Al-Ahram Weekly | Travel | The heat is on

		4 - 10 July 2002 Issue No. 593 Travel	Current issue Previous issue Site map
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875		Recommend this page

The heat is on
Haven't booked your summer holiday yet? No problem. Rehab Saad guides you through the hottest deals in Egypt

Click to view caption
A dip at Al-Gouna
It's summer time -- the season of travel and vacationing, when thousands of Egyptians and foreign residents escape from the hustle and bustle of Cairo and flock to the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts to enjoy the three S's: sun, sand and sea.
Since summer is traditionally the low season for international tourism, most hotels and tourist villages run special offers and packages at this time of year to try and lure the local holiday-maker. Many of these deals are quite reasonable, and some of them are real bargains.
The area with the best offers is probably South Sinai -- resorts like Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba -- where visitor numbers have slumped due to the violence in the Palestinian territories. These are resorts for young people who like swimming and diving, rather than for families. Sharm El-Sheikh, however, caters for all ages: there is crystal-clear water for swimming, coral reefs for diving, shops, restaurants and cafeterias, as well as a bustling night life scene. However, Sharm is also rather more expensive, because here summer is the peak season for certain specific nationalities (Italians and Russians, for example) who have begun to frequent the city in their droves.
If you want to holiday in Sharm El-Sheikh, but you're on a budget, try booking a room in Nabq Bay, instead of the more pricey Ne'ma Bay or Umm Al- Sid Cliff areas. In Nabq Bay you can enjoy the serenity of being out of the centre, and still easily sample the life of Ne'ma Bay using the all-day shuttle bus.
Hurghada is probably the favourite resort for both Egyptian families and foreign residents, thanks to its beaches, well-appointed city, and the wide range of hotels and tourist villages that cater for all budgets and tastes.
Curiously, most five-star hotels and tourist villages in Hurghada seem to be charging exactly the same price as each other for double rooms this summer: LE220 per night half-board (breakfast and dinner), including service charge and taxes. It's almost as if they were operating a cartel... If you want somewhere cheaper, there are the four-star hotels, and the old five-star villages such as Arabia Tourist village or Al- Samaka. These resorts still have all the standard five- star facilities -- air-conditioned rooms, breakfast and dinner buffets, health clubs and vast swimming pools -- but they lack the luxurious finish of the newer villages.
If you want a quieter and more exclusive holiday, then head north along the coast to Al-Gouna resort, or south to Al-Qusseir. Most hotels and tourist villages in these two centres offer special packages for summer holiday-makers, though a double room may cost you a little more than in Hurghada. Both these centres are high on the recommended list for honeymooners. Al-Gouna is connected to Hurghada by shuttle bus and taxi, but Al-Qusseir is too far to commute on a daily basis, as the journey takes two hours by car.
If you want to spend a weekend near Cairo, the obvious choices are Ras Sudr and Ein Al-Sukhna. A double room in a five-star hotel in Ras Sudr would cost you LE380 a night half board, while a two-star hotel would charge only LE180.
A double room in Ein Al-Sukhna goes for LE400 a night in a five-star hotel, LE270 in a four-star hotel and LE190 per night in a two-star hotel, all on a half board basis.
For an even cheaper weekend, head to the canal cities -- Ismailia, Fayed and Abu Sultan. Though the swimming facilities cannot compete with Ein Al- Sukhna or Ras Sudr, they still have much to offer. For only LE170 a night for a double room in a four-star resort, you can stay half-board in Abu Sultan. In Fayed, you would pay LE200 for half-board in a double room in a five-star hotel, and LE170 in a three-star hotel. Ismailia is even cheaper: a double room in the only international chain hotel in the city costs LE180 half board. Hotels in the city centre are much cheaper than those overlooking Lake Temsah.
For a longer stay in the canal zone, Port Said could be a good choice for families who are looking for good value accommodation. Hotels abound, especially in Corniche and Al-Gomhouriya Streets, where you can choose from modern tower blocks and old-style pensions.
Al-Arish in North Sinai is another good place to while away a couple of weeks. This town has all the requisites of a first-class destination -- good weather, palm-shaded beaches and crystal clear water, as well as a vibrant city centre. A new bridge connecting North Sinai to the Nile Valley has now been built, thus shortening the journey in both distance and time. New chain hotels and tourist villages are sprouting up all around the town. Prices here are cheaper than in South Sinai, and are very affordable for families. A double room in a five-star hotel overlooking the sea would cost from LE190 to LE300 half-board, while for only LE52 you can get bed and breakfast in a three-star hotel downtown.
