Even many tour search systems do not differentiate between Makadi Bay and Hurghada, considering them one single resort. This is another inconvenience that arises even in the process of choosing a tour. Check the location of the hotel before purchasing a tour to get exactly to Makadi Bay, or try not to get here, as you wish.
Hotel staff in Makadi Bay speak Russian. Of course, this is not Sharm or Hurghada, where all hotel employees speak Russian, here they speak our language “through one”. This is a very big plus, since in small resorts this situation is rare. We recently talked about resorts and resorts where they hardly speak Russian, and this becomes a serious obstacle for our travelers.
The English word “bay” translates as “bay”, and the Makadi resort is named so for a reason. This is truly a bay with magnificent beaches and coral reefs. The sea is Makadi Bay's number one advantage.
Local beaches are praised by all tourists. The shallow depth makes the water very warm and pleasant. The beaches are sandy, although there are still corals there, and you can’t do without special shoes.
Rich coral reefs make going into the water interesting, as if swimming in an aquarium with tropical fish. These reefs prevent large waves from forming, and children enjoy splashing in the water without worrying about them.
However, some beaches are too shallow, which annoys tourists. But even in this case, do not be discouraged, because no one forbids going to the neighboring beach to swim; it is not forbidden, although it is not welcomed by hotel staff.
Hotels and prices
At the time of publication of this page of our website, there are 22 hotels in Makadi Bay. Another dozen are under construction; we cannot predict their number at the time you read this article.
Of these 22 hotels, there is not a single “three star”, only 5 “four”, and all the remaining 17 are classified as 5 stars.
If you read tourist reviews on the Internet about Makadi Bay hotels, you will find many interesting details. The conclusion will be obvious - these hotels do not live up to their five stars. The food is poor, the service is mediocre, in some places things and money are stolen from tourists and a host of other shortcomings.
There is a feeling that the hotels agreed among themselves, went to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and bought themselves stars in bulk. Considering the fairly high level of corruption in Egypt, no one will be surprised at this story. By the way, Egypt is considered a less corrupt country than Russia. In the latest ranking of the most decent countries in 2014, they are 94th out of 174, and we are 136th.
We chose our holiday in Egypt not by chance. For a long time we couldn’t decide where to go on vacation: Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Sri Lanka. We wanted to choose the ideal option for a vacation, so that the sea would be great, the hotel would be good, and it would be cheaper and longer....More ▾ We chose our holiday in Egypt not by chance. For a long time we couldn’t decide where to go on vacation: Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Sri Lanka. We wanted to choose the ideal option for a vacation, so that the sea would be great, the hotel would be good, and it would be cheaper and longer. We chose Egypt, the Tia Heights Makadi Bay hotel, it ideally suited our needs, taking into account the conditions there for good swimming in the sea. In Egypt there are either corals, entry from the shore is inconvenient or from the pontoon directly into the depths, but in this hotel everything is as it should be. The beach is huge, sandy, there is a gradual approach from the shore, you can swim without “corals”. The hotel is on the first coastline, the sea is exceptionally clear with a lot of all kinds of marine life. There are corals, but not many of them, the closest one is in the corner of the pier. You can see a lot of interesting things there. This is where you must definitely wear “corals”, otherwise you can get hurt. There are many free places on the beach, towels are provided by card, and if you lose a card or towel, the fine for this is huge. There is a good free bar on the beach, but you can only eat there, but you can take drinks to the sun lounger.
The hotel rooms are cozy, compact, the furniture is slightly worn, but this does not affect your vacation in any way, everything is quite decent. The room has everything like everywhere else, a standard set. TV, air conditioning, safe, everything worked properly. They clean, but without fanaticism, not like in other hotels. Although, I must say, everything is clean. But they spin towel figures only for a fee; if you don’t pay, you won’t see exquisite towel animals that can compare with world masterpieces! Among the excursions we went from the hotel to a sightseeing tour of Hurghada. An interesting excursion, but it seems that it was specially made for us to buy up in two stores, where there are oils and tea and where there are souvenirs. But we already bought good, natural oils from the hotel store. When they told me the price, I thought they were crazy. But then, after haggling, we came to an excellent, reasonable price. I took from them Habibi and Arabian Night and some other cosmetic oils. To my surprise, everything I bought turned out to be a good buy. For other outdoor activities, we bought them from locals on the Internet on the Sphinx-tour website, very low prices, three times cheaper, and the quality is superb. We ordered it on the advice of friends from a popular local guide, whom we found in a search on social networks. His name is Ahmed (+201140423458 his viber, whatsapp). The hotel has a huge water park with slides for children and adults, where you can have a great time, as well as the largest swimming pool in Hurghada. The choice of food is large, meat, fish, seafood, local alcohol with an unusual taste. The animation works well, various shows, golf, boccia, volleyball. The hotel staff is friendly, helpful and efficient. In principle, everything was fine at the hotel, even the price; for two people we paid 80,900 for 9 days, 9 nights. We recommend the hotel to those who love a good beach holiday.
