We keep this page updated as we receive information from official sources and authorities only, or when we change our internal procedures.
Please watch our latest video about the measures on site in Marsa Shagra for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 here.
UPDATE: 21st August 2020
- Marsa Shagra is open, has passed the audit by the Egyptian Hotels Association, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Health. We have also passed an audit by Cristal which is mandatory for being able to receive foreign guests, plus an audit by the Egyptian CDWS for the operation of the diving centre.
- Marsa Shagra is currently only operating Deluxe Chalets. We will start to open a limited number of tents, royal tents and huts from 1st September.
- Marsa Nakari is closed for the foreseeable future.
- Wadi Lahami has been audited and received guests in August. It is currently closed until the end of August. We hope to reopen on 1st September according to the situation and our booking situation. Only deluxe chalets will be available.
Guests coming from abroad are required to submit a negative PCR test for entry to Egypt at all Egyptian airports from 1st September. Therefore, as long as this criteria is met for entering the country we will no longer require guests coming from abroad to undergo a rapid test for entry to the villages.
Residents or guests travelling from within Egypt will be required to have a rapid test or produce a negative PCR results from no more than 96 hours before arrival in the villages.
UPDATE: 9th July 2020
A summary of the current situation is as follows (we have left old updates as a record for how the situation has developed):
- Marsa Shagra is open, has passed the audit by the Egyptian Hotels Association, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Health. We have also passed an audit by Cristal which is mandatory for being able to receive foreign guests, plus an audit by the Egyptian CDWS for the operation of the diving centre.
- Marsa Shagra is currently only operating Deluxe Chalets until at least the end of July.
- Marsa Nakari is closed for the foreseeable future. We hope to be able to open Marsa Nakari in September.
- We are aiming to reopen Wadi Lahami on 1st August. The diving centre has already been audited by the CDWS and the same hotel audits as Marsa Shagra has been through will be carried out shortly. Only deluxe chalets will be available at first.
If you have an existing booking which is affected by closures or changes, our reservations team will be in touch but please feel free to contact us if you have any concerns. The situation changes regularly and we are not contacting existing reservations too far in advance, so that we are sure we can give you correct information and not disrupt your vacation if possible.
We require all guests to undergo a rapid test before entry into the village, or to provide evidence of a PCR test carried out no more than 48 hours before travel. If a rapid test is required on site then a charge of €15 will be made. You should be aware that the rapid test is an antibody test so if you have suffered from COVID-19 and recovered you may still test positive. If you test positive we would be required to inform the authorities and either you would have to remain in quarantine at your own expense, or you may be required to go to hospital for treatment.
According to the increase in costs due to the requirements from the authorities for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 we are implementing an on-site additional fee of €5 per person per night.
In Marsa Shagra there are a number of changes to our operation which your guests should be aware of before arriving, as follows:
General points/reception
- Guests’ temperature will be checked on arrival
- Luggage and the shoes of the guests are sprayed with disinfectant at check-in
- Check-in briefing now conducted by TV video rather than paper flyers (also available on the chalet TVs)
- Currently only chalets are available - please check our agent portal for updates about room type availability. We are currently allowed to fill only 50% of our total occupancy at this time
- Glass windows have been installed in the reception and cafeteria for protection
- Credit card payments are appreciated where possible
- Guest feedback forms removed and replaced with online guest feedback
- Information booklets and flyers have been removed from reception
- Guests are required to send a photo of their passport by email to the reception team, instead of physically leaving their passport in reception.
- Public area surfaces, handles, ‘high touch’ areas sanitised regularly
- Non-contact greetings encouraged
- Cushions have been removed from chairs and beanbags are currently unavailable
- The kids playground is currently unavailable
- Massage is currently unavailable
- Increased signage to encourage social distancing, hand washing, hand sanitisation, reporting symptoms, etc.
- Hand sanitiser dispensers have been installed throughout
- Laundry is now washed on higher temperatures and machines are disinfected after use
- Tipping is now possible on the final invoice of the guest
- Chalets are left empty for 48 hours between check-out and check-in
- 5 chalets have been designated as quarantine chalets in case they are needed
- Tip boxes have been removed from our restaurant, diving centre and reception. Tips can be added to the final invoice of the guest at their request.
Staff
- Staff temperatures are checked daily on entry to the village
- Staff must wear masks and some must additionally wear visors and gloves
- Staff are required to undertake a COVID-19 rapid test on return from vacation
- Minimum of 60 days on site before vacation, to reduce staff turnover
- Staff have been given additional training about COVID-19 and additional signs in Arabic are in place throughout staff working and living areas
Transfers
- Cars currently operating at 50% total capacity (e.g. 6 pax maximum in a microbus)
- Guests must observe the seating plan indicated inside the vehicle
- Air conditioning not being used
Food & Beverage
- Water dispenser scheme is currently not in service and plastic bottles of water are available as part of the soft-all inclusive package
- Meals are served as a set menu instead of buffet, according to a daily menu where guests have two choices for each course
- Cake is served in individual portions at tea time, instead of being left as self service
- A glass screen has been installed in the cafeteria
- Maximum of 6 pax at a large table in the restaurant, 1m distance required between each person and tables are a minimum of 2m apart.