Marsa Matrouh and Alexandria are the traditional summer destinations, and attract the largest number of visitors. In these two cities summer is the peak season, so most packages offered are limited to mid-July. Prices then rise as we move into August. In Marsa Matrouh, you will also pay more for a hotel with a private beach, while downtown hotels are the cheapest of the lot. If you are looking for a good deal in Alexandria, try the small three-star hotels that can be found scattered all along the corniche.
Here are Al-Ahram Weekly's suggestions for the most attractive summer packages on offer. All prices are for double rooms, restricted to Egyptians and foreign residents, and are of course subject to availability.
Alexandria
The great Mediterranean city is by far the most popular summer resort with Egyptians. Almost two million holiday-makers flock here every year to enjoy its beaches, restaurants and breezy climate. Most families prefer to rent furnished apartments near the corniche beaches, because they work out cheaper than staying in a hotel. However, there is no lack of hotels for all that, ranging from old pensions to five-star properties. Summer is the high season, however, and so you may end up having to pay through the nose.
The only hotel currently offering a package deal is the Sheraton Montazah Hotel (03-5480550). Until mid-July you can get a double room for only LE350 a night, including breakfast, provided you stay a minimum of three days. And if you book for four nights, the fifth is free. Children under six stay free in their parents' room and get a 50 per cent discount on their meals.
Up till the end of July, the double room rate at the Mercure Alexandria Romance Hotel (03-5840912) in Al-Geish Street in Sidi Bishr is down to LE269 a night including breakfast .
If you are on a tight budget, but still want to enjoy a sea view, why not try a double room at one of the small three-star hotels overlooking the corniche? Al- Haram hotel in El-Geish street in the Cleopatra area (03-5463984) has double rooms for LE145 a night including breakfast and taxes. Children under four stay free, but will be charged for meals. For LE200, you can stay in a double room at the three-star Regency Home in Miami (03-5571547): the nightly rate includes breakfast. Larger families may want to go for a suite, which will set them back LE300 a night, again including breakfast.
Those who are attracted to the northern coast should consider the Aida Beach Hotel (02-7603888), which is offering double rooms for LE250 half-board throughout the summer. The coast here is accessible from Cairo by direct bus with companies such as Super Jet or Sahm Al-Dhahabi.
Al-Arish
Al-Arish in North Sinai is probably the largest town in the peninsula. Once a simple Bedouin settlement set amid palm groves, Al-Arish is now a top-end resort with a wonderful range of hotels, and is especially popular with middle-class Egyptian holiday- makers. Summer is the high season, so there are few packages on offer at this time of year. Hotels are generally located either on Fouad Zakry Street (parallel to the beach) or 23rd of July Street (downtown).
If you want to stay in luxurious surroundings with all first-class facilities provided, then Coral Beach Al-Arish (068-331000) is the place for you. For LE350 a night you can get a double room half-board, including service charge and taxes, and free access to the gym. If you stay a minimum of three nights, the rate falls to LE300.
Egoth Oberoi Al-Arish Hotel (068-351321) is another deluxe property, but its rooms are more reasonably priced. A double room here is only LE190 a night for bed and breakfast. A la carte dinner is available for an extra LE50.
Another alternative is the Semiramis (068- 364167), a three-star hotel overlooking the sea. Here, bed and breakfast in a double room will cost LE185 a night, including service charge and taxes.
If you are on tight budget, then you should consider the downtown hotels on 23rd of July Street. A double room in a three-star hotel such as the Sun Sinai (068- 361855), with air-conditioning and private bathroom, will only set you back LE52 a night including continental breakfast. Children stay free with their parents.
Dahab
Dahab means "gold" in Arabic. The town is named after the gorgeous colour of its long curving beaches. Dahab now boasts a number of large-scale resorts with private beaches and access to a coral reef on the headland.
And the deals are great! At the Coralia Club (069- 640301), you can save between LE20 and LE40 a night if you book your holiday before the end of October, and the management will throw in a free meal to boot. A sea view double room will cost you LE200 a night half-board, compared with the usual bed and breakfast rate of LE220. If you don't care about the sea view, you can save even more money by taking a double overlooking the garden for only LE170 per night half-board, instead of the usual rate of LE190 bed and breakfast. And if you also don't care about TV or a mini-bar either, an economy double room is only LE130 half-board.
Hilton Dahab Resort (069-640310), meanwhile, is offering double rooms on a half-board basis for LE180 (usually LE280) until the end of September. Children under 12 can stay free by sharing their parents' room, and also get free meals.
Helnan Dahab Hotel (069-640426) has doubles for only LE160 half-board, including service charge and taxes.
Al-Gouna
Al-Gouna has some tempting deals to lure summer guests. Famous for its picturesque artificial lagoons and Nubian-style architecture, the resort offers a wide array of activities, including diving, water skiing and golf. Most hotels in Al-Gouna don't offer discounts on room rates, but instead prefer to hand out free nights in return for a certain minimum stay.
LTI Paradise Beach Hotel (065-547934) has double rooms for LE320 per night half-board, including service charge and taxes. If you book three nights, you get a fourth night free, and if you book for five nights you get two more free. This offer is valid until the end of October.
Until the end of September, Sultan Bay and Dawwar Al-Omda hotels (065-580077) have double rooms at LE290 and LE270 a night, respectively. Again, you get one night free if you book three, and two if you book five.
Three Corners Rihana and Rihana Inn hotels also have a four-for-three deal. Paid nights are LE160 and LE130 per person per night respectively, half board, including service charge and taxes. Children up to 12 years can stay free in their parents' room. Alternatively, you can pay LE450 for three nights in the Rihana Hotel or LE360 at the Rihana Inn and get free bus travel both ways.
For those who like to holiday in style, Movenpick Al-Gouna is a good upmarket choice. This elegantly- styled Red Sea resort offers savings from LE100 to LE260 (depending on the season). A double room which would cost from LE330 to LE480 in peak season, is now only LE220 bed and breakfast, including taxes. If you book five nights you get a free dinner. This offer is valid until the end of September.
Another five-star property, the Steigenberger Golf Resort Al-Gouna (065-580140), is also offering double rooms for LE220 a night bed and breakfast, compared with LE270 the rest of the year. There is also a special deal for honeymooners, who can get three nights with half-board for only LE995 including taxes and service charges. This package also includes a special transport service to and from the airport, a welcome drink upon arrival, free access to the gymnasium, a two-hour safari trip and an upgrade to a suite upon availability.
Hurghada
Go for July if you want to get a good deal in Hurghada. Most packages are valid until the end of this month, when prices soar going into August, before returning to normal in September.
At the Hilton Hurghada Plaza (065-597451) you can save up to LE30 a night on holidays booked before the end of July. During this period, the rate is only LE250 half-board, including service charge and taxes. In August, the price rises to LE290.
Hurghada's Three Corners Terrace (02-2904181) is not offering any discounts, but you will get a fourth night free if you stay for three. Each paid night is LE75 per person in a double room on a half-board basis, including service charge and taxes. This offer is valid until the end of September.
Three Corners also has an offer of three nights accommodation for LE280 half-board, including bus transportation. With this deal, there is no free fourth night.
Magawish Village (02-3930010) also does transport-inclusive deals. For LE395 per person you get three nights in the four-star village on a half-board basis and travel there and back by bus. If you want a more comfortable journey, air tickets are an extra LE218.
July is also a good time to stay at the Beach Albatros Hotel (065-446571), as double rooms are only LE220 a night half-board. In August, the room rate goes up to LE325. At any other time of the year, the same room would set you back LE440.
There are also good deals at LTI Sultan Beach Hotel (065-444751). Until the end of October, you can get a double room for LE160 a night half-board. Double rooms at Desert INN and Al-Samaka tourist villages (065-446532) are even more competitive at only LE120.
Marsa Matrouh
Marsa Matrouh is another popular summer resort. Beaches of silvery sand and calm shallow turquoise water stretch in all directions. The resort is geared more towards the tastes of Egyptian travellers than foreign tourists. Visitors can stay either in the various camps scattered around Matrouh, or in furnished flats or hotels. Hotels with private beaches are, of course, more expensive than their rivals, while downtown hotels are easily the cheapest.
The Beau Site Hotel (02-2599480) is favoured by affluent travellers for its comfortable rooms and private beach. With their summer package, if you stay seven days you receive an LE300 discount on the total charge. The standard double room rate is LE430 a night half-board.
The Beau Site Beach House Hotel is more suitable for families. One-room chalets (for a family of four) cost LE360 a night, two-room chalets (for a family of six) are LE504, and a three-room chalet (for much larger families) goes for LE636 a night. All prices are excluding meals.
The Negresco (046-4934492) is another hotel with a private beach, and charges only LE260 for a night in a double room, half-board.
