Set on a 400 metre sweep of private sand midway between Hurghada and Safaga, Cleopatra Luxury Resort Makadi Bay pairs the space of a big five star resort with one of the best snorkelling reefs on this stretch of the Red Sea, all wrapped up in a generous all inclusive package.
The resort opened in 2009 and was later relaunched under the Cleopatra Luxury flag, and it wears its scale lightly. Low rise wings sit in around 300,000 square metres of lawns and palm shaded gardens, so even in peak season there is room to spread out. Days here settle into an easy rhythm: coffee at the Scheherazade cafe, a swim off the jetty, a long lunch at the Soko buffet, then an hour in the CleoSpa hammam before dinner.
The sea is the real headline. A floating jetty carries you over a house reef that starts roughly 50 metres offshore, with an Extra Divers centre right on the beach for anyone who wants to go deeper. Back on land there are eight pools, one of them heated through the winter months, plus a quieter pool kept for adults only.
In our experience it works for almost everyone who loves a proper beach holiday. Couples get sea view rooms, the adults only pool and the Sky Lounge; snorkellers and divers get a genuine house reef without a boat ride; families get 77 m² Family Rooms with two separate bedrooms. If you want a busy town on the doorstep, look at central Hurghada instead, because Makadi Bay is a purpose built resort bay and evenings revolve around the hotel and the promenade.
We rate this resort for the combination of sand, reef and sheer space at a sensible price point for a five star. It is not a boutique hideaway, and it does not pretend to be. What our customers tell us they remember is the snorkelling off the jetty, the friendliness of the team and how little they needed their wallet all week.
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There are 448 rooms and suites in the main resort, arranged in low rise blocks through the gardens, with a separate adults only wing (sold as Cleopatra Luxury Beach Resort) alongside. Every category comes with a balcony or terrace, air conditioning, satellite TV, a tea and coffee tray, minibar, safe and hairdryer, and accessible rooms are available on request.
The entry point, and a generous one at 35 m², with a king size or twin beds, a shower bathroom and a balcony or terrace looking over the gardens or a pool. Solo travellers are usually given a double room for single use.
The same comfortable 35 m² layout, positioned so your balcony or terrace faces the Red Sea. A modest step up in cost that, in our view, pays for itself every morning.
Contemporary styling, ceramic floors, individually controlled air conditioning and a smarter finish than the Standards, with garden or pool outlooks. King size or twin beds plus space for a child.
The same modern spec on the front row, with the beach and the Red Sea spread out below your balcony. These are the rooms we book most often for couples.
Nearly double the size of a Standard, with a proper sitting area, a comfortable bedroom and sea views from the balcony or terrace. A lovely choice for a special occasion without jumping to the top suite.
Two separate bedrooms, one with a king size bed and one with twins, off a small reception area, sharing a shower bathroom. Views vary between garden, pool and sea, so tell us your preference when you book.
The top of the tree at around 95 m², with a spacious lounge, a king bedroom and a wide terrace or balcony over the pools or the sea. Worth asking us about for anniversaries and honeymoons.
We sell this resort on an all inclusive basis, and it is a properly filling one. Expect buffet breakfast, late breakfast, lunch and dinner in the main restaurant, snacks, cakes and ice cream through the day, and local beer, wine, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks served across the bars.
The engine room of the all inclusive, with live cooking stations, Egyptian dishes alongside international staples, and themed dinner nights that keep a week interesting.
A refined Italian dining room ranging across the regions, from fresh pasta to slow cooked mains. Your included visit here is the meal to dress up for, and we suggest booking it early in your stay.
A modern indoor and outdoor restaurant right on the water, serving guests of the adults only Beach Resort section. Main resort guests can dine here for a supplement, and the sunset seats are worth it.
The easy option for lunch without leaving the water, serving midday snacks and cold drinks between swims, with sea views thrown in.
An Arabian styled cafe for sandwiches, salads, pastries and ice cream, with proper Italian coffee and a shisha menu for a slow evening in the oriental mood.
Eight outdoor pools are threaded through the gardens and along the seafront, so finding your own patch of water is never a struggle. The character shifts as you move through the resort: a lively activity pool near the Halfway Bar where the daytime action happens, larger swimming pools ringed by lawns for serious lengths and serious lounging, and a dedicated relaxing pool kept for adults only when you want nothing louder than page turning.
One pool is heated through the winter months, which matters more than people expect: Red Sea sunshine is reliable from November to March, but unheated water can feel brisk. Sunbeds and parasols are plentiful, pool towels are provided on a card system, and luxurious poolside cabanas add a touch of occasion if you fancy one.
If you prefer salt water, the swimming off the beach is gentle in the sheltered part of the bay, and the jetty drops you straight over the reef, which is where we would spend most of our time.
The beach is the reason to choose Makadi Bay over busier addresses up the coast. The resort fronts around 400 metres of fine private sand, with sunbeds and parasols included, a gently shelving entry in the sheltered section for easy swimming, and a floating jetty that walks you straight out over the coral.
The house reef begins roughly 50 metres offshore and is genuinely good, not a token strip of rock. The main reef wall sits at around 14 to 18 metres, which suits divers, while snorkellers get plenty of colour in the shallows straight off the jetty. Resident turtles are seen regularly, and lucky visitors spot seahorses, rays and shoals of Red Sea reef fish without ever boarding a boat.
An Extra Divers centre sits right on the beach, running house reef dives, beginner courses and boat trips to sites such as the Salem Express wreck, Panorama Reef and Ras Abu Soma. Snorkellers are welcome on most excursions, and staff ferry cylinders and kit to the jetty entry point for you.
The CleoSpa is the quiet heart of the resort, built around a traditional Turkish hammam with a sauna, jacuzzi and a menu of massages and treatments that run from a quick post flight loosener to full pampering rituals. A beauty salon covers the finishing touches, and treatments are priced individually, so it is easy to dip in for a single session or build a spa day. In our view the hammam scrub after a day of sun and salt water is a strong choice.
A fitness centre covers the basics for anyone keeping a routine going, and the sports offer beyond the gym is broad for this coast.
Watersports and boat trips run from the beach, and the dive centre will happily take non divers out for snorkelling days, so active types will not run out of road inside a week.
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