Grand Tala Bay Resort

Jordan , Aqaba
AQABA, CX7H+368، South Beach Road
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100 reviews shown

2/10

Poor

21 Feb 2025

Mrs Sharon

Checking in was chaos, staff could not cope with amount of people. When we finally started the process of checking in the hotel telephone started to ring. The female member of staff immediately stopped serving us and answered the telephone despite the fact she was in the middle of serving us ! This is very bad manners to answer telephone whilst dealing with a customer who is currently being served at check in. The female member of staff forgot to give us our passports as she had put them next to her computer, so had to ask her for our passports.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

27 Oct 2024

Abdulridha

No bidet in bathroom .. very unusual in Jordan

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

09 May 2024

Monira

Love it!

It was a great stay ! We enjoyed our time there. Friendly staff, clean room, beautiful beach.
They sent us to the room a Happy Birthday cake 😍

Partner

4/10

Poor

05 Oct 2023

Verified traveler

Not worth the money

Disappointed and not worth the money - the resort is really outdated and needs some serious love. Our room had a smell, the shower felt dirty and a lot of features barely worked (lights not working, tv had no sound etc). Advertised a swim up bar but this was closed off and looked like it had never been open. For the price we paid I wish we’d stayed elsewhere as this was not worth the money at all

Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2023

Mary

Pleasant staff. Lovely comfortable spacious upper floor room and comfy bed and balcony with a view of the sea. Decor and fittings in need of upgrade (shabby cushions on the balcony, crooked door on the fridge cupboard). Delicious breakfast with lots of choices. Great selection of pools, lovely gardens and little shops. Taxi ride into central Aqaba.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

24 Apr 2023

Lyn

Go just for the location!

The location of the resort is brilliant. The resort itself has seen better days. It is tired and run down. The room was basic, pillows were as hard as rocks, mattress was lumpy. The cleanliness was barely basic, needs a thorough clean every so often to keep it looking even average.

Disappointed in the reception staff. I mentioned I'd be spending my birthday on my own at the resort, she barely acknowledged my comment and did not try to make my stay special.

Self

8/10

Excellent

18 Apr 2023

Piotr

Tala Bay Resort

quite a big resort, lots of pools, direct access to the sea, very safe place, lots of green areas, the room we got is suitable for refurbishment, especially the bathroom, it was dirty and needs renovation, there are shops in the resort, several restaurants, recommendable property

Partner

4/10

Poor

25 Feb 2023

Sammy

This tree blocking the sea view from the room I h

This resort it’s should be lest than 4star not 5 star

Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Nov 2022

katarzyna

the hotel is not for 5 stars only 4, breakfast pure and not good

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

01 Jun 2022

Moath

It’s okay

Family

8/10

Excellent

23 May 2022

Jennifer

Very nice property with very friendly staff and beautiful grounds. We were greeted with a cold glass of strawberry juice during check-in and Ahmed at the front desk was excellent. The zero clearance pool offered a beautiful view of the Sea and the food was excellent. There was a slight problem with the room keys deactivating and sometimes a language barrier with staff who did not speak English but all in all we had a very relaxing and enjoyable time.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

24 Oct 2020

Shannon

Good and not too expensive hotel at Tala Bay

Nice hotel, great views, probably not a bad view in the whole place! We had a garden view room but it was also overlooking a pool and the sea. The pools looked nice, but we lived at the beach!❤️ Wonderful beach access, even some nice coral close by for snorkeling:) The Tala Bay Resort area is amazing!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Sep 2020

Marc

Very Professional and kind...…………………………………………………………………………..

Leisure Friends

2/10

Poor

03 Aug 2020

BadHotel

The facility is run down a lot, it needs lots of work. The rooms are very dirty

Business_and_leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

01 Mar 2020

Verified traveler

Awesome place and location, nice staff , too much entertainment and activities With an experienced animation team , but pools renovations should be in winter not at the beginning of summer, but all was good

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

14 Apr 2019

Rebecca

Slow and frustrating check in but worth the delay.

Had great difficulty finding the entrance to this resort. Drive up and down several times before we realised the entrance is an unmarked and you enter through a No Entry gate with No Entry signs and a barrier. The other gate was not manned and had metal posts - again unmarked. All very strange and unwelcoming!
Very slow check in because the receptionist staff couldn’t find the booking. He found it in the end albeit under Expedia rather than hotels. Com which obviously must be one and the same thing. But we couldn’t understand why it was all so difficult when they must have dozens of .com bookings each day. I had given them our name and reservation reference but they still asserted there was any such reservation.
Once we were checked in we found Tala Bay relaxing and worth the visit.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

17 Sep 2018

Kim

The room was clean, spacious, and comfortable. Staff was friendly. Several pools and great view of the Red Sea. If you want to go Old Aqaba, you will need a rental car or taxi/Uber.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Aug 2018

peyman

Nice hotel, private beach, very nice Concierge by the name of Ahmed H. He deserves a good raise and/or promotion!