Makadi Bay was created only for guests of Egypt; it is absolutely not inhabited by local residents. This resort differs from Hurghada and other resorts in its quiet, blissful tranquility, despite the fact that it is located only thirty kilometers from the planet Hurghada, which thunders with all languages. The main focus of the resort is a relaxing, secluded holiday, as well as for couples with children. Young people here may be a little bored, because all the bars, discos, restaurants and other entertainment are concentrated on the territory of the hotels. Tourists enjoy attending the parties of the El Khan disco club and find themselves imprisoned in the shackles of music. The Bar Docker bar is also popular; at night, as a rule, there is no crowd here. A new promising tourist area is undoubtedly Makadi Bay, located on the shores of the Red Sea. Now the hotels built here administratively belong to Hurghada, but in the next five to ten years a separate resort will develop on this section of the coast, which will have all the amenities and its own infrastructure. The closest neighbor is Soma Bay; together these two resorts make up the Abu Makadi resort area. This resort is considered one of the respectable resorts on the Red Sea coast and offers four and five star hotels, and they are quite decent here, not only by Egyptian standards, but also by European standards. Meals here are all inclusive. All the resort hotels are built in one ensemble, so when you walk around the hotel city, which is built up with chic buildings, colorful restaurants and expensive boutiques, do not forget to enjoy it all, because it only brings pleasure and tranquility. The contrast is striking, scorched and naked by the hot African sun, empty, it extends immediately beyond the hotel territories, as well as the lush greenery of hotel gardens, alleys and parks, where roses, hibiscus, hydrangeas and jasmines grow and smell fragrant. There are also two coral reefs, one of which is located directly opposite the central beach. This is a great place for diving enthusiasts, because diving to a depth of ten to twenty meters you can see gorgeous and slow-moving stingrays, mackerel, barracudas and gray reef sharks. The island of Abu Nachish is considered the most interesting; it is surrounded by a reef one kilometer long. But here you should be prepared for strong undercurrents. Divers have also chosen Giftun Island, but it is located closer to Hurghada. Typically, those who prefer a holiday in Makadi Bay spend the whole day sunbathing, in between snorkeling or diving in the coral reefs. Very often among diving enthusiasts there are those who want to fulfill an old dream, namely, among the wreckage of sunken corrals in these parts, to find pirate gold bars. The resort has four diving centers, where real sea wolves are ready to share their experience. Each hotel has its own beach area. All beaches are sandy, the entrance to the sea is also sandy almost everywhere, and only on the beaches of the Iberotel Makadi Beach, Iberotel Makadi Oasis and Iberotel Makadi Saray Resort hotels you need special shoes to enter the sea.
The weather at the resort is good both in summer and winter, meaning you can relax here all year round. In winter, the water temperature at the resort rarely drops below two degrees, and the air is heated to +20-25 degrees Celsius. But at night during the winter months the temperature sometimes drops to +15 degrees Celsius. From May to October, the water in Makadi Bay is very warm. The most favorable months for holidays are the second half of September, October and November. At this time it is not so hot, the air temperature is on average +30 degrees Celsius, and the water temperature is on average five degrees lower than the air temperature.
In December, the windy season opens here, but unlike Hurghada, Makadi Bay is located on the shore of the bay, so the wind force in the bay here is much lower, and rest is more comfortable. The coolest months are January and February. However, people who cannot stand the heat will enjoy this holiday; the water in the sea will not drop below +21 degrees. Already at the beginning of March, the temperature rises, and a hot khamsin wind blows from the desert, sandstorms begin to become active and continue until April. As for excursions, they are all available both from Makadi Bay and from Hurghada, there are no special differences, except in price. As you can see, a holiday in Makadi Bay is for lovers of tranquility, and those who want to have fun and are not bothered by the noise in the area can go to Hurghada.
