Sharm el-Sheikh is a popular resort town near the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It is sometimes known as the "City of Peace" because of the numerous international peace conferences that have been held there.
There is a wide range of accommodation available in Sharm el-Sheikh, although it is very variable in quality, so tourists are advised to make their choices carefully. Most of the expensive resorts are of very high quality, but those on a tight budget are more limited in terms of good options, and there are not many traditional B&Bs.
Many hotels are located near beaches and some have spectacular views over the surrounding seas, and there are many hotels that include their own dive centres, sporting facilities, spas and swimming pools.
Budget
There are numerous budget accommodation options available in Sharm el-Sheikh, but many of them are low-quality, so it is important to choose your hotel or B&B wisely. However, there are some good-quality budget options that are worth mentioning.
At Shark's Bay, the Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village offers cheap and basic but high quality accommodation, and a good dive centre for those interested in getting some training for diving in the local area. The All Seasons Badawia Sharm Resort at Hadabet Om el Seed is also worth considering. For those on a particularly low budget, the Ocean Club Hotel is worth a look. It contains numerous amenities and facilities and while the accommodation is not exactly luxe, the starting prices are remarkably low.
For those who want to stay near the Ras um-Sid resort but find the Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort too expensive, the Falcon Hills Hotel is a good option, offering reasonable quality accommodation and a large array of on-site facilities and amenities.
There are a couple of good B&B options for those on a tight budget, including the Sunshine Divers Club at Shark's Bay, and Sinai Old Spices in the Roissat area of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Self-catering
There are also numerous self-catering outlets available in Sharm el-Sheikh.
For those with a particularly large budget, the Villa in Four Seasons Resort is a very luxurious, but expensive, holiday rental house, with spectacular views and a wide range of amenities. Not quite as expensive is the Luxurious Ocean View Villa, which is located in El Montazah in a luxury vacation complex.
For those with low to mid-range budgets, there is a reasonable range of self-catering options. Sharks Bay Oasis is a very handy option for those who would like to stay near Shark's Bay and make use of the various attractions there. Other good options include An Egyptian Place in the Sun (located at the Delta Sharm holiday village), Egyptian Experience R31 (located at Nabq Bay), Poolside Apartment in Delta Sharm and the S1 Egyptian Experience Resort, which is situated in the Nabq Bay area.
All inclusive
There are numerous good all-inclusive accommodation options at Sharm el-Sheikh, most of which range from expensive to mid-priced.
For those with large budgets, The Baron Resort is a luxury hotel which offers all-inclusive options and overlooks Tiran Island. The Reef Osasis Blue Bay Resort at El Basha Bay is a relatively expensive, but high-quality, all-inclusive hotel which has considerable options for dining and entertainment and also contains a reef diving club. The Sultana Gardens Resort at Shark's Bay is also recommended, especially for those interested in staying close to the main attractions in Shark's Bay itself, while enjoying an all-inclusive stay.
The Coral Sea Splash Resort at Nabq Bay is relatively inexpensive, and boasts many and varied amenities and an on-site water park. Also worth considering is the Xperience Sea Breeze Resort, which has a private beach and has various good offers, and swimming pools and jaccuzis are provided on-site. For those interested in visiting the Ras um-Sid resort, the Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort also has all-inclusive options.
On the beach
The Stella Di Mare Beach Hotel & Spa is a good choice of beach resort for those on a honeymoon, as it is particularly geared towards couples and romantic events. Another good option for a relaxing stay is the 4-star Iberotel Lido, which also contains good on-site sporting facilities. For those interested in the attractions of Ras um-Sid, the Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort, which has its own private stretch of beach, is easy to recommend. The Xperience Sea Breeze Resort at Shark's Bay also has a private beach area, and is very handy for the main attractions at Shark's Bay as well as offering swimming pools, jacuzzis and special offers for couples.
Top end
For those with a considerable budget, Sharm el-Sheikh is not short of high-quality top-of-the-range 5-star hotels, offering luxury accommodation and services which are worth the asking price.
The Royal Savoy Hotel close to SOHO Square is a luxurious 5-star hotel with numerous sporting and catering facilities and also includes babysitting facilities, and is particularly ideal for couples having an expensive honeymoon. For those after a luxury seaside resort, the Four Seasons Resort in 1 Four Seasons Boulevard, which boasts spectacular views over the sea, and a high quality of service and food. Also recommended is the Iberotel Palace, at El Maya Bay, which offers diving and snorkelling opportunities off the coastline.
The Baron Resort overlooks Tiran Island and houses numerous on-site bars, diving and sport centres, and a gym. The Domina Coral Bay Resort Hotel is located at Marsa El Dekhela and offers a good alternative for luxury accommodation.