8/10

Excellent

25 May 2018

Tanya

Clean hotel with great pools

Check in 4pm! Check out 12pm, no exceptions. Our flight from Amman arrived 8am, only flight every day. Had nowhere to go all day. Foyer crowded with other waiting guests. Cannot leave as town is nearly 30m away, there is nothin but desert in the surrounding area and taxi’s in the area are scarce and very expensive. Taxi from the airport was approximately $52 Australian dollars. Resort should provide a service and ‘day use’ area due to the locked in flights. On our departure (12.30am, again the only flight) we got the free shuttle into town, (fills very fast). Had to wait 3h before catching taxi to airport.
Hotel was lovely, clean and well appointed. As most hotels, we could not get a sun lounge at the two beautiful pools. Towels securing chairs all day with no guests in sight.
The air con in our room would not work initially, then the tv did not work at all. Problem was called through to reception without anyone attending that day.
Tv was fixed 20m before we checked out.
At least it will work for the next guest.
Best thing was the bed was really comfortable!

Partner

4/10

Poor

31 Mar 2018

Hotel location is good to the beach

Bad experience ever. Unprofessional staff. Hotel cleanliness is bad. It needs re-innovative. Price compare to the quality received if very very high. I paid USD 364 for one night. I paid less for one of the best in Dubai.
I will not stay in this hotel even its night for one penny.

8/10

Excellent

22 Oct 2017

Ahmad

Great stay and staff but preparedness is not the b

I have stayed in the hotel before,
i cam in late check in and the room should have been ready
but unfortunately, it wasn’t, the room bar was empty, and no water was there, and the coffee tray had no coffee only sugar and whitener, there was even coffee glass that had been used by the previous room guest and they were still there, I took photos and send them to the front desk.
I call the front desk, about it, they brought cola and other fizzy drinks in the bar but no water and no coffee, they just brought more coffee mate.
But the next day the hotel stuff where helpful enough and the reception were welcoming to my other guests that I brought and gave me a proper recommendation on activities.
I was stung in the sea with a sea Urchins near the beach but the hotel staff on the beach gave very fast aid and prevented any infections
Overall the second day was great just the first part of the stay was a bit awkward
But overall great

2/10

Poor

03 Oct 2017

Verified traveler

Not nice

Not recommended, expensive for not good service, rooms are old and not clean.

8/10

Excellent

12 May 2017

Rebecca

Great hotel and location are great but...

The hotel, beach and pools were great. The buffet was terrible. The food was good but the atmosphere was just awful. It was chaotic and overpriced. We tried to avoid it as much as possible. We stayed for a week and half way through our trip they removed all the towels from our room and getting new ones was a chore. They upgraded us to a premium room and it was appreciated so it is hard to criticize but there are definitely things they could improve. It wasn't all bad the location was walking distance to great snorkelling and the shuttle bus into town was convenient we used it lots for dinner. The pools were clean and we'll kept and the rooms were in good condition.

2/10

Poor

10 Oct 2016

Verified traveler

1 hour wait to be checked in and the room key didn't work. There are many other nice hotels around so I left.

2/10

Poor

20 Aug 2016

Samer

Bad bad bad hotel

one of the bad vocation ever
very very bad service . all the hotel is not clean . very bad food and the alcohol and evry thing is to expensive
i need 3 days just to tell you how it was very bad experience

Family

4/10

Poor

10 Jul 2016

Verified traveler

incompetence at its best!

disastrous. the service was terrible and slow, staff was impolite, impatient and forgetful. breakfast area was extremely dirty, food left on the table and around and under the table. glasses were dirty. they clearly took advantage of the holiday weekend and the fact that few alternatives were available to the guests. not to be repeated!

Family

2/10

Poor

13 Jun 2016

Lani

Weekend Getaway

The hotel had trash strewn in the walkways, stairwell and common areas; it was dirty and the room we initially checked into was even more filthy. We asked to speak to a manager and we were not able to. We changed our room 3 times before we found one semi suitable. Before the end of the first day my husband killed a roach in the room, 3 am the next morning he killed another one. We've stayed at close to 100 hotels in various countries and this is the first time we found cockroaches in our hotel room. The comforter on the bed had stains, and several dirt marks, the bathrooms in the first three rooms we looked at reeked. Housekeeping came to resolve the issue, but the deodorizer only masked the smell momentarily. We stayed the weekend, but checked out earlier than we needed to on the day of departure. By no means can this be considered a 5 star hotel. It is lacking in numerous areas. I would not stay here again and certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It was worse than words will allow me to express; it was so bad that my husband has decided that we will never stay at a Radisson again.

2/10

Poor

17 May 2016

Verified traveler

Bad experience, unfortunate for an otherwise nice

We arrived to an extremely overcrowded lobby, with kids running all around and several welcome drinks deposited on the reception desk. The receptionist said we were being upgraded for free, but in reality it was a regular standard room. The room smelled of smoke, it was noisy, Room 111, and the room showed its age. For sure this was not the classy Radisson Blu hotels I was used to staying in. The hotel was fully packed, full capacity. We decided to eat elsewhere for breakfast, because the dining area was super crowded and one had to wait in long lines for things and some offerings were not even available. The whole eating area was a disaster. I think it is a beautiful hotel, it is just not managed well. I've stayed at other hotels in and around Aqaba and I would never stay at this one again.

Partner

4/10

Poor

16 May 2016

Catherine

very Russian orientated.

Hotel facilities were good, however we could not get a sun lounger as all were taken with towels by 9am. It is a hotel almost exclusively for Russians, not an atmosphere we enjoyed. We paid entry to use the hotel next door - Movenpick 20JOD/day where the service was better, loungers available and more of a mixed crowd.
Great diving just off the beach and by 5 minute boat trips from Sinai diving.

