Novotel Marsa Alam Beach Resort

Some resorts are built around a pool; this one puts the Red Sea first. Novotel Marsa Alam Beach Resort sits directly on the seafront, with a private beach, four swimming pools and rooms that turn the view into part of the stay. You can choose between a more family-friendly setup, a quieter couple's break or a room where the sea does most of the decorating.

The useful part is that the resort gives you several ways to spend an evening without having to go anywhere. There is a spa, a fitness centre, live entertainment and more than one place for a drink, while the gardens and terrace provide room for a slower pace. Families have a Kids' Club, children's activities and indoor play areas; couples have the sea, the spa and a choice of restaurants. No need to organise every minute. That is rather the point.

The hotel is in Quseir, Egypt, on Marsa Alam Road, 19 km south of El Quseir. It is a beachfront resort, not a town-centre address: the setting is sea, desert and reef, with the private beach directly accessible from the property.

Marsa Alam International Airport is about 36 miles away by road, around a 58-minute drive. For anything beyond the resort, the nearest named places to eat are around 12 miles away by car, including El Ferdous Fish Restaurant; coffee shops in the El Quseir area are roughly 11 to 12 miles away. In practical terms, you will do most of your eating, drinking and relaxing on site, which is fortunate because the Red Sea has not yet developed a convenient bus network.

The standard rooms are designed for two and come in garden, pool-side and sea-facing versions. If waking up to water matters more than saving a few steps to the pool, look at the Deluxe Twin Room with Sea View or one of the sea-front rooms. Couples who prefer a proper double bed can choose a Deluxe Double Room with Sea View, while twin rooms keep the sleeping arrangements straightforward for two divers who are friends rather than romantics.

Every room has air-conditioning, a private bathroom, a minibar, a flat-screen television and an electric kettle. There is also a wardrobe, a desk and a socket beside the bed, so charging a phone or dive computer does not require a floor-level expedition. Sea-view rooms have a balcony or terrace, and the garden-view rooms keep the outlook more inward-facing. Daily housekeeping is included, and free WiFi is available throughout the hotel.

For a little more room to spread out, the seafront Deluxe Suite has a separate sitting element with sofa beds and a super-king-size bed. It still accommodates two guests, so it is better understood as extra space for a couple than as a way to squeeze in a larger group. Children of any age are welcome; a cot can be requested for a child aged three or under, while extra beds are not available.

La Palme is the main restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner as a buffet on a spacious sea-facing terrace. Live cooking keeps the meal from feeling like a simple march past covered dishes, while the food covers international and Mediterranean flavours alongside pizza and barbecue grill options. Breakfast is a buffet with pastries, pancakes, cheese and fruit, which should deal sensibly with the first meal of a diving day.

La Veranda focuses on Mediterranean cooking, and Sea Breeze Grilled sits by the beach. The latter is also where you find snacks at the Ramla Beach Bar, useful when lunch feels too ambitious but a completely empty stomach is an even worse idea. Vegetarian, gluten-free and halal diets are catered for through the dining service.

There are three named bars. Olive Bar works around signature cocktails, premium drinks and light bites; PAPYRUS adds cocktails, evening events and live entertainment; and RAMLA BEACH BAR serves cocktails, soft drinks and snacks until sunset. Room service runs around the clock, so you can eat in your room when the day's logistics have left you with no appetite for socialising.

Four swimming pools give you more than one place to cool off, including an indoor pool and a children's pool. Around the beach and pool areas, sun loungers and umbrellas make the obvious plan entirely respectable: find a position, stay there, and move only when food or a massage becomes necessary. The private beach is set up for swimming and lounging, while the gardens offer space for a walk when sitting still starts to feel like another form of decompression.

Royal Spa offers massage treatments, including full-body, back, neck, head, hand and couples' massage, with a steam room and beauty services alongside the treatment rooms. The fitness centre and yoga classes give you a way to stretch out without pretending that a post-dive workout is compulsory. A sauna and hot tub are also available, with the latter carrying an additional charge.

When the sun goes down, the resort adds live music, evening entertainment, a nightclub or DJ programme and karaoke. Table tennis, billiards and horse riding are also available, with some activities carrying an additional charge. For a day away from the property, the tour desk can arrange excursions to Porto Ghalib, Shab Samadai, a Bedouin camp or Luxor City.

Airport transfers are available from Marsa Alam International Airport, either as a private service or a shared shuttle, and should be arranged with the hotel. The drive is about 36 miles and normally takes around 58 minutes. Free private parking is available on site, with no reservation needed, if you arrive by car.

Plan for check-in from 14:00 and check-out by 12:00. You will need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and guests under 18 must arrive with a parent or official guardian. There is no minimum age requirement for checking in, while children aged 12 and over are treated as adults for occupancy purposes. Cash is accepted for payment.

A 24-hour reception, luggage storage, concierge service, tour desk and on-site cash machine cover the small practical matters. A 24-hour clinic with a doctor is available on site. Free WiFi reaches all areas of the hotel, and wheelchair access is provided. Pets are not allowed.

The resort is Ecocertified. That is the environmental credential attached to the property, without turning the holiday into a seminar. For a stay beside Red Sea reefs and desert landscapes, it is a useful part of the hotel's identity: you can choose a beachfront base that carries a recognised ecological certification while keeping the focus on the sea, the food and the night's sleep.