Marhaba Palace Hotel

The rooms and food were average, but the hotel is affordable and right in central Aswan, with easy access to the beautiful Nile River Corniche. The Old Souq market and Aswan Railway station are about a 5-minute walk away. At reception, Mr. A. Amgad and his manager were especially polite and supportive, and the team made extra efforts to help customers.

The hotel was filthy and felt neglected. There was hair all over the sink, the bathtub and toilet were dirty, and dust covered everything. The floor was so grimy that my feet turned black when I walked barefoot. The bed was split in two and horribly uncomfortable. The bathroom door locked itself when I closed it. I called reception, and it took 30 minutes for someone to come with a key. Then a man entered my room without knocking, using a key card, and brought someone else with him, even though the hotel knew I was staying there. He didn’t apologize or say anything, and looked at me like I was the problem. I felt extremely unsafe and uncomfortable. By far the worst hotel stay I’ve had. Absolutely unacceptable, and I’d never recommend it. Avoid it.

For a fair price, you get a clean hotel in the city centre with a Nile view. This is the place if that’s what you’re after.

Avoid this hotel. The room was filthy, the bathroom looked as if it hadn’t been cleaned in ages, and the sheets and blankets seemed unwashed. The tap water was hard, untreated water full of lime, so washing properly was impossible. The elevator only worked when the bellboy wanted to carry luggage for a tip. At other times, they claimed it was out of order, though that wasn’t true. Before my early trip to Abu Simbel, I had to carry my suitcase up five flights of stairs. When I got back, the bellboy shamelessly asked me for a tip for handling my luggage. Don’t stay here if you want to enjoy your time in Egypt.