Partner

2/10

Poor

03 May 2016

Muhannad

DONT GO THERE

This was the worst hotel I have ever been to in my life. I don't think I can remember all the bad things happened but I'm making a list.
1- the security at the gate didn't know we had a reservation because I reserved online, he kept us outside for about 10 minutes until he asked 3 times so he could get the name right.
2- the receptionist was untidy.
3- the room was not clean at all.
4- the shower had a very bad smell.
5- The tearrace was very big but had only two broken sunbeds
6- the furniture looks 100 years old.
7- the kettle didn't work and they didn't change it
8- the whole staff was unprofessional untrained and very rude. I can talk for an hour about them and what they did.
9- I went down for breakfast at 10:30 the chef served one last guy and told me they were closed though the hotel booklet says it closes at 11:00 I told the manager he said just grab what you can and eat it we changed the time but we didn't change the booklet.
10- the valet brought me another car thats not mine and insisted its my fault.

Partner

4/10

Poor

17 Apr 2016

Vanessa

This is not a five star hotel. Our stay at Radisson Blu disappointing at best. The hotel was short staffed and could not maintain service to the high number of guests staying at the hotel. The food was terrible; the restaurant was so short staffed they couldn't keep the breakfast buffet stocked or tables cleaned. They didn't even have enough clean glasses.
Some of the hotels advertised facilities, like the swim up bar were closed.
It was not worth the price.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 Apr 2016

Russ

Nice hotel right at the beach.

Other than the problem we had finding the location (Google Maps put it about 20 minutes away on two different devices) it was a fantastic hotel. The staff was courteous and helpful. Check-in and checkout was a breeze. From our balcony we had a nice view. Overall a great stay.

4/10

Poor

07 Apr 2016

Sambini

Location Location lack of service

Location is excellent I have no faults with that but the service levels are atrocious, Jordanians need to up their game when it comes to customer service particularly if they want to compete in the tourist industry against Sharm al Sheikh etc, the use of mobile phones while serving a customer is something Europeans find rude, I appreciate the culture differences however no matter where you are in the world when you are dealing with a customer your main aim is that customer and not your mobile or your friend at the back of the que who expects to be served before guests

6/10

Pleasant

01 Mar 2016

Hani

Experience at Radisson Blu / Aqaba

1- the check in was so slow though the staff was friendly
2- the hotel staff should be very strict and refrain people swim in the swimming pools wearing full clothes.
3- the prices are incredibly high. Lemon Juice cost almost 10 $
4- breakfast was poor, cheap choices
5- water sports are expensive

Family

8/10

Excellent

12 Jan 2016

Akhtar

Be careful while using credit card at Raddison

I stayed 3 nights with my family in this hotel. Hotel is great location wise and facility wise. However, the front desk staff is NOT cooperative.

When I checked out from the hotel after clearing my dues, unauthorized deductions were made using my credit card information available with the hotel. When I came to know and started calling hotel, the response was very poor and the reception staff kept me on hold for longer period so that I had to drop my long distance calls. Finally I got connected with a nice lady called Eman and she helped me to resolve the problem and I have been promised that I will get my money back after two weeks
time. But I had to go thru all pains of cancelling my credit card and getting new one after 5 days and holding of my money for two weeks by the system for no mistake from my side.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jan 2016

Verified traveler

Excellent Service

Friendly staff and wonderful hotel. Nice pools................................................................................................
I highly recommend it.

8/10

Excellent

03 Nov 2015

Verified traveler

Nice hotel right on the beach resort atmosphere.

Nice hotel , property just needs some routine maintenance, a good thorough cleaning. Locks on room door were broken, drain partially clogged in shower and room needed a good spring cleaning. Staff pleasant, food good, resort atmosphere wounderful. Pools beautiful! Hotel grounds beautiful. A small amount of general maintenance would make this a perfect locations!

8/10

Excellent

28 Oct 2015

Sharon

Nice pools and good house reef

We stayed over a weekend and the hotel was very busy with local weekend visitors, so the family pool was busy and noisy, but there was an adults only infinity pool which was nice and quiet.
The dive operator next door to the hotel (extra divers) was very convenient, friendly and professional, and the diving (and snorkelling) was great.
The food in the hotel could have been better, and was overpriced compared to other areas of Jordan.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

The location of the hotel is great, located on the beach and 7 minutes driving from the city. The rooms are ok, breakfast is very reach. Overall I recommend this hotel

6/10

Pleasant

02 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

Adequate . Need to upgrade mattresses pillows & drapes. Drapes were falling apart. The door to the patio did not have a lock. Had dinner at heatwave was very good & the staff were good. We were over charged for the 3rd person in our part which was our son with no added value. They way to to be 4!

10/10

Exceptional

24 Sep 2015

Abbas

Very relaxing

Very amazing experience. Beach is nice with clear water. Swimming pools were fun specially infinity pool and they would be more fun if the water temperature was controlled (it was cold). And all the staff is friendly and polite which I have come to expect as Radisson Blu trademark. I also like their one touch service which is very convenient. Only slight issue is the neighborhood as this resort is at least 15KM far from the main city. Otherwise great resort and highly recommend for nice and relaxing getaway.

