The “Hidden Value” of Garden Reef Bay
Discover why Continental Plaza Beach Resort by IHG is a top choice in Sharm El Sheikh. Read our full review covering rooms, dining, private beach, pools, family amenities, and Red Sea experiences before you book.
In 2026, Sharm El Sheikh is pulling in more visitors than ever — and honestly, it deserves every bit of that attention. The Red Sea, the weather, the reefs — it’s genuinely hard to top. But here’s the thing: not everyone visiting Sharm wants to pay Four Seasons prices to stare at the same water. And that’s exactly where the Continental Plaza Beach Resort by IHG quietly wins.
This resort has been on the Sharm map for decades. Originally operating under the InterContinental and later the Crowne Plaza banner, it has now come home to the IHG family — and with that return comes a familiarity, a consistency of service, and a reputation that budget-friendly travelers have quietly relied on for years. Think of it as getting a 5-star view on a 4-star budget.
So what’s the honest picture here in 2026? The Continental Plaza Beach Resort is a well-positioned, all-inclusive property that punches well above its price class when it comes to its house reef, grounds, and overall atmosphere. The rooms, however, are showing their age. This review will walk you through every corner of the resort — the good, the genuinely great, and the bits that need a fresh coat of paint — so you can decide whether it belongs on your shortlist of Sharm El Sheikh hotels.
Location & Vibe: Is El Pasha Bay Better Than Naama Bay?
Let’s talk location first, because it matters more than most people realize when choosing between the best resorts in Sharm El Sheikh.
The Continental Plaza Beach Resort sits in Garden Reef Bay, locally known as El Pasha Bay. It’s not Naama Bay. And depending on what you want from your holiday, that’s either a dealbreaker or the best decision you ever made.
For families, couples, and anyone who wants to actually sleep at night — El Pasha Bay is the answer. It’s tucked away from the main nightlife strip, meaning the atmosphere is calm, the evenings are peaceful, and the bay itself is naturally protected from wind. That windless environment is particularly valuable in winter months when Naama Bay can get choppy and gusty in the afternoons. Here, the water stays flat, and snorkeling remains comfortable almost year-round.
Getting to Naama Bay for a night out? That’s a short 10–15 minute InDrive or taxi ride, and the fare won’t break the bank. The airport is similarly close — 10 to 15 minutes — making arrivals and departures mercifully painless compared to resorts further along the coast.
The aesthetic of the resort itself is something guests consistently bring up in reviews. White-washed low-rise buildings draped with bougainvillea, flower-filled pathways, and a sense of unhurried calm — more than a few guests have described it as “Greece in Egypt.” It’s not trying to be flashy or ultra-modern. It has a quiet character that grows on you within hours of arrival.
The “Elite” Coral Reef: Why Snorkelers Choose This Hotel
If there’s one single reason the Continental Plaza Beach Resort by IHG earns consistent loyalty from returning guests, it’s the reef. Not the pool. Not the buffet. The reef.
Ranked among the top 50 best snorkeling hotels in the whole of Sharm El Sheikh — which is not a small list given the destination — the house reef here is a genuine natural treasure. What makes it exceptional is the sheer density of marine life combined with the accessibility of the drop-off. A floating pontoon extends out from the beach, giving swimmers a safe and easy entry point directly to the reef wall, where depths drop sharply to 10 meters and beyond.
This isn’t the kind of reef where you float around for 20 minutes and get back out feeling like you’ve seen a few fish. Guests regularly report sightings of stingrays gliding along the sandy bottom, sea turtles moving unhurriedly through the water column, lionfish hovering near the coral walls, and occasionally stonefish blending perfectly into the rocky floor. The biodiversity here is what dive guides call a “living wall” — a term that feels apt when you’re hovering above it in a mask and fins, watching a world that has nothing to do with the resort above.
The practical advantage of this reef is significant. Many travelers visiting Sharm El Sheikh spend money on boat excursions to reach dive sites that, frankly, don’t offer more than what’s available right off the pontoon here. If your priority is underwater experience, you could spend your entire stay snorkeling the house reef and feel completely satisfied. That’s a rare thing in a 4-star property, and it’s a core reason why this resort stands out from its neighbors when evaluating Sharm El Sheikh hotels.
