Oonas Dive Club 

I have recently returned from a two week stay at Oonas Dive Club with my husband and daughters (14 and 8) and we were honestly so sad to leave. I have dived with them twice, many years ago (I actually did my Open Water course with Oonas), but this is the first time I've stayed in the hotel, and I'm glad we did. The staff, hospitality, location, diving, kit, dive boat and ethos are all second to none. Below is my honest (and wordy) review! Diving I haven't dived for quite some time so needed a refresher before a few days on the boat. This was carried out by Pete and included equipment fitting, a theory review and two dives on the house reef, which is accessed from the beach a couple of minutes walk from the centre. Pete was thorough, knowledgeable and patient while I refreshed some essential skills, reducing any anxiety I had after such a long break and making me feel a lot more confident for the deeper dives to come. I'm glad to say that it all came flooding back and I felt like I'd never been away! During our stay, our eldest daughter completed her Open Water and Advanced Open Water course with Sheko, who was amazing! She had a bit of a wobble after the first day (the result of tiredness from travelling mixed with completing several eLearning modules and a skills heavy first couple of dives) and he completely took the pressure off so she could rest and compute all the information she had received. After a day on the beach to recharge, she came back keen and absolutely sailed through the rest of her training, loving every minute of it! Everything was explained clearly in a way she understood. Not to be left out, our youngest daughter, who is too young for any official qualifications, wanted to do a Bubblemaker dive. This was also arranged with Sheko, who looked after her like she was his own. Following an age appropriate briefing, they headed off to the beach and enjoyed a shallow dive, exploring the fantastic wildlife in the house reef just offshore. Sheko also took some pictures and videos so she had something to look back on and we could see what she had been up to (this was offered freely, not at an extortionate cost as per some other operators). She enjoyed it so much we booked two more dives while we were there. The diving is second to none with days spent in Ras Mohammed National Park and Tiran as well as reefs closer to the harbour. The coral and wildlife are simply breathtaking. We were so lucky to see several turtles at a number of dive sites (a first for me) as well as giant moray eels, octopus, trumpet fish, numerous species of ray as well as huge shoals of the many and varied species of fish that call the Red Sea Home. Our eldest was also fortunate enough to see a black tip reef shark. It was truly superb every time. Two dives were included in the daily cost with an optional third dive on offer for those that wanted it (I did, every time!). My husband and youngest daughter are non-divers but came with us on the dive boat as there was plenty of opportunity for snorkeling, with lots to see from the surface. The only exception was within Ras Mohammed National Park, where snorkeling is limited to one area. This only affected one day and they were well looked after on the boat while we dived. Boat During our stay we spent 4 days on the centre's boat, Obi Wan. This was lovely as it was the same boat I dived from the last time I was at Oonas in 2004, with some of the same crew still on board. All the dive gear is stored on the rear lower deck right next to the dive platform, which has two fresh water showers for swilling masks or a quick spray before jumping in and rinsing off after each dive. There is also a covered saloon towards the front of the boat and room for sunbathing at the bow if that's your thing. Up the (steep!) stairs/ladder is the covered sundeck with comfy padded seating, tables and a large canopy so there is always somewhere to get out of the sun. Lunch on Obi Wan is fantastic with a different assortment of hot and cold dishes offered every day after the second dive. I can only assume they have some sort of magical powers to produce it all in the tiny kitchen on board! On one occasion I was in the right place at the right time and was invited to join the dive guides and instructors for their breakfast gathering. It was super tasty and very much appreciated! Hot and cold drinks are available all day with a sweet snack passed around after the first dive. Location The location of the dive club is great. It's at the very end of Na'ama Bay meaning there isn't a constant flow of people walking past but all local amenities are within walking distance. The beach is about 2 minutes walk from the centre and has sunbeds and parasols available at no extra cost. We found they were busy in the morning but most people seem to disappear around lunchtime so there are lots more unoccupied beds in the afternoon. There are also beach towels available to borrow from the hotel reception. The water is very shallow and remains only waist deep for quite some distance off shore. The reef runs right up to the beach and you can see a huge variety of fish and other marine life with just a mask and snorkel. Remember to try and avoid standing on the coral or clams, but wear beach shoes just in case as there were some small sea urchins around. Hotel This is the first time I've actually stayed at Oonas, previously staying at a hotel out of town and travelling in by taxi each day. Before our holiday we communicated with Sheila and Karen by email to decide on the best accommodation option for us (a suite that sleeps up to 5 people or two separate twin rooms) as they