"We’ve just returned from a 10-day stay at Sentido Naga Bay, and unfortunately, I don’t even know where to begin. The negatives outweighed the positives, making this the most disappointing of our five trips to Egypt.
Room
We booked a Garden View Swim-Up Suite (Room 5010), and the room itself was spacious, nicely decorated and comfortable. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, the dressing table was a lovely touch, and housekeeping maintained the room to a good standard throughout our stay.
However, there were several issues. The shower drain blocked almost every day, causing it to fill with water very quickly. Fortunately, my partner is a plumber, so it wasn’t a major problem for us, but it certainly shouldn’t happen in a hotel of this standard.
The biggest issue was the noise from the neighbouring hotel. It genuinely felt like we were staying next to a nightclub, with music and bass so loud that our bed physically shook. Reception informed us that it would continue until midnight, so if you’re hoping for a peaceful night’s sleep, I’d recommend packing earplugs.
The advertised “garden view” was also disappointing. It consisted of a small hedge and the opposite building, with a public footpath directly outside the room, offering very little privacy.
Food
Without a doubt, this was the worst hotel food we have ever experienced. It felt more like a school buffet than a five-star resort, and even that might be generous. The selection was limited, repetitive and lacked both authenticity and flavour. For most of our stay, we survived on rice and pasta unless we wanted salad, dips, cold meats and cheese, which seemed to appear at every meal.
The grill station was a highlight, and the freshly cooked steak was very enjoyable.
Service in the main restaurant was inconsistent. We regularly waited around 10 minutes to be offered drinks and another 5–10 minutes for them to arrive. Dirty plates were often left on tables for long periods, particularly outside, and on several occasions we were served wine in cocktail glasses. It’s a small detail, but one you wouldn’t expect to be overlooked in a five-star hotel.
After we mentioned our concerns about the food to the Food & Beverage Manager on our second evening, he met with us the following day and kindly reserved us a table at the à la carte restaurant each night, which we appreciated. We visited the à la carte restaurant once during our stay, where both the food and service were excellent. Unfortunately, shortly afterwards I became extremely unwell and spent the entire night vomiting, which understandably put us off returning.
The pool bar became our go-to for lunch, offering freshly prepared pizzas, burgers, pasta and salads, and was by far the best food available.
We also decided to treat ourselves to the Sentido floating breakfast on our second-to-last morning, but this was another disappointment. The only items that matched the advertised menu were the omelette and pancakes. There was no avocado, halloumi or smoothie bowl—instead, we received pastries, cold meats and cheese taken straight from the buffet. After explaining that the breakfast was not as advertised, we were still expected to pay the full price, which was incredibly disappointing.
Staff & Service
The staff is what save this hotel. For the most part, everyone was friendly, hardworking and eager to help. A special mention goes to Yahnis at the adult pool bar, along with Faris, Ahmed, Ali and Hossa at the snack and main pool bar, who were consistently attentive and welcoming.
Rawan from Guest Relations also checked in with us throughout our stay. After listening to our feedback, she genuinely tried to improve our experience and turn a negative situation into a more positive one.
Beach
Don’t be misled by the hotel’s social media photos. You cannot walk directly into the sea from the beach because the area is protected coral reef. Instead, you have to walk to the neighbouring sister hotel to access a very small entry point. If, like me, you’re not comfortable in deep water, the only other option is a jetty leading into water approximately 20 metres deep.
It was also disappointing to see litter both on the beach and in the water, especially considering it’s a protected reef. The house reef itself, however, is absolutely beautiful and offers excellent snorkelling.
Late Check-Out
On our final night, we enquired about a late check-out and were initially told we could keep our room until 5pm at €10 per hour. This was then changed to 4pm, which we happily accepted, only to later receive a phone call saying late check-out was no longer available.
I asked whether there was a courtesy shower room available before our evening departure and was told we could use the gym showers instead. Every hotel I’ve stayed in has offered dedicated shower facilities for departing guests, and I would certainly expect this from a five-star resort.
Thankfully, after speaking with manager Ayman, we were eventually able to keep our room until departure.
Overall
While there are some positives—the spacious rooms, hardworking staff and beautiful house reef—they simply weren’t enough to outweigh the disappointing food, misleading advertising, noise issues and inconsistent service.
Sadly, we won’t be returning, and if you’re accustomed to genuine luxury five-star hotels, I wouldn’t recommend Sentido Naga Bay."
