Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay — Hotel in Red Sea

Our 9th visit to Kempinski Soma Bay but our first since the change of management last year. Normally we are certain that we will return, but after this visit we are not so sure.

The location, beach and rooms are excellent. We always book with the Laguna Club option to enjoy the added features which this brings. Therefore, my comments relate to this and I cannot speak to the main restaurant as we didn’t visit it this time.

There have been some (many) changes in the staff so a number of familiar faces were missing, although some still remain and it was a pleasure to see them again. There seems to be a difference between the attitude of staff who had been with Kempinski for some time and those that are new arrivals. Overall, all staff seemed less relaxed, their interactions were a little more formal and sometimes formulaic. All the staff work hard to deliver the service, but on this visit, it was noticeably more difficult to attract their attention when we needed something. That seemed to be the case in the Laguna club, on the beach and sometimes with reaching room service.

A great new addition is the Lebanese feast which is available on some evenings at the tables by the swimming pool. This is a wonderful location with a great view and a nice sunset if you time it right. The food is very good, and the quantities are large and presented very attractively.

Other things have also changed. • As before, music events take place on some evenings at the beach around sunset. Some of the musicians and singers are familiar and present a mellow and sometimes lively mood for a sunset drink. The new DJ, and/or his new equipment is now often turned up much louder and with the addition of a thumping bass background more similar in style to the Robinson hotel in Soma Bay. This bass background (and not the whole of the music) can be heard clearly in ocean facing rooms and across most of the hotel territory. It doesn’t seem the DJ is aware of how his music sounds at a distance. The increase in music loudness has also happened in the Laguna club and at the Lebanese feast. When requested staff did try and turn the restaurant music down but there does seem to be a general trend for everything to be louder. • Previous management paid attention to repeat customers but this personal touch of greetings and management receptions was absent this time. We still received Kempinski membership benefits, but it felt much more formal rather than personal. At departure, the check out was much less friendly and we were not even asked if we had enjoyed our stay. • A big change has to do with boat opportunities. Previously these were presented as part of Kempinski and embodied the Kempinski style. This has been replaced by a concession on the beach which has a wider range of offers but seems mainly interested in selling longer trips such as dolphin watching. It is a separate business so you cannot charge these to your room and have to pay them directly. For the first time this has also introduced motorized watersports to the Kempinski beach. You will need to be more careful now if snorkeling on the house reef as there is an increased danger of a collision, plus of course the attendant noise of a motor boat near the beach. • The area in the sea around the house reef, e.g. warning ropes and buoys is less well maintained than before, but the house reef is still managing to survive.

In past stays we have very much valued the efficient, friendly, peaceful environment that made a stay at Kempinski Soma Bay so pleasant and relaxing. Everything felt aligned with a sophisticated approach that we associate with the Kempinski brand. Many of the changes that we observed seem to be drifting away from that. It may be a deliberate intention to make things louder, livelier, and more commercial with a slightly lower level of service. That may, of course, attract a different set of customers than we have seen here in the past. We will be looking at ongoing social media comments to see how this develops before we make a decision on...

Get ready for a long review. I've been fortunate enough to vacation in 4 and 5 star beach resorts in many countries. After a while, they all blend into each other. OK room, adequate buffet, sun, and water. People getting up at 5:30am to stake out their sun lounger. The fight for umbrellas. The overly cheerful animation squad. The expensive excursions and optional special evenings. Not to mention the heavy drinkers at the all-inclusives. I always accepted that this is how resorts had to be.

Then there is The Kempinski Soma Bay.

The wonderfulness starts before you arrive. Let me note that we were a three generational family with an infant, a toddler, and a wheelchair bound senior. The hotel organized an agent to meet us at the airport and painlessly got us and all our accessories to the hotel hassle free. Check-in was done in a comfortable seated area. And then you are led to your wonderfully comfortable room.

Food and drink. We had a half board package (breakfast and dinner included). It is a buffet but the food is exceptional. Eggs, including Eggs Benedict cooked to order every day. Fresh waffles and crepes. Western, Middle Eastern, and Asian dishes fresh every morning. Great coffee and Prosecco included. A wonderful start to the day. In the evening, the buffet is so amazing that I sometimes had trouble choosing. Have a look at the pictures. The food looks good and tastes better.

One problem I've always had with resorts is the behavior of the other guests. The Kempinski is very family friendly and there are lots of kids but there is nobody running between tables screaming or self-abdorbed groups blocking the way. I attribute this to Food and Beverage manager Ahmed Ali whose staff politely and professionally guides the guests and keeps everything flowing smoothly. He should be in international diplomacy.

