Pyramisa Island Hotel Aswan

The hotel is beautiful, and you have to take a boat to check in. However, don't listen to the staff on the boat. We arrived at the pier, and there was a boat ready to depart. The staff said it was a bit crowded and asked if we wanted to wait for the next one, which was in ten minutes. We ended up waiting for over half an hour at the pier, from daylight until dark, for the next boat to arrive. When we got to the hotel, we had booked a king-size bed room, but the front desk gave us a twin room. We went back to the front desk to negotiate a room change. They gave us a key and told us to move our luggage ourselves. After changing rooms, they asked us to return the original room's key to the lobby. The breakfast and dinner included with the hotel stay were absolutely terrible, but there were no other options, so we had to accept it. What was absolutely, utterly unbearable was how dirty the room was. When I pulled back the duvet, there was a strong smell of foot odor. The showerhead, which was supposed to be fixed to the ceiling, was half-detached. Everything, from the floor to the bed, tables, chairs, and the entire bathroom, was incredibly dirty.

The room decor feels a bit dated, but it was incredibly clean, which made for a great stay! The shuttle boat runs frequently, and there's parking at the dock, making arrivals and departures very convenient. Breakfast and dinner options were fairly standard, but sufficient. Our room, 506, had a balcony facing the east bank of the Nile, which was not sunny and offered a fantastic view. Overall, highly recommended! 👍👍

The location is super convenient, directly accessible by boat, making it easy to catch both sunrise and sunset. The hotel's facilities are a bit dated, and the service could be a bit warmer. However, the overall environment of the hotel is excellent, and the restaurant is great with delicious food.

Overall, the experience was just okay. We could take the complimentary boat shuttle between the dock and the hotel every day, which was a nice little Nile River cruise. The room facilities were a bit old but clean enough. The pool staff were quite enthusiastic. The only downside was breakfast. Perhaps because it was close to Ramadan, the dining area was overflowing with people. The food selection wasn't extensive, and the quality was just average. You even had to queue for a long time just to get coffee from the machine.

After staying at a noisy hotel in Luxor where I couldn't sleep, I hoped this island hotel in Aswan would be quiet. I planned to go to bed at 8 PM to get an early start for Abu Simbel, but there was entertainment until 11 PM. I had to go to the front desk three times before they finally stopped the loud music. It was also inconvenient lugging heavy suitcases with no service, and you have to take a ferry to get there. When I arrived, finding parking was a nightmare; I waited 30 minutes for a spot.

The hotel's exterior and the rooms themselves are like night and day. I'm not sure how this place got a five-star rating; the only thing worth praising was the breakfast bread and pastries. There were so many insects, and even the bug spray I brought didn't help. I killed eight mosquitoes in the room in one day – who can believe that?!

The value for money is okay, but the service is mediocre, the facilities are average, maintenance isn't great, and the food is just so-so. Overall, there's definitely room for improvement! You have to take a boat to get there, and you'll need to carry luggage on and off (though there's help available for a tip!). Also, make sure to factor in extra travel time.