Desert Rose Resort ★★★★★

In a previous life, Hurghada was a humble fishing village. Founded in 1905, a period of rapid development in the 1980s led to it becoming the leading coastal resort on the Red Sea, stretching some twenty-two miles up the coast and into the surrounding desert. The pearl of this holidaymaking haven? The Desert Rose Resort*****, a luxury resort where, being just fifteen-minutes from Hurghada Airport, your escape begins as soon as you touch down. You’ll be struck by the immaculately landscaped gardens that weave themselves across the nearly 300,000 square-metre site, and the crystal-clear azure of the sea serves as a reminder that you have indeed arrived in paradise.

The team are always eager to go above and beyond the call of duty, so expect drinks upon check-in. A number of room types are available, all of which are sophisticatedly decorated with light and minimal colours. This includes the superior room featuring refrigerators and minibars that are restocked daily. You can look out across one of the resort's four pools, including a full Olympic-sized one, and enjoy the ambience of the idyllic setting.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The resort is full of fun things to do, including scuba-diving, parasailing, and kite surfing. If you enjoy non-water sports, play a game of tennis in one of the three courts – then head to the Spa afterwards to ensure any aches and pains from the game are soothed. Dining options are remarkably varied, with five on-site restaurants that, among themselves, cover cuisine from all culinary corners of the world. Even more varied are the bars. Ten operate on the resort, including the Blue Lagoon Bar, where you can enjoy cocktails at sunbeds overlooking the lagoon, and Ali Baba, an Arabic shisha corner. And you needn’t even leave the resort, since it has shops that cater to virtually every need. Welcome to a truly all-inclusive paradise.