Comparing Hotel Offers: Rooms, Meals and Price

Who this guide is for. Anyone comparing hotel offers in Egypt that look similar at first glance, whether between two hotels or between rooms and rates in the same hotel. If you are still deciding between a hotel and an apartment, read hotel vs vacation rental in Hurghada; for families, see the best hotels in Hurghada for families.

Start with the same dates and guests

Hotel prices change by date and by occupancy, so an offer for one weekend says little about another. Before comparing anything, enter the same check-in and check-out dates and the same number of guests for every option. If you are travelling with children, decide how you will describe them and use the same description everywhere, because hotels treat children's ages and extra beds differently.

Room category is not the bed

The room name ("Standard", "Superior", "Deluxe", "Family Room") is the hotel's own category. It usually signals size, floor, view or furnishing, but there is no common standard: one hotel's Deluxe can be another's Standard. The bed configuration is a separate fact. A "Double" room may have one large bed or, in some hotels, two singles; a "Twin" normally has two separate beds; a "Triple" may be three beds or a double plus a sofa bed.

Read both the room name and the bed description, and if the beds matter to you (two adults who want separate beds, a parent sharing with a child), confirm the arrangement with the hotel rather than assuming it from the name.

Occupancy: who can actually stay

Every room has a maximum number of guests. What that number includes varies: some hotels count children of any age, others allow young children free in the parents' bed, and some add an extra bed or a cot for a fee. Ask, before you book:

• How many adults and children can stay in this room, and at what ages does a child count as an adult?
• Is a cot or extra bed available, and does it cost extra?
• Are children's meals charged, and at what rate?

What the meal-plan labels usually mean

The common labels are below. They are conventions, not definitions: what is included varies by hotel and by offer, so read the offer itself.

Also check whether the meal price is per room or per person, and per night or per stay. A plan priced per guest per night grows quickly for a family on a long stay.

View, balcony and room features

"Sea view" can mean a full frontal view, a side view or a glimpse between buildings; "pool view" and "garden view" are just as loose. If a view or balcony matters to you, choose a room whose name or description states it, and treat a feature that appears only in the hotel's general photos as a possibility rather than part of your room. Check room size where it is given, and the features you will use: air conditioning, a desk, a fridge, a bath or shower.

Price per night versus the total stay

A price per night is a starting point, not the amount you pay. The total depends on the number of nights, the meal plan for every guest, extras you choose, and any service charge and taxes. A room-only rate that looks cheaper can end up costing the same as, or more than, a rate with breakfast once breakfast is added for everyone.

Illustrative figures only, not prices from any hotel. Apply each offer's own charges and taxes to get the real total.

Included services and optional extras

List what each offer includes and what would cost extra: airport transfers, beach towels and sunbeds, parking, Wi-Fi, gym or spa access, and late check-out. A cheaper offer that charges for things you will use every day may not be cheaper.

Payment timing and booking conditions

The same room can be sold at different rates with different terms. A flexible rate usually allows free cancellation up to a stated time; a non-refundable rate is usually cheaper but cannot be cancelled for a refund. Some offers are paid in full when you book, some are paid at the hotel, and some are requests the hotel must confirm. Before you commit, note for each offer: when you pay, how much, and the exact cancellation deadline, and keep a screenshot of the terms.

How hotel offers are shown on As-home

On an As-home hotel page, each room type shows its name, the maximum number of guests, the bed description and a short description, which on many hotels states whether breakfast or another meal plan is included, the room size and the view. Once you enter dates, the room shows a price per night. That price is before the hotel's 12% service charge and taxes (14% sales tax and 1% city tax); the booking panel adds them as separate lines and shows the total.

When you choose a room, you pick a rate: Flexible, with free cancellation, or Non-refundable, which shows how much it saves. Where a hotel offers meal upgrades or other packages, they appear in a "Packages & offers" section, priced per guest per night. When and how you pay depends on the hotel and the rate you choose, and the review step says which applies before you confirm: a non-refundable rate is paid online at once; a flexible rate at an instantly bookable hotel is paid at the hotel; and at hotels that confirm bookings by request, nothing is charged until the hotel confirms.

You can filter hotel search by price per night, star rating, type of property and amenities, and sort by price. There is no filter for meal plan or room view, so compare those on each hotel's page.

A side-by-side checklist

• Same dates and same guests for every offer
• Room name and the actual bed arrangement
• Maximum guests, children's ages, cots and extra beds
• Meal plan, per person or per room, and what drinks are included
• View, balcony and room size, as stated for that room
• What is included and what costs extra
• Rate type, when you pay, and the cancellation deadline
• Total for the whole stay with service charge and taxes

Frequently asked questions

Is half board always breakfast and dinner?

Usually, but not always: some hotels let you choose lunch instead of dinner. Check the offer, and whether drinks with meals are included.

Does all inclusive mean everything is free?

No. All-inclusive offers vary: some exclude certain drinks, restaurants, hours or activities. Read what the offer lists, and ask the hotel what costs extra.

Why is the total higher than the price per night times the nights?

Meal plans, extras, service charges and taxes are often added on top. On As-home the price shown for a room is before the 12% service charge and taxes, which the booking panel lists separately.

Can I cancel a hotel booking for free?

It depends on the rate. Flexible rates usually allow free cancellation until a stated deadline; non-refundable rates do not. Check the deadline for your specific booking before you confirm.

Method: the description of As-home's hotel pages, rates, charges, filters and payment steps was checked against the current site code and public hotel pages on 20 October 2026. Meal-plan descriptions are general conventions; inclusions vary by hotel and offer. The example table uses hypothetical figures.