SUNRISE Tucana Resort — Hotel in Makadi Bay

SUNRISE Tucana Resort

Usually, writing a review is reasonably straightforward – it almost writes itself. But, with this one, I struggled. It’s like they’ve modelled the resort on what you could expect from a Caribbean AI and it almost works… but not quite. Then you have to remember that this is Egypt. I hope that the following will explain…

We touched down at 7pm and, in spite of a somewhat chaotic TUI transport allocation process, we were at the Tucana Resort by 8:30pm. The reception was quick and efficient (which was appreciated as we’d been traveling for over 12 hours) and within minutes we were fitted with the best wrist bands we’ve ever had (see picture) and whisked away to the Posh club (PC). Tucana, if you are reading this, please come up with a better name - no one wants to be called posh (it used to be called the Royal Club; it appears that the name transition is work-in-progress). Everyone has a wrist-band, either solid or plaited (PC), so that they are differentiated from the sister hotel next door.

Although the hotel is effectively a 200-room resort attached to the Sunrise Royal Makadi (SRM) Resort it is distinct with its own identity. You can eat/drink at any of the restaurants/bars at SRM but I assume that you do need to book in advance. The resort is impeccably clean and tidy.

There was plenty of space for the number of guests, each of the main buildings had a huge bar/seating area on the roof and surprisingly, these were pretty much abandoned during the day so it was easy to find some (even quieter) space any time of the day. These spaces were used on rotation each evening for some form of live entertainment. There was a full day of activity, every day so no excuse for not joining in!

The only negative was the muzak – everywhere; bars, restaurants, all day, no let-up. We love my music but, it’s our music and we wouldn’t subject others to it! Why do the bars and restaurants think that we need some generic (loud) music all day and night.

You can walk freely between all of the beachfront hotels - as far as you want in either direction through all the other hotels. There are a couple of piers that you can wander out on to see the glorious fish, if you don’t want to snorkel. The bay has many cordoned-off areas to protect the coral and judging by the number of people in the water by mid-day, it’s a good job, too as the coral has suffered in places.

We were in one of the rooms right by the Posh club with its own swimming pool. I might be biased but this turned out to be one of the best positions – surprisingly private but as close to all restaurants and bars as you could expect (many of the pool rooms face right onto main thoroughfares so they don’t have much privacy). It was just a short (2min) walk to the sea and less than that to the PC bar/restaurant.

The room was large; think twice the width of a standard room. There were three, yes three, AC units, more sockets than you could actually use and, ladies take note - even one right by the huge dressing mirror. There were two showers (no bath), one was 2m x 2m and open to the sky – brilliant. The towels were changed twice a day (if, as is the norm, you left them on the floor) and were of good size and quality. There was fruit, a bottle of wine and a fridge, stocked daily, full of water, fruit juice and beer. There was also a coffee machine. None of this was used as it’s AI – if you can’t be bothered to walk to the bar, you can just get it delivered to your room/pool!

Though we ate at all the restaurants, we found ourselves returning to Yades for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurants have menus even though you are encouraged to use QR codes and app/WhatsApp. The app doesn’t reflect what is actually available in the restaurants (with the exception of the PC). Much of the hotel's facilities rely on the app which you can download prior to arrival.

Having been to Egypt many times, we know just how warm and friendly the people are. Everyone we met was friendly and courteous and went out of their way to make sure that we had the...

Aesthetically Pleasing, But Lacking True Exclusivity

Our decision to visit Tucana was driven by a desire for effortless relaxation in an all-inclusive setting. The hotel, with its boutique-inspired aesthetic and Posh Club concept, promised a more refined experience than the typical large-scale resorts. While it delivered in certain aspects, the overall execution fell short, particularly in communication, personalisation, and true exclusivity.

The Stay: A Mass-Tourism Experience Disguised as Luxury

Upon arrival, we were greeted with a structured, impersonal check-in process that made it clear this was a high-volume operation. Despite the Posh Club upgrade, the experience lacked the exclusivity one would expect. Being asked to immediately go for lunch before being taken to the room felt more like an operational necessity than a thoughtful welcome. The room itself was spacious and well-appointed, but the sheer density of the resort meant it lacked the privacy and individuality found in boutique hotels. The swim-up pool in front of our suite was a highlight on the rare warm moments we had. However, thin walls and tightly packed rooms meant noise from neighbouring guests was unavoidable, detracting from the serene experience we had hoped for.