Family

8/10

Excellent

17 Sep 2015

Khalil

AQABA VISIT

it was beautiful,amazing beach and successful stay.

8/10

Excellent

08 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

it was a cozy stay. My second time and I will come back too. The hotel staff was super nice - got a free upgrade. The pools are lovely and so is the beach. Overall, I think it's a great hotel for the price.

4/10

Poor

23 Aug 2015

Verified traveler

Very Disapointing for the rate I paid

The beach is nice, all the rest was not good, rooms are shabby, not clean in general, we had to wait approx. 45 min to check in although we arrived at 3:00 pm. In the room when we arrived there where no towels, nothing is 5 stars in this hotel.

2/10

Poor

24 Jul 2015

Verified traveler

This hotel was one the worse experience by far. The rooms smelt bad. The type of people that were there were very dirty and made us girls feel uncomfortable. People were fighting in the buffet. As well as check in is at 3.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Apr 2015

Alaa

Great stay

stay was amazing, especially the food in the main restaurant.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

14 Apr 2015

Verified traveler

Decent and close to the beach

The check in and tour of facilities via the hotel touring cart were great but the rooms were very average and the room layout that we reserved was not provided (king and a single). I also did not think the buffet was worth the money.

4/10

Poor

09 Mar 2015

Verified traveler

Don't Stay Here If You're a Western Female

The rooms are small and dated. No tub just small shower. No women in regular beach wear. Breakfast is good but dinner was terrible. 5* prices but no quality to back it up.

Family

8/10

Excellent

20 Feb 2015

James

Beach, views, and pool

We stayed here during the off season in February as a base to visit Aqaba and Wadi Rum. The multiple pools and beach areas looked fantastic and capable of entertaining a large number of guests, although it was a little too cold for us to use at the time. The views from the room and restaurant of the Red Sea were amazing. The sevice and staff were excellent all around and very attentive. The hotel is a bit far from the center of Aqaba but since we had a car that didn't matter too much. As a beach hotel it is very central to diving operations but not much else. Even in the off season I think the views make up for not being near the city center. The breakfast and buffet dinner were excellent. My only complaint is the wifi would offten not connect in the room and restaurant making the lobby bar the only option.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Feb 2015

Joanna

A wonderful stay

A wonderful Oasis to arrive at. Balcony, clean comfy rooms and larger room size. Outstanding service from staff - plan to head back soon

Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jan 2015

primoo

Is very nice hotel near beach

Is very nice hotel to stay with family and friends. You have more of activities you can do there

6/10

Pleasant

09 Dec 2014

Verified traveler

it was a one night stay but a bad experience with the staff

6/10

Pleasant

14 Oct 2014

Lynn

Read the Hotel Website Before Booking Here!

Although this hotel property is well-kept and in a great location for sun and relaxation, my stay at the Radisson Blu was tainted by bad management and unfriendly staff members. The hotel has very specific regulations related to food and beverage that are not common in most hotels, which is understanable. However, these regulations are not communicated or explained to guests upon booking on the Hotels.com website nor upon check-in/arrival. Their response to complaints about the lack of communication and any other issues during my stay there was - \"its posted on our website\" or \"read the website.\" End of discussion. Do you read the fine print of hotel websites? Neither do I, but I will now! The management staff could not have been ruder and the hotel staff in general were very unfriendly. If you are debating between staying at the Radisson or the Movenpick (which is next door in Tala Bay), go with the Movenpick for better customer service and an overall better experience.

4/10

Poor

08 Oct 2014

Verified traveler

Disappointing

We reached the hotel around 3:00 pm, took more than 45 minutes to check in, the staff who are doing the check in are not friendly and they don't even welcome you to the Hotel. I have already paid for the stay upfront and they have requested around 600 USD extra to cover any extra charges. They don't provide any map or direction to the room and you have to figure where it is out. The TV and the Air Condition in the room were not working, after calling the help desk they sent us the maintenance guy who wasted an hour from our time fixing the problems. I stayed three nights there and when I asked for late check out they have refused to give us even 1 extra hour. When you have two kids with you, it takes sometimes extra time to do check-out. I have mentioned to them that I have kids and that I could pay extra for the delayed check-out, however, they didn't give any consideration to that and they were so rude. I travel a lot, and I have never seen rude people like the staff of Radisson blue.

Family

4/10

Poor

11 Aug 2014

Imad abduljabbar

Not a 5 star hotel !!!

I got there, and waited for 20 minutes and reception employees kept sending me back and forth to another employee in the lounge as they were busy with 2 other customers.. well I can wait but don't tell me to go somewhere else when it is useless ... then when I tried to check in they told me sorry there is no reservation in your name, I explained that I booked through hotels.com and showed them the email and confirmation, and they just said we don't have you on the computer and they took the next customer !!!! no one bothered to solve my problem or even call the reservation.. so I phoned hotels.com customer service from my phone (roaming) and he was very helpful and I handed the phone to the reception who took the phone with him to the back office for 15 minutes and then he came back with the good news that It will be solved within 1 hour !!!!! so I spent my vacation waiting in the lobby rather than enjoying the hotel .. and I paid twice the price considering my phone bill, and dinner at the hotel because I didn't have time to go outside to eat with my wife ... and buffet dinner and breakfast were average not a 5 star one !!!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 May 2014

Shady Haddad

Everything awesome

Everything was perfect except the pool it has too much insect

Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Apr 2014

Verified traveler

Luxurious hotel on the beach

It was clean, grand, the breakfast buffet superb, the staff extremely welcoming. We arrived early and were given towels to enjoy the pool and beach. The day we checked out was the same, our suitcases were kept in a safe place and we could enjoy the hotel facilities until the evening.

