Madinat Al Bahr has a lot going for it. The architecture is striking, the location is peaceful, and staff are warm and welcoming. I enjoyed my stay overall, but it does not quite hold up to the 5-star standard it advertises.
The room was spacious and comfortable, but small details stood out. On arrival I found an ironing board but no iron. Once I requested one, staff brought an iron but the board had disappeared, apparently shared among guests. When I did use it, the only sockets were tucked behind the bedside tables, so quite a bit of manoeuvring was required. The TV picture was static with a line across it, and in the bathroom a small trickle of water appeared on the floor from the sink. When I checked in, the bed was decorated with colourful covers and cushions, but after the first clean this was gone, and my four pillows reduced to three. Granted this was a Standard room, but the basics should not differ.
Food was definitely a let down. Mie nlitaka chapati, haragwe, pilau, michuzi kila aina. Instead, the menu leaned heavily toward international cuisine. While it makes sense for foreign guests, one restaurant dedicated to local food would have been a real highlight. The hotel advertises six restaurants but in practice I only found two.
The property is beachfront, but worth noting the beach is public.
Overall, not a bad place to stay. Staff, setting, and pool are positives, but it falls short of polished 5-star service.
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