- Shisha is currently unavailable
Rooms
- Housekeeping service is only provided twice per week. If guests require towels and linen they are welcome to ask in the reception.
- Housekeeping staff are required to wear full suits, gloves, visors and use additional equipment for deep cleaning (e.g. steamers).
Diving
- Guests renting regulators are required to purchase their own mouthpiece on site, to keep, at a cost of €3. They can also bring their own.
- Additional disinfecting procedures are in place for rental equipment
- Rinse tanks are no longer in use and guests are required to rinse their equipment under running water in the diving shade.
- House reef white boards are not currently in use. Guests are required to inform the shade staff of their diving profile and they will keep the record and watch for their safety
- Lower maximum numbers of divers on our speedboats according to the speedboat size
- Zone A (truck dives) are currently unavailable until further notice
- No entry to the diving center - all communication should be carried out by the service window
- Defogging liquid provided to discourage the use of saliva for mask defog
- Guests are encouraged to keep all items, including wetsuit and BCD in their diving locker (instead of using hangers)
- Additional chemicals and disinfectants are in use in the diving shade area for sanitisation
We will update this information as changes happen and we look forward to welcoming you back to the Red Sea, and to RSDS.
UPDATE: 5th July 2020
We have now been audited by the CDWS and can recommence normal diving activities with strict measures and procedures in place. Dive sites outside the house reef will be available once our certificate has been issued and we are able to obtain coastguard permissions (within 2-3 days). Zone A dives will continue to be unavailable until further notice.
UPDATE: 19th June 2020
We have now been audited by International Health and Safety Standards company, Cristal, (a requirement by the Ministry of Tourism) and are certified to receive guests from outside Egypt.
UPDATE: 5th June 2020
Kindly note that guests who wish to bypass our own COVID-19 test can bring a certificate from a PCR test conducted no more than 48 hours prior to their arrival time. The COVID-19 on-site fee will be reduced to 500LE per person. This fee is to cover the additional measures we have been required to implement on site.
UPDATE: 25th May 2020
Kindly note that we can currently only offer diving activities on the house reef due to restrictions by the government on Friday 22nd May. We are in the process of negotiating access to off-shore sites but we cannot currently guarantee the service.
UPDATE: 19th May 2020
Today we have been audited by the Egyptian Hotel Chamber and have received our clearance to reopen.
UPDATE: 18th May 2020
Following the Prime Minister's announcement, we would like to advise our guests that there is currently no change to our ability to accept reservations.
The Egyptian Hotel Chamber have advised us that measures affecting travel between governorates apply to public transportation only. Please keep a copy of your reservation confirmation with you while travelling in order to pass checkpoints. This will also enable you to arrive after 5pm (new curfew start time).
The closure of beaches applies to public beaches, and the use of the beach at Marsa Shagra during your still will still be possible.
UPDATE: 12th May 2020
As a way to reduce the risk of COVID-19 for our guests and staff we now ask all guests to undertake a COVID-19 test before check-in. If you leave the vicinity of Marsa Shagra you may be required to undertake a new test when re-entering. Please inform the reception team before leaving the village so they can advise further on whether a retest will be necessary. In order to provide this testing service and the additional preventative measures we are taking on site, we will be applying a charge of 750LE per person for all new and existing reservations.
According to the regulations from the Hotel Chamber and Ministry of Tourism, we would like to advise you of the following rules when visiting RSDS until further notice. As a condition of reopening we have to implement these rules or already be in the process of implementing them:
- All hotels aiming to reopen must apply for an audit according to safety and hygiene standards which are agreed by hotels association. A certificate will be issued when the hotel passes the audit. The hotel must receive the certification before reopening.
- Maximum occupation per room is 2 adults (Plus 1 child in family rooms)
- Maximum hotel occupancy: 25% average until the end of May, 50% from 1st June.
- Board system or meals to be organized by the hotel. Open buffet is not allowed. Only set menus and À la carte is allowed.- we will be offering a fixed set menu only.
- Use signs with ways of preventing the spread of infection.
- Parties, weddings, night shows and gatherings are not permitted.
- An area of rooms has been allocated as a quarantine area in case it is needed.
- A sterilisation device must be installed at the entrance.
- Registration and check-in must be made with single-use pens.
