Beach setup in Hurghada: where to get a sunbed and what is the sea entry like?

There is a separate quiet beach area in the middle section (not a club zone, open to all guests): only one row of loungers, towels issued by card, has a shower/toilet, nice bay view. In the morning at low tide there's basically no direct sea entry there and you can't swim to the reef — you have to walk to the shared pontoon. In the evening at high tide you can get in the water and carefully swim with a mask over the rocks to the reef.

In the middle of the beach there's a long pier, over 300 meters, with a water descent right by the reef. On one side of the pier is a shallow area with a small island, on the other a desert-like shore. Further along, opposite the yacht mooring, there are mini-reefs with fish.

After 2 PM there are plenty of free sunbeds on the beach — usually only the first or second row is taken, if people claimed them in the morning.

At the central beach entrance the bottom depth varies with the tide: sometimes chest-deep just 5 meters in, sometimes shallower. The entry is made from yellow stone but looks like a natural sandy entry with waves. Max depth there is about 1.8 meters.

Four separate swimming areas were mentioned: two sandy lagoons with a gentle entry — at Palacio and Merette; a shallow reef-remnant area by buildings 5–6 with some coral and stones; and ladder/stair access on the cape by building 6, where the first ~20 meters are shallow and then it drops into deeper water with plenty of fish. The lagoons and the shallow reef area are usually more protected from wind than the open sea; the cape ladders may be closed in strong wind.

Reef shoes are recommended because there are some stones at the shoreline. You need to go quite far for proper depth — about 200 meters; along most of the way the water is only knee- to waist-deep. The right side of the hotel reaches deeper water a bit sooner.

Part of the beach has no designated fenced entry points — you can walk straight in. Depth increases gradually in most spots, and you can walk along the coral and snorkel with your face down. Reef shoes are not essential but useful in some areas.

Latecomers are directed to the beach in the new zone, but the water there is only knee-deep — not suitable for swimming.

The shoreline has sand, but wading in leads straight to dead coral with water only thigh-deep at most — good for splashing around, but proper swimming requires going out via the pontoon to deeper water.

Sunbeds are split into two zones on either side of the beach bar. The right side has coral with dedicated walkways into the sea. The left side has a fully sandy sea entry. The best water entry point is the first walkway to the right of the beach bar.

Most sunbeds are reserved. On the right side of the beach bar, you can claim a spot — including the front row — by arriving at 6 AM. On the left side, almost everything is pre-booked; front-row spots only became available 5 days into the stay.