Coral Sea Waterworld Resort

There's no mistaking that the main draw at Coral Sea Waterworld Resort is its own full-size water park, the Nabq Bay area's newest and largest. Besides the aquapark, this all-inclusive resort follows the typical set up of sprawling footpaths lined with well-tended lawns and tropical vegetation connecting numerous buildings and sun terraces. The architecture is Andalusian in style and overlooks a well-maintained sandy beach, though the complex is starting to show its age in places. There's also a strong presence of British package tour agencies who are largely responsible for filling the hotel, many of them families with younger kids hankering for a fun-packed vacation. Given the family focus and water park, there are still a surprising amount of couples (and plenty of repeat guests); those seeking romance may prefer some of the area's adult-only options.

The resort is located in the newly developed area of Nabq Bay -- a protected area and part of the popular Sharm El Sheikh stretch of resorts on the southeastern coast of the Sinai Peninsula. Surrounded almost exclusively by other similar hotel complexes, it sits just off the El-Salam highway that connects to the Sharm El Sheikh Airport in under 15 minutes. While there's a shopping mall and a few restaurants -- including McDonald's and Hard Rock Cafe -- within walking distance, most of the action is still in the main part of Sharm El Sheikh and about 25 minutes by car. 

The hotel has 376 air-conditioned rooms, the standard level of which are simply decorated with traditional decor and furnishings, while Superior Rooms have been updated with smarter, more contemporary styling. Rooms are spacious and have sliding glass doors that open onto furnished balconies, which mostly offer pool and garden views, though some overlook the Red Sea (and a few have lackluster views of the neighboring building site). Amenities includes minibars, tea/coffee facilities, and flat-screen TVs with some satellite channels; top rooms include terrace hot tubs. As this is a family-focused property, there are a number of room types geared toward families, ranging from the Family Room (a Standard Room with a partition and two day beds) to the ground-floor Family Suite, with a master bedroom, separate bedroom with two twin beds, and a partition with two day beds.

Most of the dining takes places in the hotel's main Dine Around buffet restaurant, which serves food at variable levels of quality for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Two a la carte restaurants -- Indian and Italian -- serve lunch and dinner respectively, while bars include a swim-up, Irish-themed, and beach bar, as well as a Bedouin Tent cafe serving tea, coffee, and shisha pipes.

The main event -- the Aqua Park -- is spread over three acres and features over six types of waterslides, as well as a heated wave pool, lazy river, and facilities for smaller children. However, the climb to the top of the slides might be taxing for some and there are height/age restrictions on most. There are also two large lagoon pools lined with loungers and parasols, as well as a large sandy beach with a diving and water sports center (though little in the way of off-shore coral reefs for snorkeling). There's a good selection of sports facilities, as well as kids' clubs and animation teams, though entertainment quality can be questionable. A spa can also be found on-site with saunas and steam room, though it's in need of renovation. 

The all-inclusive plan covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Dine Around buffet restaurant, as well as one meal per week in an a la carte restaurant (drinks not included). A range of mid-morning and afternoon snacks are also available including ice cream and popcorn. Unlimited local alcoholic drinks (beer, wine, and spirits), a range of soft drinks, and hot refreshments are also part of the plan and served in the restaurant during mealtimes and most of the bars until midnight.