The Mövenpick's 250 guest rooms are divided into four different categories with two types of standard rooms. Renovations have been taking place block by block since the beginning of the year (2012), so there is currently a mix of the old and new styles. What they all have in common, though, are first-rate amenities: tea and coffee-making facilities, bathrobes, slippers, a mini-bar with a water and ice cube spout, air-conditioning, large wardrobes, free Wi-Fi, a television with 37 cable channels, a vaulted ceiling, and a furnished terrace (with deckchairs and regular chairs). The renovated rooms now have a a large flat-screen television and a more modern and refined decor. The difference in the comfort level is mostly evident in the new bathrooms, with their large Italian-style showers and mirrors with lights, which have replaced the sad neons of the old rooms.

Measuring 29 to 32m², the rooms are spacious and afford either a view of the sea or the garden.

The first seaside hotel built in El Quseir, in 1994, the Mövenpick is a very "mineral" establishment. Comprised of a main building and 13 blocks of rooms, this single-storey hotel was built following the Nubian architectural style, which gives you the pleasant feeling of being in a village. Small domes and stone walls, this is not your typical concrete-clad establishment. The beautiful green spaces found at the entrance diminish as you approach the sea. This is to save water and a rather good idea.

The hotel extends out along the sea. Two large swimming pool areas, located at the two ends of the complex, offer a quiet space for relaxing at one, and a few activities at the other, which also has a paddling pool and a nice little pool bar. Both are equipped with wooden deckchairs and parasols. The Mövenpick is more geared towards relaxation than frantic activity. There are no activity leaders or teams here but there are plenty of things to do if you want to expel some energy: jogging, aquagym, cooking classes, beach volleyball tournaments, etc. Not to mention the tennis courts, squash courts, a gym, water sports, etc. That's not all! It is also possible to go on excursions in the desert or on the beach, in a jeep or on a 4x4, or on a camel or horseback. However, the reigning activity here is scuba diving, with a beautiful diving centre under stone vaults at the far end of the beach.

Finally, the Mövenpick El Quseir is one of those hotels where having a pre-dinner drink can become an art and activity in itself. Among all of the bars at this establishment, the Top of the Rock was by far our favourite. Being able to enjoy a Sakkara, a karkadé or a cocktail while comfortably sitting facing the sea is alone reason enough to stay at the Mövenpick.

It's far from being the standard affair that you usually come across in the resorts on the Red Sea, where sitting down to eat usually means being disappointed. But this isn't the case at the Mövenpick El Quseir, where the food is a strong point, both for the quality and the diversity of choices at each meal.

The main buffet restaurant is the Orangerie. With its vaulted ceiling, vast buffet area and show-cooking corner, altogether it is a lovely restaurant. We particularly liked the very wide range of choices and the fresh products at breakfast time. Its alter ego is the Al Fresco, which is at the other end of the complex. Outdoors this time but in the shade, this buffet restaurant is a great place to have breakfast as you sit on the terrace facing the sea. All three meals of the day are served in both of these.

For a change at lunchtime, the Pool Terrasse, at the edge of the main swimming pool, and the Dive Club, beside the beach, propose light dishes, sandwiches and salads.

In the evening you can try Seagulls, the romantic à la carte restaurant, which has a terrace with a view of the sea.

There is a different theme every evening: a "Thousand and One Nights" dinner with a show on the beach on Mondays, a gastronomic eight-course set menu at Seagulls on Wednesdays (which is excellent), and most importantly, traditional Egyptian cuisine on Wednesdays and Sundays at Abou Ahmed's fisherman's shack. The excellent dishes here are made by the locals on the spot (even the bread).

The long beach is equipped with everything you would expect from an upscale seaside establishment: deckchairs, parasols, wind blockers, a bar, a restaurant, a water sports club and diving centre, etc. Getting to the water is easy, as the beach consists entirely of sand, and the water gets deep quickly. You can discover beautiful beds of coral while snorkelling directly off the shore or from the pontoon used by the diving school.
The only snag is that the beach is lined by the road. Although it may not be a very busy one, the heavy transport lorries can be really irritating during nap time!

The diving centre on the Mövenpick site is first-rate. Not only is it quite large, so you're not constantly bumping into your neighbour, it is also very beautiful, located as it is under stone vaults. In addition to all the standard options and the possibility to go on day excursions to 28 different diving spots in the Red Sea (including the famous Elfin Stone, 1h 30m away by boat), the 'Extra Divers' centre also organises a very fun and educational underwater treasure hunt.
The goal of this game developed by the French association Objectif Atlantide and called Fun Explorers is to photograph the fish, molluscs and corals that you can discover in the fabulous aquarium that is the Red Sea. Each item that is photographed corresponds to a certain amount of points. The team that gathers the most points wins. It is a really fun way to discover, as a couple, with the family or with friends, the biodiversity of the marine world while snorkelling and diving.

Boasting a Green Globe label, the hotel has won many awards for its ecological practices.

The clientele is basically 60% Swiss with the rest being mostly German and British.