this was a pleasant experience. the hotel was clean although it could do with a refurbishment. The food was quite reasonable providing you ate at one of the themed restaurants. Breakfast was the same each day but hey i like eggs and the bread was great. The staff were very helpful in all areas. But the guy on the beach who served drinks was very attentive. Because its a complex you are not pestered like in towns and villages.

We previously stayed at this hotel two years ago at Xmas 2010 and enjoyed our time immensely (see prev report), we stayed here from Dec 14th for two weeks this year and we picked this hotel specifically as the last time we stayed it had a heated pool and it still advertises this, we were very disappointed to see (and feel) that this is now not so, we spoke to reception three times to be told that it would be heated tomorrow (it wasn’t and still was freezing when we left), we found out later that the line is broken and it is not pumping heat into the pool, after I spoke to customer relations they very kindly arranged for us to have wristbands to use the Sunwing Hotel, however after finding it we came straight back (it is Water park and of course packed with children), we had a few problems with the room, a.c wasn’t working and shower was broken but after three visits to the front desk these were fixed, the food was exactly the same as it was two years ago, the Xmas menus for all the restaurants were the same, we paid extra for the Xmas Eve meal in the Lebanese but walked out after the main meal as it was so hot in the room, the food was pretty good though, the entertainment for Xmas eve was the usual, singer, dancers and a Hoda (whirling dervish), we did notice a huge decline in the amount of British guests this year, mainly German/Russian guests visiting Egypt now, which would explain why the staff rarely spoke English to us at first, we had a look around the three newer hotels and we thought they were much better, Makadi Spa (looks amazing although not finished), Makadi Palace, there is a fantastic beach in front of the Sunwing, just walk to the beach in front of the Grand Makadi and keep walking right there is a beach hut serving beer down there which was playing Xmas carols, while we had a few liquid lunches (great fun)..All in all, we had a nice time, but as this was our 9th visit to Egypt we will be going further afield next year to the Caribbean..... Suffice to say as in the title the Grand Makadi is an old lady now compared to the other newer hotels, also do not book too early we could have waited and saved £500 on our holiday with RedSeaHolidays.. Any questions don’t hesitate to message me... Merry Xmas..

Having discovered after 40 odd years that i hate the Xmas period, i decided to try something different, so off to the Travel Agent to find somewhere hot, it was either Egypt or the Canaires, having been to the Canaries before i decided its Egypt, and when i plan a last minute holiday i don't want to leave anything to chance so i come to tripadvisor to get a heads up on the available hotels.
Firstly i have never read reviews of a hotel on this site without reading some bad feedback, so i go with the majority and in this instance i'm glad i did.

On arrival at the airport i was greeted by Red sea reps which was reassuring, if only to point us in the right direction, the transfer to the hotel was pleasant without any other stops(have you ever been away and the bus stops at 6 or 7 hotels before you get to yours!!). On arrival at the resort first impressions were good, it was getting late and we had been up from 5am,so we were a bit tired and hungry. The staff took care of the baggage while we went in search of food, and we weren't disappointed one step into the courtyard and we were greeted by waiters of the Italian restaurant, they showed us to a table and we ate freshly cooked stonebaked pizza with our choice of topping, perfect start.

Our room 1225 was spacious and clean, the bedding was fresh and the beds massive, the view wasn't the best as it overlooked the hotel lobby but i decided this wasn't important, but i'm sure if i asked for a different room i would have got one. Only downside to the room was the bathroom, it was tired looking and the bath was painted, the shower area was small and the plug in the sink didn't work(fixed day after), the separate toilet was welcome.

So far so good, and it stayed that way

The food was excellent wherever i ate, the problem was booking the restaurants as it wasn't explained to us properly. If you go here follow this advice.
Breakfast. Italian or Lagoon no booking necessary.
Lunch, Caribbean, Italian, Lagoon or the starfish near the beach, my boys enjoyed the chicken kebab stand again no booking necessary.
Dinner. here is where it gets complicated, if you want to eat in the hotels 4 restaurants, book them during the day except for Lagoon(bbq and buffet) where bookings are never necessary. If you want to eat in the other 5 restaurants in the the Mall, then you need to book them at reception area between 1 and 2pm, our mistake was not booking for the week because on the third day we were told all the restaurants were fully booked for the rest of our stay, i thought you could only book for the same evening, that said we did get in the Lebenese and the Italian without a booking. Not all items on menu are AI, but we got by without paying extra.
My favorite was the Caribbean, food was delicious(HOT TIP if you find a restaurant you like.. a small tip can go a long way).The staff remember you.

