Serenity Alpha Beach — Hotel in Makadi Bay

Lovely resort with excellent service and very nice staff. Very German oriented (and that's a good thing). It needs reconstruction (it's being patched up as needed and it shows), but nothing serious. The electricity in my (huge) room 3098 fell out a couple of times a day, but was always restored within seconds. WiFi at the room was excellent and since my room was next to the beach restaurant and pool, my WiFi was also excellent there. We even had good enough WiFi at the beach to make a WhatsApp videocall home. Water in the shower was hot and plenty. Air-conditioning was sufficient for the climate, the room was around 15° C cooler than the outside. If you expect to live in a freezer, then don't go to a hot country. The beach was beautiful and almost empty and the towel people can help you with setting up. You can get drinks and ice cream at the beach. The riff is otherworldly and even with simple diving googles you can see enough to keep you busy for days. There was a yellow flag for the whole last week of July and one day we had a red flag. At the riff are at least three guards all the time. You would think they just sit there and talk to each other, but trust me, they keep an eye on all the guests. If you move just a little bit out of their reach or don't get your face out of the water regularly, they immediately take action and call you back. I was swimming next to my kid, who was snorkeling and I had eye contact with one of the guards all the time. Even though the water was rough at times, I felt very safe! I was there alone with my 14 yo daughter and we both felt very comfortable around all the staff from the waiters to the gardeners (there are lots of gardeners to tend the beautiful gardens). But there are also people in shops at the resort, that seem not to be employees of the resort and those are very unpleasant to encounter (old men openly flirting with a child, following you even after a firm 'no' etc). At the beach and pool it's possible to get a 'don't disturb' sign and the sales people don't bother you. I was very confused by the whole tipping thing, so I didn't tip anyone but the housekeeper and pool boys until the last day. Then I gave around 10 euros per person to the staff we encountered the most. The waiters at the beach restaurant have boxes where they deposit all their tips. I suppose they share it at the end of the day. I would have appreciated some info on this from the resort. Obviously tipping is optional! There are a lot of activities, but you have to find out yourself. You do get a sheet with info on the restaurants, laundry service (excellent!) and other important things, but no info on the activities. Next to the front desk you can find an atm which can also exchange foreign currencies (the exchange rate was better than in my home country). That was very nice, because I wanted to have some Egyptian money as a supplement to euros and dollars that I brought with me. By the way, I could have done without the dollars, Egypt is very Euro friendly. The food at the beach restaurant (purple wristband) was excellent. The food at all the other places (including the Italian) was the same, but not the same. It just didn't look as fresh and well made as the food at the beach restaurant. Not sure if a vegetarian would have enough choice of food for multiple weeks. If you choose so, you can eat freshly prepared meals each day, even though it's a buffet style resort. There are multiple stations which prepare dishes on request. They use real mint and fruits in the mocktails and there's plenty of choice of non alcoholic beverages. At the pool they serve Fanta and Coke in cups, but from brand bottles. There are facilities for disabled people, but to be honest, I've seen a gentleman pushing a lady in a wheelchair down the steep hill (to the pools and/or beach) and I wouldn't have dared that myself. It looked rather dangerous, but obviously I don't have the experience. I can wholeheartedly recommend this place for a mom...

From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel welcome. Despite our late arrival at 10 PM, check-in was smooth, and we were pleasantly surprised to receive a complimentary room upgrade. We stayed in Room 3131, a spacious and well-appointed room with a lovely view overlooking the main pool and a partial view of the sea.

The resort itself is massive and beautifully landscaped, with well-maintained gardens and walkways. The overall cleanliness of the resort, from the public areas to the restaurants, was impressive.

Most of the staff were friendly and accommodating, particularly the reception team, who were polite and helpful whenever we had questions.

The beach area was one of the highlights of our stay. While you cannot walk directly into the sea due to the coral, a small pier provides easy access to deeper water, making it a great spot for snorkeling. The beach bar was conveniently located, making it easy to grab a drink while enjoying the ocean views. The setting was picturesque, and the clear blue waters made for some memorable moments.

While the food quality was generally good, with a decent variety of fresh dishes at each meal, the service left much to be desired. The waitstaff in the main restaurant were polite but not very attentive, often requiring guests to flag them down just to place a drinks order. This lack of proactiveness was frustrating, particularly during breakfast and dinner when the restaurant was busiest. A more efficient service approach would greatly enhance the dining experience.

One of the biggest disappointments was the pool situation. Despite the hotel’s claims that one of the pools was heated, we found all of them to be uncomfortably cold, making it difficult to enjoy a swim. For a five-star resort, we expected at least one properly heated pool, especially given the otherwise luxurious setting.