8/10

Excellent

26 Apr 2014

mistral68

Nice in Tala Bay

Very nice and good service. Only minus is that the SPA is not yet up running properly.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

16 Apr 2014

Verified traveler

Tough check

After a delayed check in the rest of the stay was very pleasant... They could have managed this process better.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Nov 2013

carol s.

Very relaxing after almost three weeks of sightseeing. Fun to swim in the Red Sea, but a little difficult entering the water due to the rocks, which were a bit large and slippery. There was a floating dock with a ladder where you could get into the water without negotiating the rocks. The hotel was very comfortable and the food was good. The room could not have been better; we had a nice balcony with a table and two chairs overlooking the pool and ocean. Lovely.

6/10

Pleasant

12 Nov 2013

pissedcustomer

Not professional staff

The hotel is average but lacks of professional staff. I found a dead butterfly on my pillow! There was no shattaf in the bathroom. The room they gave me was very bad 414 without even a balacony.
They checked me in at 4:30 and I was waiting since 03:00!! They provided only 2 small towels and one set of shampoos even though I told them we are 2 persons and need more!

4/10

Poor

21 Oct 2013

Someone

Never again!!

This was our second time at this hotel, and sadly it was even worse than the first time. The quality of the service, however, was so poor that we have decided that we will never stay here again. Last time we were here, checking in took a whole hour because they couldn't find our booking.This time they gave us a family suite that is on the third floor (accessible through an elevator, a short walk and then a set of stairs)! As this is highly inconvenient with young children, we complained but to no avail.To top things off, the family suite had no sofa bed (just a king size bed)! After many phone calls, we were sent a single rollaway bed. I was honest about having 2 children during booking, but the family suite doesn’t cater for a family of 4 as claimed. I was told that families 'make do' with what they are given in a family suite. The reception and guest relations kept making the excuse that it was holiday season, which is no excuse as someone who paid dearly with holiday season prices, I would expect the usual treatment, not excuses because the hotel was busy. I have to add that I could barely eat anything from the breakfast buffet which is in a huge hall that smells of fried lard. It had the same smell on 5 consecutive days, so this was not a one-off. The quality of the food at the buffet is quite poor although there is a huge selection to choose from. This hotel should never be classified as a five star hotel. I would give it three stars at its absolute best.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2013

David

very good

we like the beach, the service,breakfast was rich and very good, the reef near by gave hours of good snorkeling.one problem white the internet booking, we ordered room for 3 persons and the hotel give us one large bad end charge 10 dinar for extra bed, despite my order sheet from the web site that say 3 persons.

Family

8/10

Excellent

22 Aug 2013

Verified traveler

a good hotel if you find a good rate

Book the dining package if you can find a decent rate. A good hotel but far out from the city and no directions to the Tala Bay resort area - make sure to head to the Southern Beach to get there. It was too hot and the rooms were fine.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

29 Jun 2013

Basel

Nice hotel but marred by disappointing reception

Hotel amenities are good. Very disappointing reception staff. I do not think they are child friendly.

8/10

Excellent

11 Jun 2013

Gulab

Great for a restful vacation

The hotel was very well located. The staff were very courteous and helpful. They gave us a very nice room with a fabulous view. Food in the resort was disappointing to say the least. Needs improvement. We had the mezze but it was not up to the mark.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

10 Jun 2013

Verified traveler

descending quality

Not my first stay in the hotel, and I have to say I am not impressed, the hotel used to be a very decent place to stay, and now things are gone downhill. I stayed in the junior suite and had a lot of complaints, they were all dealt with eventually and pleasantly but in the mean time it took to get the issues resolved, it ruined our stay.

We had dirty bedsheets, a clogged bathroom sink and a some not changed toiletries. We arrived at the hotel to find it under maintenance, meaning the kids pool and the infinity pool were closed, and our favourite suite which we ask for by number was also closed.

The fact that the kids pool was closed meant that the lap pool and the jacuzzi and bar area where filled with kids, which only made our relaxing weekend terrible. The hotel explained that they are post-high-season and trying to maintain the hotel to its previous standard, which is acceptable to me but not very pleasant. After all our complaints, we were not offered a room change. Upon checkout we were told that maybe it would have been better to have had a different room.

Another complaint is that as locals (Jordanians) some of the staff refuse to treat us with the same level of service as they do foreigners.

6/10

Pleasant

29 May 2013

Melissa

Great hotel, awful service

I'm not normally the type to complain about awful service, but this place was an exception. Upon checking in, we were initially told a room wasn't available but would be in an hour. So we waited, then after an hour were told it would be another 30. After that we were told another 15. Long story short, we waited 4 hours. Once we finally got a room, it was lacking some of the basics (water, towels, only had 1 chair on the balcony for a double room, etc.). No problem, we thought, we'll just call the front desk. After another 2 hours of waiting and no fewer than 4 phone calls to the front desk, we still didn't have what we requested, so I ultimately had to go downstairs to ask. I also had to ask 3 times for a broom to clean up broken glass. We also never got some of the things we requested. Not the end of the world, but I don't see the point in paying 5 star prices for a place with service worse than most 2 stars I've stayed in. That said, the hotel itself was very nice, with a comfortable room, 5 great pools and a very relaxing patio area where we unwound at night with a hookah pipe and belly dancing shows.

