I stayed at the Sofitel Karnak at Luxor for a few nights. What a treat. It was reaching the end of my trip around Egypt - and truly, the best was saved for last.

This hotel has a very Balinese type feel - lush, tropical gardens and an open layout. Everything was great. The Pool was absolutely magnificant with plenty of deck chairs and quality food available (though the cushions could have done with a bit of a spruce up). The gardens (right along the Nile) were also spectacular and you could easily sit under the many palm trees overlooking the Nile and onward to the West Bank.

The rooms were smaller than I would have cared for, but still efficient and well decorated in a type of Moroccan/Balinese theme - though it did have a massive clunky CRT TV - but really big deal. The rooms were clean, though the bathroom could have had a slight update and clean (but that is just me being ultra picky). The beds were also the most confortable (read: soft) of my entire trip around the middle east. The buffet breakfast was also the best and afforded the most variety. The laundry was efficent (though they charged it to a different room - but I corrected that!) and the service from the staff was great. They also had individual A/C which meant you could have the room icy cold (and yes, it does not work when you leave the room with the room key - but why waste energy unnecessarily! - it only takes 5 mins to chill the room!)

On the downside, no tea/coffee/kettle or bottle water and the internet was a rather pricey 40EGP for 30mins.

Of note, it is about 5-10min drive from the centre of town. That being said they do have a free shuttle bus service to the Winter Palace beside Luxor Temple (and to Karnak temple) 8 times a day (as well as a free boat shuttle) a few times a day. As such, getting around is easy. I would rather stay out in the lush tropical grounds of the sofitel than in some noisy, dirty and cramped central location. In fact, you may not even want to the leave it is just so relaxing and such a difference from the the noisy, hustle and bustle (and horn honking) experience of Egyptian cities.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. It was a busy time in Luxor with all the sights both on the East Bank and West Bank - and coming back each night to the hotel was an absolute treat.

Sofitel Karnak is a beautiful hotel with stunning gardens and pool area. The grounds are large enough to find a quiet corner, or join in the many pool side activities. Our room was comfortable and the staff extremely freindly. The location is a perfect retreat from fending off the street traders. The views accross the Nile to the West Bank are breathtaking. The free bus and boat into Luxor was a bonus. The only down side for us was the price of the Hotel's food & drink, which were three times higher than the excellent local restaurants and bars

This hotel is out of town and the upside of that is the luxury of space - beautiful gardens overlooking an open nile view. Low rise buildings well designed and landscaped to sit around the lovely pool area. Large comfortable rooms - ours had an enormous double bed and a traditional window seat area as well as a balcony and a domed ceiling. The whole place has a calm and relaxed atmosphere and is absolutely silent at night which is a lovely contrast to the noise and hassle in Luxor town. The downside of the location is that you either pay for taxis to get into town - about £3 english each way - or plan your trips around the times of the free shuttle bus or boats which run through the day - the boat trip is lovely but takes longer than the bus. The breakfast buffet is really good and the staff are very careful about hygiene. We were B&B but ended up eating in the 4 food places in the hotel quite a lot - partly because we were too lazy to make the trip into town and partly because there didn't seem to be many good places to eat in town. The food at the hotel was good but not cheap compared with general Egyptian prices - cheaper than at home though. One word of warning - I had been having freshly squeezed orange juice in the hotel where the staff are obviously trained not to put ice in anything and then had some at a bar in town which on my second one I discovered was cooled with crushed ice - I was very ill!

myself and my wife spent a week and the Sofitel Karnak and absolutley loved it could not fault a thing our room was cleaned every day staff were always polite and freindly and could not do enough for you. Grounds of the hotel are well maintained . Shuttle bus and shuttle boat into Luxor always on time although the Shuttle bus is quicker only takes 15 mins