# Apartment in Safaga



## Emz000

Hi

Does anyone know of any flats / apartments in Safaga near Hurghada that can be rented for 1 week in Jan? Preferably through an official website or something with a bit of security as going on my own and dont want to end up stranded. 

Thanks x


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## Helen Ellis

Emz000 said:


> Hi
> 
> Does anyone know of any flats / apartments in Safaga near Hurghada that can be rented for 1 week in Jan? Preferably through an official website or something with a bit of security as going on my own and dont want to end up stranded.
> 
> Thanks x


Don't know of an apartment, but Alibaba hotel has the best restaurant in Safaga and as it's not on the beach prob not too expensive. 
Hotel und Restaurant 2
Safaga, gegenüber Mennaville Village
Red Sea, Egypt
Telefon: +20 65 326 06 00

E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: Herzlich Willkommen im Hotel Ali Baba

Inhaber: Antar Shahaat

Yes it's in German.
If I find any I'll post, how many beds/people?


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## Horus

Helen Ellis said:


> Don't know of an apartment, but Alibaba hotel has the best restaurant in Safaga and as it's not on the beach prob not too expensive.
> Hotel und Restaurant 2
> Safaga, gegenüber Mennaville Village
> Red Sea, Egypt
> Telefon: +20 65 326 06 00
> 
> E-Mail: [email protected]
> Internet: Herzlich Willkommen im Hotel Ali Baba
> 
> Inhaber: Antar Shahaat
> 
> Yes it's in German.
> If I find any I'll post, how many beds/people?


I can translate for you I am fluent in German


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## Emz000

Helen Ellis said:


> Don't know of an apartment, but Alibaba hotel has the best restaurant in Safaga and as it's not on the beach prob not too expensive.
> Hotel und Restaurant 2
> Safaga, gegenüber Mennaville Village
> Red Sea, Egypt
> Telefon: +20 65 326 06 00 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting**************+20 65 326 06 00******end_of_the_skype_highlighting
> 
> E-Mail: [email protected]
> Internet: Herzlich Willkommen im Hotel Ali Baba
> 
> Inhaber: Antar Shahaat
> 
> Yes it's in German.
> If I find any I'll post, how many beds/people?



Ok thanks I will bear that restaurant in mind. Apartment needed is 1 bed and ideally an owner that will let me share it with my Egyptian boyfriend!! Trying to avoid the expense of 2 seperate rooms in a hotel. Although I am fully aware of the rules and reasons so I know this will probably be the only option. However holding out hope that there may be a foreign apartment owner who doesnt mind


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## Horus

Emz000 said:


> Ok thanks I will bear that restaurant in mind. Apartment needed is 1 bed and ideally an owner that will let me share it with my Egyptian boyfriend!! Trying to avoid the expense of 2 seperate rooms in a hotel. Although I am fully aware of the rules and reasons so I know this will probably be the only option. However holding out hope that there may be a foreign apartment owner who doesnt mind


Depends on how much noise you make I suppose and if he get's his musical instruments


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## Helen Ellis

Emz000 said:


> Ok thanks I will bear that restaurant in mind. Apartment needed is 1 bed and ideally an owner that will let me share it with my Egyptian boyfriend!! Trying to avoid the expense of 2 seperate rooms in a hotel. Although I am fully aware of the rules and reasons so I know this will probably be the only option. However holding out hope that there may be a foreign apartment owner who doesnt mind


It's not a case of minding, it is strictly against the law and you can both be arrested if someone reports you. I was asked by the owner of the building I live in to tell a lady that she cannot have Egyptian men in her apartment AT ALL, never mind if it's just for dinner. The doorman was going to call the police, I was told he gets in trouble too if it is found he knows about it.
They are not bothered with foreigners, only Egyptians. 
Why Safaga? there are far fewer foreigners there, not many Brits, lots of French, far less developed, which can be a good thing but it means less choice of apartments to rent. Diving's better tho.
You could just do the orfi marriage and then there would not be a problem, you could stay anywhere, daft but there it is.
Sorry to go on but it's more for the benefit of others who don't know the rules and read this post.


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## MaidenScotland

Helen Ellis said:


> It's not a case of minding, it is strictly against the law and you can both be arrested if someone reports you. I was asked by the owner of the building I live in to tell a lady that she cannot have Egyptian men in her apartment AT ALL, never mind if it's just for dinner. The doorman was going to call the police, I was told he gets in trouble too if it is found he knows about it.
> They are not bothered with foreigners, only Egyptians.
> Why Safaga? there are far fewer foreigners there, not many Brits, lots of French, far less developed, which can be a good thing but it means less choice of apartments to rent. Diving's better tho.
> You could just do the orfi marriage and then there would not be a problem, you could stay anywhere, daft but there it is.
> Sorry to go on but it's more for the benefit of others who don't know the rules and read this post.




