Lavanda Boutique Suites Tala Bay

I found a spider on the bed and a huge cockroach in the bathroom as soon as I arrived. The room was dirty, clearly not cleaned properly, and smelled musty with other unpleasant odors. The air conditioning didn't work either, making it even more uncomfortable. When I asked to switch rooms, the staff were incredibly rude and dismissive. They showed no interest in resolving the problems or accommodating me. The hotel is also far from everything, with no restaurants, shops, or basic services nearby. It feels like the middle of nowhere, yet it's ridiculously overpriced for the lack of comfort and service. I stayed one night and couldn't wait to leave. I wouldn't spend another minute there. Avoid it, it's not worth your money, time, or sanity.

The resort was very quiet and clean, and it’s one of the nicest in Aqaba. There’s a supermarket and coffee shop on site, though they’re more expensive than places outside. If you don’t have your own car, getting to downtown for restaurants and shops might be a bit inconvenient because it’s far away.

The sandy beach is calm, with clear water, and makes for a relaxing break whether you're traveling alone or with family. But our apartment was nothing like the photos and was extremely dirty. The owner, Raed Trawneh, was uncooperative, so we cancelled, left the resort, and went somewhere outside Tala bay. I think management needs to keep a closer eye on apartment owners to cut down on fraud. The beach itself is a refreshing place to get away from daily life, for a short visit or a full day.

The pools were pleasant, but there was no music or much atmosphere around them. The beach was rocky, with sea urchins across most of it and only about a 4 meter stretch where you could get in. There was just one towel pickup point for the entire resort, nowhere near the pool or beach. Stairs were everywhere, so getting around with a stroller was difficult and we'd need help carrying it; it isn't accessible for people with disabilities. Our room and bathroom were old and dirty, with a horrible sewage smell. The baby blanket smelled strongly of pee and was covered in it, and the crib kept moving without a brake. Staff broke our luggage handle bringing it to the room and offered no compensation. They also wouldn't replace an iced coffee after someone accidentally knocked it onto the floor, even after they called the manager. I brought fish from outside for my 9 month old, who can't eat food with salt or sugar, but they wouldn't let us take it to the room. Some staff were kind, others rude or mean. Breakfast was good in theory, but my husband's omelette complaint was that they served flat scrambled eggs with unmelted cheese and canned mushrooms. I couldn't wait to leave. I'll definitely never come back.