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Built in the Nubian Desert
on the banks of the Nile River opposite Elephantine
Island, the hotel is majestically positioned on an outcrop
of pink granite overlooking the Nile. It opened its doors
in 1889 and has become a legendary name in hospitality.
Staying at the Cataract has
been described as walking into a painting, or a period
post card. This hotel is a living history that one not
only senses with the eyes, but feels in the bones. With
its high ceilings, long halls and Moorish decor, one is
transported back through time to Egypt's Victorian past,
of empire builders locked in monumental discussions on the
famous Terrace, of Howard Carter reveling in his recent
discovery of Tut's Tomb and of Europe's royalty relaxing
and gaining their health in isolated gardens.
The Old Cataract Hotel is a
favorite of many Tour Egypt readers, almost to the extent
that a few we hear from must make an occasional visit for
a routine "Cataract Fix". It easily qualifies as one of
the two best known hotels in Egypt, perhaps after, or
before the Mena House in Cairo.
The Old Cataract Hotel was
always a favorite of the Elite during Egypt's British
colonial period, and with the release of the movie written
by Agatha Christie and Anthony Shaffer, "Death on the
Nile", in 1978, the hotel received a grand revival of
interest.
Features and
Amenities: |
