Xanadu Makadi Bay

We had another wonderful stay at Xanadu! This was our second time here, and once again, everything exceeded our expectations. This resort is truly impressive, spacious, diverse and offering an incredible variety of activities, facilities and beautiful areas to enjoy. There is something for eveyone, especially for families with children, they have dedicated spaces and excellent facilities to keep the little ones entertained. The beautiful coral reefs, the abundance of colorful fish and the fact that there are no tides make the beach and the sea perfect for swimming and snorkelling at any time of the day. The food is delicious and a la carte restaurants deserve special praise. The dishes are of excellent quality, beautifully prepared and absolutely delicious. The staff are always welcoming, friendly and smiling, making you feel truly appreciated throughout your stay. As for cleanliness, we have nothing but praise! We had the room 4144 last week, I’m sorry I can’t remember the name of the guy from housekeeping. Not only did he do an excellent job keeping our room spotless, bit he also surprised our little boy with all sorts of creative towel shapes and figures. It was such a lovely touch, and we truly appreciated both his attention to detail and his creativity. Please pass our thanks to him! We were also very happy to receive a loyalty card on our 2nd visit - such a lovely gesture that makes us feel even more welcome. We recommend Xanadu to anyone looking for a wonderful holiday experience. We have already made up pur minds: we definitely be nack for a third visit! Thank you for making our holidays so special!

My mother and I stayed at Xanadu Makadi Bay in October 2026, expecting a five-star holiday. Unfortunately, our experience fell significantly short of expectations. Although the resort has beautiful grounds and some genuinely wonderful employees, we encountered numerous problems with room maintenance, housekeeping, food quality, spa hygiene, persistent sales approaches and customer service. Room and Housekeeping: We received a complimentary room upgrade, which initially seemed promising. However, the room was outdated and needed maintenance. The shower had an inconvenient overhead-only design, and the water had an unpleasant smell resembling drains and chlorine. The toilet seat was dirty upon arrival and was only properly cleaned on our second day, despite our earlier request. Some bed linen had visible burn marks, the balcony door was noisy (although this was repaired after reporting it), and the room lighting was very dim. On a positive note, the air conditioning worked perfectly. Housekeeping was inconsistent. On different days, staff arrived at 9am, noon and even 2pm. On one occasion, we were asked to wait five minutes for cleaning. We went for lunch and coffee, returned an hour later, and the room still wasn't ready. On our fifth day, housekeeping arrived at 2pm, just as we returned from the pool wanting to shower. We declined the cleaning because of the timing. Overall, cleaning standards and scheduling were disappointing. Food: The main buffet restaurant was, unfortunately, the worst part of our dining experience. Many dishes lacked flavour or were poorly prepared. The scrambled eggs were watery, the porridge was mostly milk with very few oats, and the pizzas were particularly disappointing, especially the cheese. The poached eggs were overcooked, and the Russian salad tasted so unpleasant that I couldn't finish it. Fruit quality was also poor. We encountered green bananas, overly soft bananas and dried-out oranges. Being outside peak season should not mean compromising on the quality of fruit served. Chicken dishes were generally acceptable, but other meats were often chewy. The pre-made sandwiches were extremely dry, including those available at the snack stations and lobby bar. Even the flavoured butters, advertised with ingredients such as chilli and herbs, had barely any noticeable flavour. Desserts were acceptable, although generally very sweet. Breakfast at Ariel restaurant offered little improvement over the buffet. The food was essentially the same, just presented differently. The pool bar was a pleasant exception. Its chips were properly seasoned, the wraps were tasty, the burgers were decent, and the hot dogs were acceptable. The Turkish coffee at the lobby bar was excellent. Cocktails were disappointing. Despite expectations of international alcoholic beverages, the drinks we received did not meet those expectations. The pima colada was mostly of pineapple juice and alcohol, while mojitos were served with wilted mint and frozen limes or lemons. The à la carte restaurants served noticeably better food than the buffet, although the overall dining experience still fell short of our expectations for a five-star resort. Several restaurant interiors also appeared dated and would benefit from refurbishment, particularly those outside the Xanadu Club area. Spa experience: We paid €200 for a hammam experience, but the treatment was poorly organised and raised concerns about professionalism and hygiene. We were initially taken for massages rather than the hammam treatment. Throughout the massages, the therapists repeatedly talked loudly to each other, laughed, and occasionally would start singing... There were also unexpected back-cracking movements and occasions when we were tickled and laughed at. This made the experience uncomfortable. One therapist examined my nails and discussed them with her colleague without explaining why. Hygiene was another concern. One therapist was barefoot, and I could clearly see visible dirt beneath her toenails. This was particularly unpleasant in a spa environment. After the massages, staff attempted to escort us towards the exit, despite our hammam treatment not having taken place. When I questioned this, the receptionist apologised and explained that she had forgotten to inform the therapists. We were then taken to the sauna facilities. The steam room was barely warm, and there was no hot water available in the showers. During the hammam treatment, staff continued talking, laughing and singing loudly. Metal bowls were repeatedly banged together while being filled with lukewarm water, creating considerable noise in the echoing treatment room. I also felt uncomfortable with the way the body scrub was performed, particularly when the therapist scrubbed beneath my bra without explaining the procedure or asking for consent. I eventually asked her to stop touching me and said I would wash myself. Constant sales approaches and customer service: Throughout our stay, we were repeatedly approached by staff selling spa treatments, excursions and other services. The hotel provides red Do Not Disturb flags for guests who do not wish to be approached. However, when we requested one from the towel station, we were told none were available. On one occasion, after declining an offer by the pool, a staff member coughed in our direction and muttered something as he walked away. At the beauty salon, an employee reacted to our decision not to purchase anything by throwing the booklet onto the table and telling us, "OK, you can leave then. GO!" There were also occasions when staff continued addressing us in Russian despite us communicating in English, which made conversations unnecessarily difficult. We also felt that tipping was frequently expected rather than simply appreciated. Last-day shower facility and reception incident: On our final day, we requested access to a shower room before our departure and were asked to wait. While we were waiting, another family approached reception with the same request and was given access immediately. When we eventually received a shower room, we found it extremely dirty and poorly maintained. Later, our airport transfer was delayed. I approached reception to ask for assistance or information about the delay. A staff member named Ibrahim responded by shouting, "GO ASK THEM." I explained that the transfer representatives did not speak English, which was precisely why I was asking reception for assistance. I found this response unacceptable, particularly from a hotel reception employee assisting guests with their departure. Entertainment and Hotel shops: The hotel shops were extremely expensive compared with prices outside the resort. For example, I paid $8 for a box of just eight tampons. Several other items appeared to cost approximately 10–15 times more than comparable products we saw at Senzo Mall. Evening entertainment was fairly basic and seemed more suitable for children. There were limited activities that appealed to us as adults during the day. The Positives: Despite the problems, there were several things we genuinely appreciated. The resort grounds and gardens were beautiful, exceptionally well maintained and lovely to walk through. The adults-only beach area was peaceful, secluded and a welcome escape from the busier parts of the resort. We also appreciated not being approached by sales staff there. The lifeguards were attentive, particularly when supervising children around the pools. We witnessed them actively enforcing safety rules, including reminding parents about appropriate supervision. The pool-bar food was considerably better than the main buffet, the à la carte restaurants were an improvement, and the Turkish coffee was wonderful. A special mention goes to the young men operating the safari rides. They were friendly, patient, helpful and genuinely caring. My mother was nervous during the experience, and they made sure she felt comfortable and supported throughout. We were very happy to tip them for their excellent service, without any pressure. Final Verdict: Would not return. Xanadu Makadi Bay has beautiful grounds and some excellent employees, but these positives were overshadowed by repeated issues with food, hygiene, facilities, service and overall organisation. At one point, my mother and I seriously considered contacting our travel agency's emergency assistance line to enquire about returning home earlier. Based on our personal experience, we would not return or recommend Xanadu Makadi Bay to travellers expecting the level of quality and service normally associated with a five-star resort.