Cheaper accommodation can be found at the Radi Hotel (03-4847837), located to the east along the corniche near Romel beach. For LE165 a night, you can stay half-board in a double room, including service charge and taxes.
Al-Lido Hotel (046-4932248), near Beau Site beach and the public beach of Mubarak, is another alternative. Here, a double room costs only LE98 a night half-board, or LE135 full-board.
Nuweiba and Taba
As the nearest cities to the Israeli border, Nuweiba and Taba have been the most severely affected by the current situation in the occupied territories.
Until the end of October, a double room at the Hilton Nuweiba Coral Resort (069-520320) is LE220 a night half-board. For LE100 extra, you can upgrade to full board. Children under 12 stay free sharing their parents' room. After October, the rate will go down to LE180.
Until the end of summer, a double room at the Bawaki Beach Hotel in Nuweiba (069-500470) costs LE100 a night for bed and breakfast, including service charge and taxes.
Taba also has a number of competitive propositions. The Taba Hilton Hotel (069-530140) has double rooms in July and August for LE220 a night half- board, while the Hyatt Regency Taba Heights (069- 580234) is charging LE260 until September and the Steigenberger La Playa Resort (069-560200) costs LE280 through the end of August.
Port Said
Although Port Said boasts fine beaches that are excellent for swimming and relaxation, it is nowhere near as popular with summer holiday-makers as Alexandria or Marsa Matrouh. Except for the Helnan and Sonesta hotels, there are no international chains represented here. However, there are a number of local resorts and small hotels, and enough variety to cater for all tastes.
Sonesta Hotel Port Said (066-325511) has a tempting package for Egyptians and foreign residents. Double rooms are only LE180 a night bed and breakfast until the end of September, instead of the usual LE421 -- thus saving you a collossal LE241! Unfortunately, the Sonesta does not have its own beach, but it does have a nice pool.
If you are travelling with your family, then you might want to stay at the Noras Beach Resort (066- 329834), a huge beach-side complex that boasts 200 rooms and suites in total. Bed and breakfast in a double room will cost LE150 a night, and you can add dinner for an extra LE25. However, it would be a shame to confine oneself to the hotel and ignore the countless restaurants and coffee shops scattered around the city. A family of four might also consider taking a three-room chalet (two bedrooms, one reception) for LE250 a night including breakfast.
Hotels on Al-Gomhouriya Street, such as the three- star Holiday Hotel (066-220711), have some even cheaper offers. For LE104 a night you can get a double room with breakfast at the Holiday, while a double room with breakfast at the Panorama Port Said Hotel (066-325101) is only LE92, including service charge and taxes.
Al-Qusseir
Located south of Hurghada, about 85kms from Safaga, this must be one of the loveliest resorts on the Red Sea coast. In the past the city was famous for phosphate extraction. Unlike other Red Sea cities, Al- Qusseir has a significant history. In Pharaonic times, boats would set sail to the "Land of Punt" (Yemen, or possibly Somalia). Under Arab rule, Al-Qusseir was the largest port on the Red Sea right up until the 10th century, and remained a major transit point for pilgrims until the 1840s.
It is not a particularly lively city, and lacks the souqs, bazaars, restaurants and nightlife of Hurghada. Its inhabitants are also largely unchanged by tourism, and there are Roman and Ottoman sites to visit.
Al-Qusseir has only six tourist villages, built around the outskirts. Most of them have special offers for the summer.
The Nubian-style Movenpick Al-Qusseir Resort (065-332100) is known for its serenity and state-of- the-art diving and snorkelling facilities. Here, you can save up to LE110 per night if you visit before the end of October. Double room rates during that period are down to only LE240 a night, bed and breakfast. There is no charge for children under 12 who stay in their parents' room, and the kids also get a 50 per cent discount on their meals. You can save another LE20 by opting for a room overlooking the garden instead of one with a sea view.
The Flamenco Beach Resort (065-333801) is another luxurious tourist village. In July and August, a double room goes for LE270 a night half-board, which works out as LE135 per person per night, including meals, service charge and taxes. If you wait until September, you will get an even better deal as the double room rate falls to LE250 per night. Your first child can stay free in your room, and will also get free meals. However, your second child will be charged for food. If you decide to book a separate double room for two children, you will be charged only the single rate.
