How did Egypt land on my radar?

Picture this. It was a rainy Friday in February, we’d had a stressful few months and suddenly, an unexpected last-minute travel window popped up. We were desperate for some sun, sea and relaxation. The only complications were a 5 month old baby who’d never been on a plane and a fairly modest budget, given we hadn’t expected to be able to go away

After some research, we quickly dismissed long-haul destinations due to flight duration and budget. Then I saw it – some great prices for Hurghada in Egypt…

But don’t people say Egypt is dodgy?

We hadn’t been to Egypt since a lovely week in Sharm El Sheikh back in 2014 and since then, yes, Egypt has grown a reputation for being somewhere that isn’t safe to travel to. But that view doesn’t tell the whole story and people’s perceptions of Egypt have become unfairly tarnished

Egypt is a huge country, roughly four times the size of the UK and twice the size of France. There are regions where the UK Government advises against travel but the closest of those places to the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada is around 250 miles away. For context, that’s almost as far as it is from London to Newcastle

Egypt’s economy is heavily reliant on tourism and, as such, there is a great focus on safety and security, particularly in the Red Sea region. Places like Hurghada are considered just as safe as some well-known European destinations.

Why did we pick Egypt?

Hurghada sees good average highs in the winter months - 25 degrees in February. Its proximity to the equator means it often feels hotter than that. You can visit in winter and feel sunny days much like you’d find across southern Europe in shoulder season and even summer month

Across both Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh, there’s a huge selection of resort style properties ranging from budget conscious, to adult-only, to family friendly. There’s something for every traveller.

As a very affordable country, it offers great value. Many of it’s resorts are all-inclusive led and often come at a considerable discount relative to other places where you’d find winter sun

A huge bonus is the flight time. For winter sun, you’d spend upwards of 8 – 9 hours getting to destinations like Dubai or the Caribbean. The Red Sea resorts in Egypt are just over 5 hours away.

For our family, considering our first flight with a young baby, wanting a hot, last-minute getaway on a fairly tight budget, it was a no brainer.

Is it hard to find a quality resort?

There’s no other way of saying it – my wife and I are “hotel snobs”. We’ve travelled extensively and have been lucky enough to stay in some beautiful places. We don’t always want to spend loads, so finding quality stays on any budget has become something I’m particularly good at.

There are so many resorts to choose from – you just need to have a good handle on your budget and the type of place you like.

For this trip, it didn’t take us long to land on the lovely Baron Palace Sahl Hasheesh near Hurghada.

Why Baron Palace Sahl Hasheesh?

From the minute I found it, this place looked perfect. A large resort, beautifully designed with family pools, adult-only areas, a kids splash pool, a spa, several A La Carte restaurants, a gym and plenty to do.

The reviews were great and it was clear we could check-in then stay put until pick-up time week later – and that’s exactly what we did!

Did it live up to expectations?

Absolutely! We were so bowled over by the aesthetics and design of the resort. It felt very upscale from the minute we arrived.

The staff were exceptional. They simply couldn't do enough for you. Polite and helpful at all times and they were great with helping to entertain our son, whilst at meals.

The clientele felt very similar to us – families that wanted to chill. We even made friends.

Days by the family pool were chilled and the kids pool was always quiet, despite the family demographic.

There was entertainment in the evenings for those that wanted to partake, but it equally didn’t feel like you were missing out if you decided to finish dinner and enjoy drinks on your balcony.

For young kids and teens, there was entertainment around the pools or in the kids clubs and teen zones.

The food was varied with an international buffet offering different themes each evening and the six A La Carte options offering a choice of Japanese, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Seafood and Egyptian cuisine We could have easily spent another week sampling!

We loved this resort!

Would we go again?

Egypt and it’s sunshine won our hearts and it’ll certainly be an appealing option the next time we want winter sunshine.

Would you send your clients?

Ever since we got home, my heart has sunk a little every time I’ve hear a client say “we don’t want to go to Egypt”.

It’s such a brilliant option and such a shame it’s written off so easily.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be a good fit for clients who are anxious travellers and tend to over-worry about geopolitics but, for everyone else, it offers sun, sea and relaxation at a range of different resorts at great value.

Dismiss Egypt at your peril!