Exotic new InterContinental resort to boost Red Sea lure for travellers

The InterContinental Abu Soma Resort Red Sea will offer a superb new location for holidaymakers from around the region and Europe, as well as for conferences and incentives.

Golden sandy beaches, tropical palms, turquoise waters and stunning desert island scenery characterise the 453-room hotel, which becomes the eighth resort hotel operated in Egypt by InterContinental Hotels Group.

"The InterContinental Abu Soma Resort Red Sea is a wonderful new addition to our expanding portfolio of hotel properties, and we're confident it will attract growing numbers of visitors from around the region and Europe," said Chris Moloney, Chief Operating Officer, InterContinental Hotels Group, Middle East and Africa.

Located between Hurghada and Safaga on Egypt's Red Sea coast, the hotel offers sea views from each of its guest rooms, which include deluxe, executive and junior suites. Guests have a choice of nine international restaurants and bars, a disco, shopping arcade and beauty salon.

Leisure facilities include a superb private beach occupying a kilometer of stunning coastline, tennis and squash courts, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a health club with sauna and steamroom, whirlpool and massage. The resort also has its own stables with jumping arena, a marina, professional windsurf station and diving centre. For conferences and events there are three meeting rooms with high tech facilities, as well as a ballroom for up to 350 persons.

The hotel, which also has its own business centre, is expected to quickly establish its popularity with visitors from around the Middle East region and Europe.

Its general manager, Giorgio Lanfranchi, has worked for leading hotel chains in Italy, London, India, Manila, Oman and India during a 32-year career.

The opening of the new resort at Abu Soma means European travellers have 72 InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn hotels to choose from in the Middle East and North Africa, stretching from Egypt to the Levant, the Arabian Gulf countries and Yemen into Morocco and Tunisia. Also in Egypt, already attracting a regular flow of European visitors, are two Holiday Inn, one InterContinental and one Crowne Plaza resort at Sharm El Sheikh, as well as an InterContinental resort at Hurghada, another Holiday Inn resort at Safaga, the InterContinental Pyramids Park Resort on the outskirts of Cairo, close to the country's most famous landmarks, and the InterContinental Semiramis, on the banks of the Nile in the heart of the city.