Steigenberger Coraya Beach

An adults-only house in a resort town

Steigenberger Coraya Beach is one of the hotels of Madinat Coraya, a small resort built around Coraya Bay, at kilometre 67 of the El Quseir to Marsa Alam road. The bay opens to the north; Marsa Alam International Airport is 7.5 km away and Hurghada 207 km. It is the easiest address on the coast to reach after a flight: you are at the hotel soon after landing.

What sets it apart from its neighbours is who stays: the hotel is for adults only, and children are not admitted. It was designed for couples looking for quiet, and the architecture follows suit: low groups of Nubian-style bungalows spread along 800 m of sandy beach, with three pools.

Being part of a resort town has its advantages. Guests can use the water slides at Aqua Coraya, the hotel next door, and dine in three Madinat Coraya restaurants through the "Dine Around": Basilico (Italian), Zaytoun (Oriental) and Rocca (Asian), booked at reception from 9 am to 3 pm (local time). The bay and its reef are shared with the resort's other hotels.

Underwater, a few steps away

The bay's reef is reached from the beach and along a long jetty. Diving is with Coraya Divers, the resort's dive centre, rated PADI 5 Star Dive Resort (the highest category of centres approved by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, the international diver training organisation). The centre has fifteen PADI instructors, offers Nitrox (oxygen-enriched air) and runs boat trips; it opens from 8 am to 5 pm. As everywhere in the area, a first guided check dive is required before you dive the reef on your own.

The sheltered bay also suits snorkelling. For dugongs and turtles, Abu Dabbab Bay, further south, is the trip to plan.

The restaurants and the Pharaoh package

The hotel has two restaurants. Al Maha serves all three meals as buffets, with themed nights: breakfast 6 to 10.30 am, lunch 12.30 to 2.30 pm, dinner 6.30 to 9.30 pm. Al Fayruz, à la carte, serves Mediterranean cooking at lunch (12 to 3 pm) and dinner (7 to 9.30 pm). On Thursday evenings, the Alwalimah tent hosts a Bedouin dinner around mandi, roast lamb, with a music show by the Ababda, a people of the Eastern Desert.

For drinks: Margarita by the pool, Palmito on the beach for sunset, Night & Day in the lobby, and Zuzu's, a billiards bar, from 6 pm to midnight.

Smart dress is required at dinner in all restaurants: long trousers for men, and no swimwear, shorts or flip-flops.

The Pharaoh package, at extra cost, adds touches to the stay: minibar soft drinks refreshed daily, one dinner at Al Fayruz and another at a speciality restaurant, a fruit basket, turndown service, laundry and use of the health club.

Choosing a room

Rooms range from 30 to 42 m² and differ mainly by view: garden, pool or sea. A Superior is enough for a couple who spend their days outdoors; the Deluxe's sofa bed is handy for spreading out dive gear, and the Junior Suite, with its separate living room, is the most comfortable for a long stay. Sabaro recommends a sea view: it is what makes a beachfront bungalow peaceful.

The spa is run by Mividaspa, an Egyptian spa chain; the gym opens from 7 am to 7 pm and the health club (sauna, steam room, hot tub) from 3 to 7 pm.

Sabaro's view

For whom: couples, divers and snorkellers, travellers who want to reach their hotel quickly.

Strengths: adults only; an 800 m beach and a nearby reef; 7.5 km from the airport; a 9.8/10 rating on Booking.com.

Good to know: a large property in a resort town of several hotels; dress code at dinner.