I stayed here in March 2012. Overall, the price of the room was good (I shopped around before leaving the US) and the room was clean. No shower curtains, so the bathroom floor would be soaked. I had two extra towels that I used to mop up the mess.

I was on the top floor and the water pressure was low. I also couldn't get a warm shower. The water would surge between steaming hot and freezing cold. I had to time the surges right to take a shower.

There was plenty of noise to wake you up, especially the roosters in the area. A refrigerator in the room would have been nice. The restaurant area attracts a number of British ex pats. One evening they had a party that kept me up well past midnight.

The Internet connection is horrible at best and you have to sit in the computer room in order to get a connection.

The breakfast is OK, but the bread was going stale. It definitely was not fresh. Other meals taken in the restaurant were OK. The menu was rather western, and not very Egyptian. The service for the meals is very, very, very slow. I sat for about 10 minutes one morning waiting for breakfast to be served.

The garden area could use some maintenance work as it is over grown and there is some trash lying about. The worst thing is the smell of cat urine. I sat down at one of the tables and had to move the smell was so overpowering. It is also rather disgusting to eat while breathing in the smell.

The pillows and coverings on the benches have not been washed in a few years. They are pretty filthy. They are coated with dust and have an ammonia smell, which means the resident cat has used them as a litter box.

There also seemed to be a lot of tension amongst the staff and management. They seemed to be wound rather tight, as there wasn't much fun being had by any of them. None of them wanted to chat, even for a few moments.

Would I stay here again? I would only stay here again if I had no other options. But there are plenty of options on the west bank, so that means I won't be staying here again.

I enjoyed my stay at El Fayrouz even though my arrival was unexpectedly eventful. Before I had even unpacked the door handle to my bathroom had detached and had I found myself locked within. Fortunately I had left the room door open and could shout for help. Though had it been closed I imagined I would have been stuck in there for a long time. Thankfully the door was quickly repaired and I didn’t experience any further problems with it.

My room was a little worn and basic but very spacious. It included a writing desk, wardrobe and ceiling fan in addition to the air conditioning. The bathrooms too were very large and were supplied with towels but no soap. Hot water was good but the shower pressure was a little weak. Surprisingly for the value room rates there was daily room cleaning.

All meals are taken in the outdoor, rear garden that is very tranquil if a little shabby. I would recommend packing some insect repellent for the evening dinners as there plenty of mosquitos. The restaurant has a good reputation with the Luxor expat English and German communities and unfortunately the menu reflects that with a strong selection of western food. This was disappointing as I was hoping for some Egyptian or North African specialities. But most of the non-western food was just generic Middle Eastern staples that can be found anywhere in the greater region. Breakfast was filling and of quality as long as you were not expecting an American style hot breakfast.

On a side note the hotel had wifi but it was quite unreliable and was often out of service. I think the internet connection was fine but it was the router they used that needs replacement. I also found the Egyptian owner (whose name escapes me) friendly, helpful and more than happy to answer to numerous questions I had.

i dont normally write reviews of hotels were i have stayed but i feel compelled to write a review of this place. i loved loved loved this hotel. Everything of this hotel was amazing, it has stunning views from the top, the staff are sincerely hospitable, the rooms have character and the restaurant garden has an authentic charm to it. i loved it here.

Sadly I had to wait a long time to return to this hotel, last visited February 2011 - yes in the middle of the revolution (see my previous epistle). We had the same room, the yellow domed one on the top floor, I'm sure all those stairs did me good in the long run....

I don't think I want to stay anywhere else in Luxor but a good friend is doing his utmost to tempt me. Watch this space.

The restaurant is simply fab. and the cheapest I found and the breakfast really sets you up for the day. I loved the rice pudding served with breakfast and also recommend the garlic steak. I think the main part of the bill was for fresh lemon at LE4.50.and beer is also available at LE11 (I think) but I don't drink so that's not an issue for me, but I guess it could be for some.

One of the real treats for me was the presence of several kittens who will no doubt grow up too soon but were being well looked after by mum who often arrived with goodies for them to eat (a gecko amongst other things), I just hope they get used to people and manage to socialise ok.

I used to love taking the local ferry to the East Bank but it was always a real treat to return to El Fayrouz for a peaceful night's sleep. Mind you the frogs were about the loudest thing and they were not evident last year.