My husband and I were there from 7-11 January. We booked this through Easyjet holidays and arranged our own transfer from airport to hotel. We were half board. Generally everything about Steigenberger is good. Our biggest disappointment was the wi-fi in the room. It simply didn't work. We made several visits to the business centre. Each time they talked us through the log-in process but we knew all these. It took them two days to admit that the room wi-fi was perhaps not up to scratch. Instead, their IT people installed a ethernet box instead. But that only lasted that one day. The next day it didn't work again. But as we were checking out, we didn't both complaining. My husband paid for the internet charge (because he's British!). I came home with over 30 mosquito bites; over ten of these were on my face. One thing we did enjoy very much was the Egyptian massage at the Spa - simply fab.

The hotel has a German management. In this case this is a good thing. We appreciated the "German Ordentlichkeit". Everything is clean and hygienic.
The majority of guests are Russians and Germans. To a lesser extend you'll meet some Dutch and Arabic people and finally a few Britons, Belgians and other European citizen. Mostly families and couples with or without children.

Let's start with the good things.
The hotel is well maintained and ideally situated at approx 10 min. from the airport.
Rooms are spacious and have a large balcony, bath & shower and a safe. If you're looking out to save some money in these difficult times, take a standard room with extra beds for your kids. The room is large enough to be comfortable. Family rooms and suites are of course also available.
The hotel is child-friendly with a good Mini club. Additionally they can take swimming lessons (to be paid extra) with a very good instructor.
There are many pools, with one outside pool heated at 30°C. In the winter all those beautiful pools are only for your visual pleasure since they are not heated. Furthermore you'll find some outside Jacuzzi's as well as an outside Sauna chalet. If this is not enough there's a big Spa inside.
The beach is clean and nicely setup with beds & windscreens. The water sport centre is next to the beach.
There is food and drink service everywhere, even on the beach. Meals can be taken inside or outside as you wish.
The "all in" includes all meals in all restaurants (some on reservation) and local drinks such as softs, beers, local wine and local versions of international alcohols. The Egyptian beers taste good and are very digest, while I'd recommend to stay away from the local gin's or rhum's. For an extra, international drinks are available but note that a bottle of basic French wine costs at least 70€ and a bottle of Moet 250 €. The drinks and snacks in the mini bar in your room are to be paid extra.
The animation is present but not overwhelming. So it is really up to you to decide to participate or not. There's also a night club in the hotel, with mini Disco between 1930 and 2000 hrs.

Are there any areas where they could improve?
Well, the food in the main restaurant is good but in this well-managed hotel and this beautiful setting you expect more. While other reviewers speak in superlatives about the food, I always found something that I like to eat but it's a bit "every day the same" and I suspect that the chief in the kitchen is German. So that's good for the Germans...
Dinner in the specialty restaurants was excellent for the Lebanese and ok for the so called French Mediterranean restaurant.
So, I recommend to take a taxi to the Marina at least once (5€) and have dinner over there. For example "B's at Marina" is really excellent.

Excursion booked outside your tour operator are much cheaper (after a few minutes of negotiation as for everything in Egypt). Snorkeling is a must do. Going on sea with the wooden boat of the hotel partner (Ilios) guarantees you that you have the most beautiful boat on the red sea, but also the most expensive.
Another thing is the All-in system as such, not with a bracelet or so, but where you have to sign every order you take. After a few days, you get used to it.
Note furthermore that Egypt is a smokers paradise. Smoking is allowed almost everywhere.

I'd recommend this hotel for couples with or without kids and families. I'm not sure that singles will enjoy the hotel in the same way. We might return to this hotel, if we decide to come back to Egypt. At the time of our stay, December 2012, the "revolution" was not perceptible in Hurghada but things may change...

Pool was stunning, hotel and hotelarea and beach was very nice:) Service in poolbar and beach was very good :) But staff in reception did´nt care about you, they always had us to wait and didn´t say hello.. too big hotel maybe !!?? Food made us , both me and my doughter sick. Diarrea from 1.1 after 2 days. Promise to me in email 1 month before trip about glutenfree ( no flour at all in food ) food, was JUST A PROMISE !! The chefs didn´t take care about me enough..I got so sick from the food, and I am still sick now today 10.1, because the chefs told me different every evening that I could eat that and that and following evening another chef told me that I couldn´t eat that because it was flour in the food !! Only the last eveening after complaining I got ( they tried their best at Alexanders restaurant ) glutenfree food.. but this was also a joke, they had knewn about this for a hole day ans till they brought me bread on my plate with the starters ( and even a breadcrumb make me sick and this they knew about !! ) Very poor, bad, sad for a 5 star hotel. The roomstandard is definetly not 5-star, only 3-star, beds not good, furniture old, bedlinens not good. Cleaning not good in rooms, 2 days we even did not have toiletpaper !! The area around the hotel was terrible, much construction going on and nothing to see near hotel . Will definetly not go again !!

One of the best hotels in Hurghada, it is less than 10 minutes by car from Hurghada International Airport. you can ask for the free shuttle on booking so that you will save the money for transportation. it has gorgeous sea and pool view that i liked to stay in the balacony of my room at the fifth floor just to stair at this outstanding view. The room was capacious with large bed and seating area. they provided everyday a big bottle of water for free and the main resturant was amazing as there were plenty of varaible food to suite every taste. In addition, juice and lovely desserts were fresh and healthy. Staff is helpful and polite.as they never wait for tips and at the same time they are hard workers, however, the entertainment team was disorganized as i didnt see them because they used to invite people for activity personally without using a microphone to announce for the start time of beach or pool activities. i recommend this SPECTACULAR, BIG and WONDERFUL hotel to every traveller tend to visit Hurghada city.