Marina Sharm Hotel

Since the 1980s, this established resort has occupied a prominent spot on the edge of Naama Bay. Marina Sharm Hotel combines a long-standing presence with the practical scale of a 323-room property: several places to eat, plenty of outdoor space, pools, a private beach and enough going on to keep a non-diving companion occupied. It is a straightforward choice if you want the sea in front of you and Sharm El Sheikh close behind.

English is one of the languages used for the hotel's website, alongside Arabic, Italian and Russian, so the property is geared towards an international clientele. The setting suits couples as well as families, with adult pools, a children's pool, a kids' club and a playground. You can keep the day simple here: swim, eat, find a shaded seat, then decide whether the evening deserves a drink or an early night. Both are perfectly respectable post-dive strategies.

The hotel faces the bay rather than hiding away from it. Floor-to-ceiling windows, sea-facing room categories and outdoor areas looking across the Red Sea give the place its defining feature: the view does much of the work.

You are in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, directly on the seafront at Naama Bay. The hotel has a private beach with golden sand and a jetty, while Naama Bay Beach is roughly 0.03 miles away. The position puts you in the centre of the resort town, with cafés and restaurants close enough for a short walk when you fancy a change from hotel dining.

The Old Market is about 4.3 miles away, and Al Fanar Lighthouse about 4.1 miles. Gardens Bay Beach is around 1.6 miles away on foot or 2.3 miles by road, giving you another stretch of coast to explore without turning the outing into an expedition. Sharm El Sheikh International Airport is about 6.8 miles away by road.

The hotel sits at the far edge of the bay, where the coastline opens into a wide panorama. That gives you a useful combination for a diving holiday: direct access to the water, and the restaurants, bars and evening life of Naama Bay within easy reach.

A sea-view room is the natural fit if you want the Red Sea to be part of the room rather than something you visit between meals. The Superior and Deluxe sea-view categories offer more breathing space than the Standard rooms, while the Junior Suite is the practical step up when three people need to share without turning the room into a kit assembly area. Couples who prefer a larger bed can choose a Deluxe sea-view room; twin-bed categories make more sense when sharing with a friend and nobody wants to negotiate the duvet at dawn.

Many rooms have private balconies, and all room categories are fitted with air conditioning, a minibar, satellite television and floor-to-ceiling windows. After a hot day in and around the Red Sea, the air conditioning is the useful luxury, while the minibar means cold water is within reach before you have properly found your flip-flops. A kettle is also provided for the first drink of the morning or the last one of the evening.

The choice of outlook matters. Garden-view rooms keep the price conversation out of the way here and make sense if you expect to spend your waking hours on the beach, by the pool or underwater; sea-view rooms are for anyone who wants to wake up to the bay. Daily housekeeping, a wardrobe and a private bathroom with bath or shower keep the basics in order. Family rooms are available, and children of any age are welcome, with the room category determining how many people can sleep comfortably.

The main dining room, Marina Restaurant, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with international buffet breakfasts and dinners alongside an à la carte menu throughout the day. It looks across the bay and can seat more than 280 guests, so this is the dependable base when you come back hungry and want food without another outing. Breakfast is an American-style buffet.

For a change of direction, The Oriental Restaurant (ALMAZ) focuses on local flavours. Kalimera is the specialised restaurant, while La Terraza is the choice when the view matters as much as the plate. The hotel also has four restaurants in total, giving you more room to vary the evening than a single buffet line followed by the same table every night.

Drinks are spread across the property rather than concentrated in one lobby. Lobby Bar handles cocktails in a more traditional setting; Garden Bar adds open-air entertainment; Palm Bar sits by the pool, while Juice Bar and Divers Bar are on the beach. Sky-Lounge Bar serves evening drinks from the terrace, and Marina Lounge offers another place to sit. The Marina Sunrise Sea Jetty adds the most obvious setting of the lot: a drink overlooking the Red Sea.

Three outdoor pools give you alternatives to the sea: two heated adult pools, another adult pool and a separate children's pool. The private 250-metre sandy beach has sun loungers and umbrellas, with the jetty extending the waterfront beyond the sand. If your legs have had enough of fins and ladders, the sensible plan is a poolside seat, a short swim and no timetable whatsoever.

The Health Club covers the more purposeful form of recovery, with massage, facials, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi treatments. A fitness centre is available as well, although nobody will be asking for your dive log before you use it. The spa also includes a relaxation area and beauty services, so a companion can occupy the afternoon while you remain horizontal.

There is more movement outside the wellness area if you want it: beach volleyball, beach football, table tennis, darts, billiards and the Marina Games Area. Evening entertainment, live music, karaoke and entertainment shows add some noise after dark. Families have a kids' club, children's playground and children's activities, while boat excursions and on-site water sports are also available.

Sharm El Sheikh International Airport is about 6.8 miles away by road. An airport shuttle is available, and the hotel also offers a shuttle service; arrange the details with the hotel before travelling. A car-hire service, currency exchange, an ATM, luggage storage and a 24-hour front desk cover the less glamorous but genuinely useful parts of a holiday. Private parking is available nearby, and charges may apply.

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is by 12:00. Early arrival and late departure can be requested, which is worth asking about when your flight times leave you with an awkward gap and a suitcase full of damp swimwear. Free WiFi is available throughout the hotel, and room service, laundry and dry cleaning are available for additional convenience.

Cash is accepted for payment at the property. Children of any age are welcome, although children aged 12 and over are charged as adults; extra beds can be requested according to the room category. Pets are not allowed, and the minimum age for check-in is 18.

The hotel has no named environmental certification or published sustainability programme to add to the booking decision. Its practical setting is direct access to the Red Sea: a private beach, a jetty and a Diving/Water Sports Center on the property, placing the marine environment at the centre of the stay rather than requiring a separate journey to reach it.