Egypt Hotel Tips by matt10gonzalez Top 5 Page for this destination

Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor: An Oasis in the Middle of Chaos!

If there's two hotels you should not miss around the world, let it be the Winter Palace in Luxor and the Old Cataract in Aswan!

The Winter Palace in Luxor- it's a 1930 setting hotel and it sure feels like it! It has a romantic setting: It overlooks the pretty, brown Nile river (Don't swim here, it's polluted!) and the desert mounds looking, the Valley of the Kings and Queens. And jut strolling around the lobby of the Winter Palace (Not the new, dull (but nice) modern quarters) gives you the feel like you're in the Orient Express- everything seems Victorian, like Egypt in the 1900's. (Well, it was the first hotel in Luxor.)

And if you get a chance to enter the Royal Suite (Where Agatha Christie stayed), wow! What a suite! Just look at all the orange lights, the fabulous living room, the Queen-princess like beds, the grand balcony with a top-end view, the giant closet room, (If you bring a thousand shoes when you travel, this is the place!) and alas! The bathrooms aren't claustrophobic! (It's big bathrooms!) In short, just imagine the Orient Express setting or like you're living in a museum.

But no, you don't have to stay here! Just hang-out around, explore this wonder and have a cafe and relax! Best part about this, is that it's a hassle free place! Truly a place to relax in hassling Luxor!

And for those interested in staying, the Royal Suite (Which I raved about here) is $1200 A NIGHT. (May 2005) The rest of the rooms here are pretty small and are not worth it for the price charged (May 2005) $250. But they also have a new wing that costs $88-$120 (I find the standard rooms better than the old, classy wing) which is okay for the superb location and a 5-star.

Unique Qualities: For us to eat lunch here everyday, it must be outstanding!
The food is great, the atmosphere is fantastic, the pool- well, I don't know. I never swim in hotels. Oh yeah! And the location is great- it's walking distance (About 10-15 minutes if you walk slow and chat and chat) to the Luxor Temple and Mc. Donalds (If you can't afford eating here.)
TIP: What makes it also more expensive to stay here, is that getting a taxi from here will be more costly than getting it elsewhere (unless you bargain hard or speak Arabic!) as most taxi drivers and touts believe you're rich if you just come out from the Winter Palace.
But don't feel so bad if you got overcharged! (As long as you're safe, that's the most important thing! And these people gotta earn too you know? They also have families and kids too! Yes, they may be persistent but they need the dollars/euros more than a traveling tourist/adventurer!)

Comparison: most expensive

Directions: Corniche el Nile street
0 LUXOR
EGYPT
Can't miss it!

Other Contact: http://www.sofitel.com/sofitel/f

Phone: (+20)952/380422

Price: US$180 and up

Theme: Hotel

Hotel Union-: Hotel that hugs the Mediterranean!

Looking for a decent and clean hotel with the unbeatable views that overlooks the Mediterranean sea and the lively boulevard in Alexandria? Try this hotel! It has beautiful bathrooms, nice comfortable rooms with a view that kills and all are amazingly affordable. (We paid like $33 for 5 people!)

Hotel Union, it's great!

Unique Qualities: UNIQUE QUALITIES

-Ah..the old elevator in this building? (As of 2005) It looks old and ancient but still amazingly works- that's pretty unique right? I mean, I can't find that in the Hyatt or
the Marriott in Manila.

COMMENTS:

ME: At least it was clean and had a beautiful bathroom, room and Mediterranean view!

MOM: It's okay- it's clean, but the staff are SO su-pla-da! (An important Filipino word too: Means cranky) When I stayed there (2005), I think the staff there don't enjoy their jobs at all! And the cleaners always guards the hallways and follows you around for tips. I hope they changed the staff already.

BROTHER MICHAEL: I like the hotel only because it was near a bookstore.

SISTER MARIZ: I'm afraid of it because It has balconies so there might robbers dropping at the balconies at night.

DAD: I'm fine with anything.

