The Ritz-Carlton Sharm El Sheikh

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The Ritz-Carlton Sharm El Sheikh

Style: Contemporary Classic

Atmosphere: Lively

307 Rooms

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One knows, by now, what to expect from the best of the Ritz-Carltons - a certain lavish luxury, a high standard of service. This, however, is a country whose tourist industry (in fact that of the entire region) has seen some dark years. This hotel goes a long way toward reversing the trend of those years, and illustrates perfectly why this is an excellent time to travel to Egypt.

The resort is five hours by car from Cairo, nowhere near the Pyramids. The attraction here is not the ancient archaeological sites, but the Red Sea, an unparalleled natural wonder - the "diving Mecca," among the top diving destinations in the world.

It is as understated as palatial beachfront resort could reasonably wish to be, a low-profile complex rather than a comically ostentatious high-rise, whose 307 rooms, including fifty suites, all have private terraces overlooking gardens, waterfalls, or (in the exclusive Club Level) the Red Sea. The surrounding grounds are an oasis of palms and tropical vegetation, and the distant views encompass the mountains of Sinai and a particularly clear desert sky.

Dining options, naturally, combine Far and Middle Eastern dishes with familiar European and Californian selections. There is an Italian restaurant, La Luna, as well as Blue Ginger, serving Japanese and other Asian cuisine. And for the more hardcore devotees of unadulterated Middle Eastern dining, there is Fayrouz Fayrouz, which is a restaurant, not a pop group, and a fine one at that.

But it is in the category of pure hospitality that this Ritz-Carlton shows its colors. Children are greeted personally upon check-in by the supervisor of the children's program, and considerable resources are expended to ensure their comfort. Adults will spoil themselves at the spa with traditional treatments as well as the Egyptian Coffee Scrub (the nature of which is somewhat self-evident) and Cleopatra's Indulgence, which entirely defies description. Suffice to say that the spa treatments go above and beyond the level of pampering any human being could reasonably expect.

The resort's unique location on the Red Sea is also exploited, to great effect. A variety of boating trips are offered, and the diving in the region is spectacular. The desert is not neglected either, home to such excursions as camel racing and the "Desert Treasure Hunt." Savvy travelers, though, may soon realize that they have found the treasure already, and it is Egypt itself. The resort's staff is working hard to bring tourism back to the region, and with a hotel like this, there is no reason they should not succeed.

How to get there:

The Ritz-Carlton Sharm El Sheikh is approximately a 20 minute drive from Sharm El Sheikh Domestic & International Airport. Please contact customerservice@tablethotels.com to arrange airport transfers.