Makadi Bay began to develop as a resort in the late 1990s, so all the hotels built here are quite new. When choosing a hotel, you should pay special attention to the beach, because in Makadi Bay only a few hotels (for example, Club Azur and Royal Azur) have a sandy entrance to the sea, cleared of corals, while most hotels have a pontoon pier leading into the sea, which is not very convenient.
Please note that only hotels located in the center of the bay have convenient access to the sea. Along the edges of the bay the entire sea is covered in corals. Ideal conditions for divers, but not for beach lovers. By the way, hotels along the edges of the bay are usually cheaper than those with a convenient sandy beach, and most of them are completely new.
Categories and prices
There are practically no hotels below 4* category here, and those that claim to be 4 and 5* offer accommodation at relatively low prices. Many have their own slides, water parks, sports grounds, etc. Especially a lot was built here for children. By the way, you will have to have fun mainly on the territory, since there is nowhere else - there is nothing to do at the resort itself. Therefore, in order to attract young people here, many hotels are building bars and even discos on their premises.
Hotels in Makadi Bay are on average 10-20% more expensive than similar hotels in Hurghada. Despite the fact that most hotels position themselves as five-star, they often do not reach European standards. Moreover, two hotels with the same star rating can be completely different in terms of service. Accommodation in a five-star hotel costs from 50 to 150 USD per day. For this money you will be offered a spacious room, meals (breakfast, dinner or all-inclusive - depending on your luck), a vast territory, but some entertainment (water park, attractions, etc.) may require an additional fee.
A night in a “four” will cost about 40-100 USD; there will definitely be a swimming pool on site, some entertainment on site and, possibly, food.
Prices on the page are for April 2019.
Tourists get to Makadi Bay from Hurghada Airport. The desert transfer takes about 40 minutes. This hotel complex makes a strong impression, more like a city with lush greenery of parks, alleys, promenades connecting hotels with beaches and shopping galleries. Today Makadi Bay is the youngest and most modern resort “appendage” of Hurghada, but in the near future, according to local authorities, this place will have independent resort status.
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The difference between Makadi Bay and other resorts in Egypt:
- the area is young, the hotels are modern, the level of comfort and service is impeccably European;
- the complete absence of local vacationers, both in the hotels themselves and on the beaches;
- an abundance of sandy beaches with a sloping entrance to the sea;
- remoteness from the city, lack of real oriental flavor nearby;
- all resort infrastructure (clubs, discos, shopping centers, cinemas, etc.) on the territory of the hotel conglomerate.
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For those who value every minute of their vacation, love comfort and good cuisine, and approach the choice of a hotel rationally, Makadi Bay is an excellent option. In this article we will look at the offers and features of the seven most popular hotels in Makadi Bay among tourists.
Harmony Makadi Bay Hotel & Resort 5*
This five-star establishment is located on an area of 400 hectares. In addition to a modern hotel with 552 rooms of different levels, it has its own 600-meter long beach, tennis courts, a spa center and a shopping complex.
The room area is at least 52 square meters.
Gastronomic delights are served to hotel guests in 4 restaurants:
- Piazza Grande - oriental and European cuisine;
- Marco Polo - Italian cuisine;
- Layalina - for lovers of Egyptian delicacies;
- El Safina - fish dishes.
Beach: white sand and crystal clear sea (the resort is young, the sea is really clean). The entrance to the sea is gentle, you can relax with children.
The best vacation is a vacation with the whole family. When going to a resort with a child, you need to take into account a lot of different nuances: what clothes to take with you and what medications you may need first. Before traveling, you need to talk with your baby and tell him what to do if he gets lost, how to behave at sea, etc. So, we will talk about.
In the territory:
- several pools of different depths and sizes;
- diving school;
- SPA-center;
- hotel shopping center;
- night club with disco.
For children:
- animation;
- children's club;
- playgrounds,
- Children's swimming pool,
- babysitting services.
An all-inclusive holiday for the whole family (two adults and one child under 12 years old) will cost $100-130 per day (depending on the season and time of booking).
Review from Vadim, 30 years old, Saratov:
“We vacationed at the Harmony Hotel in May with the whole family. A week of complete happiness and joy. We didn’t regret for a second that we chose this tour. The breakfast was very rich, at first we overate and didn’t go for lunch. The bar on the beach makes excellent cocktails (they tipped a dollar a day). The room was cleaned every day and very thoroughly. The children were in love with the animators."