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Most taxis in Alexandria knows this hotel. It's pretty popular- after all!

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Gardenia Hotel (Shark Bay, Sharm): Pretty Okay Resort by the Airport!

Well, it's your typical $100+ resort! With a kitchenette, fluffy beds, orange lights, a beautiful big bathroom complete with a swimming pool and a mini-grocery that least sells cheap biscuits, it's not bad if you're traveling with a family of 4+ and if you have some money to burn, this isn't a bad option. (Unless it's given to you for only $20 or free (from an interval deal), then TAKE IT!)

PRO'S- One big room for 5 here has a kitchette, spacious rooms, comfy ambience and oh! It's clean too! And there's a pool and a playground (For the young at hearts!) in the resort too. It's super luxurious already for us especially since us 5 as a family are fond of staying in hostels.

CON'S- It's virtually far from everything except the airport! It's pratically like being stranded in the middle of the desert in no where! It's 30 mins (by foot) to the nearest beach, 1 hour (by foot) to Naama Bay (The heart of the action in Sharm) and 15 mins by taxi to Naama Bay. You'll practically have to rely on taxi transport unless you have a private car or you're patient enough to wake up, wait and rely on the schedule of their shuttle buses.

WHY DID WE STAY HERE- Because we only paid $20 for a nice room here! Thanks to the interval/time share we borrowed from our uncle! Like I said, if it's given cheap to you or free, then TAKE IT!

BUT...
If you have to pay $100 for a nice place to stay, I'll pick something in Naama Bay, because the location there is a PERFECT 10.

Unique Qualities: UNIQUE QUALITIES
Well, first of all:

-It was OUR MOST Luxurious hotel in Egypt!

-The food in the restaurant is good. You'll need about $3-$5 for just a medium meal though. (Like a homecooked cheeseburger or hamburger, it's delicious!)
-The staff are pretty nice people, at least they don't steal your laundry.

And the most unique thing about it? For the plane/airplane fanatics and enthuatists, hear this! You'll LOVE THIS!
It's an airplane haven! No kidding!
Every 5 minutes and so on, you'll hear planes landing, roaring down the runway from this place! No kidding! That's how near it is to the airport! And it even gets better! All the beautiful white houses in this resort have a rooftop so imagine this: You can bring your plastic chair from your room, take it up to the rooftop on sunset, have a cappucino and just watch all those planes (With lots of varieties (Like different kinds of airlines) take note!) landing and feel them breezing by your hair! Oh, and don't forget! Bring a video camera- you may wanna take a plane land close up from a perfect angle while relaxing!

COMMENTS:

ME: I love the Gardenia hotel because at this time (2005), I've never stayed in a luxurious place with big bathrooms, fluffy beds and a kitchenette for a long time!

MOM: It's okay- because it was free. But if you pay for it, it's quite a rip-off. The staff were okay but it'll be nicer if there were women staff too. But what can you do? In Egypt- it's like that, the men rule so even us women travelers have to get used to it.

BROTHER MICHAEL: Why do they even call it the Gardenia? I didn't see a garden.

SISTER MARIZ: Of course I like it because it's nice!

DAD: I like the pool.

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: It's in Shark Bay, 30 minutes (By foot) away from the bridge and it's one of the first resorts you'll see upon coming from the airport. It's very far to the city (Like 1 hour and a half by foot) so you need a taxi!

Price: US$80-120

Theme: Other

Luna Hotel: A Jackpot Budget Hotel in the heart of Cairo!

$22 for all 5 of us (Sharing bathrooms though) in a very clean and comfortable hotel right in the heart and action of Cairo (Talaat Harb)? Of course it's
good value! This Luna Hotel is a jackpot!

