JAZ Makadi Star & Spa — Hotel in Makadi Bay

Hello there, Sabalahere!|Review number 83 so not new at this, hopefully a true version of our 2 weeks in Hurghada staying at the Jaz Makadi Star and Spa.|We, my wife and I arrived quite late and were taken to our Room, this initially appeared to be very nice, spacious, airy, nice Shower and Toilet, clean.|We sat for a little while then opened the Patio Doors, whats that noise? A Generator at the adjacent Hotel was located maybe 100metres from our room but was very noisy. We had requested by E Mail a month before arrival that we would prefer a quiet room.|To add some further colour, we had initially booked to return to a sister hotel, Jaz Case Del Mar Beach also in Hurghada, with 2 months to go we has an E Mail from Easy Jet advising that some building work was taking place adjacent to the Hotel, as we did not want to be bothered by noise we decided to re-book to the Makadi Star and Spa. We contacted Reception and told them of the issue, after a short wait they turned up with another room key and we moved, 50 metres further away from the Generator, we said we would try this location as it was now getting late and we had not eaten. We found our way to the Restaurant but service had ended and no food was available. We spoke to a member of Staff who went and asked the Head Chef who plated us up a couple of meals which were much appreciated and were very good.|The next day we again visited Reception and told them of the room still being too noisy, we were told to come back in the afternoon and we would get a better room. We returned to Reception as requested and were taken to another Room, on the Ground Floor this time however when I looked out of the Patio Door we were now exactly opposite the Generator again under our original room!|Asked Reception Staff if all the Rooms which advised Garden View which we had booked were on this wing, yes he said.|I asked about upgrading to a Pool View Room which he said we could do for $220, this we did and were allocated a Ground Floor Room, overlooking the Pool and away from the Generator. This process did actually impact on the first two days of our holiday as we had not unpacked until settled in the Pool View Room.|This Room was identical to the others in the Block, nice and clean, plenty of power sockets, Fridge with complimentary soft drinks and water. We were looked after in Room 103 by Ibrahim who surprised us several times with light displays in the Room upon our return at night. He was very good and was happy to provide us with extra Toilet Rolls on request when we had stomach issues.|Around the Pool there were plenty of Sunbeds, many of these however did have towels on all day having been placed there earlier despite signage saying this was not allowed. The Pool Staff were always on hand to assist with moving beds, parasols, cleaning Sunglasses, bringing cold towels once a day, bringing sweets then tidying up at the end of the day.|Bar Staff provided excellent service bringing drinks to your sunbed as often as you wanted, particular mention must be given to Ibrahim ( Denzil) who was very patient and humoured me with my feeble attempts at learning some Arabic words- Itneed maya fawara (Two sparkling waters). Mohammed, who was very keen on me teaching him German despite being told many times that we are from Scotland and do not speak German, he was very good at keeping our glasses topped up in the afternoon.|As we moved into the Evening the Bar Staff were still on duty, particular thanks to Hashim, Ramadan who did the inside bar and who made some excellent Bloody Marys, he will have been pleased to see us go as he kept having to track down Tomato Juice for us! My good friend Ali, now known as Alister Macallister.|In the Dining Room we would most often be welcomed by Mr Hassan the Restaurant Manager who is an absolute credit to the Hotel and unlike other Managers we saw he was happy to clear tables and help his Staff if it was busy. Head Chef during our first week was lovely to us after our late arrival experience on the first day, he would always speak if he saw us. The self service Restaurant at meal times was always overflowing with a huge selection of meals to please all tastes.|We tended to use the same seating areas in the Restaurant and were served by lovely friendly waiters who made sure we had ample drinks on our table be it coffee, wine or water. Particular thanks for Mayrus who looked after us for the first week then was moved outside. Abd Elrahman then took over and looked after us very well, a most pleasant and helpful young man.|The Entertainment Team were very good without being intrusive, Big Mido and Ussa were always very enthusiastic, talking to all guests and encouraging those who wanted to take part to take part, we were happy to watch from a distance.|Elena in Customer Support often came round to check that everything was OK, we did not see her for our first few days, she was always happy to spend a few minutes chatting.|The Gardens and Grounds were quite immaculate, we used to chat with Morab Salah, one of the Gardeners who would bring my wife flowers sometimes.|On Departure day we asked to keep our room for a few hours but were told this was not possible, we got a free extension until 12.00, our pickup was at 1600. |Our general opinion of the Reception Staff was not very positive, they were very abrupt and it seemed like we were being a nuisance to them, possibly a language issue but our interactions with them were not very positive.|Departmental Managers were always on the scene keeping an eye on their Staff. They do not project the same welcoming touches as the rest of the Staff, all apart from Mr Hassan appear to be very aloof, above speaking to the guests apart from their own particular favourites which was very apparent especially when a returning guest was first greeted. Managers would frequently be seen walking around the Hotel mobile phone in hand avoiding eye contact with guests at all costs. This does not portray a good example to their Staff who fortunately do not behave in such a fashion, most are happy to give a greeting on the way past even a smile which was always reassuring.|We were invited to a Welcome Cocktail Party, we were however poorly on that day so did not attend we did however witness it from across the Pool. Mainly a welcome party for returning guest some of whom had been there over 20 times.|I need to mention that the vast majority of guests, certainly 80% were German, not a problem, but they are not great at queueing in the Restaurant, they appear to be very impatient and expect to be given priority. It would be interesting to know the exact mix of guests from each Country prior to booking.|The Beach is about a 10 - 15 minute walk, we only went down there a few times but always seemed to be very busy, The dedicated Restaurant at the Beach was very good, manned by Staff from the Hotel who were very pleasant to deal with.|We had to attend the local Pharmacy a few times, it is open 24/7 which is useful to know. The Staff there were very helpful. Good idea when you go though is to mention Trip Advisor or similar sites when asking for a particular product. First time I went it cost me $25 for two different medications which were supplied out of the box to me with only verbal instructions on dosage. Next time I went I showed them on Trip Advisor the item I wanted, strangely enough the price was now only $2! The guys in the shop were chatting to themselves but I heard them say Trip Advisor so be aware!|Have scored the Hotel a 5, this really reflects on the excellent friendly service provided by the troops on the ground, Cooks, Waiters, Bar Staff, Pool Staff. |MANAGERS - you need to up your game, I know having worked in Egypt that there is very much a formal and hierachical rank structure in the workplace, to visitors this is very apparent and deters from our enjoyment of our stay. You need to be less aloof, especially in the tourism sector, with your Clients, give us eye contact, smile, say Sabalacheer, Shukran, especially if we speak to you or smile towards you, smile back, say hello. Do not pretend to be on your mobile and try to make yourself look important. We do not care about status, be respectful to your Staff.|Without your Staff you have no business, be kind to them, they look after your business, I presume some of you will at some stage have worked at their level, respect that and do not get above your station. Be aware of over welcoming your favourite clients, it is very unsightly and shows definite favouritism either towards the people or...

