This is by far the best hotel in elgouna /hurgada.We were in cluster 7 which is a 5 min walk to reception but we had a lagoon with beach to the front of our room and a pool with swim up bar + a snack area to the front so we didnt have to go far..We were the only ones on the lagood/beech, never a problem getting sunbeds in any of the 4 pools any time of the day.
Get the weekly ticket for the local bus to dowtown elgouna and the marina.Friday nights they put a big show in the marina - impressive head down for that.
Downtown theres a lovely chinese just at the end of the buses journey we tried it and it was lovely.
We only had dinner in the hotel twice , downtown is half the price and just as good.
Itsa total relaxing holiday , except we did cairo by bus and snorkling.The hotel has its own dive center 2 hours snorkling for 12 euro all in.
Cluster 7 has amazing views from the room ask for a sea view.
local bus every 20 mins to dowtown/marina.
hotel has nightly entertainment.

My mother and I stayed here for a week over the summer while I was recovering from a c-section. It was a perfect place to recuperate and get away from the hustle and bustle of Cairo! I definitely will return.

Our room had a nice-sized balcony overlooking one of the pools, the beautifully landscaped grounds and the Red Sea. I wasn't crazy about the decor (a bit too modern for my taste) but it was comfortable and the bathroom was very tasteful and well-appointed.

The staff at the hotel were friendly, accomodating and professional. We were on half board, and enjoyed the variety offered in the breakfast and dinner buffets. We only wish we had learned that the breakfast buffet is also available at the Italian restaurant earlier than the last day of our stay. It offers the same variety as the main restaurant in a less hectic and more scenic environment.

One night we paid a supplement to have a barbecue dinner at the Marina which holds a festival every Friday night. Transport was by an open air bus which left me feeling less than safe, especially with my newborn son and five year old daughter. The food was okay but not really worth the extra supplement (the variety was much less than at the hotel) and the seating arrangements were less than ideal (squished at a table with strangers at the edge of a too dark dock). I do NOT recommend the marina dinner - but I do recommend you visit the marina on your own. The marina and downtown El Gouna are easy to reach.

There was plenty to do at the hotel; we had a number of pools and lagoons to choose from, excellent spa offerings and some kids activities too. The only complaint I have was that an exercise class that was advertised was not held since no one had signed up (but the posting did not mention anything about needing to sign up). Management promised to make their activity postings more clear in the future - only time and my next visit will tell if that happens.

We have recentlhy returned from a week's holiday at the Movenpick. Prior to booking the holiday, i undertook a detailed trawl of all hotels in this resort and also listed on this website and overall, the Movenpick seemed to be the one which stood out. The hotel is HUGE so beware, there will be some walking to do depending on where in the hotel you stay. We had a room at the far end of the hotel, immediately behind one of the numerous pools - it was fantastic to be able to leave the room and jump straight into a pool!! I recommend eating in either Kiki's restaurant at Downtown (Italian) or one of the many restaurants in the Marina. We recommend the Tandoor (Indian) and also the Maritim for those who enjoy fresh fish. In addition, for simple fish dishes or lunchtime snacks, Hedra in Downtown is fabulous. Overall, i highly recommend this hotel and the resort for people who like us, just want to spend a week in the sunshine reading and relaxing. Don't go to El Gouna if you want a lot of nightife and a fast pace - this isn't the place!!

I have posted some pictures of the Movenpick and a boat trip to Mahmaya that we did while there in 2005. We found the service excellent, the rooms spotless, food varied and tasty, cooked to perfection, and the local people friendly and welcoming. If we had been able, we would most definitely returned this year, however, we intend to return next July. My family all went back without us this year, and enjoyed the same service, with people remembering who they were, and giving them the warmest of welcomes! I have to say, having found this hotel and area to stay, anywhere else would be a disappointment to us all.
The salesmen in ElGouna do not hassle you as much as other areas we have visited, like Hurghada, and Hammamet in Tunisia, but you have to expect a certain amount of banter simply because its their culture.
Generally speaking, the Egyptians are interested observers of tourists, and have come to accept a lot of things which are not part of their everyday lives, such as the wearing of bikinis, and the drinking of alcohol, particularly by women. A little modesty in town goes a long way, and men are expected to wear tops.
Contrary to some reviews, there is plenty to do in the area if you are prepared to do the research. Most activities centre around water sports, with different hotels offering varied activites. Their are horseriding stables, go-carts, quadbikes, pool tables, and darts in the area, not to mention trips to the desert, and the islands, camel riding, an aquapark in Hurghada, late night disco and foam parties, football and tennis. The locals will be amused if you try a shisha pipe, or join in with their dancing in the various shows. Travelling around is easy (if a little crazy at times) You can hire a tok-tok, or taxi, ride the shuttle bus for one English pound a week, jump on a mini bus, or even hire a Limo. In ElGouna, there are several supermarkets, and a pharmacy (very cheap), lots of bars and restaurants with remarkably good food, cooked to order (6 ate in the chinese for £31), and loads of shows here and there. In my opinion, the Movenpick is the best hotel in the area, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to be spoiled rotten under the hot sun, in beautiful suroundings. Enjoy.