LOCATION- 10! It's in front of the Talaat Harb Mall so cheap, good and filling eateries (KFC, Koshari etc.) and ice cream (!) are just a street cross away!
Its also a 15 min. walk (walk as in not run!) to the Egyptian museum and to the American University. (Where the delicious Bon Appetit sits!) Of course, if you're lazy to walk, you could always flag a taxi! (Taxis are super abundant in this road)

AMMENITIES- Well, I didn't see any swimming pools or indoor pools (You gotta be crazy to even imagine this!) but at least (as of May 2005), the internet service here was free! (For those who stayed only)

CLEANLINESS- For the neat freaks, (Which is probably most of you!) don't worry! The place (As of May 2005, Note!) was CLEAN. And I'm not being biased- I could really see the people, the carekeepers cleaning the floors, the rooms and even the walls every morning! If you thought that Egypt is a dirty place, this is a place where you can ditch that evil thought!

FRIENDLINESS- Well, the staff here played with us kids! I guess that's pretty friendly!

Unique Qualities: SHARING THE BATHROOM

-Were you fearing of sharing the toilet and showers in one room with dozens of people? Oh, believe it or not! Sharing a bathroom here is beautiful! I mean, not the bathroom design but the system of sharing the bathroom here is beautiful! Like or not, when you use the toilet or shower here, you can have it all for yourself!
I mean, you do share the bathroom with the entire hotel, but there's ONLY 1 toilet and 1 shower in each shared bathroom! So if you're hoping to do the toilet with someone beside you, this is the wrong place! Just don't take too long please!

THE TERRIFYING ELEVATOR-

-The Luna Hotel is in the 5th floor so be ready for a torturing climb? Not really- if you're brave enough to ride its century old, dying elevator! As of 2005, the elevator itself is a thrill to every trip to Egypt! It's an open air elevator that looks like it's going to drop dead one day! Just send a fat person and a thin one to this elevator and let them stomp as much as they want and you can see this poor elevator (with them) fall six feet below the ground! Rest in peace guys!

No kidding! Brother and teenage cousin tried this, well, they got what they wished- the elevator dropped a bit! They got terrified! They never dared to do it again! I guess they learned their lesson- don't mess with old elevators!

The elevator is fun and unique- and don't worry! It won't fall (even with your luggage) as long as you don't provoke it!

Comparison: about average

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hotel

Everest Hotel: Not Exactly A Jackpot in Luxor

If there was two boo-boo (the worst) hotels we had in this trip, Egypt and Israel 2005, it would be Petra (in Jerusalem) and Everest! (in Luxor)

Costs: Not so bad- $15-$30 (US) for all 5 of us a day.

Location: Even most taxi drivers here can't find it! They'll seriously get lost looking for it! It took one hour for us and a lot of calling (The drivers can't read English lettering, so if you think your paper reservation is a remedy, you might as well ditch that plan!) to find it on the very first day and even afterwards! It's not a popular place.

- Which is understandble- it's tucked hidden inside an alley in the residential quarters, it's beside a barber (as of 2005) shop and about 30 minutes to the Luxor Temple by foot. (You need a taxi.) The location is quiet and safe, but it's just...let's say..too off beaten?

Recommendations: I think the best budget hotel in Luxor is the Happyland hotel in luxor. Warning though: There's plenty of Happyland names (and hoaxes) in Luxor, but the branch belonging to Keylany I THINK (as of 2005 only!) would be the best.

Unique Qualities: It may not be a jackpot, but it's certainly unique!

-The rooms are okay, but the aircon doesn't really work and on the first week of May here? It's getting hot even at night.

-The toilet flushes may or may NOT work.

-Guess what? There are bed bugs in some of the beds! Teenage cousin complained that they were bitten by them and especially mom, poor mom! She said she couldn't sleep a wink!
She sure was glad to get out of this hotel!

-And dad? Who claims he's cowboy and can stand any budget hotels or sleeping in a farm worst than this? He complained the most! He even got another triple room just for himself alone because he couldn't stand the bed bugs! What kind of cowboy is that?

Having said that all, the owner was okay, the driver he gave us was nice and I still slept so well- like sleeping in a 5-star hotel suite! I guess when you're tired, all you'll care is a comfortable place to sleep in!

