Guest
Could anyone tell me about the Amoun Hotel, or the Old Cataract Hotel ? Need rates or URL's and general comments also. General comments about Aswan also apprectiated. <BR> <BR>Thanks
Aswan is a delightful if somewhat provincial town. It is much less stressed than Cairo and Luxor probably because you are getting to the equator and the heat can be intense. There are plenty of things to do in the area - the views of the Nile with the feluccas are just breathtaking. It is a town that has been bypassed somewhat in the dash to get to Abu Simbel which is unfortunate. <BR> <BR>There are the granite quarries with the unfinished obelisk - amazing that it was hewn from living rock and cracked. The 2 Aswan dams are there - a modern miracle. There is Elephantine Island with Kitchner's gardens. The Mosque of the Aga Khan is very pleasant. You can read these in the guide book. <BR> <BR>
The Oberoi is also nice. Aswan has native markets that are much less crowded than Cairo. It is more of a resort area. Very pleasant. For information on the Cataract hotel, try some of the Egyptian tourist web sites. We found that hotel websites are not in common in Egypt as here.
I don't know where the Amoun Hotel is but the Old Cataract is situated in one of the nicest spots in Aswan with the most magnificent view on the Nile when sitting on the terrace. <BR>We have not stayed there but we just had coffee on the terrace, like many Nile-cruise tourist do.
I forgot to mention that you should do a walk through the soukhs in the evening. I don't mean the shops that you will see along the Nile but the narrow streets deeper in town. It may be advisable to take an Egyptian guide with you, because the vendors are very persistant. Don't forget to buy spices!