Dining & Drinks: Repetitive & Unremarkable

With multiple restaurants available, we had hoped for a diverse culinary experience, but most menus felt repetitive. While the food was acceptable, there was little creativity or variation between the different dining venues. Drinks were another weak point—most of the all-inclusive alcohol offerings were local, with noticeable limitations in quality. One standout exception was the bartender at the Oasis Bar, who crafted an excellent blueberry mojito.

Service & Communication: A Critical Weakness

Despite the staff’s impressive multilingual capabilities, there was a noticeable lack of proactive communication. Rather than engaging guests and curating a personalised experience, information was mostly given in a one-way manner. Key introductions—such as meeting our butler, Radwan—happened later than expected, creating an initial disconnect in service. Additionally, vague or incorrect responses to simple inquiries signaled a lack of training or confidence in handling guest interactions.

One major misstep was our spa experience. Due to unclear guidance, we mistakenly ended up in the beauty salon instead of the actual spa, leading to unexpected charges exceeding €500. While Radwan ultimately helped resolve part of the issue, it was an unnecessary frustration that could have been avoided with better communication.

Final Verdict

Sunrise Tucana Resort Grand Select attempts to elevate the all-inclusive model with its boutique-inspired design and Posh Club exclusives, but it ultimately falls into the common pitfalls of mass tourism: impersonal service, lack of true privacy, and a "one-size-fits-all" approach to hospitality. While some staff were genuinely helpful, and certain aspects like the spa resolution and Oasis Bar stood out, the overall experience was not one of seamless luxury.

Would I return? No. For those seeking genuine exclusivity, tailored service, and a refined atmosphere, Tucana does not deliver. It may suit travelers looking for a visually appealing, family-friendly all-inclusive, but for discerning guests who prioritise personalised hospitality, this is not the right fit.

My Personal Rating: B- (Visually appealing but lacking the sophistication and exclusivity it...

Upon Checkout on Aug, 22nd , the Front office team kept debating in an insulting manner about a missing bathrobe, despite me explaining that I didn’t take any out of the 2 rooms that I was booking. Where I insisted to pay for it after these unacceptable insulation. On Thursday Aug, 22nd My daughter got injured in the sea & bleed from her feet, where I carried her out of the sea & managed the situation without getting any support from the guard /any other staff, despite being there & witnessed the incident. The Beach experience was not a relaxing experience, Umbrellas are fixed with no spacing, making it feeling that everybody on the beach are a big group sitting together, which is annoying & not giving a relaxing experience, while the umbrellas are not providing proper shelter from the sun (See the adjacent design & quality of the next beach of Sunrise Royal Makadi with a better design & quality). The pool is very small, usually crowded, where I usually use the Royal Makadi pools, which is by far better. On Wednesday Aug, 21st evening at the reception confirming the paid late checkout, the reception was stubborn to accept having that at 6 PM instead of 5 PM & refused to do that for room 27107 instead 27105 as it was more convenient for us, giving nonsense reason, for booking & adjacency to other rooms, which all turned to be not true upon validating with deputy manager Mr.Ahmed on the following day. On Thursday Aug 22nd, it took us an hour wasted in the restaurant (Yades) to get our breakfast, where we kept reminding the staff more than 4 times, despite ordering simple omelet & Egyptian bread. On Wednesday Aug 21st evening at the coffee shop at the roof of the reception, there was only one barman to serve on a very big area & took us long time waiting after 2 asks from the Shisha man to send someone to take our order (Not a Barman issue, was resourcing issue to serve the crowd). Contradicting rules of offering fruit plates in the morning on the beach/pool & refusing to serve a fries packet or fruit plate on the beach for my 2 years daughter, mandating to go to restaurant & wasting another 30-45 min for the usual long waiting time for the ala carte ordering style. Some restaurants' food variety was not up to expectations, especially for kids.

In my checkout survey (Before the bathrobe issue), I’ve mentioned that many of the hotel team members (Mr.Hesham Yades restaurant, Chef Madgy, maître Samer in Lucina restaurant, maître Alaa & Mohamed in Yades restaurant) have tried within their capacity & available resources to provide a nice experience to my family, which I’d appreciated & made me tried to overcome many of the above issues for their nice hospitality & care, yet it worth mentioning that the hotel is under staffed & crowded to provide promised experience seamlessly.

In conclusion, this is an experience that I’ll never repeat, regret having it & was a waste...