Egypt Guide
The Nile Valley
Accommodation
1 Happi Off the Corniche 
097/231-4115 
230-7572 Decent a/c rooms with bathrooms; some have TV, balconies and Nile views. The restaurant, which faces Elephantine Island, sells beer. Guests can use the Cleopatra's pool for a reduced rate. Price: £E50-100
2 Hathor Corniche el-Nil 097/231-4580 Midway along the Corniche, this has 36 en-suite rooms of varying sizes, some facing the Nile, others gloomy; a/c is controlled from reception. The rooftop has a small pool, sunloungers and splendid Nile views. Price: £E50-100
3 Horus Corniche el-Nil 097/231-3313 Their renovated Nile-facing rooms have bathrooms and fans; the rest are much tattier. The bar-restaurant, nightclub and rooftop have great views, but you might be kept awake by bellydancing after midnight. Price: £E50-100
4 
Keylany Sharia Keylany 097/231-7332 
www.keylanyhotel.com This friendly hotel off the bazaar has rooms with fans, a/c, soft beds and spotless bathrooms; WiFi, an Internet café and an attractive rooftop with a tiny pool, where pancakes are served for breakfast and Columbian coffee brewed to order. Their felucca trips and excursions are good value. Price: £E50-100
5 Memnon Corniche el-Nil, above the National Bank; entrance via a back alley 097/230-0483 A cleanish two-star, with a/c, soft beds and a small pool on the roof, which lacks shade. Price: £E50-100
6 New Abu Simbel Sharia Abtal al-Tahrir 097/230-6096 In the northern part of town, a 10min walk from the station. Carpeted a/c rooms with baths and hard beds; some have Nile views and balconies, fridges, TV or double beds. The large garden is a bonus. Price: £E50-100
7 Noorhan Off Sharia al-Souk 097/231-6069 Five minutes' walk from the station, this much-hustled place has shabby, clean-ish rooms with fans, or a/c and bathrooms (£E10 extra). Internet access and beer available; breakfast not included. Staff aggressively promote tours. Price: under £E50
8 Nuba Nile Off Midan al-Mahatta 097/231-3267 
nobanile_hotel@hotmail.com A good option near the station, family-run and ultra clean. Its en-suite rooms come in all shapes and sizes – ask to see a few before choosing. Most have a/c. Price: £E50-100
9 Nubian Oasis Off Sharia al-Souk 097/231-2123 097/231-2124 nubianoasis_hotel_aswan@hotmail.com A multistorey backpackers' haunt with grungy a/c rooms (bathroom £E5 extra), Internet access, laundry service and tepid beer. Guests are hassled to sign up for excursions. Price: under £E50
10 Philae Corniche el-Nil 097/231-2090 232-4089 This could be a good choice once renovations on the upper floors are finished; the first floor suffers from street noise. Private bathrooms and a/c throughout; Nile-facing rooms cost £E10 extra. No rooftop. Price: £E50-100
11 Ramses Sharia Abtal al-Tahrir 097/230-4000 231-5701 This centrally located tower block covered in mock-pharaonic carvings has small en-suite rooms with a/c and satellite TV (some overlooking the Tombs of the Nobles), plus a restaurant, bar and laundry service. Price: £E50-100
12 Yassin Off Sharia al-Souk 097/230-7753 Next door to the Noorhan, this rival no-star is a bit smarter, but within earshot of the train tracks. The best rooms (with a/c and bathroom) are on the third floor. Laundry service. Staff can be pushy about selling tours. Price: under £E50
13 Al-Amir Sharia Abbas Farid 097/231-4732 230-4411 One street back from the Corniche, this small three-star hotel is mainly aimed at Gulf Arabs, who presumably don't mind being awoken by the mosque next door. The rooms are comfy, with a/c and phone.Price: £E100-150
14 Cleopatra Sharia al-Souk 097/231-4001 231-4002 www.cleopatraaswan.com Centrally located, with a rooftop pool (overlooked by taller buildings), but rooms are dingy and overpriced compared to nearby rivals.Price: £E300-450
15 Kalabsha Sharia Abtal al-Tahrir 097/230-2666 230-5974 kalabshahotel@yahoo.com Uphill from the southern end of the Corniche, this tower block is far less classy than its four-star neighbours, though it does have a small pool and some rooms with a superb view of the First Cataract.Price: £E450-900
16 Marhaba Off the Corniche near Midan al-Mahatta 097/233-0102 233-0105 marhabaswan@yahoo.com A mock-pharaonic pile with tastefully decorated a/c rooms facing the Nile and a fabulous rooftop. Their buffet breakfast is a treat.Price: £E300-450
17 Nile Corniche el-Nil, near EgyptAir 097/231-4222 The best-value option in this range, its spacious a/c rooms have Nile views, satellite TV and fridges. Internet access and book exchange available.Price: £E100-150
18 Basma On the hillside above the Old Cataract 097/231-0901 231-0907 www.basmahotel.com This four-star complex has a large heated pool and a garden terrace with stunning views of the southern end of Elephantine, but is best avoided during the sculpture symposium due to the noise outside. Disabled access. Free bus from the Isis at quarter past every hour.Price: £E450-900
19 Isis Midway along the Corniche 097/231-5100 231-5500 A shabby mini-resort with faded a/c bungalows in a small garden with a pool, plus an Italian restaurant and a nightclub with bellydancing. Its best feature is its prime location facing Elephantine Island.Price: £E450-900
20 Isis Island Upriver from Aswan 097/231-7400 231-7405 www.pyramisaegypt.com Owned by Ala Mubarak, the President's elder son, this five-star colossus was built beside a nature reserve containing the only primordial Nilotic vegetation left in Egypt. It has rooms and chalets, two pools, a health club, mini-golf and a kids' zoo. It's reached by a 24hr launch from the docks near EgyptAir.Price: £E450-900
21 Movenpick Resort Aswan Elephantine Island 097/230-3455 www.movenpick-hotels.com It looks like an airport control tower, but the gardens and views are lovely, and the pool and spa worthy of its five-star rating. Reached by a 24hr free ferry done up like a pharaonic barge, from near the Isis.Price: £E450-900
22 New Cataract By the Ferial Gardens 097/231-6000 231-6011 This refurbished a/c block (built by the Soviets in the 1960s) features a disco, bar, reataurants and shops, tennis courts and a big pool.Price: £E450-900
23 Old Cataract By the Ferial Gardens 097/231-6000 231-6011 www.sofitel.com A splendid Edwardian-Moorish relic, tastefully refurbished and jealously guarded against interlopers. Its river-facing rooms have glorious views and the others overlook a fine garden with a heated pool, but many complain that the food and service don't match the high prices.Price: £E900-1500