, restaurant, bar and massage parlour.

Booking.com.

- probably the most popular hotel on the beach among Russians. Located two steps from the beach. There are no hotels on the beach itself, simply because it is located at the foot of a hill and all housing is located on a hill.

Near the hotel there are mini markets, restaurants, massage parlors, you can also find bars. There are many inscriptions in Russian, since this is the most popular area among our compatriots. In 15 minutes you can walk to famous sights - the Observation Deck and Big Buddha.

It is worth noting that the Pratumnak area is somewhat isolated from the main infrastructure of Pattaya with its shopping centers and entertainment. You will also have to walk 15-20 minutes to the stop of public songthaews. But for a beach holiday, this place is perfect.

On the territory there is a swimming pool, fitness center, massage, restaurant, bar, gift shop, free parking.

Read more about the hotel on Booking.com.

The hotel is located in the very north of the beach, on the 1st line. At your service is the entire multi-kilometer coastline, where you can choose your favorite part of the beach.

A 10-minute walk takes you to a small water park and an amusement park at Pattaya Park. Of the minuses - to get inexpensively to the center of Pattaya, you have to walk 20 minutes to the public songteo stop, and then go another 15 minutes.

Reading the offers of travel companies, we often come across terminology, the meaning of which we do not fully understand.

A first line hotel is always more expensive than a second or third line hotel. What is the extra charge for and is it always justified? We'll figure out...

Coastline Rules

If you follow the letter of the rules of hotel associations in most countries of the world, then the classification by lines provides for the following rules:

• 1st line - hotels are located directly on the seashore, the distance from the hotel door to the nearest beach is no more than 100 meters. Between the hotel and the beach there can be no promenade, no road, no barriers, much less other hotels. In this case, the distance is taken geometric - between the hotel and the sea in a straight line. Considering that a first-line hotel may be located in the mountains, and a winding path leads to the beach, the actual distance may be a little more, but certainly no more than 150 meters. Most often, first-line hotels have their own beaches, access to which is free for guests of these hotels. Usually these are 4 * and 5 * hotels, although there are also "three rubles";
• 2nd line - between the beach and the hotel there is a promenade (a promenade along the coast) or a regular road. The distance to the nearest beach is no more than 200 meters (directly). There should still be no other hotels between the sea and the beach. Most of the second line hotels have their own beaches, some invite their guests to the nearest public beach (3* level hotels). From the second line to the beach, most often hotel transport does not go, you have to get on your own;
• 3rd, 4th and 5th lines are city hotels, the distance to the beaches is more than 300 meters. Among this type of hotels there are high-level establishments - 4 * and 5 *. In this case, special transport to the beaches is provided for guests. Depending on the level of your tour, it can be used without restrictions or for a nominal fee. Private beaches for hotels of the 3rd line are a rarity. Most often, customers are offered to relax next to an excellent pool with both sea and fresh water. The cost of rest in city-type hotels, far from the beaches, is significantly lower than in hotels on the seashore, but the level of comfort is no less, on the contrary.

How about in life?

All of the above rules apply to Europe. Here, numerous associations, corporations, ministries of tourism and similar bureaucrats monitor the observance of order. But the East is a delicate matter, therefore, in Egypt, everything can be somewhat different:

• The first line in Egypt will be considered a hotel located near the sea (up to 100 meters), but the presence of a promenade or a busy highway in front of the hotel is not considered an obstacle. The main thing is that there are no other hotels in front of the first line hotel. Such a rule is not mandatory. Old hotels that were built 20-30 years ago are most likely actually located on the coast and have their own beach. But new hotels often “sin” with not very reliable information in their advertising booklets. Exit? Before booking a tour, carefully study the photos of the hotel on the network, read the reviews (the main thing is that they be specific, and not general and enthusiastic, many people like to write reviews for little money);
• It is rare to find a third or fourth line hotel in Egypt. Most likely, in the booklet, the issue of coastlines will be deftly obscured by phrases like: “there is an excellent beach nearby”, “the sea can be seen from the window of every second room”, “a chic pool for the discerning public”. If no coastline is listed, be prepared for your hotel to be located in a city block. Holidays in such hotels are rarely expensive, but if you come to the sea, then get ready for the fact that the cute young Aladdin at the reception will answer your legitimate question about the beach with an indication of where you can find the bus stop, "which in 30 minutes will take you to a chic public beach, where everything is free.” How to deal with it? Be interested in the presence of a beach near the hotel, the cost of entry to the nearest private "shores", the availability of your own hotel transport.

When choosing a tour, remember: only you decide where you will rest. Demand full information about hotels, beaches, living conditions, transport. Check everything yourself on travel forums, review sites, look at photos. Ask questions, get answers. Understanding all the "Egyptian" tricks is quite simple. But this must be done before you board the plane. If the main thing for you on a trip is the sights of an ancient and exotic country, it will be enough for you to stay in a hotel with a good pool. You can get tanned here too. If you just need the sea, sand, a beach umbrella and a comfortable sunbed, then choose a first-line hotel - this is for you!