One hard safety note: do not enter the water after sunset. The same species that make the reef magical during daylight — the lionfish, the stonefish — become genuine hazards in low light. Stonefish in particular are among the most venomous marine creatures in the world, and their camouflage makes them nearly invisible. The resort is clear about this rule, and guests should take it seriously.
Room Reality Check: What to Expect in 2026
Here’s where we have to be honest, because the rooms at the Continental Plaza Beach Resort are the most polarizing part of any stay here — and they have been consistently so across recent reviews.
The layout variety is one of the resort’s genuine strengths. The Family and Imperial room configurations are notably thoughtful for their category, featuring something genuinely rare in Sharm hotels: two separate toilets within a single unit. For families traveling with children, or couples sharing space with extended family, this practical detail makes a real difference in the daily rhythm of a holiday.
The views from the rooms are excellent. Sea-facing and pool-facing rooms deliver the kind of morning light that makes you feel the money was well spent. Air conditioning in the rooms functions reliably — no small thing in the Egyptian summer — and housekeeping is a consistent high point, with guests frequently naming specific staff members like Khaleed and Muhammad by name in their reviews, which tells you something about the quality of the personal interaction.
What consistently draws criticism, though, is the state of the furniture and bathrooms. The honest word that comes up over and over is “dated.” The bathroom fittings, the furniture finishes, the bed linens — these belong to a property that hasn’t had a full interior renovation in some years. Nothing broken, nothing unhygienic, but the gap between the resort’s natural assets (the reef, the gardens, the views) and the rooms themselves is noticeable. If interior aesthetics matter to you, adjust your expectations accordingly — or spend more time outside, which is honestly where this property shines anyway.
The rooms are clean. The staff are attentive. The views are beautiful. But the Continental Plaza in 2026 remains a resort that is waiting for a renovation that would genuinely unlock its potential.
Dining & Drinks: The “Soft” vs. “Ultra” All-Inclusive Reality
Food at the Continental Plaza Beach Resort by IHG operates on an all-inclusive model, and the quality sits comfortably in the “better than expected” zone for a property at this price point.
The main buffet rotates between the Panorama and La Duna restaurants, with international themed nights keeping things varied across a week-long stay. There are consistent crowd-pleasers: a crispy falafel station that guests reference specifically in reviews (and falafel is not a thing you can fake in Egypt — locals know), a kofta option that’s reliably juicy and well-spiced, and — this one sounds surprising but appears repeatedly in guest feedback — cinnamon buns that have achieved something close to cult status among regulars.
For drinks, the resort has made a choice that genuine beer drinkers notice: Stella is served from glass bottles rather than draft taps. This is not a minor detail for those who care — bottled beer retains its character in a way that badly maintained draft lines often don’t, and it signals a certain respect for the product. House wines and spirits are available throughout the day and evening without the constant voucher-chasing that plagues some all-inclusive properties.
The Belvedere Bar deserves special mention. Operating 24 hours a day from the lobby, with panoramic views across the bay, it’s the kind of place where you end up staying longer than planned — particularly in the early morning when freshly ground coffee is available and the resort is still waking up around you. This is a detail that differentiates the Continental Plaza Beach Resort from many competitors in the same tier.
One honest caveat on the dining experience: peak-time buffets can get chaotic. During full-capacity periods — school holiday weeks, New Year, Easter — the main restaurants can feel overwhelmed. The solution, which regular guests figure out quickly, is to eat at the ground-floor restaurant during these periods, where the experience is quieter, more organized, and equally good in terms of food quality.
Family & Recreation: The Water Park & Activities
The Continental Plaza Beach Resort makes a solid case for itself as one of the more family-oriented options among the best resorts in Sharm El Sheikh — and the water park is a big part of why.
The on-site aqua park includes slides scaled for both children and adults, which means parents don’t end up watching from the sideline while their kids have all the fun. There’s also an arrangement for excursions to the nearby Pickalbatros aqua park, a larger facility that some guests access as part of organized day trips, giving families with energetic children another option to burn through a hot afternoon.
Inside the main restaurant, the Children’s Corner is a thoughtful touch — a dedicated section with cartoons playing and a kid-friendly menu, so that meals don’t turn into battles of attention between parents and bored eight-year-olds. It’s a small thing, but it matters enormously in practice.