offer various dive/accommodation packages. We decided on a suite, which was perfect for us and included a twin room, single room and a single bed in the lounge, with the option of an additional pull out bed if we had needed it. There was also a shower room and large balcony with a table, chairs, hammock and a sea view. Each room had its own air con unit, which was great as it meant we could set it to our individual preferences overnight, and the lounge had a full sized fridge, kettle, mugs, brew kit, TV, coffee table and comfy chairs. We didnt need the room serviced every day, but when we did put the sign out requesting a clean it was spotless every time. The restaurant/bar was comfy and the staff very friendly. There are the usual hot and cold drinks options as well as a varied food selection. We ate at the hotel a lot and I think between us, tried most things on the menu. It was all well cooked, tasty and fresh. We particularly enjoyed a quick pizza and fries for luch on beach days while cooling off in the air con inside or under one of the ceiling fans outside. If you fancy venturing out though, the location of Oonas, at the end of Na'ama Bay, means you're close to numerous restaurants and bars to suit every taste. The restaurant is also where we had breakfast every morning. This consisted of fruit, pastries, cheese, meat, tomatoes, cucumber, bread, cereal, juice and a chef making whatever egg dish you fancied. A perfect way to start the day. During our stay we did go on a trip to Cairo so requested breakfast boxes to go. These included a well packed bag containing a selection of all the things listed above, ready for collection from reception at the time specified. The reception desk is manned 24/7 so there are no restrictions on when you can go out or come back. Staff The staff really are the cherry on the top of a wonderful dive club! Sheila and Karen keep it all running smoothly, they handled the initial booking, course planning, dive paperwork, boat bookings, extra dives and even a medical exam for me on the first day (to make sure some medication I have been prescribed would not affect my diving). This was an experience I didn't expect (although probably should have) and consisted of a trip to the doctor's office for a thorough check up and full physical observations before and after a rigorous workout involving constant step-ups on and off a tall block, which luckily was directly under an air con unit! The office also houses the hyperbaric chamber, which was interesting to have a look at, but I hope that's the last time I need to see it! Sheila organised it all, including the taxi there and back, so it was seamless. Pete, Sheko and Ozzie, the dive guides/instructors, were all brilliant. Knowledgeable, supportive and a really good laugh! Pete and Ozzy were the guides for my dives while Sheko conducted our eldest daughter's OW and AOW course, expertly getting her qualified and confident despite the aforementioned wobble after day one. He also took our youngest on all three of her Bubblemaker dives and helped her get involved with dismantling the kit afterwards. She particularly enjoyed dunking everything in the fresh water tank! The briefing for each dive was clear so we knew what to expect and what was expected of us. We were supervised, but not intrusively, allowing us to explore safely without feeling restricted while being guided to the best spots. I handed our camera over to Ozzy on one day and he happily captured some footage of my daughter and I diving together, which was great. It was such a privilege to dive with her, as she wasn't even born last time I donned scuba kit! Back at the hotel, Attoya (sp?) and Syed in the restaurant/bar were brilliant. They'd learnt all our names by about day 3 and looked after us really well for the whole fortnight. Ahmed on reception was also great, arranging an excursion for us as well as our transfers, breakfast boxes and a late check out on the last day as our flight wasn't until 9.30pm. Final Thoughts Oonas is more than a hotel that offers diving. It is a proper club where everyone is treated as a friend, whether it is their first visit or their 100th. There is a large table outside the restaurant where it is usual (almost expected) for everyone to gather after returning from the boat to discuss the day's diving, what we'd seen, where we'd like to go next time and any other random topic that we drifted onto (normally over a cold beer). Our youngest daughter turned 9 midway through our stay and, without any request from us, a cake appeared on the boat while we were at sea. Everyone sang happy birthday to her, followed by the dive guides and crew singing the Arabic version and we all tucked into a slice. Then, when we got back to the hotel, a second cake arrived! It was huge and covered in fresh fruit. All the guests and staff had a slice with a cold drink and she didn't stop smiling. They didnt have to do this, but it was certainly a lovely touch that we weren't expecting and made her birthday very memorable. In summary, if you want a polished, marble clad resort with acres of chlorinated water, a huge shiny reception, 1000 people sitting around in the sun and an all you can eat buffet, there are plenty of options in Sharm. If, however, you want the perfect combination of brilliant staff, personal attention, expert knowledge, fantastic diving, thorough training and quality kit combined with a relaxed attitude and a holiday that leaves you feeling like you've made new friends, then Oonas is the place for you! We will certainly be back and are already looking to book a group trip, hopefully in the not too distant future!