JAZ Elite Maraya — Hotel in Red Sea

We stayed at Jaz Maraya for 16 days with my wife and it was an absolutely amazing stay. Since we had the chance to spend such a long time there, we want to share our detailed impressions to help anyone who is still hesitating. Honestly – this hotel exceeded our expectations in every possible way. The rooms are spotless, well-maintained and show no signs of wear. Every day, the same housekeeping staff member assigned specifically to our room came not only to clean but also to ask about our special needs. For example, we asked for four bottles of water instead of two because we brush our teeth after every meal, and every day we received exactly what we needed. The TV is modern, and the Wi-Fi worked surprisingly well – a stable 20 Mbps on every device (confirmed by a speed test), which was more than enough for smooth 1080p streaming. We brought our own IPTV and it worked perfectly. The entire hotel is kept incredibly clean, and the staff pay attention to every detail. The bars serve excellent cocktails and iced coffees, which we enjoyed without worries – everything was hygienic and well-organized. If you’ve been to Egypt before, you know this is not always the case, but here you really feel safe To be honest, the only way to get the so-called “Pharaoh’s curse” would be to drink tap water or lick the ground, because inside the hotel everything is flawless. The main restaurant was a wonderful surprise – a huge selection of dishes, always fresh and refilled until the end of serving hours. Nothing ever ran out. From local cuisine to international dishes, seafood, fruits and desserts – everything tasted delicious. For seafood lovers, it’s paradise. During our stay, we also had two complimentary à la carte dinners. The steak at “See Horse” and the Egyptian cuisine at “Safra” were both excellent and worth recommending. The beach is beautiful, with parasols and comfortable loungers with mattresses. Around the pools there are shaded lawns and plenty of relaxing areas. One of the pools even has a swim-up bar with creative cocktails that surprised us every time. The lifeguards deserve huge recognition, especially Mustafa, who not only supervised the entire lifeguard team but also worked very hard himself every day. He ensured that the rules regarding sunbed reservations were respected (no longer than 90 minutes unattended), which kept everything fair and available for everyone.On the beach, Sherif and Ibrahim made our days even better – always smiling, helpful and serving fantastic drinks. Sherif especially deserves to be mentioned because he remembered guests’ preferences and never forgot even the smallest details. After seven stays at different Jaz hotels, I can say with confidence that Sherif is the best waiter/bartender I’ve ever met. The animation team was also great, and Linda was our favourite. She ran yoga and stretching classes with humour, energy and professionalism, and had a fantastic connection with the guests. Thanks to her, we bought lottery tickets and even won three little pyramid souvenirs, which now have a place of honour in our home. Linda used to work as an acrobat, and you could see that in the way she led the classes – everything was clear and engaging.The “See Horse” beach bar offered tasty snacks, from fish to beef steaks with fries. Just a short walk of about 5–7 minutes takes you to a small bay where you can snorkel and enjoy beautiful reefs. I was lucky enough to see a sea turtle swimming right by the pier – unforgettable. In the evenings, the bar above “See Horse” offered live music and instrumental performances in a wonderful atmosphere, with comfortable couches and even the option to enjoy shisha for a small fee (around 6–7 USD). In the main bar, Omar took great care of us, often coming to check if everything was fine and making sure we didn’t miss anything.One more thing worth mentioning is that none of the staff were pushy – everyone knew exactly what to do, and they did it perfectly. Jaz Maraya has set a new quality benchmark that will be hard to beat. Hats off-Jaz Maraya is the new...