I visited this hotel at the end of October 2026. My room was located in the main building complex—specifically in Block 2—and offered a perfect view of the pools and the sea. The room was equipped with everything necessary, and it was kept impeccably clean on a daily basis. The buffet at the main restaurant is very extensive, offering a great variety of choices. For breakfast, you also have the option of à la carte dining at either the Ariel or Dolce Vita restaurants. As for the à la carte restaurants, I visited Taj Mahal, Dolce Vita, Ariel, Agora, and La Cascade; at all of them, the food was excellent and the service was flawless. A special mention goes to the French restaurant, La Cascade—where both the food and service are outstanding—and to Mr. Ahmed Abdallah, who is exceptional and ensures you have a truly memorable dinner. The beach has a gentle slope and is sandy. Service is provided directly to the sun loungers, both by the pools and on the beach. The selection is limited to local drinks, local wines, and Stella or Heineken beer. The only place where you can find a few international spirits (such as Campari, Aperol, whiskey, etc.) is the Lobby Bar. Given the hotel's immense size, there is a shuttle bus that runs every 3–4 minutes between the beach and the pool areas. Overall, it is a very good hotel in the Makadi Bay area of ​​Hurghada.

Very good experience! The hotel and very clean surroundings Customer-oriented personnel, carefully to our requirements. Tasty and diverse food at both the main restaurant and the a la carte restaurants. We will certainly return!

It was awesome time spent in egypt, great service, we had a little problem but reception was great and helpfull our favorite was Alaa Mohamed