With a spa
Many of the hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh have spa pools, including a large majority of the luxurious and expensive ones, and some of the mid-priced ones have them too.
The 5-star Stella Di Mare Beach Hotel & Spa is particularly suitable for those on romantic visits, such as honeymoons between newly-weds. Slightly less expensive is the Cleopatra Luxury Resort, which has a reputation for providing relaxing accommodation and contains a good kids club, for those with children. Aqua Blu Sharm is also easy to recommend, as it also houses the entertaining Aqua Blue Water Park with its large array of water slides, as well as containing spa pools. The Club Magic Life Sharm el-Sheikh Imperial is particularly recommended for a choice of hotel with considerable options for diving, spa pools, and Jaccuzis.
Family friendly
There are plenty of family-friendly accommodation options at Sharm el-Sheikh, including some expensive but luxurious options, and some mid-range options.
One of the most luxurious and expensive options is the Four Seasons Resort in 1 Four Seasons Boulevard, which boasts spectacular views over the sea, and a high quality of service and food. The Coral Sea Splash Resort is relatively inexpensive, and was the 2013 Travellers' Choice Winner in the Family section at TripAdvisor, boasting many and varied amenities and an on-site water park. Jaz Mirabel Park is located in the popular Nabq Bay area, and is highly rated by customers, and boasts a wide range of sporting facilities including beach volleyball, beach football and snooker and billiard tables.
The Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort is particularly handy for the attractions at Ras um-Sid, which is one of the main diving and snorkelling and sunbathing resorts in Sharm el-Sheikh. The hotel also has its own stretch of private beach. Aqua Blu Sharm is also well worth considering, as it is a very family-friendly resort and also houses the Aqua Blue Water Park which will provide considerable entertainment to both adults and children, with a wide range of water slides and pools. There are also catering facilities and sources of entertainment on-site including a promenade of bars and restaurants. For golf fans, the Jolie Ville Golf & Resort Hotel, which houses the region's only 18-hole golf course, is also worth considering.
Romantic retreats
Sharm el-Sheikh boasts quite a large number of romantic retreats, some of which are consistently popular with tourists, and there is thus an impressively wide choice available. However, there are relatively few good cheap options available - most of the reliable romantic resorts are 4 or 5-star hotels.
The Stella Di Mare Beach Hotel & Spa at Naama Bay is a luxurious 5-star hotel which offers reliably good catering and a varied restaurant menu, a large variety of sporting facilities, and a free shuttle bus service to Naama Bay.
For those with a large budget, the Royal Savoy Hotel close to SOHO Square is a luxurious 5-star hotel with numerous sporting and catering facilities and also includes babysitting facilities, and is particularly ideal for couples having an expensive honeymoon. The Savoy Sharm el-Sheikh is a slightly cheaper 5-star alternative situated in SOHO Square, which also offers a high quality of service and catering options.
Iberotel Lido is a high-qualty 4-star hotel situated in Naama Bay, which is handy for various sources of entertainment as well as offering a relaxing stay by the beach. The same hotel brand also hosts the highly-rated 5-star Iberotel Palace, at El Maya Bay, which offers diving and snorkelling opportunities off the coastline.
Similarly expensive, but luxurious, is the Four Seasons Resort in 1 Four Seasons Boulevard, which boasts spectacular views over the Also strongly worth considering is the Laguna Vista Garden Resort at Nabq Bay, which has a reputation for being particularly good for relaxation. The Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort is particularly handy for the attractions at Ras um-Sid, which is one of the main diving and snorkelling and sunbathing resorts in Sharm el-Sheikh. The hotel also has its own stretch of private beach. The Jolie Ville Golf & Resort Hotel, as well as hosting the region's only 18-hole golf course, is also good for romantic occasions, and boasts a large number of on-site facilities, especially catering and sporting facilities.
Boutique & B&Bs
Sharm el-Sheikh does not have many good B&B options, although there are a few which are worth considering, which may be particularly attractive options for those on a limited budget.
At Shark's Bay, the Sunshine Divers Club offers cheap and good B&B accommodation, as well as diving facilities and training on-site, and also scuba diving training and trips. The accommodation is quite basic, but the B&B is very close to the nearby beach. Sinai Old Spices is situated at the Roissat area of Sharm el-Sheikh and contains four good rooms, and several outdoor seating areas. Guests can also book lunch and/or dinner at the site's main restaurant. Another option is the Sharm Resort Hotel, which is located at El Pasha Bay, close to some pleasant beaches, and contains a range of buffet restaurants and bars, swimming pools and spot and leisure facilities, although it has received fairly mixed reviews from visitors.