Syl Ka
I do not recommend this diving centre, located on the beach side of the Ali Baba Hotel. Unfortunately, my experience was very disappointing. I felt that the prices and offers were not presented clearly, and I had the impression that tourists were being charged unfairly.
The staff also approach guests repeatedly every day, even after you clearly say that you are not interested. They keep coming back and bothering people, which I found very annoying and uncomfortable.
One of the employees, a tall man who appeared to be the manager, was particularly rude, disrespectful and used inappropriate and offensive language. His attitude towards customers was completely unacceptable and made the whole experience very uncomfortable.
In my opinion, customer service and respect should be a basic standard, especially in a diving centre where people should feel safe, welcome and treated professionally. I would personally not return to this place and cannot recommend it to other tourists.
There are many much better and more affordable diving centres outside the hotel, offering better service, more professional staff and much more reasonable prices. I strongly recommend comparing different options before booking and looking for a reputable diving centre outside the hotel area.
kelci bligh
loving every minute of this holiday. All the staff are very friendly and so attentive. There is something for all age groups, the entertainment staff are amazing they made our holiday. The food is amazing good variety. And the safari trip was unreal, eye opening and a once in a lifetime experience. We will definitely be coming back to Alibaba Palace! We cannot thank them enough for making our experience wonderful.
Sabina Parus
I honestly have nothing to complain about – everything was absolutely fantastic!
Every day there were different attractions for both kids and adults, so no one could get bored. The waterpark was amazing, and the water was very warm both there and in the main pools. We started our holiday on April 6th, and at the beginning the water in the deeper pool might have been slightly cooler, but as our stay went on, it felt like there was no difference at all.
The kids club was wonderful – Rodrigo was amazing The kids absolutely loved him. But honestly, the whole animation team deserves applause for doing such a great job.
We have kids aged 6 and 8, and they were so busy with activities that we barely saw them – which meant we could fully relax on the sunbeds.
The drinks were very good – and greetings to the best bartender who was almost always at the Manhattan bar! We had no stomach issues at all. It was completely safe to drink cocktails with ice, eat ice cream, vegetables, and fruits.
The food was also very good – everyone can find something for themselves. The rooms were spacious; we had one with a bunk bed for the kids, which was very comfortable, plus a balcony with a view of the pool and part of the stage.
The beach is a bit rocky at the entrance, so I recommend proper footwear.
We will definitely come back – it was amazing!
Anonymus
Luxury hotel with good restraunts, entertainment team is nice
The beach is common with its twin hotel Aladdin, but not the bars and towel Centers which is fair I think, it consists of four bays one is total sandy the others are bit rocky for the first 3-4 meters, still there are walking bridges and sandy spaces between for guest convenience.
I would rate my stay very good.
One thing for the hotel management : please try to do something about guests reserving seats without actually using them
Rebecca Whitehead
We arrived late at the hotel but were warmly welcomed by the staff. We were also informed that the Italian restaurant was still open, allowing us to have something to eat after our journey, which was a thoughtful touch. The food there was well cooked and enjoyable.
The hotel itself was very clean, and we were pleased with our room. It was spacious, clean, and comfortable throughout our stay. The gentleman who cleaned our room worked incredibly hard, was always polite, and did an excellent job. The entertainment team also worked hard to keep guests engaged throughout the day.
The water park was fantastic—very clean, with a great variety of slides suitable for all ages. However, as it doesn’t open until 10:00 a.m., the ground becomes extremely hot later in the day, and since water shoes or socks aren’t allowed, it can be uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, there were several areas where the hotel fell short. The biggest issue was the lack of sun loungers and umbrellas. It took us five days before we managed to get one, and we had to be at the pool by 7:00 a.m. just to have any chance of securing a spot. Drinks service didn’t begin until 10:00 a.m., and bar service throughout the resort was slow and often understaffed. There were frequently no glasses available, drinks were served in tiny glasses or paper cups, and ordering the same cocktail often resulted in completely different drinks each time. Some pool staff also asked for tips despite providing little or no service, although they did try to help guests find available loungers when possible.
The buffet restaurants were always very busy. While the food was generally well cooked, it became very repetitive over the course of our stay. There were often no plates available, and on one occasion I was completely ignored by two chefs while waiting to be served. After eventually walking away, I raised the issue with management. The chefs then called me a liar, which was extremely upsetting. The receptionist apologised on their behalf, but the experience left a bad impression, and I avoided that section of the restaurant for the rest of the holiday.
Evening entertainment was another disappointment. Unless you arrived around two hours early, it was almost impossible to get a seat. Waiter service was slow and insufficient for the number of guests, and if you left your seat to get a drink yourself, you risked losing it. The entertainment programme also lacked variety during our stay.
Our biggest disappointment came on our departure day. We had two rooms booked and a late afternoon flight. Check-out was at 12:00 p.m., and we asked every day during our holiday if we could keep just one room for a late check-out. We were repeatedly told to ask again on the morning of departure. When we did, we were informed that both rooms had already been allocated to new guests and that late check-out was not possible. No alternative solution was offered, and we weren’t even informed about any shower or changing facilities. As a family of five, we were left waiting in the hotel for over four hours with nowhere to freshen up before our journey home. We found this to be extremely poor customer service.
Overall, the hotel has many positives, including clean rooms, hardworking housekeeping staff, a great water park, and a pleasant welcome on arrival. However, issues with overcrowding, poor organisation, inconsistent service, and the lack of flexibility on departure day significantly affected our experience. With better staffing and improved guest services, this could be a much better resort.
