Serenity Hotels and Resorts, on the beautiful Makadi Bay Beach, Egypt. Is it worth the money?
Property: Serenity Makadi Beach & Fun City
Address: 36 Km, Safaga Road, Makadi Bay, Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt
Note: This is an independent hotel / resort review based on my experience.
Located a short 30 minute drive from Hurghada City, Egypt, the Makadi Hotels and Resorts are nestled on a gentle sloping hill concluding on the shores of beautiful Makadi Bay.
We booked an 18 night all-inclusive stay through L’Tur for the Makadi Beach property. Our cost was €43.30 per person per day, including rail to airport, flight, transfer and room. That is an awesome deal! Here is my review – comments welcome below.
Limo Service – We booked the hotel chauffeur service to pick us up at the airport. Our very friendly driver was waiting for us with a sign which had our name on it. The car was comfortable and the 40 minute drive passed quickly. Cost: €20 The service is excellent and I highly recommend it. We actually used it a few times during our stay. In addition to airport transfer, they offer day trips and excursions, for example Cairo.
Yes, there are lots of things you can complain about, but value for dollar, it (Serenity Makadi Beach) is very good.
Check in was quick and painless – Ahmed is the guy who makes everything possible! He is professional, competent and friendly. We were given a map of the premises with opening hours, a room key card, 2 towel cards and an all-inclusive arm band.
As I was taking a few pictures for my blog, a man approached – I was told to delete all photos on my camera. At first I refused, but then somebody from reception explained to me that it was a police order. I was explained that the photos contained plain clothed police officers and that is why I had to delete them. This was very frustrating, but I eventually got over it.
The hotel is under construction; rooms and swimming pools are being renovated, but it was not at any point in time interfering or loud. It is very unfortunate that the beautiful glassed seafront restaurant was closed; hopefully it too will eventually be renovated and re-opened.
Room
A bell boy led us to our room and took the time to point out how everything functions; before leaving he asked if we have any questions and then excused himself. Our suitcases arrived a few minutes later.
Our turquoise blue accented room was spacious and very clean – even the vents and air conditioning were spotless. Although everything was dated and worn looking, it is more than acceptable at the current price level. Furniture and amenities included:
– air conditioning
– large closet
– refrigerator (not cold), bar size with 6 sugar drinks (inclusive)
– water kettle, 2 mugs and a selection of tea (inclusive)
– suitcase rack, wooden, with under storage
– large desk with mirror and stool
– triple drawer dresser
– small table with 2 chairs
– king size bed; comfortable, pillows a little hard for my pleasure
– 2 night tables
– warm accent lighting
– small tv with a movie station
– garbage can
Bathroom, nice size, but the exhaust fan was very loud.
– huge mirror in horrible condition, pitted
– large glass enclosed shower, dated
– toilet with built in bidet
– liquid soap dispensers, bar of soap, shower gel, shaving kit, shampoo, conditioner, cream, shower cap, loofah sponge
– Blow dryer, dated; quit working on our second last day
Food
Buffet Monaliza – open for Breakfast (7:00 – 10:00) -Breakfast was fabulous. Fruits, breads, yoghurts, cheeses, meat, eggs – any way you like – and a few Egyptian delights. Lunch (12:30 – 14:30) – Lunch was pleasant; the huge patio is the perfect place to enjoy the non-stop sunshine and sea view while sipping away on a cold drink and feasting on some of the numerous offerings. BBQ Chicken stuffed into fresh stone oven Egyptian flatbread with tahini sauce and a side of grilled veggies was one of my favourite go to’s. Dinner (18:30 – 21:30) – always a feast, especially on Fridays!
Nice presentation, good atmosphere. With a huge variety of options, there was always something tasty on the buffet. Part of the buffet was a barbecue area outside. This always had wonderful treats, especially in the evening, so be sure not to miss it. Drinks are served, food is self serve. Dress is casual, obviously no bare feet or bathing suits. You can sit inside or outside on the patio. Most of the indoor chairs are wobbly, so be careful. For late arrivals, there is a reduced buffet available until 23:00 serving hot food, salads and sweets.