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2013

Verified traveler

Great location and hotel

The hotel, amenities and the staff were outstanding. We were upgraded to a family suite with a great view of the sea and pools. Each member of the staff went out of his/her way to ensure that we had a great stay.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

06 Apr 2013

L Patel

Radisson Blu Tala Bay - disappointing

The Radisson Blu Tala Bay hotel has good facilities, 4 pools and a reasonable beach without a snorkeling reef off the beach. However our 5-night stay was marred by the fact that they allocated us the smallest room possible (without a balcony) and then demanded we pay for an extra bed for my daughter even though the booking clearly stated a three room occupancy. Apparently the information about my daughter's age did not come through to their system even though it is clearly stated on my booking receipt. I was displeased that the manager argued with us even though it was nearly 12.30am in the morning when we checked in. We requested to speak to the hotel manager the following day but he did not bother to contact us. We had to make do with two twin beds shoved together and had to repeatedly ask for extra towels from the housemaid. This \"problem\" seems to be solely a Radisson Blu one as we continued onwards to other hotels in Jordan who provided the extra bed without extra charge. For this reason, I would not stay in a Radisson Blu hotel again. They seem to be more interested in making money than providing a pleasurable holiday experience for their guests.

Family

8/10

Excellent

27 Mar 2013

Josep

Good facilities and nice location

The overall impression was good. The room was large and clean, and the facilities was very nice too. Different pools and the beach to make your stay easy and convenient. The only \"complain\" would be regarding the main restaurant, especially at breakfast time. It was very crowded and plates were empty very quickly.

Family

4/10

Poor

11 Mar 2013

Verified traveler

Sewer smell comes from bathroom

The bathroom is terrible. I woke in the night to the smell of the sewer and had to shut the door of bathroom to keep the smell from coming out. The shower also was not working properly.

8/10

Excellent

22 Feb 2013

Aamina

Beautiful Location

The hotel is beautiful with breathtaking scenery. The reception staff were extremely friendly and very welcoming and accommodating. The room was a comfortable size with a lovely view of the ocean. Loved the bathroom. The swimming pool areas (yes with a s at the end) were absolutely beautiful. I was not too happy with housekeeping and the cleaning of my room was not up to standards. The hotel should work on improving this service. Other than that we enjoyed our stay at the beautiful hotel.

Family

8/10

Excellent

23 Nov 2012

Ahmet

Good hotel but not catering properly for Muslims

We liked the hotel but unfortunately it is not catering well for the Muslim needs which is sad for a hotel in Jordan. As an example, we did not find the cleaning (taharat) tap beside the toilet closet, also the direction of qibla was noted wrong in our room. Hopefully they will fix these issues, until then it is not recommended for Muslims.

6/10

Pleasant

12 Oct 2012

NICOLE

convinient

ITS NOT A 5 STAR HOTEL LIKE THEY SAY IT IS, THERE IS NO SPA OR EVEN A GYMNICOLE

10/10

Exceptional

05 Oct 2012

Jackie

AWESOME PLACE!!!

this is my 3rd trip to Jordan and i fell in love with this place from the first stay soooooo...whenever i come to visit...i always make sure i get to spend a few nites at this awesome resort!!!!

6/10

Pleasant

24 Aug 2012

tamer

more like a 3 or 4 stars

Not bad & not great. Long lines on breakfast,no tables, but food is good. Had to wait 4 a whole day to have a baby crib, the reciptionist was careless i had to talk to the manager firas who sent me an extra bed for free because i put a nnote on my reservation that i needed a crib

Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2012

Verified traveler

Great Hotel for family!

Nice location, helpful staff. I and family enjoyed the many activities present at the hotel including beach sport activities, discovery boat, jet skiing,etc.

8/10

Excellent

15 Aug 2012

Verified traveler

All in all good value for the price

We had a pleasant two day stay. The rooms were clean, the food was good, and the pools were in very good condition. All in all, the staff was very pleasant and professional with perhaps one or two exceptions. Some of the guests were less so, however, and hadn't quite grasped a few civilities such as waiting one's turn in line, respecting non-smoking areas, and speaking politely and respectfully to hotel staff.

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2012

JfromCali

Radisson does it again

This is a great place. That said we checked in during check out time on Friday. The hard working desk staff did everything they could but it was tough. When I reported to the desk (Heba) got the Manager involved. Mr. Awad made us feel more than welcome, every issue I had was corrected immediately and done professionally and beyond our expectations. I highly recommend you stay here, the water is great, the food is fantastic and you will not find a staff more eager to please. I rate this a 10 out of ten only because 11 is not a choice.

6/10

Pleasant

27 Apr 2012

Wassim

Not a five stars service

Room was noisy because of a nearby private party outdoors. Room was missing toiletries and it took them 25 minutes to bring them. Breakfast was ok, but no one welcomes you, asks about your room number, of if you would like some coffee on your table. Location is 15kms from city center, and basically no restaurants are available nearby, and the hotel choices are limited to two restaurants.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Nov 2011

Pamela

Best relaxing beach stay I have ever enjoyed

The customer service started with the airport shuttle to the hotel, where staff greeted me with a welcome cocktail and upgraded me to a larger beach-facing room just steps from both the beach and one of the hotel’s large swimming pools.

