Stella Beach Resort & Spa, Makadi Bay

Hotel Description

I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Stella Beach Resort & Spa along that stretch of Safaga Road, I wasn’t expecting much. You know how it is with Makadi Bay resorts, they can feel pretty cookie-cutter sometimes. But this place actually surprised me in the best way possible.

The thing about Stella Beach is that it gets the fundamentals right without trying too hard to impress you. The lobby has this understated elegance – marble floors that don’t echo like crazy when kids run across them (trust me, important detail), and the check-in was refreshingly smooth. No twenty-minute spiel about resort activities, just efficient service from staff who actually seemed to know what they were doing. The location here is pretty sweet too – you’re far enough from Hurghada’s chaos to feel like you’re somewhere special, but close enough that a taxi ride into town won’t break the bank if you want to explore beyond the resort bubble.

What really sold me on this place, though, was the beach situation. The Red Sea here is just… well, it’s why people come to Egypt in the first place. The coral reef is practically right off the shore – I mean, you can literally wade out fifty meters and you’re snorkeling over some incredible formations. The water stays warm year-round, which is amazing if you’re visiting during those cooler winter months when the pool might feel a bit chilly in the morning. Speaking of pools, they’ve got several scattered around the property, and here’s a tip: the one near the spa tends to be quieter if you’re trying to avoid the volleyball games and pool aerobics. The spa itself is definitely worth mentioning – I’m usually skeptical of hotel spas, but their hammam treatment was genuinely relaxing, not just overpriced fluff.

The rooms are solid 5-star standard without being flashy about it. Clean lines, decent air conditioning (crucial in the Egyptian heat), and most importantly, blackout curtains that actually work. If you’re coming from Europe, that time difference can be brutal, so being able to sleep in is clutch. The balcony views vary quite a bit depending on where they put you – sea view is obviously premium, but honestly, even the garden views are pleasant since they keep the landscaping pretty lush.

Food-wise, you know what impressed me most? The variety actually felt authentic rather than trying to cater to every possible international palate and failing at all of them. The Egyptian dishes at the main buffet were genuinely good – not watered-down tourist versions – and they rotate the menu enough that you won’t get bored if you’re staying for a week. The à la carte restaurants require reservations, which can be a bit annoying, but the Italian place is worth planning ahead for.

Look, this isn’t the flashiest resort in the Red Sea, and it’s not trying to be. The 8.1 rating feels about right – it’s very good at what it does without any major wow factors or deal-breaking flaws. If you want a reliable, comfortable base for enjoying some of the world’s best diving and snorkeling, with solid food and service that doesn’t make you feel like you’re being nickel-and-dimed at every turn, Stella Beach delivers exactly that.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $117. Double Room with Garden View with 2 single beds and 1 large double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $124. Premium Room with Pool View with 2 single beds and 2 double beds for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $139. Premium Room with Sea View with 1 single bed and 2 double beds for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $174. Family Room with 1 double bed and 2 single beds for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $209. King Room with Spa Bath with 1 large double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $224. Junior Suite with 1 double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $238. Family Suite with 1 large double bed and 2 single beds for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $273. Executive Suite with Private Jacuzzi Pool with 1 single bed and 2 single beds for Max persons: 2

Reviews

• Tamer from Egypt – 3 April 2025 (8/10)

  Highly recommended especially for families with kids

• Anthony from United Kingdom – 13 March 2025 (9/10)

  Loved the layout of the hotel , the food was more than satisfactory and staff were very attentive .
  
  What could be improved: Sea food night was a bit disappointing.

• Said from United Kingdom – 9 February 2025 (9/10)

  Decor was beautiful. Really well thought out. Very clean. Suitable for everyone. Huge beach. Great food. General Manager of the hotel Mr Andreas was amazing. Couldn’t do enough for the guests. Also Mr Hany.
  
  What could be improved: Everything was great

• Matthew from United Kingdom – 30 November 2024 (8/10)

  Pool, entertainment, beach and snorkelling.
  Room was fine, nice balcony with beautiful sea view
  
  What could be improved: Quality of the buffet, lack of children’s food, lots of other rude guests reserving tables, poor quality drinks, very small paper glasses.

• Kitti from Hungary – 22 October 2024 (9/10)

  Pier with directly to the reef. Great variety of food in the main restaurant. Night events at dinner time. Kind staff.
  
  What could be improved: the quality of drinks is poor

• Ahmed from Germany – 22 October 2024 (9/10)

  The location was amazing.
  The staff was very helpful especially Ibrahim Diaa from the reception team.

• David from Germany – 6 October 2024 (9/10)

  The connection to the House Reef is the best
  
  What could be improved: Staff can be a bit slow

• Mary from United States – 15 September 2024 (8/10)

  The restaurant’s staff is very nice, courteous, and friendly. They provided outstanding services. The animation and entertainment team is fantastic. Special acknowledgment for Magda, the baker, who always has a nice smile on her face and bakes the most delicious bread, Ibrahim El Said, and Mohamed Gamal for their outstanding service at the restaurant.
  
  What could be improved: The only issue was my watch went missing from the safe. I would have given excellent rating otherwise. I reported that my watch was missing from the safe at checkout and also via email. I am still waiting to hear back from the hotel regarding this incident and hoping to hear back soon.

• Laurence from France – 9 September 2024 (8/10)

  Animation music is too loud, staying at our jacuzzi pool was not very calm, the personal is very nice, if you are lucky to be able to make reservations at the 4 restaurants, do it, Italian and Indian in particular are very nice (we seated outside). The main restaurant is OK. Room service and housekeeping is excellent! Evening shows are OK if you like that. Beach is superb, the sea is going very far, but still nice. Diving club is good.
  
  What could be improved: Animation music is too loud, lack of food variety (fish in particular), security personal not very pleasant, but at lest they are very present. Spa could be better.

• Remon from Egypt – 6 September 2024 (9/10)

  Food Variety ,cleaning, hospitality

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities