Best Beach Hotels in Sharm El Sheikh

This Hyatt Regency hotel overlooking Gardens Bay is an upscale resort popular with both couples and families and located a five-minute drive from Sharm El-Sheikh's tourist hub of Naama Bay. Attractive architecture is matched by lush gardens, with no shortage of water features and colorful flora throughout the property. The pool complex features cascades, hot tubs, and a waterslide, while the sandy beach offers great snorkeling and a coral reef. Dining options are tasty and aplenty, but can be expensive, and free Wi-Fi throughout is a real bonus. The 432 rooms are spacious and offer private balconies with sea views. All in all, this is one of the better upscale resorts in the area for the price, although some rooms are awaiting renovation.

The 263-room Iberotel Palace is an attractive luxury resort located in the south end of Sharm El Sheikh and overlooking El Maya Bay. Relatively small and with an adult-only policy, it's more relaxing and classier than many of its competitors -- though neighbors can be noisy. While rooms are tastefully appointed and offer plenty of space, there's no in-room Wi-Fi and minibars are poorly stocked. The resort has four restaurants and a good selection of bars, as well as a large pool with sea views and an indoor pool. The lovely private beach has direct access to the water and offers a variety of water sports.

The Royal Savoy Sharm El Sheikh is the exclusive wing of the five-pearl Savoy Sharm El Sheikh complex and offers a luxurious experience in a prime location right next to the Soho Square center, which is full of restaurants, nightlife, and a host of activities. There are three pools and a small beach, and guests also have access to all of the main hotel's facilities, which include several restaurants and a spa. The 36 spacious, high-end rooms and suites are bedecked in plenty of deluxe touches, including fresh flowers and large, furnished balconies that overlook the pools or gardens, and luxurious villas with private pools and gardens are also available.

The upscale Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort is a vast, all-inclusive complex overlooking the Red Sea and a short drive from Sharm El Sheikh's Naama Bay. Its 696 spacious, beachy rooms have private balconies or terraces, while the abundant restaurants and bars offer a good range of eating options including Italian, French, and seafood. A mixture of family-friendly facilities and adult-only sections also means both kids and couples can be kept happy. The choice of pools is impressive with seven options including an adult-only pool and one with waterslides, and though the beach is artificial, it is pleasant and offers a floating jetty and a beautiful coral reef.

The 282-room Sea Life Resort creates an upscale, romantic holiday experience directly on Nabq Bay’s sandy shores, with a private pier and picturesque snorkeling. There’s a seafront pool, a spa with poolside massage rooms, international dining, 24-hour cocktails, a business corner, and fitness facilities. A kids’ club and amphitheater also attract families. Simply furnished rooms offer mini-fridges and balconies or terraces with sea or garden views. However, the party scene on-site can be bothersome to some guests.

The 484-room Coral Sea Holiday Village is an upscale, all-inclusive resort located in the newly developed Nabq Bay area of Sharm El Sheikh. Its numerous bars, restaurants, and pools are set in extensive tropical gardens that lead to a wide (although coarse-sand) beach. Guest rooms are spacious and outfitted with air-conditioning, minibars, flat-screen TVs, and furnished outdoor spaces. There are a dizzying array of facilities and activities, and the hotel's all-inclusive plan is one of the better.

The Baron Resort is an upscale 360-room complex overlooking the Red Sea on the southern end of the Sinai Peninsula. Its expansive green grounds are well-tended and include a large central swimming pool and a wide sandy beach. Rooms are spacious and modern, if a little characterless, though most of them have lovely sea views. Restaurants, bars, and leisure facilities are abundant, which is useful as there's nothing walkable, and the Sharm El Sheikh tourist center is a 20-minute drive away.

The 382-room Hotel Novotel Sharm El-Sheikh is an upscale, family-friendly resort located in Sharm El-Sheikh's tourist hub of Naama Bay and a short walk from its buzzing nightlife. Although the complex is bisected by a road, the grounds are lush and attractive with a private beach that's better than most (it's possible to wade into the water from the shore; most beaches in Sharm El-Sheikh have coral right up to the sand). Rooms are spacious and clean with minibars, tea/coffee facilities, and free Wi-Fi (which is unusual for hotels in the area). There's also enough to keep the kids happy, including indoor play areas and a kids' club, and plenty of pools and water sports on-site.

The 401-room Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort is an upper-middle-range vacation complex set on a hillside overlooking the Red Sea, about a 15-minute drive from Sharm el Sheikh's main tourist hub. While the rooms are fairly plain and simply furnished, they offer the comforts of minibars, tea/coffee facilities, and high-quality toiletries; some have outstanding sea views. The waterfall gardens are particularly attractive with funicular carriages that transport guests back uphill (though these are not always in service). Pools are numerous and the beach, though small, is pleasant and has an excellent off-shore reef.

The Sensatori Sharm El-Sheikh by Coral Sea is a 470-room luxury resort that caters to a broad range of guests by separating families with kids from couples via designated zones. Decor is smart and contemporary throughout, including in the sophisticated rooms, all with private outdoor space and many with excellent sea views. Dining is a cut above similar resorts -- and most of it is included -- though drinks can be low quality. The numerous pools, activities, and entertainment are also better than average and free Wi-Fi throughout is a real bonus that is uncommon in other resorts of the area.

The 680-room Royal Albatros Moderna is an expansive and lively luxury resort with direct beach access, a water park, and all-inclusive dining and drinking at multiple international restaurants and bars. Families are well-catered to with a kids' club and live entertainment, while the spa with whirlpool tubs, and pools lined with cushioned beds help everyone relax. Guest rooms are clean and stylish with flat-screen TVs and air-conditioning, and many have balconies with sea views. However, the free Wi-Fi in public areas can be slow, and the pool decks can be noisy and crowded.