Jazz Hotel Hurghada beach review — sandy or rocky entry, how far to swim to deep water?

A recent report describes a comfortable sandy entry that does not require water shoes. Areas with coral outcrops near the shore are fenced off.

The pier has three access points: the farthest one leads straight to deep water, while swimming is also possible from the first two at high tide. The pier is normally open; it was reportedly closed only twice in over 10 visits, due to a storm and maintenance. For a gradual shoreline entry, there is a paid beach about a 15-minute walk away.

As an alternative, Continental Hotel Hurghada is suggested — the beach is sandy and depth starts almost right from the shore. However, the bay is enclosed, so you can't walk far along the shore as you could at Sahl Hasheesh bay.

If a sandy walk-in entry is important and you want to avoid descending from a pontoon, hotels on the northern side of the bay are recommended; this also applies to Makadi, where sandy entries are more common.

At Albatros Palace Hurghada, the pontoon entry on the right side is gentle and sandy, making it comfortable for swimming.

As an alternative to Jazz Hotel, Robinson Lagoon has a smooth, sandy entry with depth ranging from waist to chest depending on the spot; tides are barely noticeable. Watch your step — there are corals and sea creatures on the bottom that can cut your feet.

At Jazz Hotel beach the water entry is shallow — sand comes up to about knee level, and depth varies a lot with the tide. Many guests enter from the pier to watch the reef life; to actually swim in deep water you need to go via the pontoon, otherwise it stays shallow.

Some guests complain the Jazz Hotel beach is poorly maintained — rocks aren't cleared, and the sunbeds are old, worn wooden loungers.

As an alternative with sandy entry, the Al Qasr hotel is mentioned — the entry is sandy and swimmable, though another thread had some negative feedback about it.

Along most of Hurghada's coast, a thin layer of sand quickly gives way to a rock shelf. True sandy entry is found only in two lagoons and in parts of the right-side beach. The Citadel hotel beach is rocky and reef-like, not suitable for sandy swimming.

If beach-style entry isn't essential, Palace hotel is an option — but sea entry there is either from the pier only, or over rocks, with strong tides affecting access.

In the area with a shallow sea entry the sand is soft and suitable for lying on. Near the pier the sand is coarser and prickly, with only a thin layer covering the surface.

Between the Jazz Hotel beach and the neighbouring Gafi beach there are two buoyed-off zones for motorboats and water activities, making it practically impossible to swim between the beaches safely. The entry from the Jazz side is very awkward — dead coral and rocks — and not worth the effort.

The Jazz Hotel beach has a rocky entry into the water, not a sandy one. Depth increases gradually; it's best to check exact distances on arrival.

Sunny Beach in Hurghada is surrounded by sea on three sides, giving an open feel. Those looking for sandy beaches should consider other options.

The Sphinx beach area in Hurghada features an enclosed lagoon with rocks — suitable for snorkeling but not for sandy swimming.

For a sandy beach, Sahl Hasheesh is worth considering — it's located about 18–20 km south of central Hurghada.