- Luggage must be sterilized at least on arrival and departure.
- The temperature of the guests should be measured every time they enter the hotel..
- Hand sanitisers must be provided throughout the public areas and on each table in the restaurant.
- The ministry of health must be informed about any guests over the age of 65 and extra should be taken for their health.
- In case any positive cases found, the hotel must inform the Ministry of Health to coordinate the place of quarantine in the hotel or in a hospital as per the case.
- Shisha is not allowed.
- A space of at least 2 meters between tables and 1 meter between the people sitting. The maximum number of chairs for families is 6 persons on a big table.
- Applying single-use dining room tools as much as possible.
- All areas around the beach including tables, seats, sunbeds, etc. must be sterilised after every use of a guest and at the end of the day.
- Give 2 meters space between sunbeds.
- Massage sessions are not allowed.
- Bedsheets should not be changed every day, self reliance is recommended.
These criteria are subject to change at any time and reservation at Marsa Shagra is conditional upon accepting these conditions. The conditions and rules are not negotiable and no exceptions will be made.
Kindly note that we have put in place the following measures for our staff, according to the guidelines from the Egyptian Hotel Chamber:
- Only 50% employment volume on site.
- Rapid Test for all employees coming back from vacation and before leaving.
- 60 days fixed period between vacations for staff
- Temperature of all staff measured on a daily basis
- Separate staff housing and no overcrowing
- Vulnerable staff are kept away from direct contact with the guests
- All staff have been given extensive training for new procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and about the symptoms of the virus.
UPDATE: 6th May 2020
We are happy to announce that our official reopening date will be 18th May. The reopening will be under strict rules and regulations, as implemented by the Egyptian government as part of the reopening, as well as procedures which we feel are necessary to protect our guests and staff at this time. Some of the measures include (but are not restricted to):
- Marsa Nakari & Wadi Lahami will remain closed until further notice.
- In Marsa Shagra only Deluxe Chalets will be available (Tents, Royal Tents and Huts will be unavailable).
- Reservations will be accepted for a minimum of 4 nights/5 days only.
- We will be operating on limited occupancy/availability and therefore reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with non-refundable deposits securing your reservation.
- Meals will be served on a fixed menu basis - our buffet service will not be available.
- Distancing will be required in our restaurant, with limited group sizes permitted at each table.
- Regrettably, our water dispenser system will be out of service, but bottles of mineral water will be provided as part of our soft all inclusive package. There may be a temporary increase in single-use items.
- Zone A dives (i.e. excursion dives from the shore outside the house reef, accessed by car) will be unavailable until further notice.
- Our existing policy for refunds and cancellations, including our special Coronavirus policy, will still apply.
- Guests will be required to have a COVID-19 test before check-in.
There are likely to be other rules and requirements put in place, and they are subject to change at any time. Some services may be unavailable without notice. By making a reservation you accept these conditions - they are for your health and safety and will help to ensure we are able to remain open and operational during this time. We will update this page as new requirements and rules are implemented.
We would like to apologise for the continually changing situation, and ask you to bear with us while we navigate this period together with you. We look forward to welcoming our guests once again.
UPDATE: 4th May 2020
Last night the government announced that Egyptian hotels are allowed to reopen from 15th May under strict rules and limitations. We are in the process of organising our operational plan and will be in contact with existing bookings as a priority by tomorrow at the latest. We are also now receiving a high volume of booking requests which will be handled on a first-come first-served basis. Reservations and deposits which are received first will receive priority for our limited rooms.
Kindly note that at this time Marsa Nakari and Wadi Lahami will remain closed until further notice, and tents, royal tents and huts will be unavailable at Marsa Shagra. Reservations for less than 4 nights/5 days will not be accepted. In addition, according to the government guidelines we will not be able to operate a buffet service, and individually served meals will be offered.
All guests will be required to follow the guidelines and rules put in place either at our discretion or by the government, which are subject to change at any time.
When we have more information on the situation we will update this page.
UPDATE: 2nd May 2020
As we have not received official notification for our reopening date we are currently in the process of cancelling reservations until 15th May. Our reservations team will be in contact with affected reservations to discuss your options.
UPDATE: 26th April 2020
Although not officially confirmed, we have been informed that we may be able to receive guests during the Eid al-Fitr feast in May. We currently expect to open Marsa Shagra only during this time and tents/royal tents will be unavailable due to the sanisation required. If you already have a reservation for that period our team will be in contact in due course.
When we receive official confirmation of our reopening date it will be announced here and on our social media pages.
UPDATE: 11th April 2020
We have been advised that we cannot accept any guests before 1st May.
The cancellation and refund policy below still applies (from 19th March update).
UPDATE: 9th April 2020
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has confirmed that the airports will remain closed until the end of April.
