Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay

A low fortress by the water

Kempinski Soma Bay was built in 2008. Its architecture takes after Moorish fortresses: low-rise buildings set in gardens, among pools, waterfalls and lagoons. The rooms carry on the style with Eastern touches and, in many cases, marble bathrooms.

The hotel has 325 rooms and suites, 34 of them suites. All rooms are 39 m², with a terrace or balcony; what sets them apart is mainly the view.

Below the hotel lie a 400 m private sandy beach, shallow near the shore, and a house reef stretching for about a kilometre in front of the dive centre.

The pools at the heart of the stay

The main pool is heated in winter. A lazy river winds around the family pool and a large Jacuzzi, and there is a separate children's pool. This play of pools sets the tone of the hotel and sets it apart from its neighbours: it is easy to spend the day between fresh water and the beach without leaving the grounds.

For children, the Kimo Kids Club runs activities, at a surcharge.

The Cascades thalasso

The thalassotherapy centre the hotel offers is that of The Cascades, Les Thermes Marins des Cascades: more than 7,500 m², a large Aquatonic-style seawater pool (a circuit of jets and currents in seawater, zone by zone), seaweed wraps, underwater massages and beauty treatments. The Kempinski adds its own gym. The hotel's packages often combine accommodation with Aquatonic sessions, so compare them with a room-only rate if you plan several treatments.

Dining

The View, on a terrace facing the Red Sea, serves breakfast and dinner as buffets, with live cooking. Al Mar, by the pool, serves Mediterranean food from 10 am to 7 pm. Bamboo Shoot serves à la carte Asian cuisine with Japanese, Chinese and Thai influences. On the beach, the Beachcomber Bar serves snacks, cold drinks and sweets; in the evening, the renovated Sultan Bar opens from 1 pm to midnight, with cocktails and cigars. Times are local; the evening restaurants ask for smart casual dress.

Which room to choose

Resort View rooms, mostly on the ground floor, look onto the pools and gardens: handy with a child, who can step straight out of the terrace. Side Sea View rooms have a partial sea view; Sea View rooms an open view of the Red Sea. Laguna Club Rooms, for guests aged 13 and over, give access to the Laguna Club lounge, with panoramic sea views: the right choice for a couple looking for a quieter corner in a large hotel. All take up to three people, and connecting rooms are available for larger families.

Sabaro's view

Who it suits: couples on a wellness break; families with young children who want the beach and pools without a shuttle.

Strengths: a 400 m beach right at the hotel; the lazy river and lagoon pools; access to one of the largest thalasso centres in the region; a score of 9.3/10 on Booking.com from 996 reviews.

Good to know: with 325 rooms, this is a large hotel; the kids' club is charged; the thalasso centre is shared with The Cascades.