Sirena Beach Resort & Spa****

We’ve been here twice and are already planning visit number three. The hotel is modern, new and really nice, and the staff are attentive and always around. Food is excellent, the waiters are professional, and housekeeping does a top job. The gym is especially impressive for a hotel, and the beach is clean with the option to swim in the sea. There’s also an aquapark, though it’s a bit farther away, and the water in the children’s section was quite cold. I especially enjoy the spa and therapeutic massages. Many thanks to Alix, the massage therapist, who literally got me back on my feet. He’s a real professional, and I hope he still works there. Taking some food for our trip caused a bit of tension, and the lunch boxes they provided were very basic. The Christmas disco was great. There were mostly Italian guests while we were there. Even with those minor issues, we give it 5 out of 5 and are returning for a third time. We hope the hotel won’t disappoint us.

The food was tasty and there was plenty of variety, though it started to feel repetitive after a while. The grounds are lovely and spacious, and depending on your room, the sea is about 10-100 meters from Sirena. The hotel sits on the grounds of Fantazia Hotel, and the two operate together. I didn’t find much of an atmosphere for young people. There isn’t much energy or excitement, and entertainment options are limited. Maybe the hotel is still developing, but it could use more games and fun activities. The drinks were inconsistent too, as bartenders seemed to make cocktails however they liked, without clear standards. Housekeeping had no set time, arriving anywhere from 8 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon. My personal rating is 3 out of 5.

The water park and pools were new and well kept, and we spent two hours there each day. The slides are really steep. The lifeguards who run them deserve a big thank you: they know their work and follow the safety rules posted by the slides. Muhamed was especially lovely, always smiling and joking. The grounds were beautiful and tidy, with mown grass, palms, flowering bushes and paths that were swept. They watered everything several times a day, and beach towels were available whenever we wanted. Our room was clean, with new furniture, shampoo, shower gel, soap, towels and a hairdryer. It was cleaned daily and the rubbish was taken out. We were three people but only got one bottle of water a day. When we asked the cleaner for more, he was happy to give us some. The sea was warm and clear, though the entrance had some stones and corals. There were fish nearby, and we even saw a stingray. We had a side sea view from our room, with swimming pools in the door. Meals, including breakfast, lunch and dinner, were all very tasty, with lots of food and drinks. The waiters were kind and friendly and deserve special thanks. We stayed at the end of July 2025 and found it hard to say goodbye. We got used to the atmosphere and would come back next year if we can. The hotel is quite far from the airport, about an hour by car during the day. Marsa alam is a new resort, so there aren’t shops or bazaars nearby. The hotel shops are an option, but their prices aren’t low. Wi-Fi is free. We rate the hotel 5/5, it’s wonderful.

Good food, clean grounds and being close to the sea didn’t make up for how tense and unwelcoming our stay felt. The staff were cold and often hostile, especially toward families with children. Several families with kids aged 5-12 were told to leave the jacuzzi at the public pool after an older guest made what we felt was a false complaint. The children were calm and respectful, but staff took sides without listening and treated us disrespectfully. There’s also a closed beach and an adults-only pool area where even walking past with a child isn’t allowed. I understand wanting quiet areas for adults, but applying that kind of rule to the main public pool is unacceptable. The location is another problem. It’s 300 km from Hurghada Airport, which means a transfer of more than 4.5 hours. There’s nothing interesting nearby, no activities, shops or nightlife. Hotel entertainment is minimal, dull or absent unless the owner happens to be there. It’s hard to tell who this place is meant for: families face restrictions and cold treatment, young guests have no energy or entertainment, and older travelers have the long journey and poor access to contend with. The final straw was hearing a staff member named Ala say, “I don’t care if you come back.” That kind of disregard is exactly how a hotel loses its reputation, and this one already has. I strongly advise against choosing Serena Beach Resort.