"Overall a Beautiful Hotel with a Few Areas for Improvement
We are currently staying at the hotel, and I would like to begin by saying that the surroundings, buildings, gardens, pools, and the entire complex are truly impressive. The hotel is beautiful, exceptionally well maintained, and we are genuinely enjoying our stay here. The comments below are not intended as complaints, but rather as constructive feedback that may help the hotel continue to improve.
1. A Small Detail, but Noticeable in a Hotel of This Category
Neither in the main restaurant nor in the other restaurants did we find traditional metal teaspoons. Coffee is served everywhere with disposable wooden stirrers. At first glance this may seem like a minor detail, but in a premium hotel it feels somewhat out of place and does not really match the otherwise high standard of the environment.
2. Sea View Room
This was probably our biggest disappointment during our stay.
We specifically booked a Sea View room because the sea panorama is an important part of the holiday experience for us. Accordingly, we were willing to pay the higher room rate.
Unfortunately, we were assigned a room in one of the hotel’s most distant buildings, where a significant portion of the view is occupied by the flat roofs of the villas in front of us. Although the sea is indeed visible in the distance, the overall view falls far short of what most guests would reasonably expect from a Sea View category.
Of course, we understand that not all sea views are the same. However, in our opinion, rooms with such limited views might be more appropriately sold as Partial Sea View rooms, allowing guests to arrive with more realistic expectations.
Given how beautiful the hotel is, this was particularly disappointing for us, as we expected to enjoy a sea panorama directly from our room throughout our holiday.
Additionally, our disappointment was further increased by the fact that, despite the large size of the resort and the wide range of room locations available, we felt that we had been assigned one of the least favorable rooms within the Sea View category.
Of course, we are not in a position to judge the hotel’s occupancy level during our stay. However, as guests who paid a premium specifically for a Sea View room, it was difficult to understand why we were allocated a room where a significant portion of the view is dominated by the rooftops of the villas in front of us.
Based on our experiences at several premium resorts around the world, this was the first time we felt that the actual view did not fully correspond to the room category we had booked and paid extra for. For this reason, we believe it would be beneficial to pay closer attention to room allocation within the Sea View category, ensuring that the experience delivered is more closely aligned with the expectations created during the booking process.
3. Sports and Entertainment Activities
Several sports and leisure activities are listed in the daily program, but on multiple occasions they did not take place at the advertised time. It is not clear whether prior registration is required or whether activities only proceed when a minimum number of participants is reached. More detailed and transparent information on this would be helpful.
4. Beach Services
The main beach area is often crowded, while the newer beach section offers a much more spacious and peaceful environment. However, the level of service in this area does not yet match the standard found throughout the rest of the hotel.
In particular, the beach bar’s selection and service seemed more limited, which understandably encourages guests to choose the more crowded main beach area instead.
5. Breakfast – Egg Dishes
At breakfast, long queues regularly form at the omelet and egg station. It may be worth considering a system similar to the one used in several Rixos hotels in Dubai: guests place their order (omelet, Eggs Benedict, etc.), receive a number, and can then comfortably return to their table while the dish is prepared and delivered to them.
This would significantly improve the guest experience and reduce waiting times.
6. Food Labels and Allergens
My wife is gluten intolerant, so clear information about ingredients and allergens is particularly important for us.
I would like to emphasize that the staff and chefs were always helpful whenever we asked for assistance. Allergen information is displayed for many dishes, and food names are generally available, which is certainly appreciated and helpful.
However, on several occasions we encountered dishes where no allergen information was displayed, even though the nature of the dish suggested that it might contain gluten or other allergens. This created uncertainty, as it was not always possible to determine whether the food was safe to consume.
We believe that a more consistent application of allergen labeling throughout the restaurants and buffet areas would significantly improve the guest experience. This is particularly important for guests with food allergies or intolerances, who rely on this information when making their food choices.
Overall, we greatly appreciated the willingness of the staff to assist us whenever needed. Nevertheless, a fully consistent allergen labeling system would provide even greater confidence, convenience, and peace of mind for guests with special dietary requirements.
7. Dinner – Grilled Meats
During dinner service, there were several occasions when freshly grilled meats, such as chicken or steak, ran out and were not replenished for an extended period.
One likely reason is that many guests request customized preparation or additional portions directly from the chefs, which understandably occupies much of their attention and time. As a result, replenishing the buffet stations sometimes appears to become a secondary priority.
Summary
Despite these observations, Rixos Magawish remains an excellent hotel with beautiful surroundings, impressive infrastructure, and many positive qualities.
The points mentioned above are genuinely small details; however, we firmly believe that it is precisely these details that distinguish good hotels from truly exceptional ones.
We hope that management will view these comments as constructive feedback and consider them when further developing and improving the hotel’s services in the future."
