Hotel Safir Resort

Built in 1995 and located between the sea and the road, the Safir is 3.75 mi south of the old town of Hurghada - Dahar - and half a mile from Sakkala, the real city centre. Transfer time to the airport, 3 mi away on the outskirts of the city, is around 10 minutes by car. The area surrounding the hotel is poorly developed.

The clientele is two-thirds German and French. The Safir does not offer accommodation on an "all inclusive" basis, only half-board. The staff speaks English, German and French. Evening entertainment is provided every night of the week.

The regularly renovated hotel is built in the shape of a "V" facing the sea. The bright reception overlooks "Sheraton road". It consists of two two-storey wings (no lift) reaching down to the beach from the rotunda-shaped main building. Entertainment and music are provided in the pool area and on the beach. The only swimming pool covers an area of 14,126 cu ft.

All 141 standard bedrooms (291 sq ft) and suites have a sea view (with the exception of those on the ground floor). The rooms are somewhat austere, notably due to the dark green decor, and have basic amenities, such as air-conditioning, a television (16 to 20 channels), a telephone (for international calls), an (empty) refrigerator and a balcony (terrace with ground-floor rooms). The bathroom has a bathtub. A hair-dryer is available on request. A free communal safe is available at reception.

The hotel has a main restaurant serving international cuisine with some Chinese and oriental specialities. This rotunda-shaped restaurant located upstairs offers a lovely view of the gardens and the sea, and is open between 7am and 10am, 1pm and 2pm, and 7pm and 10pm. An a la carte restaurant serves snacks at lunchtime. The site houses three bars: one at the swimming pool (snacks), one on the lobby terrace, and a pub.

The beach at the Safir Resort is very small (only 164 ft long) and gets very crowdedat peak times. It does have some parasols and deckchairs butthese can be in short supply when the hotel is very busy. The ground is hard andcovered in coarse sand. There is also: a modest marina. A well-known diving clubis located nearby and is French-run. The owneris a well-known figure in the area in the world of diving.