I came to Aqaba needing to relax from the crazy pace of my busy job, and that’s exactly what I did. I don’t know why there weren’t more people out enjoying the beach bar at sunset – I felt like I had the beach all to myself. There was no competition for lounge chairs – there were plenty on the beach and around the pool, neither ever got too crowded.
The private beach was wonderful, I enjoyed beautiful sunsets each night (and it was fun to see Egypt and Israel and probably Saudi Arabia, just off to the south). The pier was a little bit wobbly, but it was nice to be able to walk out to the end and jump in for some snorkeling.

I scuba dived, but did not know who I’d be diving with when I arrived. Conveniently, there was a dive shop right next door, which eliminated the need for a long shuttle ride into town. I could even return to my room for lunch each day. The shop was also professional with good equipment; I’d dive with them again.

But the staff really made my stay wonderful. I had to travel alone, which I don’t mind doing, as I make friends pretty easily. I had great conversations with the helpful staff, and grew to love the bartenders at the amazing swim-up pool bar, which carried top notch ingredients. You never knew who would swim up from day to day, which made it fun! They played great music too.

All three pools were large and beautifully maintained. I am a swim instructor and enjoyed some very nice swim workouts in the oversize pools, without running into any kids (or adults) in my path. I know the hotel had plenty of guests, as the restaurant was full each morning, but they were almost nowhere to be found near the beach or pool during the afternoons. I really felt like I had the place to myself.

The room itself was also very nice. I had a few problems with internet connectivity, but the hotel staff jumped right in to help and get me going. They also provided an adapter, as I didn’t have one that fit Jordanian electrical outlets.

I can’t wait to go again and just relax on the beach. Next time I will bring my husband.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Nov 2011

Jennifer

Radisson Blu--an oasis

My husband and four children stayed here during the busy Eid ul Adha holiday. We were very impressed with the beauty of the facility, so much so that we forgot we were in Jordan. (we live in Amman) The pools were magnificently clean and uncrowded, and there were so many to choose from. The Filipino and Egyptian hotel staff were fabulously friendly. The Jordanian staff members still needs some work in the area of service with a smile--especially the ones who work at the Reservation Desk.
The only drawbacks were the lack of restaurant choices in the Tala Bay area. We did not want to pay 23 JD per person for a dinner buffet, so we drove into town for dinners.
I want to give special recognition to Julia, who played games with my children each day, multiple times per day. She is enthusiastic, energetic, and lovely, and my girls will not forget her.
Breakfast buffet is fantastic! One of the best we've ever had. Also, the beach area was kept immaculately clean, so much cleaner than the public beaches. It was truly beautiful.
We are looking forward to our next trip there!

10/10

Exceptional

10 Oct 2011

Verified traveler

Beautiful hotel

Beautiful hotel with nice beach and pools and excellent restaurants with some of the best breakfast and dinner buffets I've ever had. The hotel is several miles down the coast outside of town and therefore away from the unattractive commercial port.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2011

Jake

Great Oasis with access to everything!

My wife and I stayed at the Radisson Tala Bay for 3 nights after 2 wks touring Israel and Jordan. It was a wonderful place to recover. The breakfast is great as are the pools. Julia organizes wonderful exercise classes and the front desk staff, esp Heba were very efficient. The Sindbad excursion for 24JD for the glass bottom boat with snorkeling and a wonderful lunch on board is a great value and a lot of fun. I chose this hotel instead of staying in downtown Aqaba because it is in a quieter, cleaner beach area yet has reasonably convenient free shuttles to downtown.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Dec 2010

Verified traveler

Radisson Blu in Aqaba

The service was outstanding and we really enjoyed our stay. Great snorkeling opportunities located conveniently right on the hotel's beach and surroundings. We highly recommend.

8/10

Excellent

19 Oct 2010

Chris

Great hotel with good food, uncrowded pools and beach and friendly staff. The only drawback was the deistance of the hotel from Aqaba town.

2/10

Poor

22 Sep 2010

Sara

Will never go back

We spent 10 nights in Jordan, staying at different hotels every night...

This was by far the worse hotel. We got locked out of our room 4 different times because the battery on the electronic key portion of the door kept failing.

Our curtains fell in our room while we were out at dinner, so when we returned and wanted to prepare for bed, it was difficult, as we had no curtains. We had to basically order them to fix it that evening versus the next day after several phone calls.

When we first arrived, the Air Conditioner was broken (Jordan in the summer requires AC). It was late at night when they finally fixed it. But, it broke again that night, and they didn't seem to believe us the next day when we told them. It took numerous phone calls and visits to the front desk in order to get them to fix it.

Everyone at the hotel seemed kind of grumpy or sad, as opposed to all the other hotels we stayed at, where the employees were very pleasant and fun to interact with.

Although, we paid for a suite, we did not feel as if we got our money worth. Every time we called or went to the front desk, it still took an additional phone call and a long wait in order to get service. I have never had this problem at a hotel before...

Family

8/10

Excellent

02 Sep 2010

Abraham

Radisson Tala Bay

Though hotel amenities were good, the level of service and service orientation remain to be lacking.

