A new review on Flipkey - Neith at Flats in Luxor

Thanks to our guests for the lovely review. With people concerned about safety the last paragraph of this review will be especially helpful.  

.........It was sad to see the unnecessary way that tourism has been impacted by the less settled situation in Cairo. There were no problems as a tourist in Luxor related to the ongoing political changes. My view is that no one need be put off travelling to Luxor and enjoying what are, at the moment, quieter than normal archeological sites and museums.

3 Bedroom Apt. / Condo Rental in Luxor, Nile River Valley, Egypt - Neith at Flats in Luxor, swimming pool, restaurant:


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Being Green in Luxor - Responsible Tourism in Egypt

I first got interested in Responsible Tourism on a holiday I took holiday to Japan. The ethos of this holiday was having a good time, enjoying your holiday AND being ecologically friendly whilst doing it. From simple things like buying chopsticks and not using disposable ones, to bigger things like using public transport, we were encouraged to Think Green. We stayed in local Japanese run accommodation and ate in local restaurants, using local food, avoiding international chains at all costs.

I liked this kind of holiday; you got a much better feel for the country, people, food and life.  Lots of people who come to Egypt also want this experience so I decided to use what I had learnt in our Nubian Eco Village http://www.nubian-eco-village.com/

Firstly we would only use the internet for advertising, printed material is carries with it the taint of deforestation and I wanted to avoid that at all costs.

Then the accommodation would be built using local designs, the DOME is the big feature of the rooms, cooling the rooms the way the Egyptians have for many years. Hassan Fathy the world renowned architect researched this building design and used it extensively in his designs. It allows rooms to be kept cool without the need of air conditioning. 

 

We would have liked to use mud brick for the rooms but as the houses at New Gurna are now showing, the rising water table causes problems with this material. Constant water at the foundations and mud brick are just not compatible and we wanted to build for the future not just for a quick gimmick. So we used local baked brick but in the traditional Nubian design. We incorporated shelves, cupboards and even niches in the shower room, into the design which eliminated the need for some furniture. Wood has to be imported in Egypt and we wanted to avoid overuse.  The walls were built with thick walls to help with insulation. This makes the rooms delightfully cool. We even experimented with a room constructed of palm branches (with a proper toilet and shower).  Now there are 8 rooms sleeping 16 people in a mixture of single, double and triple rooms.

But most of the land is devoted to growing food for the in-house restaurant. Guests can view vegetables and fruit being grown to provide them with delicious meals. Some food does have to be bought but this is also locally bought and grown.

We also tried to be imaginative about tours, offer green alternatives like sightseeing by donkey, Nile cruising by sailing boat and bike hire. We also offer walking tours with a local guide. These tours are ideally suited to Egypt and indeed donkeys and sailing boats were used throughout Pharaonic history. .

Finally we applied for and were granted a listing with Responsible Travel, their criteria for awarding a listing is very tough and we were gratified to see our efforts acknowledged.

So for a green, ecologically friendly, sustainable holiday in Egypt visit the Nubian Eco Village Luxor.

City breaks with a cultural edge - Telegraph

City breaks with a cultural edge - Telegraph: Luxor

Luxor well deserves its sobriquet as the world’s largest open-air museum. There is so much here that you could easily spend weeks on end discovering the tombs, monuments and temples.

The mausoleums of the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens are surprisingly different in scale and design, from simple rock-cut chambers to intricate complexes of halls.

A trip to Hatshepsut’s Temple, a complex that looks uncannily modern, is a must. On returning from Egypt, the first question you’ll face is whether or not you saw Tutankhamun – so you should. Looking upon the mummified boy-king in his tomb really is to gaze upon the face of antiquity.

On the east bank where most of the modern city is, see Karnak Temple – on such a scale that you’ll feel you’re in the land of giants – and the Luxor Temple.

Overlooking the Nile, luxurious Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa has just benefited from a multi-million-pound refurbishment. Its facilities include seven bars and restaurants, a well-appointed spa and three riverside swimming pools.


Luxor has from 5* hotels to boutique hotels to self catering apartments with a pool like mine www.flatsinluxor.com

109th Trip Advisor review of Flats in Luxor

109th Trip Advisor review: “Ideal and welcoming base for your Luxor visit”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed June 3, 2013 N

Very easy to get around to see all the main sites. Jane is very knowledgeable and well-connected, and her staff are just as friendly and polite as she is herself. She organized a reliable taxi driver for our stay, and was invaluable for helping us with our requests to see more obscure sites. Views from the apartments are a delight, and the food was varied and of excellent quality. I will definitely stay here again when I return to Luxor.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294205-d1174145-Reviews-Flats_in_Luxor-Luxor_Nile_River_Valley.html

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