There is no shortage of five-star luxury resorts at Sharm El-Sheikh, but if you want to be treated like a pharaoh, the place to stay has to be Steigenberger Alcazar. This world-renowned German hotel brand has been the epitome of luxury for decades.
Hotel
The hotel is situated around 15 minutes from Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, so you can get from an aeroplane seat to sand on your toes in no time, and it’s worth noting that visitors in general need a visa to Egypt, however, conveniently, tourists heading to Sharm El Sheikh for stays of up to 15 days do not require a visa for tourism purposes.
The expansive hotel has over 30,000m² of private beach and 584 upscale guest rooms and suites with their own private pool and villa. Even when the hotel is at full occupancy you will never feel overcrowded, as the accommodation is spread out over six clusters. There are three sizeable pools along with two kids’ pools, so this is one resort you don’t have to worry about securing your deckchair or cabana post-breakfast. The hotel also provides golf cart transportation for travelling between different parts of the complex.
Steigenberger Alcazar is blessed with a stunning backdrop with dramatic mountains in the background, whilst in the foreground, you have the magical Nabq Bay with the diverse marine life of the Red Sea. This is the perfect fly-and-flop holiday where you can still embrace nature.
Room
There are 12 different room categories, but the one you should be focusing on is the Royal Suite if you are looking to impress someone. At a generous 141 m², it feels more like a home than a hotel bedroom. The stand-out feature includes your private outdoor pool, whilst in the bathroom you have a shower and a Jacuzzi. The sizeable living room includes a dining area with ornate Egyptian features.
Irrespective of your room category, you will be welcomed with a fruit platter along with desserts, however, if you are staying at the royal suite, expect exotic fruit and dessert platters along with a bottle of red wine. The minibar is free for all room categories and replenished daily. All guests are supplied with wristbands, although VIPs and repeat guests are offered a gold wristband – expect ultra-attentive service if you are seen walking around with such a wristband.
Food and drink
The restaurant offerings at the resort are where Steigenberger Alcazar truly excels. Yes, they do have a buffet restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner, however, they boast five à la carte restaurants from Lebanese to Japanese to Mediterranean cuisine. If you are staying for seven nights, you can have up to five visits to their à la carte restaurants (once per restaurant).
If you have a craving for Western food, Limoni is just the place for you, and serves up comforting pizza and pasta dishes. If you fancy Lebanese cuisine, Amoura restaurant delivers authenticity in abundance: it offers a wonderful alfresco dining experience by the poolside alongside live music. If you want a showstopping dining experience, the teppanyaki grill at Hama is the place to be. The fiery display during the live cooking is as dazzling as any of the shows you’ll see at the resort.
The hotel describes its concept as ‘ultra all-inclusive’ and it is hard to disagree when most beverages are included in your meals. They offer tea time with cakes, ice cream at certain hours and fruit platters are served up to you on the beach. This is one resort where you won’t ever go to bed feeling hungry.
Spa and wellness
The spa and wellness area is run by the experts at Mividaspa. Before any spa treatments, they will welcome you to their relaxation area, where you can enjoy well-deserved tranquillity in their Jacuzzi, sauna or steam rooms. The treatments are well priced and include the classics, from an anti-stress massage to a Swedish healing massage. The staff are always on hand to check your preferred firmness of the massage and whether you are looking for something relaxing or re-energising.
To do
Renowned for its rich sea life, this is the ultimate place for scuba-diving and snorkelling. The latter is particularly easy as they have an extended jetty that reaches out beyond the shallow waters where you can easily swim with stingrays and observe other diverse aquatic species. Even, if you are not a swimmer, just walking out to the shallow waters will allow you to observe numerous marine species such as the marbled snake eel, which is often confused for a sea snake.
They also have tennis courts and countless classes, including yoga, boccia, darts and water aerobics. They have nightly shows including Latin dancing performances. Alternatively, if you are seeking some nightlife in Sharm El-Sheikh, the famous SOHO Square is approximately 15 minutes away by car.
Factbox
Steigenberger Alcazar offers rooms from £152 per night.
Address: Nabq Bay, Second Sharm El-Sheikh, South Sinai Governorate 8754014, Egypt
Phone: +20 69 3710950
Email: reservations.alcazar@steigenberger.com
Website: hrewards.com
Photography courtesy of Steigenberger Alcazar.
