Nile Panorama Hotel

The hotel was rated 9.1 on *********** and marked as a five-star property. At the time, two nights were over 800 on Booking, but just over 700 on Ctrip, so I booked through Ctrip. Now, it's apparently only 170 per night! Ctrip's three-star rating is more accurate; this is essentially a farmhouse in a village. It has a rooftop pool and is surrounded by palm trees, cows, sheep, and donkeys. Getting there is inconvenient. It took me an hour to find it from Luxor's East Bank, and the navigation route was even blocked by an excavator. I left the East Bank at 1:30 PM, found the place at 2:30 PM, and then couldn't find anyone at the front desk. I had to call for someone to come and check me in. The taxi the owner arranged for us cost $30. We got in at 3:30 PM and didn't arrive at Karnak Temple until 4:00 PM, which delayed my plans by over two hours. I only had an hour to visit the temple. I wanted to check out and get a refund that night, as I didn't want to stay there a second night, but the owner absolutely refused. Taxi fares start at 100 EGP. Going to the East Bank starts at 200 EGP, and coming back at night costs 250-350 EGP. It would have been more comfortable to just find a small guesthouse on the East Bank. Both going out and coming back, drivers had a hard time finding the hotel's location. The pros are the generous complimentary breakfast and the hot air balloon views. However, lunch and dinner are not cheap.

We stayed at this hotel twice during one trip. We were traveling with our own car, so the location wasn't an issue for us. The staff were very responsive, and breakfast was served on the rooftop by the pool. We didn't use the pool as it was cold, but the view of the banana plantations and the Nile was amazing. One morning we overslept and missed breakfast, but they kindly served it to us anyway, even though it was past time. In the evenings, you can order beer for a very reasonable price.

The room is spacious, the bathroom is separated into wet and dry areas, and the window overlooks the Nile River. The boss is polite and enthusiastic, helping me carry my luggage. The breakfast is made to order, but the location is hard to find. The car was parked at the door, and he also helped me wash it. The service was very good.

Average room, average location