Those on more modest budgets should check out Fanadir (065-331414), a simple holiday village with air-conditioned rooms, a small pool and a diving centre. For only LE180 per night you can get a double room on a half board basis. They even have triple rooms for LE240. Children under four stay free, while those under 11 get a 50 per cent discount on accommodation and food rates.
Sharm El-Sheikh
Sharm El-Sheikh is one of the most successful resorts in Egypt. A large number of luxurious hotels and holiday villages have been built up all along Ne'ma Bay and Umm Al-Sid Cliff (or Al-Hadaba as it is known locally), and there are also many outstanding holiday locations in Nabq, some 20kms away.
With its fine beach and upmarket facilities, Ne'ma Bay has undergone a rapid transformation. In the years since Sinai was returned by the Israelis, the bay has grown from a few huts on the beach into what looks like a miniature city, with a huge number of diving centres, shopping malls, restaurants and cafeterias. The whole bay area is now off bounds to cars, turning it into a pedestrian zone. Instead, there are shuttle buses to take you back and forth throughout the local area. This service is convenient for those staying further out, and visitors are able to walk freely without disturbance through the centre.
This year, the city's hotels are offering a range of special deals to suit all budgets.
Ne'ma Bay addicts who want to spend their holiday in style should consider the Sonesta Beach Resort and Casino (069-600725). Bed and breakfast costs LE300 including service charge and taxes, LE170 less than the standard rate. The offer lasts until the end of September, and includes one hour of tennis, free participation in all activity programmes, and complimentary transport to and from Sharm El-Sheikh Airport.
Sofitel Sharm El-Sheikh (069-600083) on Ne'ma Bay is even more competitive. If you book your holiday before the end of July, you can get a double room for only LE220 per night bed and breakfast. Dinner is LE60 extra. Room prices in August will rise to LE360.
If you want to stay away from the bustle of the city, in a luxurious property at a reasonable rate, try the Jolie Ville Movenpick Golf Resort (069-603200) on Umm Mairkha Bay, 10kms from Ne'ma. Besides its 300 rooms, suites and villas, the resort also houses an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, health club and gym. Until the end of September double rooms cost only LE200 per night bed and breakfast. Children under four stay free of charge, while those aged between four and 12 get free accommodation and a 50 per cent discount on meals.
Dreams Beach (069-660170) has double rooms for LE200 a night bed and breakfast. They are also offering, in cooperation with Karnak Travel Company, a package for three nights at LE550 per person, including breakfast and air tickets.
If you have some money to spare and want to experience a different kind of holiday, then why not try the only hotel located within the natural protectorate of Ras Mohamed, the Savoy Sharm El-Sheikh (02- 2634273)? For LE350 a night in a double room half- board, you can enjoy the first-class facilities and professional service set amid wonderful landscapes, lush greenery, and crystal blue waters with their rich marine life. This offer is valid until the end of September.
If you don't want the bother of always paying extra for food and drinks, you can save yourself the trouble at Iberotel Club Fanara (069-663966), where for LE390 a night per double room they offer an "all- inclusive" accommodation rate. This special offer is good until the end of September.
Till the end of July, the budget-conscious might try the Falcon Al-Diar Resort on Ne'ma Bay or the Falcon Hills on Umm Al-Sid Cliff (02-4540102), where a double room will cost you LE140 or LE100 respectively for bed and breakfast. Children under 12 years are entitled to free accommodation and free meals, and there are free shuttle buses making the run to Ne'ma Bay.
Amar Sinai village (069-662222) at Umm Al-Sid Cliff is even cheaper, as they are offering nearly 50 per cent discount on room rates up till the end of August. A double room now costs LE120 a night half- board. Your first child can stay free, and the second for half price.
Whereas staying in a five-star property on Ne'ma Bay would cost between LE250 and LE300 a night in July, soaring to over LE300 in August, hotels of a similar standard in Nabq Bay are cheaper. For instance, the Radisson SAS Golden Resort (012- 3912220) is offering double rooms in July for LE172 a night bed and breakfast. In August, room prices will increase to LE232 a night, falling back to LE172 in September.
Week-end detinations
If you cannot afford to take four or five days off and don't want to travel too far, there are a number of resorts closer to Cairo that make good weekend alternatives, such as Ein Al-Sukhna, Ras Sudr, Fayed, Abu Sultan and Ismailia.
Ein Al-Sukhna
Over the past few years, Ein Al-Sukhna on the Red Sea has become all the rage, especially among Egyptians. Because it is the nearest resort to Cairo, only one-and-a-half hours' drive away, it is sometimes referred to as "Cairo's beach". Families will drive out for the day to picnic there. However, several resorts have also been established in the area, offering luxury accommodation and water sports. There are no packages on offer at this time, because it is now peak season. Room prices may even exceed those in Hurghada.
