Casa Cook El Gouna sits in the lagoon-laced resort town of El Gouna, about 25 km north of Hurghada and a 45-minute transfer from the airport. It’s an adults-only (16+) boutique property of 100 rooms, suites and villas, designed in soft, sun-bleached tones with Bedouin and Mediterranean cues – low-slung architecture, shaded courtyards, three pools and a private stretch of beach. Some junior suites share a pool; the villas come with their own.

Golf is played at the nearby El Gouna Golf Club, a short hop across town. The 18-hole championship course was designed by Gene Bates and Fred Couples and opened in 1999, threading around the town’s lagoons with the Red Sea mountains as a backdrop. Fairways are wide and generous on Seashore Paspalum turf, but six sets of tees, well-placed bunkers, water and a steady coastal breeze keep it interesting. The 14th (a long par four) and the 17th (a dogleg along the lagoon) are the holes most guests remember. There’s also a nine-hole course at Ancient Sands and a striking aqua driving range to warm up on. Back at the hotel, dining centres on the Kitchen Club for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean plates, plus two bars. Abu Tig Marina, with its restaurants and bar scene, is a short taxi ride away.