10 of the best resorts on Egypt's Red Sea for all interests

Tamara Hinson

Tamara Hinson

Whether you're craving some winter sun or wondering where to head for the summer holidays, the Red Sea is a destination which won't disappoint.

Find your dream resort on Egypt's Red Sea coast
Find your dream resort on Egypt's Red Sea coast © Oleg_p_100 - Adobe Stock Image

This spectacular stretch of Egypt*'s coastline has it all: family-friendly resorts, glass-clear waters filled with marine life and every type of cuisine under the (very hot) sun.

Getting to the Red Sea: don't miss current online savings on holidays to Egypt with TUI*.

Best resort for beach bums

Check into the Baron Palace Sahl Hasheesh* and you'll be metres from one of the most beautiful beaches in Sahl Hasheesh Bay, a gorgeous crescent of soft white sand.

Indulge in afternoon tea at Baron Palace Sahl Hasheesh
Indulge in afternoon tea at Baron Palace Sahl Hasheesh - photo courtesy of Baron Hotels & Resorts

If you can drag yourself away from the cabanas you'll find dotted across the beach, there's a wide range of water sports to check out, and this particular area is regarded as one of the best diving spots on the Red Sea; snorkellers and scuba divers come here to check out the rainbow-hued marine life and to explore the shipwrecks found nearby.

The resort has three restaurants (opt for Ying & Yang for delicious Thai delicacies) and it's also one of the Red Sea's most family-friendly properties, with dedicated kids' clubs for different age groups.

Best resort for families

  • Maritim Jolie Ville Resort & Casino, Sharm El Sheikh

Whether you're travelling with fussy toddlers in tow or simply looking for a resort with plenty of space for your army of offspring, the all-inclusive Maritim Jolie Ville Resort & Casino is one of Egypt's most family-friendly resorts.

Ten restaurants cater to all palates (try the Orangerie buffet for the mind-blowingly wide range of dishes), and the brilliant kids' club offers a packed calendar of sporting activities perfect for younger guests with energy to burn.

There's also a fantastic range of excursions on offer, including treks to the summit of nearby Mount Sinai. These are typically done in the early morning so that guests reach the top in time for the amazing sunrises (a top tip if you sign up for this particular activity: when energy levels drop you can hop on a camel).

Best all-inclusive resort

The most sought-after spots at the all-inclusive Steigenberger Ras Soma* include the thatched poolside cabanas, the spa's beachfront treatment rooms and the Arabesque restaurant, where the decor brings to mind a luxurious riad.

Both the Maya Beach restaurant and the Cabana pool-side restaurant offer buffet-style dining, and although it isn't the closest property to Hurghada*'s airport (55 km away), the upside is fewer crowds and a greater sense of seclusion.

It's another resort which is ideal for fitness freaks: activities on offer include water aerobics, bocce, yoga and beach volleyball.

Best resort for great restaurants

  • Sunrise Aqua Joy Resort, Hurghada

This resort has it all: five pools, a water park and an easily accessible location which is just a 12-minute drive from Hurghada's international airport. But it's the fabulous range of restaurants which truly sets it apart.

The seven venues include ones which specialise in Italian, Egyptian, Greek and Asian cuisine, although we're also huge fans of the seafood served at El Marsa restaurant.

Bag a room at this resort and you'll be just metres from the beach, the setting for daily yoga sessions. Its proximity to a bustling promenade means there are plenty of cafés and bars to check out off-site, and the wide range of rooms is also worth flagging; families will love the Family Jacuzzi Suites, which have plenty of space and easy access to the on-site water park.

Best resort for entertainment

Boredom busting is the speciality at SUNRISE Arabian Beach Resort, which has nine restaurants, 10 bars, four swimming pools, a kids' club and an enormous gym.

Poolside at Sunrise Aqua Joy Resort
Poolside at Sunrise Aqua Joy Resort - photo courtesy of Sunrise Resorts & Cruises

Love some organised fun? Join one of the tennis tournaments held on the beach or sign up for a kite-surfing lesson, before making a beeline for one of the resort's brilliant beach parties.

Younger guests are equally spoiled for choice; activities on offer at the kids' club (open to those aged between three and 12) include painting sessions and cookery classes, and the resort's themed parties are especially popular with children.