I had made my reservations through Expedia, and had paid for two nights. Upon check-out, the hotel insisted that I had to pay for the second night. The hotel staff did not attempt to verify if I had indeed paid for the two nights. Only after my insistence, and a very long delay did they find out that the room was pre-paid in full.

The hotel manager and staff were quite belligerent, and quite unprofessional in dealing with the situation. The apologies that came after they found that they were mistaken hardly made up for their unprofessionalism.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Jun 2010

Andrew

Fantastic hotel, worth the trip out of Aqaba but be prepared for the cost of eating and drinking

This is an absolutely fantastic hotel and would definitely recommend. Well maintained complex and rooms with excellent facilities. We spent 3 very relaxing days here and as it was not very busy had our choice of the pools. Staff are friendly and helpful coupled with free internet access and shuttle bus to Aqaba (should you want to go there) 4 times a day.
Only downside is that as in line with the rest of Jordan and the current UK exchange rate (basically 1:1) expect to pay 5 star food and drink rates in a 5 star hotel and there are very limited options (from a cost perspective) for doing much else when it comes to eating and drinking. Budget to spend a minimum of £20 for lunch (main meal + bottled water only) for two people and at least the same again for dinner excluding any alchoholic drinks. Heatwave restaurant was average to poor, would definitely choose other options first. Buffet was excellent (for a change) as was the breakfast and the food at the Bay watch cafe so would go to these instead.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Apr 2010

Darling

great for families

Had a gr8 time, would definently stay there again if I ever return to the red sea area in Jordan

Family

8/10

Excellent

23 Jan 2010

Relaxing stay

The hotel was everything we expected - good choice of pools, private beach, snorkelling areas. The staff were all friendly and efficient and the food was very good in both the main restaurants we tried. The buffet had a good selection and all of excellent quality. The rooms were nice, clean and comfortable and well stocked with everything you need.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jan 2010

Adam

Fantastic resort

We had an amazing time at this resort. We stopped here for a few days after visiting Egypt and it was a perfect way to relax before starting a trip through Jordan. It was spotless, comfortable and the food was incredible. We didn't know that it was almost brand new when we booked it.

Only complaints were that it's a ways outside the centre of Aqaba (a taxi there is about 15 JD). And the front desk staff wasn't all that helpful/friendly. But the resort itself is great, reasonably-priced for what you get, so definitly worth a stay.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Jan 2010

Nancy

Very good considering it was half price

Stayed for 3 nights.
Very good quality food though service was slow!
Pools closed at 5 pm .. too early especially if you want to do water sports during the day!
No hot water for a whole day!
Music in restaurant was on till beyond midnight so asked to change room! Next morning music blurted at full volume at 6 in the morning ... staff explained this as a computer glitch!
Overall, good value for money as per the offer but otherwise would not pay full price!

Family

8/10

Excellent

15 Dec 2009

Julien

Very pleasant

Close to diving site, very nice Hotel.

10/10

Exceptional

09 Dec 2009

David

Would love to go again

We found the service very friendly opposed to some other reviews we read. It is far away from the center of the city but we were not interested in shopping anyway so this suited us well. The rooms, pools, surrounding grounds and beaches were maintained very well and kept very clean.

We both were very pleased with our choice and the discount pricing we received through Expedia.

8/10

Excellent

29 Oct 2009

Jessica

Radisson BLU Tala Bay Resort

We stayed at the Radisson for 4 nights in October. We got an excellent deal on Expedia and paid about half as much as the other 5 star hotels in Aqaba. Overall we had a fantastic stay and I'd recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a very nice resort get-a-way.

The grounds are absolutely lovely and we spent some fantastic days poolside. Cabanas are provided and make a great place to sit and read with views of the Red Sea. Good restaurant service poolside, although they don't serve meals at the pool -- need to actually go sit at restaurant.

I'd read in a few places that the service was sub par. Overall, the service was pretty good but it is definitely not 5 star. They don't do the little things that make a hotel a true 5 star.

The hotel is located about 15 minutes outside of Aqaba but that was not an issue for us. We rented a car and spent a few nights exploring the city (it's not that big and there isn't all that much to explore). Further, if you are looking to scuba dive or snorkel, all the best reefs are near the hotel.

8/10

Excellent

22 Oct 2009

Rachael

Why the bad reviews?

Booked this hotel with great hesitation after reading about the bad reviews of this, but cannot understand why. The hotel was great. People were friendly and service was very good too. We had an extremely full on holiday with walking most days, desert trips and were exhausted once we arrived. The hotel pool bar, beach service and facilities were fantastic and ended our holiday on a relaxed and positive way. The only thing to note is that it is not based in the town of Aqaba itself, but about 15 mins drive south through the township towards the Saudi border. This was actually a plus as the township is fairly chaotic and not too much to do aside from restaurant/bars and the hotel provides a free shuttle into/out of. Hotel also located right next door to a dive shop.

6/10

Pleasant

07 Oct 2009

Murad

Murad

Hotel facilities are excellent but there are a couple of problems: the service is horrible, the rooms are not exactly clean, and the air conditioning was acceptable at best.

4/10

Poor

26 Aug 2009

Basel

no service

i do not think the people who work there are trained to be professional. And the hotel is cheap, they make you feel that they want money for everything.