The cancellation and refund policy below still applies (from 19th March update).
UPDATE: 3rd April 2020
We have been informed by the Egyptian Hotel Chamber that the new estimated reopening date is April 15th.
The cancellation and refund policy below still applies (from 19th March update).
UPDATE: 31st March 2020
We have been informed by the Hotel Chamber that we will not be allowed to reopen until at least 4th April. We expect an update on 3rd April as to whether the reopening date will be postponed further.
The cancellation and refund policy below still applies (from 19th March update).
UPDATE: 25th March 2020
Yesterday the Egyptian government announced they would be extending the airport closures for a further 2 weeks from 1st April. This means for our foreign guests coming from abroad with reservations for arrival until 14th April, we are able to cancel your reservation without charge and refund any deposits you have paid. For Egyptian guests, the Egyptian government has currently asked us to close until 31st March, so until this time we are able to accept bookings after 1st April unless the government extends the closure of all tourism facilities.
The cancellation and refund policy below still applies (from 19th March update).
We apologise that we are unable to provide more solid information about when we will be able to accept bookings again, but the situation is changing on a daily basis both with foreign authorities and Egyptian authorities. We hope that by providing a flexible cancellation and rebooking policy, we can help you to arrange your holidays.
We are very grateful to all the guests who have offered to accept a credit voucher/rebooking instead of a refund, or who have managed to claim back from their insurance companies rather than accept a refund from us. This really helps to support our business for the longer term and we hope that this situation will resolve itself very soon so we can reopen for business.
UPDATE: 19th March 2020
As of 12pm today, all Egyptian airports are closed to inbound passengers. According to the authorities, aircraft are still allowed to land in Egypt to take people out, however most airlines have cancelled their flights out of Egypt until at least 31st March. We have now been notified by the Egyptian Hotel Chamber and the CDWS that we are not allowed to receive new guests for the next 14 days (as of 18th March). This applies to Egyptian guests and guests from outside Egypt. For guests from outside Egypt we have been asked to encourage as many as possible to leave before today where possible.
This means that for at least the next 14 days our locations are closed.
Our general policy for the Coronavirus situation is as follows and will be updated according to the official information and time periods set by the authorities.
The following situations can cancel without any penalty (fully refundable):
- You are diagnosed with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) or are considered at high risk for COVID-19 (pregnant, over 70 years old or with pre-existing medical conditions) and have medical evidence to prove as such. We must be notified of this 48 hours before the arrival date in order to qualify for the refund.
- Your home country bans travel to Egypt
- Egyptian authorities disallow travel to the country/region or stops us from accepting bookings (currently the situation for reservations due to arrive until 31st March).
In the following cases we will allow a postponement/rebooking of your reservation for up to 12 months from the intended arrival date (currently the case for all reservations with an arrival date after 31st March):
- You do not want to travel due to the current situation and uncertainty.
- If neither your departure country or Egypt restricts travel but your airline cancels the flight.
Postponement will be according to availability and any difference in pricing (either seasonal or otherwise) will be charged as extra.
If you have any questions about your reservation, please do not hesitate to contact us.
UPDATE: 14th March 2020.
The Coronavirus situation has affected the whole world. Here at RSDS we are taking measures to prevent the spread of Coronavirus throughout our three locations.
We are in the process of implementing the following measures:
- Additional hand sanitisers have been installed throughout the public areas
- Additional cleaning and disinfecting, particularly in high traffic areas and surfaces which hands come into contact with regularly, such as handles and counters
- Information has been provided to staff about the importance of hygiene, cleaning and hand washing
- Additional sanitisation procedures are in place in our kitchens and restaurants
- Additional disinfecting procedures of rental equipment have been adopted, and we have increased the frequency of changing the water in our rinse tanks. We have also increased the concentration of disinfectant products in the rinse tanks
- Guests who rent regulators or snorkels will be required to purchase an individual mouthpiece, to keep, at a price of €3.
- We have installed signs in our bathrooms to remind guests of the importance of proper hand washing
- We are providing all guests with an information sheet during the check-in process, detailing all the procedures and to report any symptoms immediately to a member of the team so the doctor can be called.
- We have temporarily suspended the use of our water dispensers and will provide individual bottles of water as part of the soft all-inclusive package we offer. We regret this step greatly but health and safety is our number one priority and this will be for as limited time as possible.
- We have implemented extra procedures to our RSDS transfer cars, including stopping the use of air conditioning and invite guests to open the window if they need fresh air, as well as the use of gloves by our drivers.
- We are always happy to see and greet our guests but at this time we prefer a wave, smile or other non-contact form instead of a hand shake.
- We know that some of these measures may seem extreme but your safety and health is our number one priority so we ask for your patience at this time.
If you are due to visit one of our locations and have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
