Fort Arabesque Resort, Spa & Villas

Fort Arabesque Resort, Spa & Villas is built for a holiday where the sea does most of the persuading. You have direct access to a private beach, five swimming pools, bars and a large choice of places to eat, with enough space to follow your own rhythm rather than someone else's timetable. The resort works for couples, families and adults looking for a quieter corner, although its West Bay and Villas areas are reserved for guests aged 16 and over.

The feel changes with the part of the resort you choose. Family accommodation gives you room to spread out, while the adults-only villas and suites put the emphasis on privacy, sea views or direct access to a pool. It is a sizeable resort rather than a small dive lodge, so you come here for the full holiday set-up: beach, food, pools, spa and evening entertainment, with the Red Sea close at hand.

English-speaking service is not listed among the hotel team's recorded languages, so you should confirm your preferred language directly before booking if that matters to you.

You are in Hurghada, Egypt, on Safaga Road at Makadi Bay, beside the Red Sea. The resort sits directly on the seafront, with Fort Arabesque Beach around 550 feet away in the surrounding-area listings. Xanadu Makadi Bay Beach is about 0.7 miles away on foot, while Makadi Beach is roughly 1 mile away. In other words, the main beach is not a transfer exercise: you are already there.

Hurghada International Airport is listed at 15 miles from the resort. The wider Makadi Bay area gives you a few places to walk or drive to, including Sultana Cafe about 0.6 miles away on foot and The Grand Makadi Hotel Hurghada around 1 mile away by car. Further restaurants include Beach Restaurant at about 1.2 miles on foot and Amaya Restaurant Madinat Makadi at roughly 1.4 miles.

The address is Safaga Road, KM 32, Hurghada, Red Sea Governorate. You are choosing a coastal resort rather than a hotel in central Hurghada, which keeps the beach at the centre of the day.

The practical starting point is air conditioning, because Red Sea heat and a full day outdoors are not ideal companions at bedtime. Accommodation comes with a sea, pool or garden view, warm-coloured decoration, satellite television, a minibar and a private bathroom. You can return, cool down and put the day away without having to perform any further expedition beyond finding the remote control.

For families, the Family Room with Garden View and the Deluxe Family Room are the sensible direction: both are designed around shared occupancy, with the latter adding bunk beds. The Apartment Suite gives a family more separation, with two bathrooms, while the larger family options make more sense when you would rather keep bags and people from occupying the same square metre. The resort also has a kids' club and family rooms.

Couples aged 16 and over can choose from the West Bay and Villas sections, including swim-up accommodation, sea-view suites and larger private villas. The Swim-Up Villa is the obvious choice if stepping straight into the water matters more than having a broad outlook; the Premium Suite with Sea View suits you if the view is the priority. Villas include a living room, and the adults-only areas also have their own restaurants, bar and swimming pools. Check the exact room plan before booking, as the adult-only rule applies to particular accommodation and resort areas rather than to every guest at the property.

The stay is all-inclusive, with breakfast served as a buffet. Dining is spread across international, oriental, Greek, Italian, Asian, Mexican and French options, so you can change direction without leaving the resort. Oriental Grill and Mastika sit by the beach, La Piazza is beside the pool, and Club 159 offers dining with a view. West Bay has its own main restaurant, serving international favourites buffet-style.

The named restaurants include Beach Resort Main Restaurant, Asian Fusion Restaurant, La Cantina, Le Bec Sucré and Fine Dining Pavilion, the latter reserved for Villa guests. That gives you a useful range after diving: familiar food when you want it, and a different menu when the buffet has already had its turn. Special-diet menus are available on request, and room service is available when walking to dinner feels like an unnecessary land-based challenge.

There are eight named bars. Luuma and Sottovento are by the beach, with Sottovento specialising in cocktails; Jungle Bar, Swim-up Bar and Sunset Bar cover the pool side; and Lobby Bar, Red Rocks and Arena Bar give you places for a drink away from the water. The resort also has a snack bar, packed lunches and breakfast in your room.

Five swimming pools give you alternatives to the sea, including three heated pools and a children's pool. Sun loungers, beach chairs, umbrellas and pool or beach towels are available, so you can make a proper afternoon of doing very little without having to negotiate your own furniture. The garden and terrace provide more room to sit out, while the private beach keeps the simplest option exactly where it should be: beside the resort.

For recovery rather than competition, Fort Arabesque Spa offers Thai massages with Thai therapists. Treatments take place either indoors or in an open-air pavilion, depending on the setting you prefer. The spa also includes a relaxation area, steam room, foot bath, body treatments and beauty services. Massage, spa access, the fitness centre and the hot tub carry an additional charge, so factor that into your plans before promising yourself a daily treatment.

If you still have energy, you can play tennis, table tennis or darts, use the games room, or choose billiards. Golf is available within 3 miles, and the resort also offers aerobics, fitness classes and yoga classes. Snorkelling, windsurfing, pedal boats, canoes and horse rides add options for a non-diving day, while live music, performances, evening entertainment and a nightclub with DJ cover the later hours. Forte's Kids Club and outdoor play equipment give younger travellers their own programme.

Hurghada International Airport is about 15 miles away, with the drive described as roughly 15 minutes by car. Airport pick-up and drop-off are available on request, and the resort also offers a shuttle service. You can arrange the arrival details with the property before travelling rather than trying to solve the transfer after landing with dive luggage in tow.

Check-in starts from 14:00 and check-out is until 12:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the resort asks you to share your expected arrival time in advance. A 24-hour front desk, private check-in and check-out, concierge service, luggage storage, a tour desk, currency exchange and an on-site cash machine cover the less glamorous but genuinely useful parts of travelling.

Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. Free private parking is available without reservation, and the resort has a minimarket, room service, laundry and ironing services, a barber and beauty shop, lifts, air conditioning and facilities for disabled guests. Children of any age are welcome; children aged 12 and over are charged as adults, while cots and extra beds depend on the accommodation selected. Pets are not allowed.