Oh yeah, and breakfast was included and we weren't killed here so that's more points added up.

Brother's quote about it: "It's a place where in you can forever rest in peace. (Meaning die, because the beds were so hard!)"

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Television Street, LU70 7XO.
It's hidden inside an alley! Warning!
I found this in www.hostels.com. They rated it 20% out of 100. I told you so! If I were you, I'll find another budget hotel!

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hotel

Sofitel- Old Cataract Hotel: Dusty Rooms in a 5 Star Hotel? Oh!

It's not only the suites that's interesting people, but also the standard rooms as well!
Now, you probably know how grand, how elegant, how fascinating the Old Cataract Hotel is right? So you'll probably think all the rooms, even if it's 100+ US are that grand right?
A bit wrong!

Some rooms are still as DUSTY and DAMP as a PENSION! No kidding.
Click the photos for your tour of some of the standard rooms in the Old Cataract.

If you want a cheap standard room, I suggest you add more (like 50 US) for a deluxe or stay in the new wing, their standard rooms there are much nicer than in the old wing!

Unique Qualities: Well...it's interesting! But I rather stay in a budget hotel like Keylany.

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: The easiest to visit: Almost always, the reception will allow you to check these rooms.

Price: US$80-120

Theme: Other

Sofitel- Old Cataract Hotel: The Suite of A President!

Another suite in this romantic hotel!
This time, it's the presidential suite- and it's bigger, better and much MORE EXPENSIVE than the Old Cataract Suite!
Again, words cannot describe- click the photos (That doesn't look like an ad so it's more realistic!) and feel like a president!

Unique Qualities: You have a living room to shoo your guests away, a balcony for some romance at night and more! But for more than hundreds of dollars? I rather stay in a budget hostel like Keylany- cheaper and just as comfortable!

Comparison: most expensive

Price: US$180 and up

Theme: Other

Sofitel: Old Cataract Aswan: Old Cataract Suite! Check out the Rooms!

Can't afford to stay in the suite? Lazy to check out how 'elegant' the Old Cataract really is?
Or are you interested in staying in the Old Cataract and are itching to know what the rooms look like without the ads?

Well, here's your chance now to see for yourself!

Basically, words cannot desribe! You must judge for yourself! (Click the photos and have a look! Let the subtitles enligthen you!)

This room you're about to see is the Old Cataract Suite. I find it beautiful. I don't know about you, but love it or criticize it like hell, welcome to the Old Cataract Suite!

Unique Qualities: It's expensive- it has curtains, two rooms, and a bathroom and free towels and so on. But I would rather stay in a budget hotel and save more money!

Comparison: most expensive

Directions: Ask the reception desk or if the room keepers are cleaning the rooms, make friends with them and check it out! (Don't forget to give a good tip!)

Price: US$180 and up

Theme: Other

Keylany Hotel: Aswan's Best Budget Hotel!

Who says you have to stay in a first class hotel like Old Cataract or Winter Palace in order to sleep well and have comfort and enjoy your trip? The Keylany hotel in Aswan sure changes that!

Okay, it may not have the romantic ambience, the luxurious Orient Express like rooms and bathrooms and whoa...! No fabulous dusty curtains and River Nile balcony views (Just climb up the rooftop cafe of the Keylany) but hey!

It's clean, the beds are comfortable (Recalling from my memories, I think the bed I had was kind of hard), breakfast is included, the location is not the pits (it's near the boulevard, the best place to hang out!) and the great staff (They were nice to us!) can fix you a fantastic tour of the Nubian village and Abu Simbel!

Oh yeah, and don't forget the Swan (literally) towels the staff folded up on the beds! It's so creative! (Though this was still 2005, I don't know if they still do this as of now!)

Price: In 2005, we've spent 30 US for all five of us. Now, I just checked Hostel World, a 3 suite-ensuite (see? it comes with your own bathrooms! Big plus! Now, you can do the toilet more comfortably!) they charge 7.17 US per person.
Doubles, for two people, they now charge 8.50 US per person.
And singles, it's 12 US for you!
(These were all dated on Nov 28. 2007)
Try checking out Hostel bookers too! The prices sometimes vary.