Evening entertainment at the resort follows a daily program of shows, performances, and themed activities. The tone leans toward fun rather than spectacular — this isn’t a resort that invests in Broadway-level entertainment — but the Billiard Bar beside the pool area offers a genuine social option for guests who want to interact without committing to a show. It’s consistently mentioned by solo travelers and groups as a place where the evening finds its own pace.
The pool areas are well-maintained and offer enough variety to avoid the morning sunbed wars that plague oversold resorts in the area. The grounds between the pools and the beach have a relaxed flow to them that suits the resort’s overall character.
Logistics & Survival Playbook
This section exists because no hotel review is complete without the practical bits that travel agents don’t tell you.
What does it cost? Budget approximately $200 for a 3-night all-inclusive stay in a Family or Deluxe room — roughly $65–$70 per night per couple. For the reef access and the location, that is exceptional value by any honest comparison to other Sharm El Sheikh hotels in the same tier.
How do you get from the airport to the resort? Don’t accept the hotel’s transfer offer, which typically runs around $25. Instead, download the InDrive app before you land and book a ride directly — the fare runs approximately 100–200 EGP (£3–£5 at current exchange rates). Same journey, fraction of the price.
SIM cards: Do not buy a SIM card at the airport. This is a well-documented problem in Sharm — the airport kiosks frequently sell overpriced, underperforming SIMs to arriving tourists. Instead, take your original passport (not a photocopy) to the official Etisalat or Vodafone store in Naama Bay and purchase a card there. You’ll get a legitimate package at the correct price.
Night swimming: As mentioned above — do not enter the reef after sunset. Lionfish and stonefish are most active in low light conditions, and the consequences of an encounter are severe enough to ruin the rest of your holiday at minimum. The pool is available 24 hours; the reef is a daytime experience only.
Comparison Table: Continental Plaza vs. Its Neighbors
| Feature | Continental Plaza Beach Resort by IHG | Four Seasons Sharm El Sheikh |
|---|---|---|
| Vibe | Budget-friendly, active, reef-focused | Ultra-luxury, serene, curated |
| Price Point | ~$65/night (all-inclusive) | $$$+ per night |
| Reef Quality | Exceptional — shared bay | Exceptional — shared bay |
| Room Quality | Dated, needs renovation | Pristine, modern |
| Food & Drink | Solid all-inclusive buffet, 24hr bar | Fine dining, premium everything |
| Family Facilities | Strong — aqua park, kids’ corner | Strong — polished and quiet |
| Best For | Value seekers, snorkelers, families | Honeymooners, luxury travelers |
The reef is the great equalizer in Garden Reef Bay. Both properties share the same extraordinary underwater world. The difference is what you come back to when you climb out of the water.
Final Verdict: Should You Book the Continental Plaza Beach Resort by IHG?
The honest answer is: it depends on what you’re optimizing for.
If you’re chasing the best house reef access in Sharm El Sheikh at a price that won’t demand a second mortgage, the Continental Plaza Beach Resort by IHG is a genuinely smart choice. The reef alone justifies the stay. Add to that the 24-hour bar, the relaxed El Pasha Bay location, the functional all-inclusive food and drink offering, and the family-friendly infrastructure, and you have a resort that delivers real value at its price point.
If you’re the kind of traveler who photographs hotel rooms for Instagram and cares deeply about whether the towels have been replaced with fresh ones that haven’t seen a better decade — you might want to look elsewhere, or at least recalibrate expectations before arrival.
What the Continental Plaza Beach Resort offers is honest. It doesn’t pretend to be a luxury property. It offers a genuinely beautiful natural setting, a world-class reef, a sprawling resort territory, and staff who take their jobs seriously — all at a price that makes the best resorts in Sharm El Sheikh feel accessible rather than aspirational.
Continental Plaza Beach Resort by IHG is an excellent choice for travelers seeking a beachfront escape in Sharm El Sheikh, combining comfortable accommodations, family-friendly facilities, and stunning Red Sea views. Whether you’re planning a relaxing holiday or an adventure-filled getaway, this resort offers everything you need for a memorable stay.
In a market full of overpromised 5-stars and underdelivering all-inclusive, that honesty is worth something.
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