Grand Tala Bay Resort, Aqaba

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.

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!