We stayed at Crowne Plaza Dead Sea and were very disappointed. While the private beach access is a nice feature, the overall experience did not meet 5-star standards. Food options were severely limited. The Lebanese restaurant had good food, but we booked it for sunset and the filthy windows ruined the view.
On our second night, it was closed for a private event, leaving us with only the uninspiring buffet or a lounge serving basic pub-style food instead of the Middle Eastern dishes promised online.
During the day, the main pool was overrun with children, so we went to the adults-only El Grito pool bar. Despite what the website claimed, they didn’t serve food. When I asked for ice cream, I was told to walk the only place to get ice cream was Aqua Bar (10 min walk from El Grito), only to find they’d run out - shocking for a resort of this size.
Staff were generally unhelpful, and service throughout the stay felt well below standard. On our final day, we visited the Marriott next door and the difference was striking: far better food, more dining options, a real café, and ice cream stands. It was similarly priced, and in hindsight, we regretted not staying there instead.
Crowne Plaza looked great online but was the worst 5-star hotel I’ve stayed at. Stay at the Marriott.