Lifestyle. The resort is so incredibly well laid out that everyone has space to have the experience they want. Part of the beach and the entire spa are reserved for adults and part of the beach is just for families. There's a kids club and a playground. There are activities but you have to check the daily schedule to find them. There is a fantastic reef. No fighting for loungers or umbrellas. Lovely pool and beach bars. Nightly low key entertainment. If you're looking for a resort with animators cheering through microphones and blowing whistles or a loud raving nightlife, this is not your place. This is a place to unplug. Everyone has space to breath and relax.

Rooms. Wonderfully furnished rooms with super comfortable beds. Wonderful pillows and blankets. Individually controlled AC. Spectacular bathrooms. Check out the clever curtains. I need to do this at home.

Hygiene. You can eat and drink everything, including ice, without fear. Water pressure in the showers is acceptable. There is a 24 hour medical doctor whose office is 3 walking minutes from the lobby. Very reassuring when the baby develops a fever. Everything is immaculately clean at all times. Usually in warm, sandy regions there will be ants. There are no ants anywhere at The Kempinski.

Bonus. I'm a bit of a wellness junkie. Although there is a lovely spa in the hotel, the Spa and Thallasso at The Cascades (5 minutes via the free shuttle) is a must. It is one of the largest spas on the planet yet the staff is so friendly that you feel like you are their only client. The massage pool sets the bar so high that Swiss spas look like a public pool by comparison.

Negatives. The restaurant has steps and is not wheelchair accessible. There should be a ramp. It would be more convenient if there was a washroom closer to the restaurant. You must take into account that some of the staff only speaks Arabic and you may have to ask for a team leader. With a tiny bit of patience, they will move the stars for you.

Conclusion. My highest recommendation for anyone of any age who wants to relax and unwind in a casual but very high standard resort. You will be safe and very well cared for here. I'm already planing...

Even before the vacation actually started, the front desk team did a fantastic job and the concierge handled all of my requests in a fast and professional way.

The arrival at the hotel was great and very friendly. A front desk member welcomed us and the onboarding was done in a few minutes. This all happened in the lobby and we had a chance to enjoy the breathtaking evening view from there.

Our two connected family rooms directly putted a smile in our faces. They were about 25 meters away from the pool and 100 meters from the beach. From our patio (and even from our beds) we could see the beautiful Red Sea.

We booked full board so our days started with a delicious breakfast. The wide variety of bread and fruits, fresh local specialties and the "egg station" offered something to everyone of us. Especially the friendliness of the team at the stations has to be mentioned. All of them did their jobs with a friendly smile, all questions were answered in a professional way and all special requests were executed. No wish which the superb team couldn't fullfil.

Let`s stay with the food... Lunch happened at the pool restaurant. Like in the main restaurant, we always received a warm and hearly welcome from the dedicated team members (especially Mr. Said I want to mention here in person ;-) ). Full board includes a starter, the main course and a desert and everything we tried was delicious and finger licking good.

The dinner was a blast. Once again, a warm and heartly welcome every evening, the choice between inside and outside tables and a daily changing, wide variety of delicious specialties like regional fish, traditional food, fresh salad and the best desserts in Egypt. The services was super friendly and empty plates were removed immediately combined with the question if we liked everything. Quality Management works quite well in this hotel.

The received hospitality was top notch and one of a kind. From the entering the hotel until leaving it again, the team was working together like a clockwork to make us happy. The entire area was well maintained by the gardening team and it was a pleasure to see how dedicated they were working to keep the plants in shape. Every individual was greeting with a smile, which made us feel to be with friends. A small talk in English or German with them was always a pleasure and sometimes we received valuable hints for our next visit to Egypt.

The pool area was very secure and in excellent shape. But nothing compared to the beach... The beach was split into a family and an adult section, which we really appreciated. Super fine sand (flip flops or bathing shoes are recommended because of the super hot sand!) in front of the Red Sea under a constantly blue sky quickly established vacation feelings. As everywhere in the hotel, excellent service was offered also at the beach. Even food and drink was delivered on request.

Snorkling at the house reef is the my personal highlite. The variety of life at this reef is hard to find anywhere else and the hours were passing by like in flight while watching the underwater world. Colors I have not seen before and fish which came by super close, almost without fear are an impression I will never ever forget. We also went diving with the Orca diving school, which is near by and could be reached with the nice shuttle service. If you are looking for more thrill: No problem, Kite- and Windsurfing is also possible in close vicinity. No matter what you are looking for, you will find it right here. But for sure you will find an excellent, friendly, passionate and super professional team which makes your vacation a blast!

This vacation was one of the best I ever did with my family and I already look forward to visit this beatiful and exceptional place again. Please keep the excellent service up and make other families as happy as you did with mine and myself. It was a pleasure to staying with you and next time I look forward to try out the Laguna rooms and lounge. Thank you so much for having us as...