A recurring frustration was the constant interruption from salespeople attempting to sell massages, foot rubs, and overpriced excursions. While some level of sales activity is expected at resorts, the persistence of these vendors became a nuisance, especially when trying to relax by the pool or beach. Guests looking to book excursions should avoid the high prices offered on-site and instead book independently through platforms like GetYourGuide for much better deals.

The gym was another letdown. Unlike most five-star resorts, the fitness center is not on-site but located at a neighboring hotel. It was small, lacked sufficient equipment, and was often too crowded to allow for a proper workout.

Similarly, the spa facilities were underwhelming. Unlike other five-star resorts we’ve stayed at in Tunisia, Egypt, and Turkey, where access to the sauna and steam room is complimentary, here guests are required to pay an additional fee. This felt unreasonable for a hotel of this caliber and took away from the overall luxury experience.

One of the weakest aspects of our stay was the lack of entertainment. The so-called entertainment consisted mainly of karaoke sessions by intoxicated guests, which dragged on late into the night. Aside from one dance performance on the terrace, there were no real shows or activities to keep guests engaged.

The “Gala Dinner” was also a major disappointment. Unlike the elegant affair we had expected, it was no different from any other buffet night. Many guests arrived in swimwear or pajamas, which took away from the experience, and the food selection was the same as the previous nights.

Additionally, the resort’s location is quite remote, about 35 km from the main city center. With no nightlife or nearby attractions within walking distance, evenings at the resort felt dull. If you’re looking for a resort with vibrant entertainment or easy access to the city, this may not be the best choice.

For a five-star resort, the internet connection was disappointingly poor. Wi-Fi was unreliable in most areas of the hotel, making it difficult to stay...

Don't trust the reviews. Locals here are trying to deceive you in every aspect, and unfortunately, this hotel is one of the biggest disappointments in all my travels.

Firstly, the hotel is old and run-down, in need of restoration. The beach is a mix of concrete and dead coral, and it's very dangerous to walk there without coral shoes. If you want to relax on the beach, you'll be attacked every 5 minutes by a swarm of local hawkers offering excursions, manicures, and other things, even while you're sleeping. Most of the beach towels are torn, and many beach loungers are worn out.

Secondly, the food. The hotel offers two types of all-inclusive packages: a basic tariff for mortals and an ultra-inclusive for "gourmets“. For the "gourmets", it means you can dine at the level of a regular five-star hotel in the secret restaurant called "Bay Watch", located closer to the beach. All the great food photos are from there. They serve fresh salads and fried seafood. The regular restaurant, "Mona Lisa“, offers food at a three-star level and receives leftovers from "Bay Watch“. If you're used to eating only french fries and desserts, then this is the place for you. The meat is impossible to eat due to excessive fat and spices, the salads are not fresh.

Thirdly, the Arab duality of personality. On one hand, they care a lot about their "reputation" and constantly ask for feedback and try to solve problems, which is good. On the other hand, for them, you are a walking wallet that they want to empty at every opportunity. It starts with small things, like buying a ticket to the local amusement park, where a grinning youngster with a creepy smile will refuse to take cash in euros and give you a bill in Egyptian pounds for two tickets instead of one, and when you try to pay the bill at the reception, they will calculate it with a 50% markup. It extends to more serious matters like your health, and oh my, if you don't have insurance. I had to pay €700 for a single drip in the local hotel clinic, where they initially quoted me €400, and the doctor tried to convince me to have a course of six such drips, but when I refused, they handed me a bill for €700. By the way, the local monthly salary is only €150.

The impression of the country was reinforced by the TUI guide during the return transfer to the airport, who told us how poor the locals were during the pandemic, how little they earn, and then said, "Let's collect 'voluntary donations' for the poor bus driver. And be sure to leave positive reviews; it's very important for us to attract more tourists to our country."

And they expect tips for every little thing, with the phrase "Do you have change, change?" constantly ringing in my ears. In general, my message to the hotel management and this country is, "If you want change, then change yourself."

As for the positives: Beautiful architecture and interior design. The designers put a lot of effort into it in the beginning when the hotel was apparently new and managed by talented people. Cleanliness - the rooms are well-maintained, the beach and pools are clean, albeit worn out. Staff - the young people who come here to earn money and haven't developed a hatred for tourists yet are very polite and helpful.

Learnings: Exchange your small bills for local currency and pay in it. Never agree to the price they quote you; they will initially give you a price with a markup of at least 200%. Study the surroundings of the hotel carefully on maps, especially the beach. If it's isolated and doesn't belong to a well-known hotel chain, you're...