What a devastating end to what was a great holiday!

This was part of a package, 7 days on a cruise, 5 days in this all inclusive hotel. Sounds great, right?

Upon arrival we had our passports taken off us ,no knowledge of where our rooms were or the general running of the hotel, left to wait for them. After a few minutes we were taken to our rooms in what we thought would be the start of 5 relaxing days, however we were given the wrong room and when stated he "didn't know" Asked about our twin room with garden, told we'd have to wait until 6pm (we arrived at 1-1:30pm. Not the best start!

We then decided to ask about the hotel and what's actually all inclusive as I've never been to one before, he then forgot to give us our bands till late as we had a long wait for our new room. I wouldn't mind if we booked late or had been told in advance but this was booked 12month in advance.

The rooms;

Clean and relatively simple, nothing really good to say but nothing majorly negative. The sink needed cleaning as it took 3 working days for it to drain. The were very dated. We also had strange and uncomfortable pillows (one very large and one very small)

Day 2:

Having had some food and our first sleep we thought we would spend a day relaxing around the hotel. Noticing a lot of bribery in hotel staff and a large part of the staff not understanding we weren't German ( this was something we discovered very quickly was a Egypt holiday resort for Germans) we decided to go on a sunbed by the pool, with obvious signs about no reservations on sunbeds (quite a normal hotel policy) but with the bribery, that didn't mean a thing. Having been lying on a empty sunbed for 2.5 hours I was told in a very abrupt way to get off, after stating that nobody was on it and no sign of anyone there , that he had lost his sunbed, the civil argument is something anyone can complain about and that's not why I rate this part of my review badly. But it's because of the pool assistant telling me that they were honoured guests and that I should get off the bed and leave. Which in my eyes, everyone in the hotel should be honoured guests? Obviously not.

( every day we noticed the same family that we'd argued with, would tip every waiter/pool guy and they had to same sunbeds every day ,even leaving them for hours on end and still expecting to have the same bed) blatant corruption!