Unique Qualities: Okay, you can't please everyone and not everyone will say the same thing about the Keylany Hotel in Aswan- some may like it, some may hate it. It really depends on what timing, what kind of moods did you arrive (or the staff's moods), it really all depends on your experience!
But anyway, here's my family's comments:

MOM: A jackpot! For 30 US for all of us and it's so clean, and it's near the Nile and I like the staff, a jackpot really.
DAD: I don't care as long as we have a place to stay! (Oh, believe me! He can say this because the accomodation was comfortable! If it's not, believe me- he can complain!)
BROTHER: I like the Winter Palace Hotel more.
TEENAGE COUSIN: I wish I had my own room. (Privacy- well dear, you're forced to stay together with us!)

OTHER COMMENTS:
LONELY PLANET (Middle East, 2003 edition) - is an excellent budget opportunity, its 21 rooms have ceiling fans, pine furniture and their own SPOTLESS bathrooms.
YOUR OPINION: Will either be the same, disagree, or totally different!

Address: 25 Keylany Street,

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: See photos for a view what the location looks like!
Website directions: Either go on www.hostelworld.com or www.hostelbookers.com and type in Keylany Hotel in search. This is the most updated site.

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hotel

Sofitel Old Cataract Aswan: A Perfect Hotel For Romantic Lovers!

If there were two hotels you shouldn't miss when you tour around the world, make it the Winter Palace in Luxor, and the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan.

The Old Cataract Hotel probably has the most romantic view (Meaning also the nicest setting for a cafe!) between the two as it's really cornered on a cliff! (Feluccas, the nile, Aswan and if there's a sandstorm, what a beauty to your video camera!) Too good to be true? It is! Take note: It's also far from the city. (You need to take a taxi, where as in the Winter Palace, you could just walk around.)

Even so, it's worth to relax and enjoy the ambience of the Old Cataract Hotel! Unlike her sister luxury hotel, the Winter Palace which is more like Victorian, the Old Cataract Hotel dresses her up more Moorish, like Moroccan- She has moorish arches, that Moroccon red pasture walls and a more exotic feel than the elegant Winter Palace.

But the rooms here are not that great compared to the Winter Palace:
Even The biggest suite here, I think it was the Agatha Cristie that I was able to see, is pretty small and crampy compared to the Grand Suite in the Winter Palace. As for the standard rooms? The ones that cost a $100+? I find it quite dusty and dark and I would rather stay in a budget hotel like Keylany and save money.

The food here isn't as great (It's a bit expensive- like $4 is just a small steak, $2 is for a tea set.) compared to the Winter Palace but it's still not bad. There's also a modern wing which is obviously cheaper- but it's just the location, unless you hate the city, you'll have to hire a taxi (which they'll obviously hike up) to the city everytime you go out.

So why do I go here? It's for the ambience- the setting, the Moorish architecture and having tea or coffee with a fabulous Nile sunset view, is just truly a pleasure to savor.

Unique Qualities: You can't beat the view from here! You can't beat the atmosphere! You can't beat the architecture! You can't beat the ambience! (After all, this is the place where Agatha Christie retreated and wrote "Death on the Nile.") But the location sure is far. (Thus, transportation and your food (!) is limited to the hotel ONLY!)

It would have been perfect if the location was walking distance to the city like the Winter Palace Hotel. (Unless you don't mind being a bit isolated from the fun.) But hey! You can't have it all! Just come here and enjoy the ambience! And if you're interested to stay here, wow! It sure is a luxury!

Comparison: most expensive

Directions: Abtal El Tahrir Street
0 ASWAN
EGYPT

Phone: (+20)97/2316000

Price: US$180 and up

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.sofitel.com/sofitel/fichehotel/gb/sof/resort/1666/fiche_hotel.shtml