Best luxury resort

  • The Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh, Sahl Hasheesh

The stunning Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh is awash with amenities including a PADI dive school, an opulent spa and four fantastic restaurants.

Splash the cash on a stay here and you'll be waited on by an army of attentive staff tasked with catering to your every whim, whether it's a romantic dinner on the resort's private pier, an excursion on the Oberoi's private boat or a day trip to Luxor*.

Luxuriate at The Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh
Luxuriate at The Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh - photo courtesy of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Its location is also hard to beat. Sahl Hasheesh is known for its low rainfall and the property's situation, close to the desert but on a stretch of the coastline which is a magnet for scuba divers and snorkellers, is the reason this is one of the Red Sea's most popular resorts.

Best adults-only resort

What's not to love about a resort which lists "snoozing" as one of the main activities? This chic property is perfect for party animals; what other resort's room categories include Double Trouble Rooms, Livin' it up Suites and Hall of Fame Suites?

There are eight restaurants (top of your list should be Yades for Ibiza-inspired, all-white decor and delicious cocktails) and 10 bars, including a sports bar and beach bar (complete with a beachfront swing for those all-important selfies) and facilities include tennis courts, volleyball courts and a running track.

Fancy some self-improvement? At other resorts, this might bring to mind a yoga session, but at Meraki Resort*, it's all about the DJ masterclasses.

Best resort for kids

  • Labranda Club Makadi, Makadi Bay

Younger jet-setters will love this resort, which has an abundance of space (we're particularly impressed by the huge outdoor pool complex) and plenty of added extras designed with kids in mind.

Family-friendly Labranda Club Makadi
Family-friendly Labranda Club Makadi - photo courtesy of Labranda Hotels & Resorts

We're talking the double swing in the shallow water just off the resort's beach and a full entertainment programme with fire and dance shows, music quizzes, hoopla competitions and Bedouin nights that's also been created with children in mind.

Interestingly, Labranda Club Makadi is also one of the more sustainable resorts on the Red Sea; almost all of the food served is locally sourced, and the vegetables and herbs served in the restaurants are grown in the resort's organic garden.

Local attractions include the Hurghada Museum and Giftun Island National Park, famous for its beautifully preserved coral reefs.

Best luxury resort

  • Grand Rotana Resort & Spa, Sharm El Sheikh

This fabulous Red Sea resort might well be close to the centre of Sharm el Sheikh*, but it feels wonderfully secluded, thanks largely to the presence of a 450-metre-long private beach. It's one of the area's most beautiful resorts; the pool is fringed with 2,000 palm trees and the rooms and villas are surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens.

Which brings us to the accommodation: more specifically the 526 guestrooms and nine royal villas across the Grand Rotana Resort & Spa.

All villas have private swimming pools, and the standard guestrooms are some of the largest of any Red Sea hotel. Ask for one with views of nearby Tiran Island.

Best spa resort

  • Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay, Soma Bay

While we're all for diving excursions, mountain hikes and beachfront volleyball sessions, we're also firm believers that holidays are about downtime too, which is where the Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay, regarded as one of the best spa hotels on the Red Sea, comes in.

The inviting waters off Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay
The inviting waters off Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay - photo courtesy of Kempinski Hotels

Treatments at the spa, which covers a jaw-dropping 7,500 sq metres, include hydrotherapy treatments, seaweed wraps and underwater massages (yes, you did read that correctly) along with various Thalasso-based therapies.

Another highlight of this resort is the huge range of accommodation: there are nine room categories, although the Terrace Suite is hard to beat. Stay in one of these and you'll enjoy gorgeous ocean views and access to the resort's Laguna Club.

Climate in Egypt's Red Sea

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °F
Hours of sunshine (daily)
Days with some rainfall
Sea temperature °F

The above guide shows the climate in Hurghada. Find out more about conditions across the region in our complete guide to the climate in the Red Sea.

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Tamara Hinson

Tamara Hinson

Tamara Hinson is a freelance travel writer who loves getting off the beaten path. Specialising in adventure travel, she often covers outdoor activities such as snowboarding, mountain biking and scuba diving. Tamara's work features regularly in newspapers such as The Telegraph and The Independent along with numerous travel websites.

Posted on Friday 8th March 2024 in: Africa Beach Summer Winter sun

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