We had a thread about this a couple of months ago...it isn't actually against the law in that there is no written law on it but it is accepted that it is against the law, and of course they can use emergency laws here to implement what they want without there being a statute


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## Emz000

Helen Ellis said:


> It's not a case of minding, it is strictly against the law and you can both be arrested if someone reports you. I was asked by the owner of the building I live in to tell a lady that she cannot have Egyptian men in her apartment AT ALL, never mind if it's just for dinner. The doorman was going to call the police, I was told he gets in trouble too if it is found he knows about it.
> They are not bothered with foreigners, only Egyptians.
> Why Safaga? there are far fewer foreigners there, not many Brits, lots of French, far less developed, which can be a good thing but it means less choice of apartments to rent. Diving's better tho.
> You could just do the orfi marriage and then there would not be a problem, you could stay anywhere, daft but there it is.
> Sorry to go on but it's more for the benefit of others who don't know the rules and read this post.


Yeah I admit I didnt realise we would stick out more in Safaga till now.. Anyway he works in Safaga and his management are total control freaks and like to make things difficult for him so wouldnt surprise me if they cancel his holiday at last minute ( wouldnt be the first time!) so if that happens I can still see him around his work hours without having to get taxis for 30 miles each time. Just thinking ahead and trying to expect and plan for the worst.
I have thought about the Orfi but wouldnt know where to get it from in Hurghada or Safaga, plus Im worried that if it doesnt work out with this guy, Ive got some secret marriage lurking on my records.. Does it need to be mentioned if I was to get married to a British man in England further down the line? And does anyone know the quickest/easiest way to get one in this area?


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## SHendra

Orfi marriage isn't really anything much other than a paper contract. Done in some lawyer office. Some even been known to make their own kinda thing and have it witness. It won't haunt you further down the line unless it's registered with a court. Which there's no need to do. 

If you decided your days of being orfi' married are over you just need to tear up the paper and bingo over with. Nothing more needs to be done. Orfi more to protect the Egyptian guys from getting into trouble. Other than that it has no real value. He has no rights over you and nor you over him. It's more a cover up kinda thing. And not every hotel accepts it nor do every landord!(here in Alexandria anyway!)


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## Sam

I haven't found any hotel that accepts an Orfi contract!

MS is right, there is no law against Egyptians and foreigners staying together, although it doesn't stop people hassling them. It's just a case of knowing your rights and standing up for them. There is also no law against not abiding by Ramadan, but it didn't stop the arrests during Ramadan, that's just the way it is.


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## Helen Ellis

Maybe it would be easier for him to look for an apartment? Or try french holiday let sites?
I wonder if Divers House bar would know of any, they may have a notice board or something where people advertise holiday lets. He could ask? Then at least it would be sorted before you arrive.


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## Helen Ellis

Sam said:


> I haven't found any hotel that accepts an Orfi contract!
> 
> MS is right, there is no law against Egyptians and foreigners staying together, although it doesn't stop people hassling them. It's just a case of knowing your rights and standing up for them. There is also no law against not abiding by Ramadan, but it didn't stop the arrests during Ramadan, that's just the way it is.


I'd forgotten that thread, I'm so used to everyone thinking and behaving like the law is there. Many hotels have signs stating married couples only, and my dive buddy and her Egyptian husband have been asked to produce their marriage certificate, but I've never been asked, maybe because my boyfriend is English.


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## GM1

take care: if you have an orfi: keep BOTH papers with you! If you don't want the "marriage" anymore, just tear them up. But if your "husband" has one copy he can legalize it, with whatever consequences that will bring.


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## Macko54

Emz000 said:


> Hi
> 
> Does anyone know of any flats / apartments in Safaga near Hurghada that can be rented for 1 week in Jan? Preferably through an official website or something with a bit of security as going on my own and dont want to end up stranded.
> 
> Thanks x


Hello, did you manage to find anywhere to rent in Safaga. I have the same question and the same problem. I know it has been a couple of years since you were asking. I am due to go in August my BF working in Soma Bay. Any updates on places to stay would be welcome. Many thanks in advance.


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## Biffy

Hi
it may not be against the secular LAW - but it is against the religious law - n=hence why they insist on a marriage contract if one of you is Egyptian.

We went to stay in Hurghada recently - have been married for over 13 years - ahve 3 children and we were still asked for a copy of our marriage contract (and this in a hotel full of wuropean tourists!
And no they won't accept an Orfi marriage anyway - that's just a way to ge the s*x without guilt and without having to go the whole hog and actually get married!


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## Macko54

I have the same situation, I realise this is an old post but if anyone has any information on where I can rent an apartment in Safaga or Soma Bay in August your advice and information would be very much appreciated. Many thanks


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