منتجع قصر بيكالباتروس — Hotel in South Sinai

This was already my second stay at a Pickalbatros hotel. Since my first stay at Pickalbatros Sea World in Marsa Alam was overwhelming, I explicitly looked for a hotel from the same chain when making my new booking, with the expectation of the same quality. Unfortunately, I was truly disappointed.

The resort itself is nice, very clean, and all staff members (except for the people at reception) are very kind. I especially want to highlight our room service staff member, Mohammed Nasr. He was truly the kindest employee I’ve encountered in all my years of traveling.

Positive aspects: The staff is excellent – no one asked for tips, everyone was courteous and genuinely not pushy. The hotel taxi service worked reliably. The rooms are well-maintained and clean. The RELAX zone at the beach is TOP! Every hotel should implement something like this. You could really rest and let go, without noise or animation. The fact that a jetty is being built into the water can only be considered a true improvement because the current situation is really not ideal.

Negative aspects: The food! It was the same every evening. I always knew where everything was: rice, potatoes, pasta. Five restaurants offering the exact same dishes. Maybe it’s due to the clientele (many Russians and Italians), but we were all very disappointed by the selection. and to be honest, it tastet really boring. Why are there five restaurants if they all serve the same food? By the fourth day, I had no appetite anymore. (In the first Pickalbatros hotel, the restaurants had different themes: oriental, German, Asian, international.) Why isn’t this done at this hotel as well?

The extreme noise level of the animation – I took part in two activities, but even during them, the volume was just way too loud. You want to relax on vacation, but that’s impossible if your eardrums feel like they’re about to burst. This level of noise disturbance is truly unnecessary and absurd. I had to run on the other side of the beach to hear the sea sounds and get some rest because of the noise. AND there are small children exposed to this extreme volume...

The reception is terribly unprofessional. We didn’t receive a hotel map or any information about meal times or where things were located. Simply nothing – ZERO information. When I asked a few hours later where the main restaurant was, I was rudely told: “Why are you looking for the main restaurant? It’s all the same anyway.” In hindsight, this answer was 100% correct and honest, but in the moment, I thought it was an incredibly cheeky response, as I was just trying to orient myself. I also had no idea where the amphitheater was (it’s located so remotely, it feels like it doesn’t even belong to the hotel). The hotel lacks a clear concept – as a guest, I had no idea where to find things. The lobby bar is empty – every time I went, it was completely empty. That space could definitely be used for something else (like a game room or something similar).

I’m not someone who usually complains. As mentioned, my first stay at a Pickalbatros hotel was a 100% positive experience. But considering how much I had been looking forward to this vacation – and the fact that I had even recommended the Pickalbatros chain to my family – I have to say I was truly disappointed.

In summary, I have to say that I regret booking this hotel. I could have booked better quality with a competitor, but I was guided by my first visit to the hotel chain. I wouldn’t choose to vacation...

I had an excellent vacation at this wonderful resort, which truly deserves a 5-star rating and even more. It combines luxury, comfort, entertainment, and outstanding service. It is suitable for families, couples, and diving enthusiasts, and it stands out for its authentic Egyptian hospitality. I highly recommend it, especially for those looking for a complete and all-inclusive stay without needing to leave the resort.

Here are the main highlights that made my experience exceptional:

Location: The resort is situated on Ras Nasrani Beach with a view of the Red Sea and Tiran Island. It's very close to the airport (just 10 minutes) and also near Naama Bay and other entertainment facilities.

Cleanliness and Service: The cleanliness of the rooms and facilities is excellent. The rooms are spacious, comfortable, and cleaned daily with care. The staff is professional, friendly, and extremely helpful—whether at the reception, restaurants, or entertainment areas.

Dining Experience: There is a variety of restaurants (international, Asian, Italian, etc.) with excellent food quality. The buffets are rich, well-organized, and there's always something delicious to eat. The service is upscale and quick. Drinks are available all day, and there are multiple bars offering juices, hot and cold beverages.

Pools and Water Park: The resort has a large number of swimming pools, in addition to a water park with 8 water slides suitable for both adults and children. Next to it, there’s a splash park suitable for kids up to around 10 years old, and another one perfect for younger children up to 6 years old.

Entertainment: The resort has an active entertainment team offering daily morning and evening shows, including Zumba, yoga, group games, Arabic and international music, and evening theatrical performances—making the experience lively and fun within the hotel itself.

Beach and Snorkeling: The beach features a very close natural coral reef (house reef), making it ideal for snorkeling enthusiasts. There's also a private pier that provides safe access to the diving area.

Facilities: The resort includes a health club, Jacuzzi, gym, game room, mini-golf, beauty salon, and various relaxation facilities.

One of the beautiful surprises was the presence of a dedicated prayer hall at the hotel entrance, where Friday prayers are held with an imam, a muezzin, and a full sermon. This added a special spiritual and peaceful touch to the stay.

Important Notes:

The resort is built on elevated land resembling a plateau overlooking the sea, which means the ground is uneven with many slopes. This might be a challenge for some guests, especially when using strollers or wheelchairs. I recommend planning ahead or requesting assistance from the hotel staff if needed.

The hotel has six restaurants, and the food is very diverse. However, some guests might feel a bit of repetition in some dishes if the stay is long.

It would be helpful to place clocks around all pools to keep...

This was the best holiday we have ever had. My husband & I visit Egypt for our 32nd wedding anniversary, 1st September 2024 & we arrived on that day in the afternoon. We had planned to book the a la carte restaurant, but were just too tired to check if it was available. We did not even try to book as the 3 of the restaurants that we dined in were just fabulous anyway. The hotel has everything & more giving all their guests the best experience ever.

We have just booked with On the Beach to return August 28th 2025 so we can go to the other restaurants & probably complete the whole tour of this outstanding resort, it is simply huge. The food, our rooms, the restaurants, the beach & every single member of staff were exceptional & there is so much to do you cannot get bored, especially the children.

Our housekeeper Wahid Ahmed who kept us supplied with water, clean towels, always an immaculate room & enquired every morning if there was anything else that we needed. Mustafa our waiter in Soprano restaurant who looked after us every single night with great care, efficiently & always with his cheerful smile. Not forgetting Islam who made the best omelettes and the lovely Muhammed who was the lifeguard on the section of the beach we went to each day. We had some really nice chats. Mustafa & Osama at the beach bar were fantastic with their fabulous non alcoholic fruit cocktails, so refreshing & delicious after breakfast, a lovely stroll up & down the beach was the perfect time for me to enjoy them. Even though this is such a huge resort it was so serene, relaxing & peaceful. We did not hear any noise after 10.30 pm except if guests were leaving or arriving. It was unbelievable & we slept soundly each & every night so cosy and comfortable. I do think that the children were given so many choices of things to do that they were probably all in bed tired out by 10 pm. They are all kept busy & entertained by the staff, not forgetting the water park to burn off all that energy. They all looked so happy which was a treat to see.

We did not bump in to any British as apparently they are not frequent visitors. It is such a shame as it was not a problem, because all members of staff spoke English for us and we were understood very easily. The guests were mostly from Italy & Sicily, Russia & at a guess I would say Hong Kong or thereabouts. The majority of them could also speak English. I strongly recommend to everybody who reads this review to stay at Pickalbatros to experience the luxury we had & encourage other Brits as there is no language barrier at all.

I could spend all day giving so much positive feedback, but would like to add at last that Pickalbatros must have the ultimate management to keep this resort to the highest standards while employing members of staff that I could only refer to as elite.

We will see you all again August 2025.

Thank you Pickalbatros...