Steigenberger Alcazar

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Arabic, Czech, German, Spanish, Italian and Danish, so you can deal with the useful things without resorting to underwater hand signals at reception. Steigenberger Alcazar is a large five-star resort in Nabq Bay, built for guests who want the sea, several places to eat and enough room to spread out rather than a small boutique hideaway.

The private beachfront setting gives the resort its character. You can move between beach, pools, restaurants and evening entertainment without turning the day into a transport exercise. Folklore shows, live music and other evening performances keep the resort occupied once the sun drops; if that sounds like too much activity, the bars and the room service offer quieter alternatives.

You are in Nabq Bay, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, directly on the Red Sea and spread across 35,000 square metres of private beachfront. The beach is sandy and golden, with desert landscapes and mountains forming the wider setting. This is a proper coastal resort rather than a town-centre hotel, so the sea is part of the address, not a day trip.

Nabq Bay centre is about a quarter of a mile away, close enough for a change of scenery when you fancy leaving the resort. White Elephant Thai Restaurant and Sushi Bar is around 500 metres away, while Ninos Italian Restaurant is about 700 metres away. Sharm El Sheikh International Airport is roughly 8 miles away by road, with a journey of about 15 minutes in normal conditions.

The room choice is mainly about how much space and outdoor access you want once the dive bags are back indoors. Superior rooms suit a couple who want a straightforward base with a king-size bed, while the Swim Up option puts the pool closer to the door. Partial sea-view rooms are the logical pick if the Red Sea matters to you from the balcony rather than only from the beach.

For three guests, the Deluxe Family rooms provide more breathing space and use a king-size bed with sofa beds. The Villa with Sea View is the serious group option, with room for six and three bathrooms; useful if several adults are travelling together and nobody wants a queue after an early start. The suites are aimed at couples who would rather have room to sit, unpack and recover than simply a place to sleep.

Air conditioning matters in Sharm El Sheikh, particularly when you return warm, salty and short of enthusiasm for unnecessary exertion. Rooms also have a balcony or terrace, a kettle, free WiFi, daily housekeeping, a private bathroom with shower, slippers, bathrobe and toiletries. A desk and television cover the occasional practical evening, while the large beds have been singled out for their comfort. Room service runs around the clock, which is precisely the sort of detail that earns its keep when your appetite refuses to follow the hotel timetable.

The main dining operation covers breakfast, lunch and dinner in two restaurants, with breakfast served as a buffet. That gives you the uncomplicated start most divers prefer: eat, drink, collect yourself and get on with the morning without negotiating a complicated menu before the first descent.

Five speciality à la carte restaurants add variety when you want dinner to feel less like refuelling. Guests on an all-inclusive arrangement can use these restaurants within the entitlements attached to their stay, with the number of visits depending on the length of the booking. Reservations go through Guest Relations, and same-day reservations close at 17:00. A little planning is required; the reef will not be offended, but your preferred dinner may be.

There are lobby bars, pool bars and a beach bar, giving you somewhere to stop without crossing the whole resort in flip-flops. A coffee house, wine and champagne service, fruit, a bar and restaurant service round out the food and drink offer. If you would rather stay in, 24-hour room service is available.

Five pools divide the resort's non-diving time neatly: three heated outdoor pools and two children's pools. Add the private beach, sun loungers, umbrellas, gardens, terraces and outdoor seating, and you have plenty of places to park yourself with a book or a drink. Swimming is available in the pools and the sea when you are wearing suitable swimwear; loose cotton clothing is not permitted in either.

Mivida Spa offers wellness and cosmetic treatments, massage, a sauna, steam rooms, a hammam, a relaxation area, a foot bath and a hot tub. Yoga, water aerobics and fitness classes give you options for moving without pretending that every surface interval needs to become a training session. A fitness centre and personal trainer are also available.

For something more active, the resort has tennis, tennis equipment, beach volleyball, mini football, archery, bocce, darts, table tennis, a games room and water sports on site. Evening entertainment includes folklore shows and live music. Families have a supervised kids' club, children's play areas, a playground and children's entertainment, while babysitting is available as a service. Couples can simply choose a pool, the spa or the beach and leave the rest of the programme to somebody else.

Check-in starts at 14:00 and check-out is by 12:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in. Children are welcome, with family rooms, cots and extra beds available according to the accommodation selected; a birth certificate is required for children travelling with guests. Pets are not allowed.

Airport transfers are available through the hotel, either as a private transfer or a shared shuttle, and should be arranged with the property. The airport is about 8 miles away by road. Free private parking is available on site without a reservation, and the resort also has a 24-hour reception, luggage storage, currency exchange, an ATM, a minimarket, a shop and a barber and beauty shop.

Free WiFi covers the hotel and the rooms. Laundry and ironing services are available, packed lunches can be arranged, and a doctor can be requested. Wheelchair access, lifts, accessible bathrooms and an emergency bathroom cord are part of the accessibility provision. Cancellation, prepayment and extra-bed conditions vary by room choice, so check the terms attached to the option you select before confirming.

An environmental certification forms part of the resort's sustainability work. Its conference offer also uses sustainable conference concepts, linking the property's business facilities to a more considered approach to events.

For you as a diver, the useful point is simple: the resort sits directly beside the Red Sea, so the setting it operates in is also the setting you have come to experience. The environmental work is presented as part of the property rather than as a separate attraction, alongside the beach, pools and gardens.