We stayed at the Sofitel Karnak from 01 – 15 June this year and each day we congratulated ourselves for making such a good choice.
The hotel gardens are really lovely and extremely well looked after – it really is a picture at every turn.
The main pool with swim-up bar is excellent, there are plenty of comfortable sun beds with mattresses and parasols. During the morning and again in the afternoon there is water aerobics and water polo. At the towel station it is possible to borrow or hire a multitude of games or sports equipment – there is also a book exchange library. A little further away on the lawns going down towards the Nile there are more sun beds, from these you have a great view over the Nile towards the West Bank and the Valley of the Kings et al. Close by there is a further children’s pool with small waterside and magic mushroom water fountain.
Directly above the Ő Nile restaurant is the Sundowners Bar – this is open from about 4pm until midnight serving drinks and shisha pipes – this as the name suggests is a great place early evening to watch the sun set with a drink or two. Do be aware though that due to its close proximity to the Nile there are a few mosquitoes around. That said the hotel does a really good job of keeping them under control – they have plenty of electric fluorescent flying insect traps around and each evening they mist around the grounds and during the day and wash down all hard surfaces (walkways) with mosquito repellent. Don’t be put off by the thought of hordes of mosquitoes they are well behaved, or dead.
Finally, do I recommend Luxor – yes, and I will be going back, but only to the Sofitel Karnak. To be honest it was the only hotel we have been to where I would have been quite happy to stay for the entire 2 weeks without stepping foot outside. It was only as we were getting to the end of the first week that we realised we really ought to make the effort to see some of the sights.
Unique Qualities: Drinks etc – the bedroom minibar is very reasonably priced with drinks being the same as you would pay at one of the bars. Inside the main hotel building the main bar is Carter’s Bar – this is where the main evening entertainment is held and in actual fact isn’t too bad – experienced far worse in Cypriot hotels. They do try to vary it a bit with either a duo or group of four providing both Arabic and European music and songs. This is interspersed throughout the week with Karaoke evenings or Limbo dancing or Casino nights – the animation team do very well and provide just the right level of enthusiasm for their audience. There is also the Moorish café situated off the lobby which serves all types of drinks from mid-morning until late into the evening. Prices for drinks are I think good for Egypt and this class of hotel – certainly cheaper than at home. A 500ml bottle of Stella was EŁ18 and Sakhara was EŁ20. Alcoholic cocktails were all priced at EŁ35 and from comments I heard seemed to be good and have a fair quantity of alcohol in them. Diet Cola, Sprite and similar were I think, EŁ9 each for a 330ml can. The exchange rate whilst we were there was EŁ10.66 to Ł1 sterling.
Likewise if you wanted to eat during the day – meals could be ordered from the Palmerie Bar (pool bar) these were very good value – for example pizza with salad and French fries was approx EŁ34 and an enormous beefburger with salad and French fries was EŁ32.00. The menu was quite extensive ranging the sandwiches to steak and chicken fillets – none of it too expensive.
Transport into and out of Luxor is a commendable 11 times per day ranging from approx 0700 in the morning through to the last minibus back from Luxor around 1830 in the evening.
PS - I checked out all the other main hotels, Old & New Winter Palaces, Sheraton, Hilton (dump), Sonesta St George, Le Meridien & Movenpick - the Sofitel Karnak is definitely the best - don' believe me? - then pay a visit whilst you are there and you won't make the same mistake twice.
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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$180 and up
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Address: El Zinia Gebly Street, , LUXOR 0
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on Aug 1, 2005
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