Stay on the banks of the Nile? Yes please! (Hotel Sheraton Luxor Resort (Luxor, Egypt))

Member Name: MeganFF

Product:	Hotel Sheraton Luxor Resort (Luxor, Egypt)
Date:	29/10/09 (36 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The views, the staff, the everything

Disadvantages: outskirts of Luxor, so walking out of complex not recommended

I persuaded Mr M to visit Egypt in 2008.

After a brief trawl through the internet, we opted to travel with Thomson as we had enjoyed a trip to Lake Garda with them the previous year, and the price was resonable.

We stayed in the Sheraton Luxor Resort on a bed & breakfast basis for 7 days. Interestingly, we also had to visit Crete that year, and the B&B trip to Egypt was CHEAPER than the self catering trip to Crete!

Let me say here, we lucked out. The hotel was fab, the staff were helpful and friendly. We couldn't have asked for more.

It's classed as a resort because it has 'grounds'. In the grounds of the hotel are a good number of shops and an Italian Restaurant which is said to be the best in Luxor.
Now, the shops were perhaps a little more expensive than others, but one huge benefit was no hassle. You could go in and browse without the pressure to buy. You could walk by and look in the window without the pressure to enter. For us, the benefits outweighed the extra pence.

The room was a good size. We were housed in the main hotel building (they have 'bungalows' in the grounds as well) and had a balcony. The balcony was a little odd I have to say. There was nothing wrong with it, you could sit quite comfortably, and hang your damp swimsuits up. But you could hop over the edge and walk on the roof of the bar below! Great for taking pics of the Nile, but just seemed odd.

And that brings me to the downside of our room. Being on the first floor of the accomodation meant that we could hear the music from the bar, even though the patio doors were firmly shut. The music didn't last much beyond midnight, and wasn't every night, but it was very noticable.

The bar itself was very nicely decorated, though the furniture was more conservatory than hotel. The staff were friendly and could suggest a cocktail for you. And of course, you got complimentory nibbles! There were big TV screens dotted around which always seemed to be playing different types of sport. A couple of nights we were there, they had a 'belly dancer' entertainment in the bar. Now maybe it was just us, but she was less belly dancer and more gyrating pelvic dancer. It was more hips than belly. Maybe it's just our perception that is wrong. After the first viewing, we made sure to sit away from the dance area!

The main pool is full attended. An attendant will lay out towels for you when you arrive and select your sunbed. He will position a sun-brella for you, and even check back with you later on to see if its still in the right place. The pool isn't huge, but it's an adequate size for cooling off. I think if you wanted to swim for exercise, then early morning or late afternoon would be the time to go. There is another pool in the bungalows area, but we didn't go there.

To the food. The breakfast was buffet style, and was constantly updated and monitored to make sure the quality and quantity was good. Served in the Karnack Restaurant (the other side of the lobby to the bar) you had the choice of sitting inside or outside.
The Karnack Restaurant also serves buffet food in the evenings. We sampled this twice, and was delighted both times. The first occasion, we were delighted to find it was chinese night! The second was Egyptian, and it was delicious. The staff will find you a table, bring you drinks and basically be near by should you need anything. They were not 'in-your-face' at all. At the end, you have the option of putting the cost onto your room bill, or paying cash. Either was fine.
The Italian was pretty good. The staff were so friendly and funny. The food was good, tho I don't think I would compare it to Italy. If you compare the dishes to an Italian in the UK, it would come up equal in my opinion.
Also in the hotel building is an Indian Restaurant. Yummy is the best word to describe this place. It's not huge, and not cramped. The food is the best Indian I've had, and we were rolling around in laughter with the staff. At the end of the first meal (we went twice!) Mr M said to the waiter "She'll have the bill" and the waiter kindly put it in a beautiful box and brought it to me. I guess you had to be there, but to try to explain, they always defer to the man (or so we found) so this just struck us hilarious.

The staff on the reception desk were always professional without being aloof. Helpful and approachable.

In all the places we've stayed over the years, we both agree that this hotel is the top of the list. It was simply great

N.B The Sheraton Luxor Resort was due to close for refurbishment in the summer of 2008

Summary: A great hotel complex, really made our visit special