Jaz Elite Riviera — Hotel in Red Sea

The hotel clearly aspires to meet European standards, and in many ways, it shows. However, it’s still in the early stages of that journey. Changing the staff culture takes time — training alone is not enough. Women are treated as secondary guests: greetings and orders are consistently directed only at men.

Not all bartenders and waitstaff speak English, which led to several absurd situations — water was served instead of vodka, or ordering “for me, mojito please” resulted in receiving four mojitos.

This is not a hotel for people who value discreet, unobtrusive service. Simply walking from the room to the restaurant, we would hear How are you?” multiple times. While this felt warm and friendly at first, it became exhausting over time. The staff is overly attentive, constantly circling around tables. The execution becomes overwhelming and completely undermines any sense of intimacy or peace.

The hotel complex itself is visually stunning. Rooms, pools, and common areas look just like the promotional photos online. The culinary offerings are exceptional — diverse and consistently high quality in all main venues. The food at the main buffet restaurant was outstanding; the Italian à la carte was also excellent. There was a wide variety of flavors, top-quality meats, fresh fish, seafood, and daily access to freshly squeezed exotic fruit juices.

Alcoholic beverages lacked consistency across the resort. The same drink could be excellent at one bar and undrinkable at another. Even coffee, ordered at the main bar, was served differently depending on the time of day and which staff member prepared it. The alcohol itself was generally of lower quality.

One thing that surprised us, especially when comparing this hotel to other five-star resorts, was the additional charge for minibar items and some à la carte dishes (e.g., prawns). I believe it would be better to raise the overall price slightly and include everything, rather than create such limitations, which feel cheap and ill-thought-out.

So why only 3 stars? Until the very last day, we were thoroughly enjoying our vacation and were even considering returning in the second half of the year. Then came an incident during lunch at the Italian restaurant that completely overshadowed everything else.

One of the animation staff approached our table and, as they usually do, began to “entertain” us. While I understand some guests enjoy such interactions, a well-trained staff member should be able to read nonverbal cues and avoid engaging with guests who clearly do not wish to chat.

She asked to scan a QR code on our phones that led to the hotel’s Google business page. After briefly asking, she took our phones from our hands and proceeded to write and submit five-star reviews using a pre-written template. Why didn’t we refuse? That’s a question I keep asking myself. You’re in a foreign country, in a busy restaurant, not wanting to cause a scene — and there’s a hotel staff member hovering over you, clearly pressured to complete her task.

After submitting the review, she took a photo of the screen, likely to report back to whoever assigned her the job, and moved on to repeat the process with other guests.

Looking back, the absurdity of the situation is overwhelming. First — hygiene: using potentially hundreds of different phones in a single day. Second — in today’s world, a phone is an extension of your private space. You don’t know what else they’re clicking or accessing. Third — the sheer audacity of disrupting your final moments of vacation during your last sunny meal, while your food gets cold and you sit in disbelief, watching this surreal performance unfold.

Utter disappointment. This is a repulsive, deceitful tactic to inflate ratings and a shameful way to collect false reviews. It left a bitter aftertaste that overshadowed everything else — the beautiful setting, fantastic food, stunning views, beach, sports activities, and many...

We stayed at Jaz Elite Riviera in a deluxe swim-up room (building 4000). The room was fine — quiet and offered good privacy, just as we had requested before arrival. Cleaning staff were lovely and the waiters were fast and attentive. The hotel genuinely tries to collect feedback and improve.

Unfortunately, my experience was seriously affected by severe food poisoning and a dishonest pharmacy inside a Jaz hotel.

Despite taking daily probiotics for many years (including travel-specific ones before this trip), eating only at the hotel, and drinking only bottled water provided in glass by the hotel — along with hotel-prepared drinks — I became violently ill on day 6: 35 hours of chills, fever, sweating, and diarrhea for 2 full days. I was bedridden for over 24 hours, unable to eat, and on the day of our flight I had to take strong antidiarrheals just to make it through the airport. Even after returning home, symptoms continued. I now need medical tests and treatment to restore my health — which means additional costs.

I take great care of my health and hadn’t needed antibiotics in years — this trip unfortunately changed that.

This situation raises serious concerns:

What kind of water is used to wash fruits and vegetables? Are produce items cleaned using filtered or ozonated water? How is food stored and handled behind the scenes?

Another deeply disappointing moment came when my boyfriend went to the pharmacy inside Jaz Amara, part of the same hotel group. He simply described my symptoms. The pharmacist on his own recommended Metronidazole, which was understandable. However, without asking or explaining, he also added a second box of Nifuroxazide, even though we already had it — and my boyfriend didn’t realize it until later. He was charged €30 for both medications, which normally cost €2–5 total in a local pharmacy. There was no price list, no explanation, and no receipt.

