Barcelo Tiran Sharm

Guests arrive at Barceló Tiran Sharm by road along the Nabq coast, north of Sharm el Sheikh, where the resort opens onto a private beach and the Gulf of Aqaba. The grounds run to 80,000 m², a stretch of low buildings and gardens between the desert road and the shore. Across the water, the reef holds clear, still water close to the sand, and a dive centre on site takes guests out to it directly. There are 345 rooms, spread across doubles, family rooms and suites, and every one opens onto its own balcony facing the gulf or the gardens. Evenings settle around three themed restaurants and a buffet, with a separate à la carte fish restaurant for a slower, plated meal. By day, the spa runs a full treatment list alongside a beauty salon, and there are tennis courts for anyone restless after the beach. A mini club and a children's pool keep families to one side of the grounds. The light here is flat and bright most of the year, typical of this stretch of Sinai coast, and the water stays warm enough for diving through the winter months. It is a large resort rather than an intimate one. Check-in guests should expect the scale of the place from the outset: long corridors, several pools, and a beach that runs the width of the property, with the reef marking the point where the swimming ends and the diving begins.