Food was sub par with a large selection of soups and treats, with veggie options available, sadly everything tasted the same, to the point you could convince yourself you had Covid. The best meal we had was in the Italian restaurant nextdoor,which wasn't our first choice but upon reading reviews for the other 5 options was our best hope. Where is all the Egyptian food In Egypt?

After all this I'd made an assumption that I'll never do a all inclusive again, and that I wouldn't be coming back to hurghada again, it's not Egypt, just a man-made hotel complex.

We'd complained about the pool guy, we got a corporate response and they gave us a fruit basket (we get free food anyway?) They told us they'd make pack lunches for us to travel home with, we got nothing?

The beach section for this hotel is abysmal, what I couldn't fathom was how every other jaz hotel shares it's beach, (which they had a nice large selection) but star and spa didn't, which comes to my next point, after not feeling very comfortable in the hotel with the recent argument, we decided to go beach and got a sunbed. We got bothered by the same pool guy who now had a grudge against us, but we also found a biased against anyone non German.

I mean I don't care what nationality they were, they shouldn't be racist and choose a national favourite because of their bribery. Polish next to us got told to move along with not explanation, they didn't argue but didn't seem happy. And another British family right next to us ,who asked if they could have our spots as we were leaving, were told no these Germans have priority. We didn't see the outcome as we were just leaving.

In all this ruined what was a...

My family and I stayed at the JAZ MAKADI STAR & SPA on May 29, 2025, with high expectations, given its reputation as a premier destination in Hurghada. Regrettably, our hotel experience was profoundly marred by a series of unacceptable incidents and a general lack of considerate customer service, compelling me to share this formal account.

The initial point of friction arose at check-in. We were confronted by a staff member, Mina, who insisted on seeing my two-year-old daughter's birth certificate. This was not only an unexpected demand but also created an immediate sense of unease and foreshadowed further reservation issues and a generally unwelcoming atmosphere. Such a requirement, without prior notification, is an unnecessary impediment for traveling families.

A more egregious instance of poor policy and discriminatory practice occurred at the spa. My wife, who wears a burkini for religious and personal reasons, was categorically denied entry by the spa manager, Olga. We were informed that the spa policy dictated she could only enter if she wore a bikini, despite my being permitted access without similar scrutiny. This blatant discrimination was deeply offensive, utterly unprofessional, and certainly not reflective of an establishment that should pride itself on inclusivity.

Further compounding our dissatisfaction, we were informed via a phone call that access to the water park access would be denied on our day of checkout. For a hotel that markets itself as family-friendly, this policy is simply baffling and unreasonable. It significantly curtails the enjoyment for families, particularly those with children eager to make the most of their stay.

The final insult to our already soured experience was the damaged property we discovered upon departure. My child’s scooter was carelessly damaged during the luggage handling process by hotel staff, adding a tangible loss to the intangible disappointment we had already endured.

In conclusion, our stay at JAZ MAKADI STAR & SPA was exceptionally disappointing. The series of negative encounters, from unwarranted reservation issues at check-in and discriminatory spa policy to restrictive water park access and damaged property, points to a systemic failure in customer service and a lack of genuine consideration for guests, especially families. I strongly urge the management of JAZ MAKADI STAR & SPA to undertake a comprehensive review of its policies and staff training to ensure that future guests, particularly families, receive the respectful, accommodating, and high-quality hotel experience they are entitled to expect. This experience has left an indelible negative mark, and it is my sincere hope that corrective measures are promptly implemented. Dear Guest Relations Team],

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my feedback regarding my recent stay at JAZ Makadi Star & Spa.

While I appreciate your apologies and the acknowledgment of the issues raised, I must express that a simple apology does not adequately address the significant disappointment and discomfort we experienced during our short stay. The incidents surrounding the verification process at check-in, the experience my wife endured at the spa, and the confusion regarding aquapark access on our departure day were not just minor inconveniences — they severely impacted our overall impression of what was expected to be a relaxing and enjoyable visit.

What I was hoping for in your reply was not only recognition of these concerns but also a concrete gesture to restore our trust in your brand. As a loyal traveler and someone who chose your property based on its reputation, I believe it would be both fair and appropriate to offer compensation — such as a complimentary night stay at your property or an equivalent alternative within the JAZ Hotels Group.

This would go a long way in showing that you truly value guest satisfaction and are committed to making things right beyond just words.

I look forward to your response and hope we can reach a...