Quick answer
Choose Pickalbatros Citadel Sahl Hasheesh for a bigger beach (1.6 km) with a coral reef at the shore, two sea lagoons and a sea view from every room. Choose Pickalbatros Palace Resort Hurghada if you want to be closer to the airport (about 15 minutes) and want free use of the aqua park at the neighbouring Beach Albatros. Both are 5-star and all-inclusive, with a free kids club for ages 4 to 12 and an adults-only spa.
Both resorts belong to Pickalbatros, share the same family and check-in policies, and suit families as well as couples. The differences are the beach, the rooms and how much you want slides versus reef time. Details below come from each hotel's official pages, checked in October 2026.
Side by side
| Palace Resort Hurghada | Citadel Sahl Hasheesh | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Safaga road, Hurghada | Sahl Hasheesh, south of Hurghada |
| Airport (HRG) | About 15 minutes | About 20 km |
| Style | Moroccan palace, built 2008 | Medieval castle with turrets and towers |
| Size | 621 rooms on 72,000 m² | 555 rooms on 145,000 m² |
| Beach | Private sandy beach, pontoon to a coral reef | 1.6 km private beach, reef at the shore, two sea lagoons |
| Sea views | Garden, pool, sea or side-sea rooms | Every room has a sea view |
| Pools | Three outdoor pools, children's pool with slides | Infinity pool, three adult pools, children's pool, six jacuzzis |
| Aqua park | Free use of Beach Albatros aqua park next door (13 adult, 9 children's slides) | Not the focus: beach, lagoons and reef instead |
| Special rooms | Family Rooms (58 m², two bedrooms), suites with jacuzzi | Swim-up rooms, adults-only Marina Rooms, Royal Jacuzzi Suites |
| Meal plan | All-inclusive | All-inclusive (Starfish seafood restaurant extra) |
| Kids club | Free Alba Kids Club, ages 4–12 | Free Alba Kids Club, ages 4–12 |
Beach and snorkelling
Citadel has the stronger beach: 1.6 km of private sand with a natural coral reef right at the shore, plus two sea lagoons and a gently sloping sandy lagoon for calmer swimming. At the Palace, a pontoon leads from the private sandy beach out to a coral reef; the hotel recommends water shoes.
Rooms
Every one of Citadel's 555 rooms faces the sea, and its swim-up rooms open onto a shared pool. The Palace has Deluxe Rooms of 36 m² with garden, pool or sea views, Family Rooms of 58 m² with two bedrooms joined by a door, and 70 m² sea-view suites, one with its own jacuzzi.
Food and drink
Both are all-inclusive with local alcoholic drinks from 10:00 to midnight, and both ask guests to reserve for dining. The Palace has Mediterranean, Italian (The Sky), East & West, Culina seafood and Tagine Moroccan restaurants. Citadel includes six restaurants, among them The Citadel with oriental themes, Alfredo (Italian), East & West and Culina; its Starfish seafood restaurant costs extra.
Families
The family rules are the same: the first child under 12 stays free, a second child aged 2–11 pays half the adult rate, and in a family room both children under 12 stay free. Bring birth certificates to check-in. If your children want slides all day, the Palace wins thanks to the aqua park next door. If they love the beach and snorkelling, Citadel is the better base.
Which one should you book?
- Pickalbatros Citadel Sahl Hasheesh: for couples and families who want a big beach, a reef at the shore, swim-up rooms and a sea view from every room.
- Pickalbatros Palace Resort Hurghada: for families who want aqua-park days, a shorter airport transfer and easy access to Hurghada.
Both offer a special rate for Egyptians and residents with a valid Egyptian ID, passport or residency; see our guide to Egyptian, resident and Gulf rates. Read the full hotel pages for Pickalbatros Palace Resort Hurghada and Pickalbatros Citadel Sahl Hasheesh, or compare the areas in our Hurghada and Sahl Hasheesh guides.