Captain's Inn Hotel

If your ideal base is a small hotel in the middle of marina life rather than a sealed-off resort, Captain's Inn has a clear proposition. It sits above Abu Tig Marina, with a bar terrace for an easy drink and the town's restaurants, cafés and leisure activities close by. The setting is relaxed by day, but the marina does not entirely whisper at night: nearby bars and restaurants can bring evening and weekend noise.

You will be understood in English, German and Arabic by the hotel team. That matters when you are discussing an airport transfer, asking about tomorrow's plans or simply trying to order food without performing underwater hand signals on dry land. The atmosphere suits couples particularly well, while children of any age are welcome and a children's menu is available.

The address is Abu Tig Marina, in Hurghada, Egypt, within the El Gouna area. The hotel is on the seafront and close to the services and leisure options around the marina, so you can step out for coffee, dinner or a wander without turning every outing into a taxi exercise.

Marina Beach is about 0.2 miles away, with The Smokery Beach and Mangroovy Beach each about 0.7 miles away. Zeytouna Beach is roughly 1.2 miles away and can be reached on foot or by car. The surrounding area also offers cafés such as Piazza Cafe and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, while Pier 88, Bleu Bleu and Lascala El Gouna Restaurant are all within about 0.1 miles.

For two people who mainly need a cool, comfortable place to sleep, the Standard Room keeps things straightforward, with an extra-large double bed, air conditioning, a minibar, satellite television and a safe. The marina-view options make more sense if the outlook is part of the reason for booking; the balcony version gives you somewhere to sit with the view rather than merely look at it through glass.

If you are travelling as three, or simply prefer room to spread out after a day of wet kit and salty clothing, a Junior Suite is the more practical choice. The Captain's Suite goes further for a group of up to four. Some suites have a terrace or balcony, which gives you a useful place to sit with a drink, although a marina view can also mean more sound from the surrounding bars and restaurants, particularly at weekends.

Daily housekeeping keeps the room in order, and free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. The air conditioning is the useful bit when you return hot, tired and still carrying half the Red Sea on your skin. For a couple, the choice is really between a compact room with a large bed and a marina-facing option; for extra breathing space, move up to a suite rather than expecting a small standard room to perform miracles.

Breakfast comes as a buffet, with continental, vegetarian and halal choices. That gives you a reasonably flexible start before a morning on the water, whether you want something familiar, something meat-free or food prepared according to halal requirements. The hotel also has a restaurant for meals, so you can eat on site when the day has taken more out of you than planned.

There is one bar, with a terrace where you can settle in with a drink and the coastal breeze. Wine and champagne are available at an additional charge. Around the marina, you also have a useful collection of nearby restaurants and cafés, including several within about 0.1 miles, so staying here does not tie you to one dining room for the whole week.

The food information is practical rather than grandiose: buffet breakfast, a restaurant, and a terrace bar. In other words, coffee first, food when you are hungry, and somewhere to sit afterwards without needing to put your shoes back on for a full expedition.

The hotel works well for a day when you want activity without another organised schedule. Snorkelling, fishing, boat excursions and kitesurfing are available in the area, while horse riding, quad trips towards a Bedouin camp and cultural excursions give you options once the diving is put away. A bicycle can also be hired for exploring El Gouna at a slower pace.

For more land-based distractions, you can play billiards or mini-golf, and tennis and squash are available. A golf course lies within about 1.9 miles. These are useful choices for couples who do not both want to spend every available hour underwater; one can head out for a ride or a round while the other takes the sensible option and sits down.

The wellness services cover massage, pedicures, manicures, waxing and beauty treatments. Sun umbrellas, a sun terrace, outdoor furniture and a garden add places to pause between outings. Children are welcome, with a children's menu and cot availability for younger children, although there are no extra beds.

Hurghada International Airport is about 23 miles away by road, with the journey taking around 35 minutes by car. An airport shuttle is available and should be arranged with the hotel. Car hire is also available if you want to explore beyond the marina, while the 24-hour reception, luggage storage and on-site ATM make arrivals, departures and awkward flight times easier to manage.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available, alongside a hairdresser and beauty shop. There is also a business centre for the rare occasion when a diving holiday requires something more complicated than checking the next day's weather.

Children of all ages are welcome. A cot can be requested for children aged from birth to three years, and one child under 12 can stay using the existing beds. Pets are not allowed, and smoking is restricted to designated areas. The hotel accepts cash payments.