Dolphin Continental Hotel

If your ideal evening involves a swim, a shower, something to eat and a view of the water rather than a timetable packed with entertainment, the Dolphin Continental Hotel keeps things straightforward. You have direct access to the seafront, an outdoor pool open throughout the year, gardens and a sun terrace, so the day can slow down at your own pace.

For divers, the useful part is the ease of the setting. Once you are back from the water, air conditioning, a balcony and a minibar give you the basics for cooling down and recovering, while the restaurant, bar and coffee shop keep food and drinks close by. There is also a fitness centre, spa and wellness facilities, and a selection of quiet or mildly competitive distractions when you are not in the sea.

The hotel has a practical, unshowy character. You can use it as a base for Red Sea days, keep the evening on site, or walk or drive into Quseir for a change of scene. It also has medical and rehabilitation programmes, including geriatric medicine and physical rehabilitation, which gives the property a rather different emphasis from a standard beach hotel.

You are in Quseir, Egypt, directly on the Red Sea waterfront. This is a beachfront property, with a private beach area and direct access to the shore rather than a hotel set back behind a road or another row of buildings. Sea views are part of the address, including from the guest rooms.

The town is close enough for a change of scenery without making it the centre of your stay. Sahar Coffee Shop is about 1.3 miles away on foot, while El Asdkaa Coffe Shop and Top of the Rock are roughly 1.8 miles away on foot. El Ferdous Fish Restaurant is about 1.6 miles away on foot. Those distances are manageable if you fancy a walk, though a taxi or car will make more sense when you are carrying the consequences of a full day in the water.

Marsa Alam International Airport is about 47 miles away by road, with a driving time of around one hour and four minutes. The location therefore suits you if the priority is a Red Sea base on the coast, with Quseir nearby and the airport transfer dealt with as part of the arrival plan.

Every listed room category is built around a sea view, which makes the choice less about hunting for a particular outlook and more about choosing the sleeping arrangement that fits your trip. The King Room with Sea View is the natural couple's option, while the Twin Room with Sea View keeps the sleeping arrangements separate without turning the room into a dormitory. For three people travelling together, the Triple Room with Sea View puts three single beds in the same room.

The rooms include air conditioning, a balcony, a minibar, a flat-screen television, a wardrobe and a kettle. That is the useful post-dive kit: cool the room, put water or drinks in the minibar, make tea, and sit outside while the salt dries off your skin. A private entrance is also listed among the general room features, although the bathroom arrangement differs by category, so check the exact room description before booking; the single room is listed without a bathroom.

A desk and seating area give you somewhere to sort out the day's photographs or deal with the small amount of administration that follows a dive trip. Daily housekeeping is available, and rooms have air conditioning rather than leaving you to negotiate a hot night with the windows open. Children of any age are welcome, but cots and extra beds are not available, so the stated bed layout matters when you are booking for more than two people.

The restaurant covers lunch and dinner, with breakfast served in continental, vegetarian and buffet formats. You can also have breakfast in your room, which is handy when the morning starts early and you would rather eat before getting moving than conduct a formal conversation with the rest of the dining room.

There is a bar, a snack bar and an on-site coffee shop, giving you more than one way to deal with the gap between meals. A minibar, tea and coffee-making facilities, fruit, room service and packed lunches add useful flexibility when your day does not follow the hotel timetable. Special-diet menus are available on request, and the food and drink offering also includes children's meals and a child-friendly buffet.

The evening can stay simple: dinner in the restaurant, a drink at the bar, or something lighter from the snack bar. The hotel also runs themed dinner nights and has live music or performances. Wine and champagne are available, and a barbecue area is part of the outdoor facilities. The exact board arrangement is something to settle when you book, as no pension formula is specified here.

The outdoor pool gives you an alternative to the sea when you want a swim without dealing with currents, steps or sandy feet. Around it, the hotel has sun loungers, beach chairs, umbrellas and a sun terrace. The private beach is there for the days when lying still is the whole plan, which is a perfectly respectable activity after a demanding dive schedule.

For a more deliberate recovery, the wellness facilities include a relaxation area, steam room, sauna, hammam, hot tub and Jacuzzi, along with massage and beauty services. Some treatments and facilities carry an additional charge, so this is one area where you will want to check what is included in your booking. The fitness centre offers fitness classes and access to a personal trainer if you really feel the need to exercise after exercising underwater.

There are also walking tours, cycling, table tennis, billiards and darts, plus a games room and live entertainment. A tour or class about local culture can be arranged, and horse riding is available off site. The gardens, outdoor seating, picnic area and outdoor fireplace make the property usable between activities rather than forcing you to choose between your room and the pool.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 23:30, while check-out is from 01:00 to 11:00. The front desk operates around the clock, with concierge service, a tour desk, currency exchange, luggage storage and private check-in and check-out. Those services are useful when flights and dive plans refuse to line up neatly, as they often do.

An airport shuttle is available for the journey from Marsa Alam International Airport, and car hire can also be arranged. Free private parking is available on site without reservation. The hotel has a minimarket, vending machines for snacks and drinks, room service, packed lunches and grocery deliveries, so you can cover small practical needs without setting off into town.

WiFi is free in the public areas. Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available, while a safety deposit box and 24-hour security cover the less glamorous but sensible parts of travel. Cash is an accepted payment method. The minimum age for check-in is 21, and pets are not allowed.