Why do some Egypt beach resorts smell of sewage, and how to avoid it when booking a hotel?

Another downside of the swimming area: around 3pm daily the sea washes up trash near shore — bottles, bags, paper, food scraps and other waste. Best to avoid swimming then; the debris gets carried away by the current after about an hour.

Even if you claim a sunbed early, your belongings may get removed, and you'll have to dig through a pile of towels at the towel station to find yours.

One guest reported a strong sewage smell across the hotel grounds — the lawns are watered with sewage runoff, and the odor was so bad it caused nausea; the smell also reaches the beach area, especially after 4pm.

At the same resort, sunbeds run out fast — if you don't claim one by 7am, expect to spend the whole day on the sand with no lounger.

Another traveler shared that a few years ago, a 5-star hotel in Sharm El Sheikh had the same issue — grounds watered with sewage water — suggesting this is a widespread practice across many resorts in the area, not an isolated case.