Are ATMs working in Hurghada and can you get cash at the hotel?

One traveler reported that when their Sber card suddenly stopped working, they urgently needed cash to pay for photos, but the hotel wouldn't provide cash from the room, and waiting 2-3 days for the ATM to be refilled wasn't an option.

At one ATM a traveler had to insert a 100-note three times — it was rejected twice and only accepted on the third attempt, after which the exchange went through.

Both ATMs at the hotel were out of service for two consecutive days. Other guests also failed to withdraw cash. Reception staff said a refill might happen in 2–3 days. Asking hotel shops to exchange even $3–10 in cash was refused everywhere.

At Sharm el-Sheikh airport's VIP lounge, drinks like cola and Fanta are freely available with no complaints from staff. However, lounge access depends on your bank card — some cards don't guarantee entry, though the gate occasionally opens anyway. Worth trying.

At the airport exchange counters in the morning, nearly everyone in line had large banknotes (hundreds). All three windows had 20-minute waits while cashiers searched for someone with small change to give back. Even the exchange booths themselves lacked enough small Egyptian pound notes for change.