Specialty Dining – During our stay, guests were permitted 2 free à la carte venues per week. For more information regarding these wonderful restaurants, read my article, Serenity Hotels and Resorts Specialty Restaurants where you will find out what type of cuisines are offered, locations, seating times, menus and reviews.
Drinks
I think everyone in the hotel is all inclusive, which includes coffee, tea, soft drinks, fountain juices, beer, wine and resort grade liquor. Alcoholic beverages are available from 10:00 to 23:00 after which you are charged a fee – see price list below. Bar stock is limited to gin, vodka, ouzo, brandy, whisky, rum, tequila & beer plus pineapple juice, apple juice and orange juice, (juices from powder mix, very sweet) and soft drinks. So for example, if you order a pina colada, they mix regular milk with vodka and pineapple juice put into a shaker (if you are lucky) and poured into a glass.
Beach and Pools – both were kept clean. There are many pools, so you can always find a quiet spot and curl up with a book or just soak up the sun. The beach is where we spent a lot of our time, just basking in the tranquility that comes with being around the sea. Lots of loungers and umbrellas are available for the sun worshippers.
Entertainment – Evening shows included karaoke, belly dancing, and other various dance shows in the held in the Fun City (sister hotel) conference room. Although it was not our favourite thing to do, the animation staff put in a lot of hard work to try and entertain the guests. Day activities were abundant and varied – aerobics, darts, bocci, volleyball and more.
Kids Club – The program runs daily from 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:45. Ages 4 years plus are welcome, under 4 years one parent must stay. We do not have young children, so it was a service we cannot expand on.
Shisha Tent – basically an outdoor covered and open air lounge area with couches, tables, cushions and water pipes. This was a popular spot; for 50 Egyptian pounds / €2.50 they prepare a hookah with your chosen flavour and you socialize with those around you. There were many flavours to choose from but apple seemed to be the most popular. We visited every night – I do not smoke, but I do socialize…
Staff – for the most part ranged from very good to excellent.
Sales Staff – overpowering. It is a constant barrage of hard and pushy sales. However, if you take the time to chat with them, most are respectful and eager to get to know you. We found out wonderful stories of family, friendships, and survival . They took time to explain their love of job and tourism, how it affects their life and their personal outlooks. A wonderful way to get to know the people and culture. And, on the plus side, the harassment gets less every day!
EXTRA: I do not know if this always applies, but during our stay we were allowed to use the amenities of the neighbouring sister hotel, Serenity Fun City at no additional charge. This included the restaurants, bars and lounges as well as the Makadi Bay Fun City Water Park!
Negatives
– Public washrooms were often dirty and toilets had problems flushing
– Mosquito infestation everywhere! By week 3 , they fog fumigated the entire resort grounds, but it was too late for us
– Internet was not great; you receive an access code which is good for 2 devices and basically only works in the lobby.
– No currency exchange available in the hotel; just a bank machine which spits out Egyptian pounds from your credit card
– Out of several pools, only one is heated, however, due to the high cost of heating in conjunction with the price we paid, this is not a legitimate complaint, rather for informative purposes.
– I think probably, with the price taken into consideration, the biggest disappointment in the hotel is the non-existent management. There are far too many (not all) so called “managers” walking around looking important, accomplishing nothing. They should roll up their sleeves, help, and MANAGE the poor minions who are doing their best under the circumstances.
Extra Charge:
Spa & Fitness Studio – extra charge; if you bargain hard, there are some deals to be had. I booked several services and you can read about it here: Fayroz Spa.
Excursions – extra charge; there are a few different excursions being offered. We went on a Quad Safari and it was a blast.
SCUBA Diving – extra charge; this is the Red Sea, known for some of the best diving in the world, and we could not resist. The on premise base is Master Diving Center – read about our experience.
Conclusion: For a 4 – 5 star resort (depending on agency) in THIS price category, this is a great hotel! Yes, there are lots of things you can complain about, but value for dollar, it is very good.
Location: Africa > North East Africa > Middle East > Egypt > Hurghada > Makadi Bay > Serenity Hotels & Resorts > Serenity Makadi Beach