Drinks were ok, pretty much the same as all AI holidays i have been on.
Service was excellent, the staff were very nice
Hotel was spotlessly clean as were the restaurants, the poolside and the beach area.
The pools were cold, but the sea was warm.
The beach was what you made of it, you could walk out on a jetty to the end of the coral reef and experience some pretty amazing snorkeling, especially if you ventured out a bit.
If you walked down to where the Sunwing is, there is a sandy beach where you can sunbathe all day or you can relax on the private loungers by the rocky areas.
Beach shoes are necessary as is a snorkel, £4 and £8 in the hotel shop, don't buy from the beach shops, they rip you off.
Don't book a taxi from the hotel, just walk outside the resort, there are taxis waiting night and day for less than half the £50 we were quoted in the hotel, there is also a free bus to Hurghada, but again you need to book well in advance(at reception) as it gets full quickly. Another tip, visit the old town rather than the grand resort, its an experience you will never forget, oh and the spice shop you will be taken to, the saffron is the real deal, i got him down to £4 Egyptian per ounce(40p). By the way barter for everything, its expected.

Tips are pretty much a way of life in this hotel, take loads of $1 bills, for the sake of £30 its worth it. I reiterate, the staff remember you!!!!!

I didn't know what currency to take, my advice.. anything, maybe all of it, but take it, all rooms have a secure safe
US$ in airport and tips
£sterling for anything
£Egyptian for anything
Euro for taxis
No matter what you take its excepted, but you can only change money in the hotel and the ATM is expensive



The only downside was the hotel is looking a little tired and there was nothing in the way of entertainment at night time and the kids got bored, so its best to go bed early and get up early as there is much more to do when the sun arrives, like snorkeling before breakfast.

And take your own kettle and coffee, cause Egyptian coffee is disgustingly different in my point of view.
Pack plenty of reading material and coloring books for kids, you cant buy them in Egypt(unless your German). No English newspapers. I made good use of the 20 kg of baggage allowance.
If you like a drink, buy the 2 for £20 spirits at the Airport on your way in and just enough ciggies for your holiday, cause premium brand spirits are £80 per bottle in the hotel. On the way home buy your Duty Free at Hurghada Airport, Golden V is $36 for 1/2kg and L & B are $19 a sleeve, Hurghada's departure lounge is an experience in its self.

Dont be put off by bad reviews for this hotel, there are always people who will find something to moan about, i think some actually look for the negatives. We experienced one couple who did complain at every given opportunity and although it was mostly fueled by too much drink, it was embarrassing to watch them. Quite how the night reception staff put up with it, i dont know.

Special mention to Said on reception, very helpful and knowledgeable, thanks for making the stay more memorable, also Akram who was most helpful.

Would i go back to Egypt?, probably not, for me its a one off holiday, but if i did, i would go back to this hotel resort without question.
BTW if your still reading this review and not fallen asleep, i have saved the best tip for last. Once you have booked this hotel, email them asking if the poolside villa is available for the duration of your stay, if it is book it, its FOC and an amazing eye catching room.(steps from your terrace to the pool).Good luck on that though cause there is only one.

All in all, an excellent holiday.
Dec 21-28

We stayed at The Grand Makadi from 21/12 - 28/12 for a lovely Christmas break. I prefer this location to Sharm el sheikh and plan to come back here in a couple of months.

All the staff were charming and friendly and went out of their way to make our stay comfortable. Some people complain about the tipping culture that goes on but I say what's a couple of pounds to these guys who work non stop throughout the year on a weekly wage that wouldn't last us a day over here. We took English and Egyptian money, lower denominations and plenty of pound coins should have you being treated like a king at all times. (Watch out if you use the ATM - we were charged £8 by our own bank for each withdrawal so I'd recommend getting money before you go)

I would also like to say that I had (stupidly) lost my iPod in the hotel but was amazed that one of the restaurant staff had handed it in to reception and I got it back in perfect working order. It was nice to know that there are good people who do the right thing out there. I thank them for that.

Grounds of the hotel were kept well and all the outer toilet areas were kept clean all day and night.
There is some kind of refurbishment going on discreetly across this hotel. Some rooms look modern and fresh, where as ours was a little tired looking and the bathroom was poorly fitted and painted and very smelly due to a very mouldy shower curtain hanging over the bath. I was told the block we were in were next on the list list for a revamp. Other than that, our room (1244) was big and spacious with a huge bed, working air con and lovely balcony overlooking the pool area of The Makadi Palace. The daily cleaning of the room was up to standard but on first impressions there was a lot of dust along frames, mirrors and little nooks and crannies, not major I know, but if Red Sea holidays want to claim its a 5 star, then starting with the basics should be top of the list.

I loved all the food. Especially the daily BBQ stations dotted around at lunchtimes. Good choice of drinks on the menu and for the sports fans, there is a great sports bar down at the mall in the makadi complex. You have to pay for your beers here but was a good place to start the evening with a couple of drinks and the staff were all very friendly.

Take good swimming shoes as the beach is quite rough and walking into the sea is sharp with coral. Well worth it. We bought ours for £5 a pair in local shops. The beach was also very quiet as the hotels were not to full capacity so it was great. Plenty of loungers to choose from.

Overall it was a nice relaxing break. I'd ask for a refurbished room next time. Hopefully sooner rather than later.