Once upon a time, our distant ancestors in their travels were guided by the stars. The stars helped them navigate the route and not get lost in the vast expanses of the earth.

For today's travelers, the stars continue to serve as landmarks. Only not in search of a road, but in choosing its end point - a hotel or inn, taking into account, first of all, their "stardom". For both experienced and novice travelers, there is only one criterion here: “the more, the better.”

Unfortunately, some general classification system that would be accepted all over the world still does not exist. Different countries, and often within the same country in its different regions, have their own criteria for assessing the level of hotels. The WTO (World Tourism Organization) has been fighting for many years to bring the system of assessing the level of service to some common standards, but so far without success. The requirements that she puts forward today are nothing more than advisory in nature.

But, nevertheless, they still try to adhere to certain general requirements for comfort and quality of service everywhere.

In hotels of the same category in different places, the range of services provided and the quality of service can vary significantly. But there is a certain minimum that allows the tourist to at least roughly understand what he can expect from a hotel of one level or another. So…

Hotels without category

A huge number of hotels around the world do not have any category. This is the largest group. There can be quite modest hotels that cannot reach at least one star, and luxurious suites, for which the category is below the level of their dignity.

So the absence of stars does not mean at all that the concepts of service and comfort do not exist here. Most often, in tourist catalogs, hotels and hotels outside the category are still assigned some kind of “star” level - so that tourists can get some idea of ​​​​the level of service.

1 and 2 star hotels

1 star hotels are designed for those who just need somewhere to spend the night and clean up. This does not mean that everything is bad here. Most often, these are small hotels, for which the small area does not allow equipping the rooms with a bath or shower.

• In such hotels there must be at least one toilet for 5 rooms, at least two bathrooms per floor.
• On the floor there will be a refrigerator with a TV, room service is not provided. However, the room must have a mirror, sink, towel.
• They must clean every day, and change linen - at least once every five days.
• As for food, the presence of at least a dining room is not mandatory.

• All the same on the floor there is a TV, a refrigerator and bathrooms, also at least two.
• Also one toilet for five rooms, but it can be in the room.
• Linen and towels should be changed more often - once every 3-4 days.
• In hotels of this category, there should be a dry cleaning and laundry service - not necessarily in the hotel itself, but things must be taken from the guest.
• The most important difference is that some kind of dining room, cafe or restaurant should work. True, if there are less than 50 numbers, this may not be the case. Meals can only be provided in the form of breakfast. During breakfast, there may be room service, but this is not required.

The most popular - 3 star hotels

3 star hotels already represent something. This is the most popular group, and the most diverse. It happens that a three-star hotel in Europe is better than a five-star hotel, for example, in Egypt.

In terms of price-quality ratio, this is the best, in general, option.

• Toilet, bathroom (or shower), refrigerator, TV - everything must be present in the room.
• If this is required by climatic conditions, there must be an air conditioner.
• IN hotel 3 stars there may not be a bar or restaurant, but you must arrange access to them (for example, in a neighboring hotel).
• The territory should have a swimming pool, parking, or at least a parking space near the hotel.
• There must be either a business center or access to minimal office equipment - a computer, fax, telephone.
• Phones, as well as safes, may be in the rooms, but this is not required.
• Room service in such hotels should be throughout the day, towels should be changed every day, and linen - every 3 days.

Hotels 4 and 5 stars

• The rooms should have a toilet, shower, TV, refrigerator, air conditioning, telephone, safe, mini-bar; in the bathroom - hygiene products and a hairdryer.
• Towels and linen should be changed every day, cleaned too.
• Main differences 5 star hotels is the area of ​​the rooms and the restaurant menu. In five-star hotels, more rooms have a good view from the window, they can provide a wider range of different services.
• On the territory of both categories of hotels there should be restaurants, round-the-clock bars, swimming pools, parking lots, business centers, conference rooms, currency exchange offices.
• Room service is usually around the clock. But for 4 star hotels it can only be during the day.

Hotels and coastline

In addition to the stars, there is also a gradation of hotels according to their location relative to the beach, the so-called. coastlines.

The location of the hotel on the first coastline means that it is located in close proximity to the beach, maximum across the road from it.

The second line involves a 5-10 minute walk to the beach, hotels on this line are separated from the coast by some buildings, for example, other hotels or parks.

The higher the coastline reference number, the further from the beach the hotel is located. Usually, first coastline- these are 4 star and 5 star hotels, but 3 stars can also be located on the first coastline.

• If you're only planning on staying in your room for the night, it may not make sense to overpay for services you won't be using.
• If you travel a lot yourself, then you should pay attention to the availability of transport.
• If you want the sea, choose if the hotel is near the beach or if there is a well-functioning transportation.

Everyone has their own ideas about a good vacation, and you can always find a hotel that meets your requirements.