Al Maaden Villa Hotel and Spa

Beautiful establishment with truly lovely and very attentive staff. The villas are huge with their large private pools that allow for privacy. These are the things that make it possible to overlook certain negative points, such as the dilapidated state of some equipment in the villa. The Al Maaden is clearly not a 5-star but rather a 3-star hotel offering extra services that allow it to stand out in a positive way. It is also located on a flight path, so it is quite noisy, but that is not their fault. Despite everything, I recommend the place for its location, its extra services, and the kindness of all the staff.

We booked a villa at Al Maaden Hotel & Spa through Booking.com and paid in full, including breakfast. Upon check-in, we were unexpectedly told that there was an issue with our booking and that the manager would come to explain it. We were left waiting at reception for around 40 minutes and were not allowed to check in during that time. When the manager finally arrived, we were informed that Booking.com had allegedly “mis-sold” the rate for the villa. We were then given two options: either accept the booking but forfeit the breakfast that was included in our confirmed reservation, or have the hotel cancel our booking altogether. I found this completely unacceptable for a property that claims to be a 5-star establishment. Being told, after travelling to the hotel and arriving with a fully paid and confirmed reservation, that our booking might be cancelled and that we could be left without accommodation was extremely stressful. This was clearly not an error on our part, yet we were expected to bear the consequences. What was particularly disappointing was how petty and short-sighted the hotel’s position felt. Rather than taking responsibility for an issue between themselves and Booking.com, management chose to argue over the cost of a couple of breakfasts and effectively threatened to cancel a guest’s accommodation on arrival. For a hotel marketing itself as a luxury 5-star destination, this came across as remarkably cheap and unprofessional. A genuine luxury property would focus on guest experience and resolve such matters behind the scenes, not place guests in an uncomfortable negotiation after they have already travelled and paid in full. After lengthy discussions with both the manager and the general manager, they eventually agreed to honour the booking as originally confirmed. While this was the correct outcome, it was presented almost as a favour, despite the fact that we were simply asking for what we had already paid for. Unfortunately, the issues did not end there. Once we entered the villa, we were disappointed by its condition. The villas are very spacious and genuinely have a lot of potential, but they are currently in a poor state of repair and in need of significant renovation. The overall standard fell far short of what I would expect from a 5-star property. Staff training and customer service also appear to be well below the level associated with luxury hospitality. We also tried the hotel’s pizza, which was mediocre at best, and ultimately chose to dine elsewhere for dinner. I could go on and list many more maintenance and quality issues, but I will stop here and simply let the photos speak for themselves. The pictures attached provide a more accurate representation of the property’s current condition than the hotel’s promotional material. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. While the villas have potential due to their size and layout, the way the booking issue was handled and the condition of the accommodation mean that I would not consider this a 5-star experience

Very spacious and quiet villa , welcoming staff , smiling and very helpful.