Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan

Stunning, historic hotel on the banks of the Nile river. Service was impeccable.

Don’t be fooled by the very ordinary exterior that can be seen from the main road! Known for being Agatha Christie‘s home for a year whilst she wrote ‘Death on the Nile’ and also favoured by Churchill, as well as more recently many Royals and big Hollywood names, this Hotel has legendary status. We hadn’t booked and had been told by locals not to bother trying as we wouldn’t get in. We went. We got in immediately. At 1500 Egyptian pounds each, they would’ve been silly to turn our little group away! The entry fee is redeemable against purchases so after going through the gated entrance and the spectacular gardens and entrance hall, we recovered our dropped jaws and settled in the terrace bar to enjoy Agatha’s favourite cocktail. The beautiful terrace overlooks the Nile with views towards Elephantine Island - absolutely glorious. The hotel is truly palatial with art deco influences everywhere and we were desperate to see more. Upon enquiring with the bar manager, whether we would be allowed to visit Agatha‘s room and see a bit more of the hotel interior, he was doubtful but said he would check. Within 10 minutes, he was back with a young member of staff who was willing to take us around as the hotel wasn’t too busy. Wow! It is truly stunning. Our gorgeous guide, Kermina, was so full of facts and knowledge and fun she made the whole experience fantastic for us. She showed us around both Agatha's and Winston Churchill’s suites. They are both extensive and stunning. Both have terraces overlooking the water and are big enough to house families. The Hotel is currently undergoing some refurbishment so we couldn’t see the new restaurant, but the corridor heading towards it is like a hall of fame - decorated with photographs of past visitors including Diana Princess of Wales, Danny Glover and the Aga Khan! An amazing piece of more recent history in a country which boasts such an unbelievably well preserved array of ancient history. Kermina is so obviously proud of her place of work and the Company should be extremely proud of her. The whole experience was fantastic: yes quite expensive but so worth it and our lovely guide just added to our visit.

Beautiful historic and romantic hotel. Quite magical in fact. We had a Nile view suite newer building which was beautiful despite the garish corridor leading to it. The magnificent balcony overlooked the pool, Nile and Elephantine Island. Great pool and terrace. Food nothing special. Service was a little chaotic and disorganised. Hope it retains its old school charm with the Mandarin Oriental’s upcoming takeover.

I cannot fault the staff or the hotel. Everything was perfect. The hotel is stunning, the rooms palatial and beautiful, the grounds delightful and The views are amazing. The food was delicious. The attention to detail was second to none. For example, when booking I had requested certain pillows. Not only were they in the room on arrival but on entering the room we were asked to check if they were satisfactory or if we would like different pillows. Shaza and all the staff go out of their way to ensure you have the most wonderful stay. My only regret is not staying longer.

The Old Cataract Hotel is a must visit in Aswan - it is just a superb hark back to colonial days. The surroundings are luxurious- we only called for cocktails which will cost you £22 each but well worth the experience. Taxis are a bit of an issue - they seem to rely on 1970’s Peugeot 504’s which have many of their mechanical parts missing.