Malikia Resort Abu Dabbab Hotel

The house reef was the one good part of the stay. Beyond that, this place was nowhere near five-star quality. Staff were rude, and construction was happening all over without warning. Vehicles worked right beside children with no safety barriers. The restaurant started pushing people out before service was meant to end. There was no heated pool, so the water was freezing, the regular coffee machines were all switched off, and the ice cream was awful. The diving center felt like a scam. Very disappointing.

The pier out to the reef is wonderful. You go down the steps straight into very deep water, surrounded by coral and thousands of colorful fish. We could see turtles in the morning, too. The reef is so good the hotel should add more pictures of it to the gallery. Staff across the hotel were genuinely polite and helpful, never asked for baksheesh, and only thanked us if we chose to tip. Our room was cleaned daily either way, and restaurant service was just as good. Food was good, sometimes excellent, with plenty to try at first, though by the end of the week we had settled on a few favorites. No stomach trouble for us, and water, beer, and other drinks were unlimited. Shows, folk dancing and a disco ran daily, with a children's pool and a poolside bar after 9:00 PM. We could also use the restaurant and pools before check-in and after check-out, which was a big plus. There were a lot of mosquitoes in our room, and we couldn't sleep. At the front desk I was given chemical spray, but I'd rather see the source dealt with than spray chemicals. Our family room is quite old, with damaged furniture, a bathtub and a window that need replacing. There was also an unpleasant smell near the pizzeria.

The rooms and pool were good, and snorkeling was nice too. It's a quiet spot in a new town that still seems to be developing. The food could be improved, especially at the Italian a la carte restaurant. I've never had lasagne with so little tomato or taste. And it's 2025, wifi really should be free throughout the resort.

We came as a family and had a really good time. Everything was well organized, and the team was amazing, with too many people to thank individually. Special thanks to Sheriff, Ahmed and Popin for making our stay so enjoyable. Wishing you all the best, and hopefully we'll meet again. Definitely recommend this resort.