Moreno Resort and Spa - a Big Disappointment

The Moreno Resort and Spa is a large hotel located on the first line, right on the beach of the Red Sea. It operates on an all-inclusive system, has a restaurant, water park, and pool on the premises. The promotional photos in the travel agency and on tourist websites show a luxurious and modern hotel that will delight every guest.

However, in reality, the hotel complex, although not causing a nervous tic, does not allow for a complete relaxation and enjoyment of the holiday.

Location and Price

Sakala Road next to Touristic Port, Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt

The hotel is located 10 kilometers from the airport, 10 minutes' walk from the Mosque El Mina Masjid and the fish market. Taxis are always available outside the hotel, and you can reach any part of the city at a very affordable price. The hotel also provides taxi services, but at 3-4 times the cost of hailing a passing taxi.

The price of a standard double room, purchased directly before the trip (with food included in the all-inclusive system), will be around 6800 rubles per night. If you buy it in advance (our tickets were bought almost a year before the trip), the price of the room is approximately 4500 rubles.

When choosing a room, you can select your preferred view, but the administrator will immediately warn you that it's not guaranteed that you'll get the view you want.

Area

The Moreno horizon Spa & Resort consists of several buildings, but only a couple of them are actually functioning. One complex, located near the road, is currently under renovation. Given its size, I'm not sure how they plan to accommodate guests: the beach is already crowded during the day, and if the hotel is fully booked, people will be lying on top of each other.

The hotel has a garden, decorated with various flowers and sculptures. They look great both during the day and at night, with the added lighting.

There are pools - one for adults, one for kids. However, the pools are always cold, so we never used them. In fact, we saw only a handful of people using them during our entire stay.

In addition to the room buildings, there are two bars - one with drinks, the other with snacks.

The beach is small, divided into two sections. The right side is suitable for swimming with kids - it's sandy, with almost no rocks. You can walk along the beach and search for seashells.

The left side, near the pier, is suitable for adults, although we (and many others) swam there with our child. The entrance to the sea is mostly sandy, but there are small rocks. The left side of the beach is rocky. It's better to wear special shoes, as it's easy to slip and hurt your leg.

However, we preferred swimming here because of the reef - as soon as you swim near the buoys, you can dive into a real underwater world. It's essential to bring a mask, as snorkeling is a popular activity here. You don't need to swim far to see fish - they swim right under your feet, even on shallow water. If you walk to the left side of the beach and carefully descend the rocks near the buoys (up to your knees), you can see colorful fish and even an octopus.

There are sunbeds on the beach, some made of fabric, others of wood (with separate mattresses). However, there are not enough sunbeds, and people start reserving them as early as 6-7 am. Therefore, you either have to do the same or not use the sunbeds (if there are no free ones available). There are many umbrellas on the beach, and towels are provided for each guest. You can change them as often as you want during the day.

Service

Unfortunately, behind the beautiful facade lies many problems that significantly spoil the holiday. To start with, the room doors all lock with a key card, and this card constantly demagnetizes. During our 9-day stay, our card stopped working 8 times, with 3 of those instances happening on the same day. And considering the distance from the reception to the rooms, it's quite a walk.

It's not an isolated issue - people constantly approach the reception desk with their cards, and it can happen both during the day and almost at night.

The rooms are quite large, but they're also quite worn out. Our big bed was severely sagging in the middle and creaked. The shower was leaking so much that more water was coming out of the pipes than from the faucet. One shelf in the closet was so dry that it wouldn't open.

However, we were pleased with the blackout curtains, which allowed us to sleep almost until lunchtime - they're so dense that they block out all the light.

The floors in the corridors and rooms are extremely slippery, so when staying with kids, you should be careful - a careless attempt to run can end in a painful fall.

The room should be cleaned daily, but in reality, it depends on luck. During our 9-day stay, our room was cleaned 6 times - 2 days we didn't have any cleaning, and 1 day we refused the service. The only two times we had a proper cleaning were on the second day of our stay and when we met the cleaner and gave them a tip.

During cleaning, they often forget to leave some items: they might forget to leave water, take away the third set of towels, or not put out soap. They often forgot to leave towels, and the first time I tried to resolve this through the reception, I got a towel, but it was too late, and they also gave it to me at an inconvenient time (I approached the reception desk around 6 pm, and they brought the towel only at 1 am, disturbing everyone).

This is also a problem with staying at Moreno - the administrator who spoke perfect Russian just yesterday starts speaking English when you ask him something or request something, claiming he doesn't speak Russian. The cleaner only speaks English (with difficulty), and the bar staff can understand you in any language.

