Zain G
Stayed at this hotel last week and was quite disappointed, mainly due to the amount of good reviews I read compared to the level of service we saw. We stayed for 8 nights with our group of 11 people (4 rooms), although we spoke to the hotel relations months before arriving about restaurant reservations and rooms nearby - when we got to the hotel it was a different story. They didn’t allow us to change a reservation at a restaurant by 30 minutes. We get to the restaurant and no one is there. We requested an iron on the first day, and followed up 3 times - we never got it our whole trip. The housekeeper was a nice guy, but the clean towels had stains on them, and the used mugs and glasses never got replaced. The food was very average, often times overcooked. Be aware that they try upselling a beef steak (I think it’s a neck cut), we fell for the trap - it was horrible. The chef who cooked it clearly made a mistake when we asked for medium rare and the steak came out blue. They had to take it back. Nevertheless, there were some great hardworking employees which we valued, the security guard, Mohamed, and a couple of the bar hosts who consistently helped with getting warm milk for our baby. Although the area is nice and for the most part the resort is also nice, I would advise that many workers will not go out of their way to help, and are quite confrontational. They will insist that their wifi is good - when you go to the rooms, it barely works. Maybe I am comparing my expectations to other parts of the world where service comes first, but, I honestly was not that impressed. If I do come back to Hurghada - I would probably pay more to stay in El Gouna.
The Travel Truth
We stayed at Steigenberger Aqua Magic for two weeks in August as a family with two children (5 and 10).
The family suite was spacious, with two separate rooms, good storage and reliable cleaning. Our first room had smoke coming in from the BBQ restaurant and a broken fan, but the hotel moved us promptly, which we appreciated. The fridge wasn’t always restocked with water and towel art was almost non‑existent, which disappointed our children.
There are lots of pools of different depths, attentive lifeguards, and a brilliant pirate ship area that both children loved. The slides were clean and never too busy, although the 120cm height rule was strictly enforced. A frustration was that three different pools were closed on three separate days due to accidents. While this isn’t the hotel’s fault, many babies weren’t wearing swim nappies despite signs asking for them, and we felt this could have been monitored more closely.
There are plenty of sunbeds, but they’re close together and reserving was common. People were putting belongings out before the towel hut opened at 8am, and we even saw lifeguards reserving beds for certain guests.
The main buffet had plenty of choice and was usually well stocked, but it became repetitive. Other five‑star hotels in Egypt tend to offer more themed nights and variety. Drinks were often not cold enough, especially fruit juices at breakfast. Pallapa’s smaller breakfast buffet was a nice quieter option.
We tried all three à la carte restaurants. Magic Orient and Pallapa were decent, but Magic Sky was the standout, with lovely food and beautiful sunset views. However, the upselling was excessive, especially at Magic Sky, with long pitches for extra‑charge steaks and wines. After declining, we felt a noticeable change in attitude, which wasn’t pleasant.
The bars were friendly and spirits were fine, but cocktails were very inconsistent—sometimes great, sometimes thrown together and not matching the menu. They also weren’t always cold. The ice cream machines around the resort were a great touch.
The snack bars were convenient, especially for children, though quality varied. Chips were often cold and pancakes soggy. The entertainment area snack bar was useful in the evenings.
The beach is an easy walk or a quick golf‑cart ride. Sunbeds were comfortable, though close together. The beach à la carte restaurant was a huge surprise—genuinely excellent food, especially the pasta dishes, which were some of the best we’ve had at an all‑inclusive beach restaurant. As expected in Egypt, sellers approached guests, but the red flag system helped reduce this.
The location is fantastic. The promenade outside has great restaurants and shops, and feels calmer than other areas of Egypt. We highly recommend Moby Dick and White Elephant—both outstanding and better value than the hotel’s extra‑charge restaurants.
Staff were generally friendly and check‑in/check‑out were smooth. On our final day, the hotel stored our valuables, gave us free Wi‑Fi and allowed us to use all facilities until our transfer, which was appreciated.
Unfortunately, the biggest issue was repeated stomach problems for every member of our family throughout the stay. We visit Egypt regularly and take precautions, but this was very different from previous trips. Symptoms often followed eating or drinking at the hotel, though of course we can’t say for certain what caused it. We avoided ice, changed what we ate and were extra careful, but the problem continued. Several other guests told us they were experiencing the same. We needed medication and rehydration sachets, and it significantly affected our holiday. Interestingly, we had no issues at all when eating outside the hotel, and we were completely fine within a week of returning home.
Alis-Salomeea Neagu
Title: Amazing stay with excellent service!We had a wonderful vacation at Steigenberger Aqua Magic. The hotel is clean, modern, and perfect for families. The staff goes above and beyond to make you feel welcome, especially the animation team and the restaurant servers. The rooms are spacious and well-maintained. Food options were diverse and delicious, with plenty of choices every day. The water park was an absolute highlight for us. Highly recommend this resort and would definitely visit again! And splash bar 🍹🍹
Henène El Ouafi
Restaurant Orient was het beste Restaurant in het hotel. Service was super goed zelfs. Super vriendelijk
I also want to give a special mention to the entire staff, because they truly deserve it. From housekeeping and the bar staff to reception, every single person we met was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Nothing was ever too much to ask, and they were always happy to help. Honestly, I've never stayed somewhere where every member of staff was this consistently kind. They are a huge part of what makes this place so special, and I hope the owner knows what an amazing team they have. 👏❤️
Simisola Olonode
Great hotel for a family holiday. The hotel had something for everyone, lovely staff at the kids club aswell.
The a la carte restaurants were nice especially Sky. They also had a decent cocktail list as all bars.
There were negatives, our room was slightly dated and definitely more 4* then 5*. The buffet restaurant food was ok but not amazing.
Overall good experience but i wouldn't recommend for those travelling without children, the sister hotel is a better option.
