Al Hamra Residence

This hotel is terrible. The interior decor and reception counter (don't even bother thinking about a proper lobby) are extremely old-fashioned. The restaurant feels like something out of the 90s in our country, dark and windowless. The so-called 'one-bedroom sea view suite' had no windows in the bedroom, nor in the living room. There was only a sliding door leading to a fully enclosed balcony, where the windows could only open about 10 centimeters and were filthy. It was a complete contrast to the pictures the hotel provided. When we tried to discuss this with the hotel, they just kept deflecting, saying all their one-bedroom sea view suites were like that and that the pictures were just for advertising purposes, meaning nothing! We promptly reported the situation to Ctrip, and they were incredibly helpful in communicating and trying to resolve the issue. However, the hotel still refused to change our room. In the end, Ctrip arranged for us to move to another hotel free of charge. I really want to thank Ctrip's customer service for their assistance and their diligent approach to problem-solving. They responsibly helped us when we needed it!

We booked a two-bedroom suite for three days over the New Year's holidays. As a New Year's gift from the hotel, they upgraded us to a two-story penthouse! It had 5 bedrooms and a massive living room. A big thank you to the hotel for that. The hotel itself shares the building with another 5-star hotel, and the neighboring hotel seems to have a slightly better property. The Al Hamra hotel grounds are small, with two heated pools, a bar, and a gym. We opted for breakfast, which was quite decent, but if you arrive late, the selection is meager (we're late risers). The beach is about a 100-meter walk across a huge stretch of sand. There were sun loungers and water sports available, but no beach bar. Nobody minded though; we'd just grab canned beer from the poolside bar and take it to the beach. Al Hamra Mall, with a grocery supermarket and food court, is about a 20-minute walk away. Overall, I'm happy with our stay. The only downside was the lack of basic kitchenware in the kitchen, just glasses.

A truly impressive hotel, a massive complex with spacious rooms offering either sea or golf course views. Expansive beaches and beautiful clear waters.

This hotel is terrible and doesn't deserve 3 stars. The lobby is tiny, and there's no luggage service.