Sirena Beach Resort & Spa

I recently stayed at Sirena Beach Resort and SPA, and while the hotel has its merits, it also left me disappointed in many ways. Starting with the positives, the garden is absolutely beautiful, and the mangoes they serve are delicious. There’s a lot of food available, and the hotel’s interior and rooms are stunning, with great attention to decor. However, the negatives far outweighed the positives. The hotel operates on a time zone that’s +1 hour ahead of the standard Egyptian time, which is both confusing and unnecessary. It led to some scheduling issues and felt poorly thought out. The staff’s focus on tips was overwhelming. Even in the spa, after a massage, one of the employees showed visible irritation when we didn’t leave a tip. Communication in English was almost impossible, which added to the frustration. On top of that, we felt misled at the spa — the day before, we were told our package included a hammam, but the next day they claimed it didn’t. Eventually, they agreed to do it for the original price, but the whole experience lasted only about 10 minutes, which felt rushed and disappointing. The food was another letdown. It’s extremely repetitive, especially if you don’t eat meat or fish. Even my meat-eating friends commented on the lack of variety and mediocre quality. The beach is advertised as 16+, yet children were running around freely, defeating the purpose of the restriction. This hotel is nowhere near 5-star quality. I’ve stayed at other Egyptian resorts, and this one felt like a significant downgrade. Small details like not being able to refill your water bottle and being forced to drink from strange-tasting water in cups, bad coffee, and poorly washed vegetables really impacted the experience. To make things worse, the rules are inconsistently enforced. For example, smoking is banned in the restaurant, but if you tip the waiter, he’ll bring you an ashtray and let you smoke while others are eating. One of the pools designated for 16+ guests was only accessible to those in specific rooms — something that wasn’t clearly stated beforehand, and we likely wouldn’t have booked if we had known. Similarly, the jacuzzi, supposedly for adults only, was being used by children. The coral reef near the hotel is underwhelming compared to other resorts, and while there are some fish, the snorkeling experience is far from exceptional. Even the drinks were a disappointment, served from machines with a taste that was nowhere close to actual soda. In other hotels, I’ve had drinks served from cans, which was far better. The housekeeping service also felt inconsistent — we left a tip for our cleaner, and while he sprayed some air freshener in the room, others got extra drinks and water for larger tips. Ultimately, this hotel is not worth the price. There are far better options in Marsa Alam at similar or even lower price points, and I’d strongly recommend looking elsewhere.

We were robbed by a man who was cleaning our room. He stole €300 from us on the day of our departure, when we had packed our things and left for breakfast. He was waiting in front of the room and while we were having breakfast he stole money from our wallet! You have to be careful with the service, because they look like friends, a moment of inattention and they will rob you!