Where to stay · Hurghada · Egypt
Where to stay in Hurghada
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: user:vberger, Public domain
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Sekalla and Hurghada Marina. Marina boardwalk, dive boats, restaurants and bars around the port. Best alternatives — families: Village Road; budget: El Dahar.
Key facts
- First visit
- Sekalla and Hurghada Marina
- Families
- Village Road
- Budget
- El Dahar
- Nightlife
- Sekalla and Hurghada Marina
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Sekalla and Hurghada Marina | Marina boardwalk, dive boats, restaurants and bars around the port |
| Families | Village Road | Long strip of large beach resorts south of the centre towards the airport |
| Couples | Sahl Hasheesh | Planned resort bay 20 km south with a promenade and clear-water reefs |
| Budget | El Dahar | The old town, with the souq, local cafés and budget hotels |
| Luxury | Sahl Hasheesh | Planned resort bay 20 km south with a promenade and clear-water reefs |
| Nightlife | Sekalla and Hurghada Marina | Marina boardwalk, dive boats, restaurants and bars around the port |
| Food lovers | El Dahar | The old town, with the souq, local cafés and budget hotels |
| Solo travellers | El Dahar | The old town, with the souq, local cafés and budget hotels |
| Quiet stays | Sahl Hasheesh | Planned resort bay 20 km south with a promenade and clear-water reefs |
| Beach | Village Road | Long strip of large beach resorts south of the centre towards the airport |
Hurghada neighbourhoods in detail
$ · Best for budget, solo travellers, food lovers and culture
El Dahar
El Dahar is the original town at the northern end of Hurghada, behind a rocky hill, with the old souq, fruit and spice stalls, local coffee houses and cheap restaurants serving fish and koshari. It has the least resort feel and the lowest prices, with a few budget hotels and access to public beaches nearby.
- Good
- Local atmosphere; Cheap food and hotels; Real Egyptian street life
- Watch out
- Few good beaches; Busy traffic and noise
- Nearby
- El Dahar souq, Hurghada Museum, Sekalla
$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, solo travellers and food lovers
Sekalla and Hurghada Marina
Sekalla is the central district around Hurghada Marina, where a boardwalk of restaurants, cafés, bars and dive centres faces moored yachts and day boats. The El Mina Mosque rises on the waterfront nearby, and most island trips leave from here. City hotels and mid-range resorts line Sheraton Road.
- Good
- Walk to restaurants and nightlife; Boat departures on the doorstep; Good choice of mid-range hotels
- Watch out
- Beaches are small or private; Busy and noisy in the evening
- Nearby
- Hurghada Marina, El Mina Mosque, Sheraton Road
$$ · Best for families, beach and budget
Village Road
South of Sekalla, Village Road and the coast beside it are lined with big beach resorts, many all-inclusive, with sandy beaches, pools and shops and restaurants along the road behind. It is the classic Hurghada package-holiday base, a short taxi ride from the marina.
- Good
- Wide choice of beach resorts; Close to the airport and the marina; Good value packages
- Watch out
- Little local character; Taxi needed for most outings
- Nearby
- Hurghada Marina, Hurghada International Airport
$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, beach and quiet stays
Sahl Hasheesh
Sahl Hasheesh is a crescent bay about 20 km south of Hurghada developed with upscale resorts, a seafront promenade and a long pier over the reef. The submerged ruins known as the sunken city lie just offshore, and the water is generally clearer than in central Hurghada.
- Good
- Clear water and good reefs; Calm, spacious resorts; Upscale feel
- Watch out
- Isolated from Hurghada town; Few independent restaurants
- Nearby
- Sahl Hasheesh sunken city, Sahl Hasheesh pier
$$ · Best for families, beach and budget
Makadi Bay
Makadi Bay, about 30 km south of the airport, is a cluster of large all-inclusive resorts around a sheltered bay with house reefs, plus the Makadi Water World water park. It suits families who want everything on site and do not plan to go out much.
- Good
- Good house reefs; Water park nearby; Calm bay
- Watch out
- Little to do outside resorts; Taxi needed for Hurghada town
- Nearby
- Makadi Water World, Makadi house reefs
$$$ · Best for luxury, quiet stays, couples and beach
Soma Bay
Soma Bay is a private peninsula about 45 km south of Hurghada with a handful of large resorts, a championship golf course, spas and some of the most reliable kitesurfing and windsurfing winds on the coast. It is quiet and self-contained, with long beaches and house reefs.
- Good
- Steady winds for kitesurfing; Spacious, quiet resorts; Golf and spas
- Watch out
- Far from the airport and town; Windy for sunbathing
- Nearby
- Soma Bay golf course, Safaga
$$$ · Best for couples, nightlife, food lovers and luxury
El Gouna
El Gouna is a privately developed town built across lagoons and islands about 25 km north of Hurghada, with the Abu Tig Marina, a walkable downtown of restaurants and bars, boutique hotels and kitesurf centres. It feels more like an independent resort town than a hotel strip, with its own boats to the reefs.
- Good
- Many independent restaurants and bars; Walkable town feel; Kitesurfing and boat trips
- Watch out
- Higher prices than Hurghada; Long drive to southern bays
- Nearby
- Abu Tig Marina, Downtown El Gouna, Mangroovy Beach
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| El Dahar | $ | El Dahar souq, Hurghada Museum, Sekalla |
| Sekalla and Hurghada Marina | $$ | Hurghada Marina, El Mina Mosque, Sheraton Road |
| Village Road | $$ | Hurghada Marina, Hurghada International Airport |
| Sahl Hasheesh | $$$ | Sahl Hasheesh sunken city, Sahl Hasheesh pier |
| Makadi Bay | $$ | Makadi Water World, Makadi house reefs |
| Soma Bay | $$$ | Soma Bay golf course, Safaga |
| El Gouna | $$$ | Abu Tig Marina, Downtown El Gouna, Mangroovy Beach |
Getting to your hotel
Hurghada International Airport sits in the middle of the resort strip, about 5 km from Sekalla. Taxis and transfers take about 10–15 minutes to the centre, 25–30 minutes to El Gouna or Sahl Hasheesh, and about 45 minutes to Soma Bay.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Hurghada for first-time visitors?
Sekalla and Hurghada Marina. Sekalla is the central district around Hurghada Marina, where a boardwalk of restaurants, cafés, bars and dive centres faces moored yachts and day boats.
+Where should families stay in Hurghada?
Village Road: Wide choice of beach resorts.
+Which area of Hurghada is best for a budget stay?
El Dahar ($): The old town, with the souq, local cafés and budget hotels.