Steigenberger Alaya or Jaz Amara

[Hydra1995]

Hey guys

I have narrowed it down to 2 Hotels for 9 nights in early October in Marsa Alam. We would like to make 8-10 dives there and just finished our OWDs.

Should we go for the Steigenberger Alaya or Jaz Amara. Does anyone know both of them? Or should we go for any other hotel?

Thanks a lot for your help

 

[Sunn]

Choose Jaz Amara, seems to offer better prices for +/- same service level...

 

[Scubagermany]

I know the Steigenberger Alaya and I would not go back there.

 

[Hydra1995]

Thanks a lot for your feedback... could you recommend me any alternatives?

 

[Scubagermany]

Without knowing anything about you my advice would probably not be too good

 

[Sascha314]

I can only recommend NOT to go to Hilton Nubian, compared to the price/standard and expectation to the name(adjusted to egypt) we have been dissappointed in terms of service, constant disturbance for offers (by the same also partially we rejected and part of our group took the offers) multiple times a day by the same persons , and the food. I have no personal other experience in that area, so no suggestion.

 

[Hydra1995]

Thanks a lot for your input guys and for your info about the Hilton Nubian.

More infos about us:

We are new divers and just finised our OWD. We would like to have a colourful reef with decent fishlife and do around 8-10 dives. We would like to see turtles, dolphins, and maybe the dugong. I just read that in the coraya bay there isnt that much fishlife anymore.. is that true?

Regarding hotel we like it a bit more luxirous so not a 3 star hotel in egypt... Something in the category of the Steigenberger Alaya ... so at least 4 star better 5 star.

So thats why we chose actually the Steigenberger Alaya or Jaz Amara but we would be very open for other suggestions.

Thanks a lot for your help

 

[Scubagermany]

I had high expectations regarding the Steigenberger Alaya. The hotel could not fulfill these. The service was abysmal and reactions to our wishes were nonexistent or ended in long discussions. I do not want discussions while on holiday, especially not when I pay as much as the Steigenberger Alaya is asking.

The diving was superp though. The dive center is on the premises and I had lots of fun, good guides and some of the nicest divespots there are. They offer lots of Zodiac dives to excellent spots.
They are also the most expensive dive center I have been to in Egypt but I think they were worth the money.
As you are still new to diving they would take good care of you!

 

[Duglum]

Was at the Jaz Dar El Madina a few years back, which is also in Coraya Bay and within the same hotel complex. Was decent, but i also don't really care about the hotel as long as i have a bed and a shower.

Coraya Divers is a good dive base (or was back then), which is much more important imho. It's easy to do unguided shore dives there, but you have to have a guide (and pay for it) up to 25 dives in egypt.
I can also recommend the Breakers (and the Orca Base there) in Abu Soma. Also very easy shore diving and a nice base.

You won't find that much fish in egypt near the cost anymore, no matter the exact spot. You're 40 years late for that. Overfishing, dumping waste into the water and mass tourism took their toll.
If you want massive school of fish you have to go way off shore most of the time, which is liveaboard territory.