Tia Heights Makadi Bay 5*
This huge hotel is located on the 1st coastline of Makadi Bay and the 5 star treats include:
- more than a thousand air-conditioned rooms with a high level of comfort;
- swimming pool with an area of 6.5 hectares;
- sandy beach, 550 meters long;
- water park with numerous attractions;
- 14 restaurants and bars on site.
Rooms: from 55 to 274 square meters. It is possible to stay in cottages on the beach or in the main hotel building.
“The Best Hotel Makadi Bay,” as the hotel’s owners and management call it, offers guests food in one and a half dozen establishments, of which the following restaurants received good reviews from guests:
- Aladdin - Egyptian and Middle Eastern cuisine;
- Prince Karim - Mediterranean cuisine with oriental flavor;
- Dockers Pub is a beer restaurant with excellent food paired with beer.
The beach is sandy, the entrance to the sea is gentle and safe.
Aquapark: water activities for every taste. Of the 17 slides, 3 are intended for small children. Several swimming pools, animation, bars with refreshing drinks.
The main feature of this hotel with a water park is its interesting entertainment program:
- excursions to the mountains:
- horseback riding;
- many opportunities for children's recreation (clubs, animation, discos);
- Kayaking lessons;
- private boat trips on a yacht;
- submarine rides;
- desert and sea safari.
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Family holiday price: a day on an all-inclusive basis - 60-90 dollars. The cost of a full tour from Moscow for 7 days is from $950.
Review from Svetlana, 36 years old, Arkhangelsk:
“Yesterday we returned from Egypt, rested at the Tia Heights hotel. During the week and a half of rest there was not a single case of inattention on the part of the service personnel. The food was very tasty and we were constantly entertained. The room is always clean, there are always sun loungers by the pool.”
Royal Azur Resort 5*
A highly respected hotel in Egypt, located on the very shore of the bay, with several awards from the country's Ministry of Tourism, international booking systems and the association of tour operators. Offers a 5-star holiday on an all-inclusive basis.
The distinctive features of the hotel are comfort, an abundance of clients with children, leisurely activities, excellent cuisine and plenty of water activities.
Rooms are at least 50 square meters.
The hotel has 5 restaurants and three bars, the best of which are:
- Il Rondo - Italian cuisine, the restaurant is known for its impeccable pasta and vegetable dishes;
- Le Peschure is a beach restaurant whose hallmark is seafood and fish dishes of French cuisine;
- Al Mandara is a good oriental restaurant on the beach that is open in the evenings.
Once you get to an all-inclusive hotel, you can’t lose your head. Many tourists' eyes widen when they see the abundance of dishes, drinks, oriental sweets and all kinds of desserts. However, by abusing overseas dishes, they risk getting indigestion and other unpleasant things from the gastrointestinal tract. We'll tell you.
The hotel offers guests:
- well equipped gym;
- several pools of different depths;
- shopping gallery (souvenirs, handicrafts, etc.);
- diving center;
- beach activities - windsurfing, kayaking, etc.
- children's club, animation, playgrounds;
- sauna.
Hotel Feature- a medical center with a wide selection of various health treatments.
The price for a family room per night is 100-120 dollars.
Reviews from Kirill, 46 years old, Nizhny Novgorod:
“I liked the Royal Azur Hotel. Activities are plentiful and the staff is always ready to help. The only drawback is that in the mornings there weren’t enough sun loungers by the pool for everyone.”
Sunwing Waterworld Makadi 5*
Large hotel in the very center of Makadi Bay, on the first coastline. The establishment opened in 2012 and resembles a small closed town, where there is everything you need for a great vacation, including a family one. Like most hotels in the bay, the main type of tour is all-inclusive.
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The hotel has 600 rooms equipped according to five-star standards.
The hotel is proud of its non-smoking reputation. Smoking here is only allowed on the boardwalk and on the beach.
The hotel's restaurants offer their customers dishes of French, Italian, Indian and Chinese cuisine. All four establishments offer both a menu for everyone and individually prepared dishes for an additional fee.
Hotel special offers:
- sports center (football, volleyball, fitness center, tennis);
- aquapark;
- night club (disco);
- several swimming pools;
- animation.
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For children the hotel offers:
- children's water attractions;
- clubs, discos;
- babysitting services;
- daily animation at the hotel and on the beach.
Hotel Feature- evening shows that attract audiences from neighboring hotels.
