Pharaoh’s Island

We stayed at Steigenberger Alcazar all-inclusive hotel for 9 nights in early April. The hotel is clean, with spacious rooms and a stunning coral reef just off the pier — a clear highlight of the trip. However, several issues made the experience less enjoyable. There aren’t enough bathrooms across the resort grounds, which was inconvenient. The beach is shallow (1–2 feet) and not swimmable — you can only enter deep water at the end of a long pier. The snorkeling pier only opened around 10 a.m., even though mornings were calm and cooler — a missed opportunity for guests. Pools closed at 5 p.m. daily for chlorine cleaning, which left a strong smell and could have been scheduled later without disrupting guests. Service was minimal. At the buffet, no one checked if we needed drinks or utensils. No waiters by the pool. Towels could only be exchanged through room service, which wasn’t convenient. À la carte restaurant staff didn’t know the menu well — e.g., confusing sake with soy sauce. Descriptions were also off: a “seaweed salad” was mostly carrots, and “salmon on beets” came without beets. The spa felt neglected — low on towels and only one of four steam rooms working. While the reef and natural beauty were amazing, poor service and puzzling management decisions really held this place back. With better hospitality and attention to detail, this resort could be great. For now, I wouldn’t recommend it.