Rixos Premium Alamein — Hotel in Matruh

We spent a week in that hotel, and I would say that it was a 6/10-points holiday, not at all a 5-star as offered. Music is chaotically everywhere, 24 hours a day. There was no tiny quiet corner. The strangest thing is that they also have a sound in the hotel, and music plays even at night!! - The one was right in front of our door, and it was a nightmare: we couldn’t sleep well because this sound was in our room while we slept. We reported this issue a lot of times, every day. Once, after a scandal, the music in front of our door was switched off… for 20 minutes!! As a result, we were sleep deprived during the whole stay It wasn’t clean enough. The cleaning service was poor in the room, and we saw empty cans and paper cups on the beach. The beach is too small for all the guests. There are not enough sun beds and towels for everyone. Entering the sea was complicated because it was too crowded. By entering the beach at 9 a.m., it wasn’t possible to find a free space already, but at the same time, there were only several people sitting on sun beds; the others were occupied by swimwear, shoes, and other personal stuff—this attitude is restricted by hotel rules, but no one cares, not tourists nor hotel stuff. The food is poor. Every day is the same; even at à la carte restaurants, you can choose the same dishes that you can pick from the buffet. Funny thing about the seafood: only shrimps were freshly cooked, another seafood choices were offered only in ugly-looking sauce … Why not serve crabs, mussels, or squids just steamed or grilled? No, everything from that seafood list was provided with poo-colored ugly sauce on top, and no one grabbed that stuff. The alcohol was bad. After a few glasses of wine, bubbles, or cocktails, we felt unwell right after and the next day. The kids club has strange working hours: 10-13:30; 15-16:30. So, actually, the periods when your kid is on the beach/in the pool. We never use it, obviously. During the hottest period of the day, when it’s better to spend time inside, the kids' club was closed. The outdoor playground is fine, but there are no benches at all! All the parents were sitting on the grass or the kids’ swings. The general service is weak. You may ask questions or request special things, and the maximum you get is a smile. Resolution of your questions is not the priority.

A few good points: The outside and sea temperatures were comfortable: 23-29 degrees in the air and 23-25 degrees in the sea. We also rarely used the air conditioner; it wasn’t needed at all. The sea is a beautiful blue color, and the sand is white and soft. Comfortable waves were also a plus. Good pool, without a smell. Big enough rooms, but with poor noise isolation and quite old inside. Some people from the staff were friendly and supportive for real.

The hotel should change a lot of things to meet the expectations, or: Lower the price Do not proclaim themselves a luxury...

We recently stayed at Rixos Alamein Premium with high hopes. After reading over 15,000 5-star reviews, we expected something truly exceptional. The total cost for our group of six (four adults, two children) was about $6,000 for four nights—roughly $1,000 per person, which isn’t cheap. Initially, we booked the half-board option (breakfast and dinner included), but on arrival, we discovered lunch was an extra $40/person, so we upgraded to all-inclusive (without alcohol) for $100/person/day.

First impressions were great—gorgeous views, beautiful water, modern aesthetics. We were excited. But having traveled to 44 countries and stayed everywhere from basic camps to 7-diamond resorts, I can tell you this place does not live up to the hype.

Here’s why: •    The beach situation is a nightmare. If you’re not there early enough, good luck finding a spot. Your only option becomes the “VIP beach” at $150/person. For our family of six, that’s $900 just to sit on the beach! •    The main restaurant, Turquoise, serves good food. But getting a table is chaotic. They claim they have two other restaurants with the same food—not true. •    The Veranda has terrible ventilation, and the smell was so overpowering my pregnant wife ended up vomiting. •    Salt is outdoors, food was cold, and service was awful. Bottom line: only Turquoise has the quality food, and it’s a fight to get in. •    One bizarre experience: A manager told us to follow him to get a table. We walked behind him through the restaurant… and he literally exited the building and lit a cigarette. No table. Just confusion. •    My daughter’s room had an electrical issue with burning smell and smoke. Power was cut. They fixed it the next day, but even after that, the AC didn’t work until 1 a.m. the following night. •    During the Euro Final (Portugal vs Spain), despite half the guests being European, there was not a single screen showing the game. No bar, no lounge, nothing. •    After 10 p.m., the entire hotel is just dead. No entertainment, no vibe, nothing.

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We’ve been to Vegas, Dubai, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Mexico—you name it. This hotel is not worth the money, not worth the hype, and not a place we’d recommend. Save your money. Go somewhere else. Rixos Alamein Premium is a major disappointment.

P.S. A dear friend of ours had arranged a surprise fruit basket delivery for us on the first day of our arrival. We only found out about it when we were checking out — it was never delivered or even mentioned to us during the stay. Just another example of how poorly things...

I booked this hotel for my family based on the great reviews. I do not recommend the spa services, and the management failed to handle the issue appropriately.

A family member of mine, who wears the hijab, was reassured that there is a women-only section where no men are allowed. However, during the beginning of her massage, a man walked in on her. Whether you’re a woman who wears the hijab or not, this is completely unacceptable. Even if he was a guest, the spa should have strict measures in place to prevent men from entering women-only areas—especially a private massage room. This kind of breach wouldn’t even occur in many non-Muslim countries.

While the staff did apologize and offer another service, she declined, explaining that she no longer felt comfortable. Rather than acknowledging her discomfort and issuing a refund, they insisted this was the best they could do. At the very least, they should have refunded the service, which was completely ruined.

When we followed up with guest relations, we again asked for a refund. Instead, the representative continued to suggest rebooking another service.

If a well-known hotel cannot refund a mere $150 after such a serious incident, it says a lot about their priorities.

When they repeated that offering another service was the only option, she asked if a facial was available—something that wouldn’t put her in a vulnerable situation again. The manager said he would check. However, when she reviewed the list of available treatments, she saw that facials weren’t even offered. That’s when they came back and said they could do a facial as a “special” just for her. This only raised further concerns—if it’s not a listed service, how can she trust the staff is trained or equipped to perform it properly? Facials require specific training and a background in skincare; it’s not a service that should be improvised. She then directly asked for a refund, but they refused—without offering any meaningful resolution or taking accountability. For a hotel of this caliber, that kind of response is not only disappointing, but deeply unprofessional.

This experience was disappointing and left us feeling disrespected. I hope the hotel takes incidents like this more seriously moving forward. I will not be booking with any Rixos hotel...