Bellagio Beach Resort & Spa

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside German, Russian and Arabic, so you can deal with the practical details without resorting to hand signals after a long day in the water. Bellagio Beach Resort & Spa is a substantial seafront resort built around the useful trio of beach, pool and places to eat, rather than a small hideaway where every evening requires a taxi.

The mood is easy-going and sociable. There is entertainment in the evenings, themed dinner nights, a kids’ club for children aged four to twelve, and enough family provision to make this a workable choice for mixed-age groups. Couples can keep things simpler: a sea-view room, a drink at the Lobby Bar and the option of dinner on the beach when the day has taken enough out of you.

You are in Hurghada, Egypt, directly on the seafront rather than inland behind a busy road. The resort has its own sandy private beach, with loungers, parasols and a beach bar already in place. It is approximately 300 metres from Panorama Bungalows Aqua Park Hurghada Beach and about 800 metres from Hawaii Beach, although your first choice may simply be the sand at the end of the property.

Hurghada International Airport is about 9 miles away, while Hurghada city centre is roughly 6 miles from the resort. Saqqala Square is around 9 miles away. For a change of scene, Diaquiri Bar is about 0.6 miles away on foot, and Miami Pub is around 2 miles away; the resort itself, however, gives you six restaurants and two named bars before you need to look elsewhere.

The setting suits divers who prefer a resort base with the sea immediately outside, but who still want access to town by car. You get the practical side of Hurghada without being placed in the middle of its street life.

The rooms are air-conditioned and come with a terrace or balcony, satellite television, a minibar, an electric kettle and a private bathroom with shower, toiletries and hairdryer. That covers the unglamorous but important return-to-room routine: cool air, a cold drink, somewhere to sit and no need to dress up merely to watch the evening disappear.

For two people, the sea-view rooms and the sea-view suites are the natural choices if the view matters more than saving a few steps around the resort. The Deluxe Jacuzzi Room and the suites with spa baths add a more deliberate wind-down after diving, while the Swim Up suite is aimed at couples who would rather move from bed to water than queue for a lounger. The Bellagio Suite offers the most space for two, if room to spread out matters more than keeping the accommodation compact.

Travelling as a small family, you have a dedicated Family Room with separate single beds and a king-size bed, rather than trying to make a couple’s room do family duty. Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side moving, and the minibar is useful for water and small provisions when you return sun-warmed, salty and not especially interested in conversation.

All-inclusive is the main formula, with breakfast served as a buffet from 7.00. The breakfast selection covers continental, vegetarian, halal and buffet options, giving you a reasonably broad start before a morning departure. Room service runs around the clock, which is the useful detail when your appetite arrives at an inconvenient hour or you simply want to eat privately.

There are six restaurants in total. La Terrazza handles Italian cooking across breakfast, lunch and dinner, with its terrace setting and smart-casual dress code. The Sea Food Restaurant sits on the beach and serves seafood for lunch and dinner in a more relaxed setting, with the sea doing some of the decorative work. A single restaurant list would not tell you that distinction; here, you can choose between a proper terrace meal and something closer to the water.

The Lobby Bar and Pool Bar both focus on cocktails, while the beach and pool areas also have drinks available. The Pool Bar is built into the pool, and the resort also has a snack bar. One à la carte dinner and one Oriental à la carte dinner are included in the all-inclusive formula during a stay, with the Oriental dinner requiring a reservation; check the inclusions on arrival, as the food, drinks and facilities covered by the formula are set out there.

The main outdoor pool has an integrated bar, and the resort’s pool area also includes a children’s pool and water slides. Loungers and parasols are available around the beach and pool, so your non-diving plan can be as ambitious as moving from one shaded position to another. There is also a fitness centre, yoga classes and a personal trainer for anyone who feels the need to remind their legs that they have other purposes.

Bellagio Spa covers 500 square metres and brings together massages, facial treatments, a hammam, sauna and Jacuzzi, with a relaxation area and beauty services. That is the sensible place to spend the afternoon when the sun is still working hard and your body has already filed a formal complaint about the morning’s exertion. The spa also has wellness packages.

For something more active, the resort offers kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, jet skiing, fishing and boat excursions. Away from the water, the tour desk can arrange city visits, while evening shows provide a straightforward end to the day. Families have a kids’ club, children’s entertainment, a playground, babysitting, a children’s pool and a children’s menu; couples can ignore all of that and head for the spa without guilt.

Hurghada International Airport is about 9 miles away. An airport shuttle is available and can be arranged with the hotel; car hire is also available if you want to make your own way around Hurghada. Free private parking is available nearby, and a concierge, tour desk, currency exchange and 24-hour reception cover the usual arrival and departure logistics.

Check-in starts at 14.00 and check-out runs until 12.00. Early check-in and late check-out are available on request. Children of any age are welcome, although the property does not provide extra beds; the number of cots depends on the accommodation selected. Check-in is for guests aged 18 or over. Pets are not allowed, and smoking is restricted to designated areas.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. You also have luggage storage, a safety deposit box at reception, laundry and dry-cleaning services, an on-site medical facility, a minimarket and a barber and beauty shop. Visa, Mastercard and cash are accepted, and the hotel has three meeting rooms and a business centre for anyone mixing a diving trip with work.