Maxim Inn Lake View

April was lovely for having the place to myself, but the hotel and beach were empty and all the dining spots in the area were closed, so bringing food is a good idea then. I’ve stayed here a few times and had a really good experience. Hotel and restaurant staff were very kind, and the location is great, just a short walk from a beautiful beach. On the other side there’s a lovely lake and Makani, an outdoor restaurant with fast, friendly service and a wide menu, from sushi and burgers to Egyptian food. You can also have sheesha there. The cheaper rooms are basic but clean, with a big fridge and a few dishes for cooking. One thing that may feel unusual for Europeans is that breakfast starts at 13:00. The area comes alive at night, since locals stay up late and sleep in, especially because summer mornings are so hot. That’s just local life. June to August is the active season here.

This was the worst Sahel experience. The pool was dirty and had no lifeguard, the service was very bad, and the toilet always smelled unpleasant. The air conditioning kept breaking, and there were lots of cockroaches and bugs. It was supposedly a sea-view apartment, but it felt seriously overrated. The staff seemed untrained, like amateur students.

The one nice thing is the view by the lake. Otherwise, the rooms are narrow and the furniture is old, the hotel falls short of standard, and there’s no restaurant. It’s also far from the beach, and room service is very bad. I wouldn’t recommend it.

There were a lot of ants in the room, and I didn’t feel safe there. While I was staying inside, a housekeeping worker used another key to open my room door at 3 in the morning without my permission. The lock doesn’t secure the door properly.