Three Corners Happy Life Beach Resort

Built as a small village of low-rise buildings around a main building and broad gardens, Three Corners Happy Life Beach Resort is designed for the sort of holiday where diving is important but not the only thing on the table. You can stay all-inclusive, keep the sea close, and still have enough going on for a partner or family member who prefers a pool, a spa or a reasonably serious session on the lazy river.

The atmosphere leans towards an active family resort rather than a hushed retreat. There are several pools, water slides, evening entertainment and organised activities, while the adults-only Relax pool gives guests aged 16 and over somewhere quieter to stretch out. The resort website is available in English, German, French, Hungarian and Dutch, so you can at least plan your stay in English before arriving.

Your hotel is in Abu Dabab, Egypt, on the west coast of the Red Sea, directly beside the sea. The setting is beachfront, with a private beach area and direct access to a jetty for swimming and snorkelling. The beach runs for 500 metres, with loungers, parasols and towels available for guests.

Marsa Alam city is around 23 miles away, which is useful context when choosing this address: this is a coastal resort base, not a town hotel with cafés outside the gate. Marsa Alam International Airport is around 16 miles away by road, with the drive taking about 17 minutes. A Shisha Corner is around 400 feet away, while the named restaurants and cafés in the surrounding area are several miles from the resort, so the all-inclusive arrangement does much of the practical work.

The resort has 300 rooms spread between the main building and several low-rise buildings. That layout matters when you are choosing where to sleep: a room in one of the lower buildings may suit you if you prefer the idea of moving through gardens rather than crossing a large hotel block, while the main building puts reception, the buffet restaurant and the lobby bar close together.

For couples, the Premium Room is the natural fit, with a king-size bed and a futon. If three people are sharing, the Comfort Triple Room uses three single beds rather than relying on a sofa-bed arrangement. Families or small groups get more breathing room in the Comfort Grand Room, with four single beds and a futon. The room cards show the dimensions and occupancy, so the useful question is less about the label and more about whether you want one large bed, separate beds or extra floor space.

Air conditioning is available for the return from hot, salty hours outside, and soundproof rooms should help keep the night from turning into an unwanted entertainment programme. Rooms also have a balcony, a private bathroom with shower, a kettle, a wardrobe, a minibar and a view; daily housekeeping handles the reset while you are out. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort, and the rooms are non-smoking.

All-inclusive is the working formula here. Meals are centred on the buffet restaurant in the main building, with an international spread rather than a single regional style. Breakfast is continental, and a kid-friendly buffet, children's meals and special-diet menus on request keep the arrangement practical for mixed groups.

Dinner gives you three à la carte alternatives: Marhaba for oriental cooking, Dolce Vita for Italian and Mediterranean dishes, and Burger Buzz for a more relaxed burger-focused meal. Each can be used once a week at no extra charge, with reservation required. That gives you a reason to leave the buffet without pretending every evening needs to become a culinary expedition.

There are three bars, although the naming is cheerfully inconsistent: the Lobby Bar, Sunset Bar, Beach Bar and a pool bar are all listed, while the resort description counts three. The useful version is simple: drinks are available around the lobby, pool and beach areas. At the beach, the Shisha Corner adds traditional shisha to the evening. Candlelit dinners on the beach and seafood dinners beside the pool are also available as additional options.

The pool area is built for days when your personal ambition begins and ends with finding a lounger. There are two main outdoor pools, one heated in winter, plus a poolside bar, a lazy river and three water slides. The separate Relax pool is reserved for guests aged 16 and over, giving couples and adult divers a quieter place to cool down while the family action carries on elsewhere.

The 500-metre beach supplies the simpler version of the same plan: shade from parasols, a lounger, a towel and the sound of the Red Sea doing the background work. If your shoulders need more than horizontal recovery, the spa and beauty centre offers massage, facials, a hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, fish spa and relaxation areas. A fitness centre is available as well, although nobody will judge you for choosing the foot bath instead.

For a more active afternoon, the resort offers aquagym, aerobics, volleyball, water polo, boccia, darts, table tennis and billiards. There is also hiking, mini-golf, board games, bingo, quiz evenings and night entertainment including comedy and shows. Families have the Trixie's Kids Club for children aged 4 to 12, with morning and afternoon activities, an outdoor shaded playground, an indoor games room and a separate children's pool.

Check-in starts from 14:00 and check-out runs until 12:00, giving you a useful morning window before departure. There is no age requirement for checking in, and children of any age are welcome; children aged 12 and over are charged as adults. Cots and extra beds are not available, so choose the room layout with the actual occupants in mind rather than relying on a late furniture rescue.

Marsa Alam International Airport is around 16 miles away by road. An airport shuttle is available on request, and private parking is available on site without reservation. The front desk operates 24 hours, with a tour desk, concierge service, currency exchange and an ATM on site. Room service, packed lunches and daily housekeeping add a little practical flexibility when the day's timings do not line up neatly with the restaurant.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort, while the spa and gym are available as hotel facilities. The hotel accepts cash, and pets are not allowed. Late check-out can be requested up to 18:00, subject to arrangement with the hotel.