How to avoid getting a bad hotel room at check-in in Sharm El Sheikh and arrange early check-in/late check-out?

One guest arrived at 8:00, gave the front desk $20 and three chocolate bars, and was checked in by 11:00 rather than waiting until 14:00. They received a new, fully functional first-floor room in building 38.

For a quieter, newer room, one guest recommends requesting building 7 on the second floor: it has beach views and is not as far away as it first appears via the short route. Building 6 was also described as new and good, though building 7 was considered to have the better view.

Even if early check-in is included, confirm at reception on arrival that it is noted on the booking: in one case staff initially overlooked it and the issue was resolved only after the guest insisted. If no rooms are vacant, early check-in may be unavailable even for an extra fee.

One traveler reported that after their booking was confirmed, the tour operator suddenly informed their travel agent of an extra $200 charge for extra beds required at check-in — no one else in the discussion had mentioned this fee before, so it's worth confirming this directly with the hotel in advance.

Several guests reported a sewage/fecal smell from the bathroom in rooms 1841 and 1842, despite the rooms otherwise being nice with good views. In one case it took about 6 days to fix the issue (smell coming from the AC unit), with reception and guest relations slow to respond, citing full hotel occupancy and no guarantee of a better room if relocated.

One guest shared their experience: the front desk initially asked for $30 to upgrade the room, but after viewing the room they negotiated it down to $15. No bedbugs or food poisoning reported.

Before the trip, it's recommended to message the hotel directly (email or WhatsApp) to confirm the reservation and clarify check-in details in advance — this reduces the risk of issues at reception.

One traveler shared the hotel's guest relations response: early check-in and late check-out are possible upon request but not guaranteed, depending on hotel occupancy on arrival day.

To avoid getting an old/worn-out room, some travelers offer front desk staff a tip of around $5-10 right at check-in — this can help secure a more renovated or better-located room.