The Makadi Spa Hotel (Adult Only)

We spent a lot of time walking, reading, resting on the beach, and especially snorkeling among the amazing reefs and marine life. It was good to see the reefs protected so well. We also enjoyed local dishes at the hotel, including bread, cheese, felafel, kebabs, and other food. Drinks were good and plentiful, particularly for us since we don't often choose alcohol. The place and its surroundings are beautiful and very carefully maintained, and cleanliness was a real highlight. Our room was peaceful and quiet, which helped us relax. The staff were kind, approachable, and did their best to help. Staying at Makadi Spa also gave us free use of the facilities at the other Makadi hotels. We enjoyed our stay very much.

The house reef was the highlight for us: it's very well protected, with a relaxed drift snorkel of about 1.5 km from the northern jetty and exit points every 300-400 m. Buoy lines show the permitted areas, and lifeguards actively enforce reef protection. Fins are highly recommended, while keeping your distance from the reef. A neoprene shorty may be useful depending on the season. The beach service was also very good. Mohammed and Sheriff were friendly, attentive, and helpful. Makadi Spa is a quiet adults-only resort with spacious grounds, generally well maintained, and guests can use the sister hotels. Some areas, especially around the pools, look old, and there are loose or damaged tiles. It didn't bother us much since we came for the Red Sea rather than the pool. Toilets are dotted around the resort, including beside the Makadi Spa Fish Restaurant, under the Shimmers Restaurant, and to the right of The Cove Restaurant, but signs are inadequate and they're hard to find. At The World buffet, there was a wide choice and the quality was generally good, though dishes got repetitive after several days. The authentic Indian food by a highly skilled chef was a standout, as was the breakfast omelet station run by Ahbeer, whose warm, genuine smile made it special. Omar also made our mornings pleasant, greeting us with a real smile and freshly made orange juice. He was friendly, calm, and professional. We would have liked more traditional Egyptian dishes. Some service details detracted from meals: knives were often blunt, phones rang loudly, and staff sometimes talked loudly enough to disturb the atmosphere. The themed and à-la-carte restaurants offered some variety, but none was a real culinary highlight. Most staff worked hard, and the female staff were generally friendly. Still, tipping made a very noticeable difference to service, which felt uncomfortable in an all-inclusive resort. At times the service felt task-focused rather than genuinely hospitable. The female manager also stood out negatively because she never greeted guests. Our room attendant Ahmed Ali was consistently friendly, calm, and attentive, and added a personal touch with creative towel animals. The Dome Restaurant team seemed more motivated, positive, and friendly, with stronger team spirit than other outlets. Although Booking.com said airport transfer was included, it wasn't, which caused confusion and inconvenience on arrival.

Makadi Spa Hotel is pleasant, with plenty of pools, a spa, restaurants, and a beach nearby with sunbeds. The food is okay, and the restaurants are nice. A useful bonus is that you can visit the neighboring Makadi hotels and dine there at no extra charge. The all-inclusive offer has limits: not every bar is included, so you need to check where you can get even a basic soft drink. Drinks can take a while, and staff seem more attentive to guests who tip. Wifi works in the lobby and sometimes in the rooms. By the end, having to pay extra for some things made it hard to see this as a 5-star hotel or a truly all-inclusive stay.

The all-inclusive package was good value, and the food was pretty good overall. The water by the shore was crystal clear, with brightly colored fish swimming below. We could snorkel right there without paying to go somewhere else.