The hotel is located in the heart of Aqaba, Jordan. It is beautifully designed and structured.
There is one pool area, and it is separated into smaller pools, out of which only two are adults-only: the one by the bar and the jacuzzi. This arrangement does not actually separate the child-free adults from the running and screaming children, since the pools are so close together and the seating area is not separated.
There is also a large, private beach area with clean, soft sand for those who prefer lounging by the Red Sea.
Now, if you wish to drink or snack by the pool/beach, it might be a frustrating affair. There are rarely any waiters in the beach area, and none in the pool area. So, to order or ask for anything, you will likely have to go all the way to the bar/restaurant yourself. This was a first for me.
When you do ask for a drink at the bar, specifically alcoholic beverages, sometimes they don’t know how to make them, or do it wrong. In other words, many times there is no trained bartender at the bar.
Of course, the service is not always as such. Like Josie, the only waitress we’ve seen at the beach, who would remember our usual order, Adrien, the bartender who was always so friendly (and competent). Finally, Abdallah was always quick to offer assistance whenever needed.
Our room: spacious and clean; perfect for us. On our second day, the staff somehow failed to clean our room. They refilled the mini-bar, but didn’t touch the room otherwise. This was solved once we brought it up, and our room has been cleaned meticulously since. Although we still believe it should not have happened in the first place.
The food at the breakfast buffet (AM/PM restaurant, which, for some reason, only has the AM part) was great. The waiters at the buffet are kind, but scattered.
We felt like most of the disappointments we faced were due to a lack of proper management.
Our two best experiences were, by far, dining at both Olea and Rehan. The food was just delicious, and the staff who hosted us – May, Mahmoud Bashtawi, and Bajes – were all incredibly efficient and friendly. I have no notes for either restaurant. Although if I must choose one, I would say Rehan. It offers options for every single diet, including vegans, thanks to their magazine-long menu.
As for the rest of the staff, we had some truly wonderful experiences: all the reception employees were consistently welcoming and attentive. May, who was friendly and unfailingly professional, Mahmoud Bashtawi, a hard-working, dedicated employee whose talents and abilities were clearly wasted on his current position. Last but not least, Ahmad Nasrsallah, one of the few people in management who felt like they were doing their job well. He listened to our every need and exceeded our expectations.
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