The cost of family accommodation at the hotel ranges from 63 to 97 dollars per night.
Review from Elena, 24 years old, St. Petersburg:
“Sunwing Waterworld is a good hotel. I especially liked the children's presentation; my 5-year-old daughter was the happiest person on Earth. In the morning it is difficult to get into the main restaurant for breakfast, but there are many free places in other restaurants.”
Sunrise Royal Makadi Resort 5*
A distinctive feature of this hotel is its impeccably oriental atmosphere. Vast territory, green parks, blue pools and quaint architecture - all this is the Sunrise Royal Hotel.
More than five hundred rooms of the highest level of comfort, the most famous jewelry store in Makadi Bay, polite and friendly staff - everything here attracts tourists from Europe.
The hotel's restaurant variety is impressive:
- Teppaniyaki - Japanese cuisine;
- El Paso - Mexican dishes;
- El Arabbeya - Bedouin and Middle Eastern cuisine;
The hotel beach is coral, beach shoes are required.
Recreation opportunities for hotel clients are very wide:
- large water park (17 slides of varying difficulty);
- diving;
- swimming pools;
- shopping center();
- amphitheater (show programs daily);
- fitness, spa treatments;
The hotel offers children:
- children's corner of the water park;
- animation;
- playgrounds and swimming pools.
Hotel Feature- Turkish bath, as well as multilingual staff.
A 24-hour family vacation at the hotel will cost $140-180.
Review from Ivan, 50 years old, Belgorod:
“We had a great time at the hotel. Almost all of the staff speak Russian. The best restaurant is Japanese!”
Stella Makadi Garden Resort 5*
The hotel can be considered as a sanatorium. A wide range of medical services, mud baths, highly qualified specialists - all this attracts here those who want not only to relax, but also to improve their health.
More than 600 rooms equipped with everything you need.
The hotel “feeds” its guests in 6 restaurants and bars. In addition to traditional oriental and Italian restaurants, there is a very good establishment with Indian cuisine. The hotel only serves locally produced alcohol.
The hotel beach is sandy and coral. You can get to the beach by a free bus (5-7 minutes).
Recreation opportunities:
- speed boat rental;
- diving();
- swimming pools, jacuzzi;
- animation;
- night club;
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- show programs;
- tour agency.
For children:
- children's animation, club, babysitting services;
- swimming pools and water slides;
- discos.
Hotel Feature- medical procedures in the hotel clinic, mud baths.
Price: from 100 dollars per night.
Review from Nikolay, 35 years old, Novgorod:
“Great place to relax. Stella Makadi Garden Resort is not just a resort hotel. Here you can get treatment. To go to the beach, only wear shoes, but on the hotel grounds, my favorite pool was the one that imitates waves.”
Jaz Aquaviva 5*
The youngest hotel in the bay, which only welcomed guests in April 2015. Modern design and the resort's largest water park have already made this hotel of the Jaz&Iberotel chain the most popular among tourists.
Seven restaurants offering dishes of both European and Asian cuisine, a grill restaurant, as well as Egyptian cuisine, will not give customers a chance to go hungry. Several bars are ready to pamper you with the most exquisite cocktails.
The hotel is 4 kilometers from the beach. Communication with the sea by free buses throughout the day.
Holiday offer:
- water park - fifty attractions, half of which are for children;
- gym, beach volleyball;
- camel riding;
- bicycles for rent;
- SPA-center.
The hotel also offers its guests the opportunity to use the facilities of hotels located nearby. The number of free services is small.
For children:
- children's water park attractions;
- Children's swimming pool;
- animation;
- discos.
Hotel Features- very tasty food in the main restaurant, where they serve a hot buffet three times a day, the most delicious ice cream in Makadi Bay (according to tourists’ reviews).
Price: 145-170 dollars per night.
Review from Olga, 40 years old, Yekaterinburg:
“There is simply dazzling purity in Jazz Acquaviva. The staff does not speak Russian, but problems are resolved instantly. The main restaurant is a little small, but the food is simply “for slaughter.”
The best 5* hotels in Makadi Bay welcome tourists all year round. Even if the proud 5 stars do not always correspond to the level of European comfort of this category of hotels, their entertainment capabilities will satisfy the most demanding tastes. In Egypt, it is the Makadi Bay area that is the most vigorously developing resort. Holidays here are guaranteed to be of good quality!
Nov 30, 2015 Kate
