El Gouna, Red Sea Egypt.

I stayed at the Sheraton Miramar which Trip Advisor rates as #1 and I can understand why it is so popular. Check in was a breeze and cold fruit juice and towels were provided as soon as we arrived. We were given a room in block 8000 which overlooked a circular lagoon and was very central and quiet.

A golf buggy was arranged which took us and our cases quickly to the room. My emailed request was fulfilled as I wanted an upper floor in a quiet area. The room was large with a domed ceiling, double bed, large flat screen TV, small mini-bar, large bathroom and balcony with 2 sun beds.

The grounds are beautifully manicured with lush vegetation and flowers galore. The hotel has private beaches stretching around it perimeter but the sand is very coarse and gritty. There are two main beach areas, one near the lagoon (Miramar Beach) which has a nice breeze and another is the Relaxation Beach.

The pool is enclosed on all sides by buildings and is quite shallow except for one area sometimes used for scuba practice. Loungers are free and comfortable and there are ample parasols again free of charge. Pool attendants stroll around to take food or drinks orders.

We went B&B as we prefer the option to eat out in the evenings and El Gouna has dozens of eateries to choose from. Breakfast was taken in the main buffet area and there was a good choice of hot and cold food. One evening we ate in Orient 1001 which serves Arabic food and it was great.

El Gouna is man made and consists of dozens of small islands surrounded by lagoon waterways and stone bridges to connect them all. It really is very pretty and very relaxing but not the type of resort where you will find lots of night clubs and rowdiness.

There are two main areas in the resort Downtown and Abu Tig Marina. Both are walkable as the area is flat but there is a frequent shuttle bus. You can purchase a weekly water taxi/bus pass for £20 Egyptian Pounds (£2.60 English) from concierge which I would recommend.

The Marina was my preferred area as I found the atmosphere and view better. Here there are dozens of super yachts on view from the many restaurants and bars that encircle it. Downtown has a greater range of shops and also a couple of supermarkets where you can purchase all your supplies much cheaper than that in the hotel shops.

Concerts and events are put on regularly in both areas which are free to watch. And Friday evening is when they hold a big street party in the Marina and a big stage for live music.

Both venues offer cuisine from all around the world from Belgian to Vietnamese, Indian to Greek. And the best thing about El Gouna is that you will never be hassled to enter a shop or restaurant as it is forbidden. This is because El Gouna is privately owned and is really a self contained community.

There is plenty to do in El Gouna if you don’t just want to lie on the beach all day. There are plenty of land and water based sports and also excursions to keep you busy.

I am sure we will return to El Gouna again. They are already expanding the resort and a new 6 star hotel is due soon as well as another larger marina for vessels up to 60 metres in length. For an upmarket tranquil resort with endless sunshine El Gouna is hard to beat.

A couple of points to consider before choosing your date to visit El Gouna... 1.The best time to go is between November and April as the summer months are extremely hot. Over 100 degrees. 2. The resort is popular with large Egyptian families especially from around 9th July for 6 weeks and becomes very busy.

For more information go to www.elgouna.com