AD: My Ōtel at Waterway North Coast Brings Boutique Stays

The group chats fill up with location pins and anticipation for the same thing they always do in June; the highways that empty towards the sea, everyone vanishing up north for a long-awaited tan, and a few days spent entirely on coastal time. This summer, you follow, ending up at My Ōtel at Waterway North Coast, somewhere on the long stretch of sand that imitates the softest shades of ivory.

Fresh off being named a Forbes Travel Guide Global Partner, My Ōtel arrives with the kind of recognition usually reserved for properties that have mastered the art of making guests feel simultaneously looked after and completely at ease. The distinction feels fitting from the moment you arrive, where thoughtful hospitality, contemporary design, and a meticulous attention to detail quietly shape the experience.

Step inside and ivory tones breathe themselves into hallways that hold coastal hums and a thoughtfully curated collection of contemporary art, the kind that stops you mid-step. This unhurried curation eventually leads to spacious rooms and suites awash in natural light, where contemporary design softens into comfort and every detail feels considered. The kind of bedroom that beckons you to unpack and surrender to the Mediterranean's every whim, whether that means sinking into plush linens, choosing from a pillow menu tailored to however you like to surrender to sleep, or lingering a little longer thanks to elevated in-room amenities, a complimentary refillable minibar, and dining that arrives at your door whenever the mood strikes.

From the room, the terrace pulls you towards water that stretches out in competing shades of blue, while the pool keeps a watchful eye, waiting for you to spend the better part of the afternoon moving between the two without any real reason to stop. But if the day asks for a little more motion, a kayak or a padel racquet will do just as well; the sea and the court both happy to keep score, or not.

Eventually, your attention turns to one of MY ŌTEL's most compelling offerings: eating your way through five distinct dining concepts, each carrying its own mood and flavour profile. Guiding them all is Executive Chef Andrew Smith, bringing experience gained from leading Michelin-starred kitchens around the world and translating it into a culinary programme that feels both global and deeply at home on Egypt's Northern coast.

The journey begins at Soak, the beachside venue where the boundary between dining and the sea practically dissolves into the sunset. And when the evening finally softens the light, Ō Bar draws you into something more spirited, where Spanish-inspired tapas and handcrafted cocktails do the kind of work that extends dinner conversations well past their suggested end time.

But for those evenings when comfort, flip flops, and wavy hair are the only real agenda, My Pizzeria settles it with the straightforward pleasure of authentic Italian; the sort of food that never asked for translation. Served poolside, its wood-fired pizzas are best enjoyed between refreshing dips and long afternoons under the sun, with the pool just steps away. Some nights just call for that, while others call for something that can keep up with a full table and a long day in the sun, and that's exactly where Sea Salt comes in with the relaxed confidence of an all-day dining experience that knows exactly what it's doing.

THÉA, however, has a way of making you lose track of time. Here, authentic French pastries and desserts crafted by a French chef arrive with the quiet confidence of tradition, inviting you to slow down between flaky layers, delicate textures, and another lingering cup of coffee. Conversations spiral beautifully out of hand, afternoons stretch longer than intended, and before long you've realised that each concept speaks in a different culinary language while still belonging to the same story.

You surrender without meaning to and the world you were trying to forget stops knocking. When it does, you surface slowly, back into a stay that stretches well beyond the weekend into a curated calendar of summer days. Art continues to reveal itself around unexpected corners, wellness takes shape through movement and moments of pause, and chef-led evenings turn table chatter into conversations about craft and curiosity. And you start to sense it then, why a property like this would earn recognition as a Forbes Travel Guide Global Partner. Not because of any single room, meal, or sunset, but because hospitality, gastronomy, art, and wellness are woven so naturally into the experience that they never feel like separate offerings at all.