Upon arrival at the hotel, there was an initial problem with the elevators (which is why we had to find the stairs and walk to the 5th floor), but then they started working properly.

Dining

The food is included in the all-inclusive system, but as you progress through your stay, you realize that there's not much to choose from. The food is average in quality and taste, with some days being particularly bad (even the delicious-looking pancakes turned out to be inedible and undercooked). There are also better days.

The theme dinners should be held according to some thematic system. For example, there are 'Oriental' dinners, 'Mediterranean' dinners, or 'Seafood' dinners. In reality, it means nothing - the food is always almost the same. For instance, the seafood dinner had no seafood at all, except for overcooked sardines, which they served three days in a row.

There's almost always dry chicken and beef. Sometimes the beef is edible, sometimes it's more fat than meat. Some products are on the tables, while others are served portion-wise. The portions are tiny - two pieces of beef for one person or one chicken wing. If you ask for more, they say it's not allowed.

There are tea and a couple of juice powders available for free, but you need to ask the bartender for soda and alcohol. They pour it with difficulty, giving you one glass easily, but two will be met with a disapproving look. Three glasses will not be given, or depending on their mood. Since there were four adults at the table, and each wanted a glass of wine and a separate glass of lemonade, we had to go to the bartender each time. And then again for the child's drink. You can even sit right in front of the bartender and show them that it's for everyone - it won't work.

Once during our stay, you can visit the 'Italian' restaurant. The visit is scheduled for an hour, for example, from 7 to 8 pm or from 8 to 9 pm. The food is chosen from the menu in advance (the choice is very limited), but it doesn't make a difference - we arrived at 8 pm, and the food was only ready at 8:40 pm.

This is not normal food - for example, what's advertised as 'Caesar' on the photo above is actually pasta with pesto below.

However, they're more lenient with alcohol here, as there are waiters, and you don't need to go to the bar yourself - they bring everything themselves, but in small portions.

Overall Impressions

From the positive:

1. Convenient location.

2. First line.

3. Beautiful sea.

4. There is children's animation.

From the negative:

1. The administrators like to pretend to be silly and claim they don't understand (even if you speak to them in English).

2. Problems with cleaning: either it's not done, or it's not done well, or they forget something.

3. The food is not very tasty and not very diverse. There are almost no fruits, meat, or garnishes. There are a lot of the same pastries and baked goods.

4. The room stock is quite worn out.

5. There is no Wi-Fi in the rooms, only in the lobby. And even in the lobby, it's not very reliable - photos and videos may not load, and the speed is often insufficient for Telegram.

We were lucky - in the lobby, I heard complaints from people who were given rooms right after the renovation (in the midst of construction dust, which no one bothered to clean up) and even with bed bugs. We didn't have any insects, except for the occasional fly and mosquito.

However, the hotel still left a negative impression due to the poor food and service problems, as well as the constant need to ask for a drink, which is included in the price. It significantly spoils the holiday experience.

We'll go back to Egypt, but Moreno horizon Spa & Resort is off the list. The sea here is amazing, but it's better to find a hotel with fewer flaws.

Editor's Summary

The Moreno Resort and Spa is a large hotel located on the first line, right on the beach of the Red Sea. Despite its beautiful facade, the hotel complex has many problems that significantly spoil the holiday experience. The food is average in quality and taste, and the service is often poor. The rooms are quite worn out, and there are no Wi-Fi in the rooms. The hotel's location is convenient, and the sea is beautiful, but it's better to find a hotel with fewer flaws.

Featured FAQ

What is the location of the Moreno Resort and Spa?The hotel is located 10 kilometers from the airport, 10 minutes' walk from the Mosque El Mina Masjid and the fish market.

What is the price of a standard double room?The price of a standard double room, purchased directly before the trip (with food included in the all-inclusive system), will be around 6800 rubles per night.

What is the theme of the dinners?The theme dinners should be held according to some thematic system. For example, there are 'Oriental' dinners, 'Mediterranean' dinners, or 'Seafood' dinners.

Is there Wi-Fi in the rooms?No, there is no Wi-Fi in the rooms, only in the lobby.

Can I visit the 'Italian' restaurant?Yes, once during your stay, you can visit the 'Italian' restaurant, which is scheduled for an hour, for example, from 7 to 8 pm or from 8 to 9 pm.

What is the policy on alcohol?They pour it with difficulty, giving you one glass easily, but two will be met with a disapproving look. Three glasses will not be given, or depending on their mood.

Specifications

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