The Kaktus Somabay: A Red Sea Hotel Friends Can Actually Agree On

As anyone with a strangely diverse group of friends will tell you, planning a trip where the artsy one, the athletic one, and the “always wants to chill” one all get to have fun is nearly impossible.  While one wants to spend a lazy day on the beach (copious Instagram pics mandatory) and the other wants to spend a month’s salary on paintings at the local market, the third is busy calculating how many kitesurfing sessions they can cram into a two-day vacation. The trip ends up being three solo adventures that occasionally overlap at breakfast. 
But those days are finally gone. At least, within one popular coastal town on Egypt’s Red Sea: Somabay. Though it might land on the calmer end of the party scale, something the “chill” friend would probably appreciate, Somabay is now also home to a lifestyle hotel that both the athlete and the artist can actually agree on—The Kaktus. 
Inspired by Olympic Villages but with a colourful, rebellious twist, The Kaktus—designed by ElGhoneimi International—is bold, it’s fun, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Think bright murals and hand-crafted furniture the artist can stare at, a collection of courts for the athlete to sweat under the sun, and a pool that practically dares the chill friend to hop on a float and just stay there. 
And if, for whatever reason, the adventurous friend who’s always off somewhere remote decides to join, they’ll find staircases that lead to unexpected patios, and art installations that pop up where you least expect them, making it impossible not to explore. Inside, the 188 rooms and suites are simple, sunny, and some come with terraces that look out onto tennis courts, where you can watch the athlete play a sunrise match with a stranger. Then, you can all finally spend the day together at Wyte Beach, where you each get your pick between chilling, kitesurfing, or painting tote bags by the water. 
Lunch means tacos at Hola or fresh seafood at Barbouni’s, which you should definitely follow up with drinks at Sobar. And for those unlucky ones with some work to get done, definitely head over to the Kamelizer Flow co-working hub, where the work will feel a little less painful. 
Now, while the artist heads to Downtown and the chill one, well, continues to chill, those who can’t sit still should run—not walk—to the Sports Arena. Heaven for athletes, it has everything from Olympic-sized pools and tennis courts to climbing walls and a gym where you can stretch, sprint, or just try to keep up with whoever’s on a serious fitness streak.
By the time the sun dips low, everyone has found their vibe—whether it’s floating in the pool, sipping a drink on a terrace, or swapping stories from the day’s adventures. The Kaktus Somabay somehow manages the impossible: giving the artist, the athlete, and the chill friend a reason to actually spend time together.