This week we feature two five-star Egyptian hotels: one in Luxor and a small boutique hotel in Cairo.
Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa
What's so special?
This "chic Nile-side bolt-hole" (above) is perfectly located on the Nile, "on the doorstep of Karnak Temple", says The Sunday Telegraph. Designers have made "excellent use of 500ft of prime river frontage".
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
What people say
A highlight is "watching the sun dip behind the Valley of the Kings from the waterfront shisha caf, Diwan, where storks swoop and the wail of minarets echoes down the Nile", says the Telegraph. "Luxor was a great place to chill out," one visitor told Trip Advisor. "The Hilton is right on the river, with great amenities and staff. Great pool and service. The outdoor restaurant had great food and was just the ticket after a day of travelling. Great breakfast." "I cannot praise this hotel enough," said another visitor.
The menu
The pool and Nile-side Olives bar serves "top-notch" mezze and Mediterranean food, while the "chic" Silk Road serves Asian cuisine. The alfresco Diwan serves Arabian tea in the early evening.
Cost?
A standard double costs from £158 with breakfast. Book more than three months in advance and you can claim a 30% Early Saver discount. Call 00 20 95 237 4933 or visit www.hilton.com/worldwideresorts.
Villa Belle Epoque
What's so special?
This beautifully restored 1920s villa "has plenty of Cairo's exotic allure yet none of its irritants" thanks to its position away from the main hustle and bustle, says Teresa Machan in The Observer.
What people say
This is a gem of a place "where you can squander precious sightseeing hours without feeling at all guilty". Why risk "life and limb on the Giza ring road" when you can relax "under a peach tree"? says Machan. The place is idyllic, says Paul Croughton in The Sunday Times, who enjoyed a "sumptuous breakfast of Egyptian delicacies" cooked by the hotel's "excellent young chef".
The menu
Food at the hotel ranges from "a steaming pot of Nubian-style lamb stew choc-full of velvety meat and garden-fresh okra" to a "zingy cold orange soup" all served on the villa's shaded terrace. For breakfast you can have fattoush, fava beans and cheese pastries, scrambled eggs with sliced peppers and fresh lemon juice.
Cost?
A three-night break, including return flights, transfers and breakfast, costs from £495 with Bales Worldwide. Visit www.balesworldwide.com or call 0845-057 1819. The hotel is 25 minutes from central Cairo.
What the travel writers are saying
Here's what was voted the best (and worst) of international travel in the Sunday Times Travel magazine 2009 Readers' Awards.
Best large worldwide hotel: The MGM Grand, Las Vegas. "It has everything you could possibly wish for," said one reader.
Best large UK hotel: The Dorchester, London. "It's the most welcoming hotel in London and it serves the best hot chocolate."
Most disappointing hotel: The Travelodge chain. "It barely even does what it says on the tin."
Best worldwide boutique hotel: Soho House, New York. "It's worth the price tag."
Best UK boutique hotel: Hotel du Vin, Harrogate, thanks to its "stylish conversion of a Georgian terrace".
Best hotel in Europe: The Dylan, Dublin, where "you feel like a family member, not a guest". The Htel Amour in Paris came in a close second even though it may not be to everyone's taste it's a "funked-up former brothel" with "imaginative rooms" and a "friendly buzz", combined with "great value".
My dream holiday
Michael Aspel: Pettenasco, Italy
"I've been going there for 40 years or more," Aspel tells The Sunday Telegraph. He found it while on holiday with a BBC cameraman. "As we were driving along a road, I spotted some water below, went to investigate and fell in love with this pretty little jewel of a lake to the west of Lake Maggiore." He recommends the Hotel Giardinetto (00 39 323 89118; lagodortahotels.com).