Stella Di Mare Hotel (062-250100) is the most popular resort with affluent Egyptians, and probably the most expensive. On week days (Saturday through Wednesday), a double room costs from LE380 to LE480 a night, half-board, depending on its location. The same double room goes for between LE430 and LE480 on the weekend. Children under six stay free of charge, while those over six have to pay LE57 for their meals.
More reasonably priced, yet still with first class facilities, is the Palmera Beach Resort (062-410818). For LE270 you can stay half-board in a nicely furnished air-conditioned double room, including service charge and taxes. Children under six get free accommodation and meals, while for those between six and 12 an extra LE55 a night will be added to your room rate.
The three-star Al-Sokhna Portrait (062-325563) has double rooms for only LE250 a night half-board. If you want a special room with a view of the sea and the picturesque swimming pool, you will have to pay LE30 extra. (Ordinary rooms have a view of the sea and the hills.) Children under six stay free, and those between six and 12 pay LE42 for meals.
A cheaper alternative is the Mena Oasis Hotel (062-290850), where a double room will cost LE190 a night half-board, including service charge and taxes. Fridays there is a buffet dinner, and other nights they serve a set menu. Children between the ages of six and 12 pay LE42 for meals.
Fayed and Ismailia
The canal cities of Fayed and Ismailia, about two hours' drive from Cairo, make a perfect weekend getaway destination. Five star hotels and tourist villages are few and far between here, but there are a reasonable number of small hotels.
The Six Corners Resort (02-5708571) in Abu Sultan, a few kilometres before the city of Fayed, has a good deal this summer. Till the end of July, there is an LE20 discount on the double room rate, which works out at LE170 a night half-board.
There are also savings to be made if you stay at least three nights at the Bonita Village (064-600674) in Kabrit. The package costs only LE474 for a double room, and includes both breakfast and dinner. However, if you can only stay one night, the charge is LE178 excluding taxes. All meals are set menus, and there are no buffets.
Double rooms in Al-Shamousa Village (064- 661009), another old village in Fayed, cost LE180 a night on half-board basis.
The Mercure Forsan Island (064-338041) in Ismailia is another good choice. Double room prices in this leafy four-star resort set in 50 acres of grounds vary from LE180 a night for a garden view room, to LE215 a night for a sea view room half-board, including service charge and taxes. Children under 12 stay free in their parents' room. These offers are for Egyptians only.
If you are prepared to forego a sea view, then consider the Crocodile Inn hotel (064-331555) in Saad Zaghloul Street -- the only reasonably smart downtown hotel, which has nice air-conditioned rooms with balconies. A double room here will set you back LE130 a night including breakfast. For lunch and dinner, there are many reasonably-priced fish restaurants within a short walk.
Ras Sudr
Ras Sudr is the nearest part of the Sinai to Cairo. Although it attracts both middle-class and affluent Egyptians, it is not as popular as Ein Al-Sukhna, and the lack of coral reefs or any unique marine life means it is largely off the beaten track of international tourism. In the past few years, the resort has seen massive development, and endless tourist villages and hotels have sprung up along its coast. However, few of them are operating. Here too, summer is the peak season, so there are no discounts on offer at this time of year.
The only international chain hotel in Ras Sudr is Helnan Royal Beach Resort (069-400101), where a double costs LE380 a night half-board in July and August, including service charge and taxes.
The Moon Beach Resort (069-401501) is a good way from the other hotels, along the road to Al-Tor. A double room here is only LE250 a night half-board. Children under six stay free of charge, and those between six and 12 pay LE40 for their meals.
If you want to stay close to the city centre and its endless beach, then go for the Sudr Beach Hotel (069-400402). The hotel is a bit worn-down, being the oldest in the area (it has been operating since 1982), but has clean air-conditioned rooms and bathrooms. For LE180 a night you can get a nice double room half board. For families, chalets that can accommodate up to four people are available for LE77 a night. This price does not include meals, but each chalet has a well-equipped kitchen and you can shop in the nearby souqs. It should be pointed out that the chalets are located some way from the hotel and do not overlook the sea. However, they are within walking distance of the hotel's beach, which is open to chalet clients.
All information was correct at time of printing. The newspaper is not responsible for any changes to these prices that may be made by the hotels or resorts concerned.

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