Yussif Afifi Road, Hurghada, Egypt | (586) 210-9239
Nine beautiful pools, including kids’ and adults’ water parks
Cheerful rooms with free minibars; most rooms have attractive balconies
Peaceful beachfront Red Sea location, 11-minute drive from airport
Nine restaurants and bars, including 24/7 drinks, late-night snacks, and a nightclub
Spa offers range of treatments, sauna, and steam room
On-site diving and water sports center, golf course, and sports facilities
Separate kids’ and teens’ clubs, including supervised activities
Good breakfast served at numerous venues; late breakfast available
Popular live evening entertainment
Resort is all-inclusive only (a drawback for some)
Room service available (costs extra)
Free Wi-Fi in lobby (charges elsewhere)
Downtown Hurghada is a 20-minute drive away
Charges for in-room wired internet, and no Wi-Fi in rooms
Lunch and dinner get mixed reviews; some restaurants get crowded
Some entry-level rooms lack balconies
The Steigenberger Aqua Magic is a four-pearl all-inclusive resort set across sprawling grounds that include nine pools, a lazy river, and two separate water parks. The 725 bright, cheerful rooms have pleasant pool-view balconies (though not in some entry-level rooms) and free minibars (but these lack liquor). Nine restaurants and bars include 24-hour drink service and late night snacks, plus a nightclub; breakfast gets better reviews than lunch and dinner. Extensive facilities include a 24-hour gym, excellent spa, sauna, steam room, golf course, diving and water sports center, supervised kids’ clubs, and nightly entertainment. But among the drawbacks are a somewhat isolated location, and extra charges for internet access other than in the lobby. Travelers looking for a quieter vibe might consider the comparably priced, adult-only Premier Le Reve Hotel & Spa.
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Scene
Sprawling grounds, impressive and homey interior decor, and full-on pool action
The Steigenberger Aqua Magic is a large, sprawling, family-friendly resort with a busy vibe -- it attracts mostly families and couples and, while there are some quieter adult-only spots, it’s not for those seeking peace and quiet. The resort was renovated from the Steigenberger Al Dau Club in 2014, and is part of the larger Steigenberger Al Dau Resort, which also includes a hotel of the same name. The palm-tree-lined grounds are well-kept, there’s an impressive frontage with cream pillars and marble floor tiling. The airy lobby -- at once imposing and homey -- sports some lovely ornate dark-wood stencil-like accent decor. But, alongside the attractive, fairly wide beach, the countless pools are the main attraction here, seemingly never ending and complete with palm tree islands and enough flumes and slides to make the resort feel like a full-on theme park.
Location
Peaceful, fairly isolated location that’s a trek from downtown Hurghada
The resort, set in a peaceful seafront location, has enough going on that many guests won’t feel the need to leave -- but those who want to check out downtown will find it’s a bit of a trek. On the plus side, Hurghada’s airport is close by.- Six minutes to Hurghada Grand Aquarium by car
Rooms
Bright rooms with free non-alcoholic minibars, most with pool-view balconies; charges for internet access
The 725 air-conditioned rooms are bright and cheerful with cream-gray walls, neutral floor paneling, and large beds with handsome brown fabric headboards, but rather generic overhead turquoise art panels and slightly dated wall-mounted lamps. There are dark-wood freestanding bedside tables, attractive green-gray patterned armchairs, and large closets. All but Standard and Superior Rooms also have decent-sized desks. Amenities include 32- to 40-inch flat-screen TVs, phones, wired internet (costs extra), safes, coffee- and tea-making facilities. Free minibars are replenished daily, but lack liquor.Family Suites, Family Junior Suites, and Aqua Suites add simple, functional living rooms (bigger in pricier rooms) with twin daybed-style sofa beds, though they are otherwise sparsely furnished. In all but some entry-level Standard Rooms, attractive balconies have simple outdoor furniture and lovely pool views.Large, handsome bathrooms sport neutral wall and floor tiling, built-in stone vanities with contemporary countertop sinks, magnifying mirrors, and generously sized walk-in showers with power showerheads and attractive brown mosaic tile detailing. Robes, hairdryers, and toiletries are provided; slippers are available in the priciest rooms.
Features
Impressive pools and water park, several all-inclusive restaurants and bars, but charges for internet
The Steigenberger’s highlight is its array of pools -- nine in total, including a rooftop adult-only pools, kids’ pools, a lazy river, and separate water parks for adults and children, complete with flumes, slides, and a ship-themed water playground. There are plenty of sunbeds, umbrellas, and windbreakers by the pools and on the beach.The resort is all-inclusive and nine restaurants and bars offer a mix of local and international buffets -- note some restaurants have dress codes, some require evening reservations, and some can get crowded. The buffet breakfast, available at a number of venues, gets better reviews than lunch or dinner. A late continental breakfast is available, and one of the bars operates 24-hours and serves snacks in the wee hours. Poolside bars and others serve drinks, snacks, and ice cream, and room service is available for an extra cost. The Magic Sky restaurant has a shisha bar, and Elements nightclub -- shared with the sister hotel -- offers free or discounted meals and stays open late.The spa offers a range of treatments, plus a sauna and steam room, and there’s a 24-hour gym equipped with Cybex machines. There’s an on-site golf course, diving and water sports center, and plentiful sports facilities, plus separate, extensively equipped supervised kids’ and teens’ clubs, and nightly live entertainment. The Magic Souk also has shops and performances.There’s free outdoor parking, a free shuttle to downtown, and free airport transfers for direct bookings. Business travelers can make use of two business centers and conference facilities that fit 1,400 attendees. Wi-Fi is free in the lobby, but in-room wired internet (no Wi-Fi) and Wi-Fi elsewhere cost extra.