Jáz maraya

Do you know that business that only needs a small push to become perfect? It’s Jaz Maraya. This Hotel has a lot of potential. Jaz Maraya is the premier brand of the Jaz resort conglomerate in Marsa Alam region. The architecture, decoration, and attention to detail all reflect this high standard. The staff is incredibly attentive to your needs and always ready to assist. We were truly impressed by their kindness and professionalism - with the exception of Hemly from the lobby bar, who was uneducated and rude. Despite the discomfort caused by Hemly, whose rudeness discouraged me from requesting a colder beer more than once (having been served, repeatedly, a warmer beer, despite of asking for a cold one) the rest of the staff was spectacular, and I have nothing but praise for them. The food at the main restaurant is excellent;Congratulations to the Chef and his staff. I cannot say the same for the Momo restaurant, where we dined one night and found the quality lacking. But then again, eating sushi in the desert? What a foolish idea of mine. The à la carte "Seafood" restaurant is good, but for a restaurant by this name, and by the Red Sea, it falls short in terms of fish options, contrary to what one would expect. However, the staff at both restaurants were impeccable. This hotel has one drawback: the beach is not easily accessible, and the pool water is so warm it does not refresh. Again, foolish idea of mine to expect another thing in July at Egypt. Given the temperature (feels like 40º), I also don’t understand why the pool bar closes at 17:30h, and they start to collect the sun loungers from the pool at 18h. The best out is by sunset (19:30), when temperatures become nicer and we can really enjoy a sunset late evening… I don’t know about other times of the year but at least in July, you should expect the sunset as the best out to be by the pool or by the sea loungers. External accessibility is also not facilitated. We traveled to dive with an external dive center, and their access to the Jaz premises was hindered. I am not sure if this was for security reasons, which I hope and believe, or because they have an internal dive center (Coraya Divers) that charges twice the price. I leave this note and question for you to think about it... Throughout our stay, beer was served out of 0.5L cans, sometimes slightly cold, other times warm. Seriously, I don’t remember being served warm beers like I had here anywhere else. Given the 'feels like' temperature of 40°C, this was very unpleasant. I’f you ask for a very cold beer they will bring you a (canned) beer with ice on it….. which is also not acceptable. The excuse was that the draft beer was out of order( and has been all week). if you hear the same justification throughout your stay, know that they are serving from cans for another reason. When you ask for a beer in this kind of temperature you would expect a refreshing drink. A warm beer, in this weather, is a serious disappointment to any beer guy. The room is very comfortable, with some acceptable defects (broken marble table, broken floor tiles, window curtains a little torn, but impeccably clean (thank you, Mohamed Farag) and perfectly usable, with all the amenities you need. The Wi-Fi is weak, with good signal strength in most areas of the hotel but poor bandwidth, and reduced speed, and sometimes not working at all. Considering that most guests are from the EU and do not have roaming in this part of the world, this is a crucial aspect to improve. It was not a problem for me as I opted to buy an ESIM card with unlimited data from Holafly (€34), which was worth it. My wife did not want to incur this cost and ended up complaining about the Wi-Fi all week. With the hotel WiFi, WhatsApp messages is ok, browsing a bit slow, instagram is very slow and YouTube is unaccessible most of the times. Overall, the hotel is very good, deserves a high rating, and has the potential to be a true 5-star (EU standards) establishment if it improves...

Clean, Super-Friendly, Great Services, Top Location

We visited Jaz Maraya as two couples, with one diver in each. For reference, we’ve stayed at top 5-star resorts across the Mediterranean—Turkey, Greece, Spain, etc.—so we were curious how Jaz Maraya and Egypt would compare. In short: Jaz Maraya absolutely holds its own, if not surpasses some. It’s spotless, well-maintained, offers great food, has super-friendly staff, and is ideally located near stunning dive sites. Plus, it's excellent value for money with all the facilities needed for a relaxing vacation. The hotel sits in a cluster of Jaz resorts around Coraya Bay, just 5 km from Marsa Alam International Airport and 8 km from Port Ghalib. Aside from these, the surroundings are mostly semi-desert, though excursions like Luxor are offered (by bus or taxi). Still, with shared facilities among Jaz hotels—including kid-friendly options—everything needed for a peaceful holiday is right there.

Jaz Maraya is beachfront and consists of low-rise buildings (no more than three stories) arranged to create quiet gardens, pools, and playgrounds. While it may lack the opulence of some Turkish 5-stars in décor, it boasts a modern, spacious, and practical design, offering shelter from wind, heat, and sun. The buildings, gardens, and pools are immaculately clean, with lawns and flowerbeds manicured daily (they really are 😉). Our rooms were spacious, with an extra front room ideal for kids, a large bathroom, a bedroom, and a private balcony. Smart design ensures rooms face away from the entertainment area—perfect for light sleepers. Housekeeping was top-notch, with daily cleaning, regular linen changes (or more if requested), and a fresh-smelling room every evening. The minibar was well-stocked—water, tea, and coffee were free; other items available at a charge.

What stood out most was the genuine warmth of the staff—from management to gardeners, everyone was kind, efficient, and helpful. Most staff spoke at least English, German, or French. The cheerful atmosphere is a testament to great management. Special thanks to Mr. Morsi for his assistance with our specific requests.

Dining options were excellent. Lunch is available at the main restaurant and by the pool, while breakfast and dinner are served buffet-style in the main restaurant. Chef Badawy and his team offer delicious Mediterranean dishes with an Egyptian twist, alongside staples like pasta, sushi, and burgers. They’re also attentive to dietary needs—just ask. I’d rate the food as outstanding. Several bars serve fresh cocktails and standard drinks, and poolside waiters make regular rounds to keep guests refreshed.

Coraya Beach features gorgeous house reefs, a paradise for divers and snorkelers. Our divers used the Coraya Divers Center and were thrilled by the range of facilities and helpful, friendly staff. Beginners can safely explore the reefs right off the pier, while experienced divers can hop on a zodiac to nearby dive sites. As a snorkeler, I was amazed by the vibrant coral and colorful fish—at least 20 species. Convenient piers allow easy reef access without damaging the ecosystem or risking injury. Ideal seasons are late winter to spring or autumn—summer suits those who enjoy heat.

Another huge plus: Marsa Alam is practically bug-free! Unlike most of the Med, where mosquito spray is essential after sunset, I only spotted one fly—likely brought in with someone’s luggage 😉.

Entertainment during our stay was excellent—not too loud or pushy, but engaging and enjoyable. Special thanks to Zizo, Chico, Angelina, and the rest of the team for keeping us smiling.

In conclusion, Jaz Maraya is amazing value for money and I wholeheartedly recommend it. Five stars for all services—this was our first visit, but we’re already planning our return...