The prices charged seem extremely inflated — taking advantage of a guest’s illness in a vulnerable moment. Jaz Group must take responsibility for the behavior of third-party vendors operating in their hotels.

Aside from that, the hotel has a few details worth improving: • Only one power outlet near the bed, which is inconvenient for couples • Evening entertainment was repetitive and lacked energy or creativity • The gym lacks barbells • The minibar should include at least a few complimentary items upon arrival • On departure day, a porter showed up too early - without calling first, then waited and stared while we packed — it would be more comfortable if the hotel phoned to agree on a time

If I ever return to Egypt, it will only be to a hotel that provides clear guarantees about food safety, hygiene, and ethical service standards. Jaz Elite Riviera has real potential — but I left with very mixed feelings and destroyed health.

EDIT after hotel’s response:

Thank you for replying. Still, despite all hygiene protocols, I suffered serious food poisoning, needed antibiotics, lost over a day of my vacation and day after return and now face extra medical costs.

Your reply does not answer my key question: What kind of water is used to wash raw vegetables and fruit?

I posted about this respectfully in the “Jaz Elite Riviera Lovers” Facebook group, but my post was removed by a moderator, which gives the impression that health-related feedback is being silenced.

This experience ruined the end of a much-needed break after months of hard work. 🔺 I would not recommend this hotel for families with small children or elderly guests, as such illness could be even more harmful. I also won’t be recommending this place to friends or colleagues.

Also one plug socket next to the bed – inconvenient for two guests. A 5-star hotel should offer proper access on both sides, not just suggest an adapter as...

Jaz Riviera: A Nice Hotel with Room for Improvement

Jaz Riviera is a well-located hotel with good facilities and a pleasant atmosphere, but a few recurring issues keep it from being a truly smooth and relaxing experience.

The Good: Facilities and Atmosphere The gym is clean, well-equipped, and offering everything from treadmills to strength training machines. The instructor is professional and knowledgeable, making it a great feature of the hotel. The hotel grounds are well-maintained, with a nice design and a generally relaxing ambiance. Plenty of staff members are present throughout the hotel, and they are generally friendly and helpful when approached in person.

The Areas for Improvement 2.1. The Restaurant Reservation System Out of three on-site restaurants, only one can be booked online. A more intuitive reservation system for all restaurants would make dining easier and less confusing. 2.2. The WiFi: Unreliable and Slow The WiFi is inconsistent-when it works, speeds are slow (between 5.5MBit and 7.2Mbit), but the even bigger issue is that the system doesn't allow users to log in repeatedly. This made staying connected difficult, and I ultimately had to pay over €79 for mobile data extensions-something that really shouldn't be necessary in a hotel of this category. 2.3. Breakfast Coffee: Could Be Better Given Egypt's strong coffee culture, it was surprising that the coffee in the main breakfast restaurant is instant coffee-not exactly the best way to start the day. Fortunately, the coffee served at the bars is much better, so for a proper caffeine fix, it's worth skipping the breakfast coffee and heading elsewhere. 2.4. The Beds: Comfortable but Noisy While the beds themselves are fine, the mattress toppers are quite loud. Any movement-turning over, shifting slightly, or even just adjusting a pillow—results in a creaking noise. If you're sharing a bed, this could be a bit disruptive. 2.5. Reaching Reception by Phone The hotel is well-staffed, and service in person is usually good, but getting through to reception by phone is challenging. Calls often go unanswered, meaning that for any request, it's usually easier to walk to the front desk instead.

The Wind: A Constant Presence at the Pool One thing that isn't immediately apparent: the hotel is located in a very windy area. There is no wind protection at the pool, so on breezy days, it can feel like a constant battle with flying towels and shifting sun loungers. The wind protection is also missing on the beach - when neighbouring hotels all had wind protection for their guests. These guests could actually enjoy the beach, in contrast to Jaz Riviera‘s guests. A bummer. Adding some form of wind protection would make the pool area much more comfortable.

Some Minor Frustrations Someone called my room three times at 8:30 AM, but no one was on the line when I answered. Not a huge issue, but a bit of an unnecessary wake-up. Maybe the hotel should find a way to stop kids playing around with their phones.

Overall Impression Jaz Riviera has a lot of positives—a great gym, nice surroundings, and helpful staff-but there are also a few organizational and service issues that make the experience less smooth than it could be. If you don't mind occasional service hiccups, unpredictable WiFi, and a bit of wind at the pool, you'll likely still have a good stay. However, a few small improvements could make a big difference in turning this from a good hotel into...