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Advice on Choosing Egyptian HotelsAlexandria, Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan Offer Different Accommodations
Many of the major hotel chains are found in Cairo and Alexandria, but the southern cities of Luxor and Aswan offer smaller hotels and hostels for a nominal cost.
Unless vacationing on the Red Sea, tourists in Egypt have only four cities or towns in which to stay. These are Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan. Alexandria and CairoThese cities have the major chains, like Sheraton, Marriott, etc., but guests pay the price. A room at the Sheraton Cairo runs $150 USD per night. Not a bad price, but the tax per room runs the same amount! Also, the mirror check of the underneath carriage of arriving taxis at the Sheraton Cairo can be a little disconcerting. With a little research in travel guides and on the Internet, local hotels can be found for anywhere from $45-75 USD per night. Most of these are locally owned, and all employees usually speak some English as well as other languages. At the Windsor Hotel in Cairo, rooms are clean with antique furnishings and a TV. Staff are on site 24-hours a day. Most hotels include a continental breakfast of breadsticks, jam, and fruit or vegetables, but some of the larger chains add the cost to the price of the room. All hotels are considered safe and tourist-friendly, but travelers need to be vigilant. l LuxorThe East Bank offers some well-known hotels such as the Winter Palace and numerous locally owned hotels that are smaller, simpler, and safe. Most include a continental breakfast. Costs are from $35-75 USD per night. For a lively visit, stay on the East Bank in the city of Luxor. This is where the cruise ships dock and where the train station is located. Also, the Luxor and Karnak temples are located on the Nile at opposite ends of Luxor. A quieter more small town feeling is best experienced on the West Bank. Several smaller hotels, like The Nile Valley which usually family-owned and operated, can be found here. A continental breakfast is usually included in the price of the room. Tourists can also find swimming pools at some of the hotels to cool off in for a small fee. Many hotels offer open rooftop dining. The local ferry across the Nile costs $0.50 USD for a round trip making it easy to access the shops and restaurants on the East Bank. Major archaeological sites like the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens are located just west of town. These are easily accessible by local taxi. AswanAswan, at the southern tip of the tourist zone, has several small hotels and some excellent bargains. A double room with private bath at The Keylany Hotel/Hostel runs $17 USD per night. The hotel is located just about six blocks south of the train station. They can arrange travel for the tour to Abu Simbel and will also fix guests a box breakfast to take. Accommodations in each of the cities offer tourists an insight into Egypt. They welcome all tourists and make one feel comfortable and safe. None of the cities to go to bed at night, especially in the summer. Once the sun sets, the streets start to fill up with the local men around 20:00 (8:00pm), and the chatter and the horn honking (in Cairo and Alexandria) continue all night. Traveling alone in the cities and towns is quite safe. Crimes against tourists are very low, but some Egyptians will not hesitate to scam a tourist if given the opportunity. Be vigilant.
The copyright of the article Advice on Choosing Egyptian Hotels in Egypt Travel is owned by Cheryl Carpinello. Permission to republish Advice on Choosing Egyptian Hotels in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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