Goubli Apartments Luxor (Egypt) - Guest house Reviews - TripAdvisor

 Because of Trip Advisor crazy policy we have several listings as well as the main No 1 spot, so I almost missed this lovely review.

 

Goubli Apartments Luxor (Egypt) - Guest house Reviews - TripAdvisor: Elegant, enormous 3-br, 2-bath flat, huge rooms and nicely furnished, with wraparound balcony that overlooks Deir el-Bahari (Hatshepsut temple) and the mountains, surrounded by farm fields with camels and donkeys -- perfect setting, near all the West Bank archeological sites. Staff was extremely accommodating and genuinely friendly, couldn't have been better. Our food was excellent and very inexpensive, and we could eat on the roof, overlooking Hatshepsut's temple, or our two balconies or our dining room. This is a genuinely, purely Egyptian experience, not a lavish Euro-style hotel, and a great, great value. Also Jane Akshar is a highly knowledgeable Egyptologist, and eager to help. She will arrange the best guides and drivers in Luxor, at very low prices but with guaranteed expertise. I'm in Egyptology myself, so I can confirm that Jane's guides know their stuff. This is NOT the typical packaged-tour experience. This is for people who really care about ancient Egypt and want to absorb all they can, of past and present both.

Redecoration at Goubli

We had a bit of a disaster at Goubli when the toilet in the Neith flat developed a leak. The whole unit had to be replaced but there was water damage in the reception. Redecoration was badly needed, I love the new colours Mahmoud has chosen

Ministry of Antiquities New nobles tombs opening plus Horemheb and Tuthmosis III

Ministry of Antiquities Press Office... - Ministry of Antiquities



 Antiquities Minister, Dr. Eldamaty is to open three New
Kingdom Tombs next Thursday November 5, 2015 in front of their visitors
for the first time since their discovery at Qurnat Marey' Area – Luxor.
The Ministry of Antiquities also celebrates the reopening of two other
tombs; that of Horemheb and King Thutmosis III at the Valley of the
Kings after the termination of their regular maintenance works.


Eldamaty clarified that the three tombs that will be opened for the
first time are among the most important tombs of the Nobles at this
period and they are: Tomb TT 40 of " Imn hotep – Hwy" Deputy of King
Tutankhamun in Kush and Governor of the South Lands, Tomb TT 277 of "
Imnement" who carried the title of the godfather of Imn hotep III
palace, in addition to Tomb TT 278 of " Amunemheb" who was the keeper of
Amun Re Cattle in the New Kingdom.
Eldamaty added that this step
comes within the Ministry's general plan to open new archaeological
sites for encouraging tourism.
On the other hand, Dr. Mostafa Wsiry
General manager of Luxor Archaeological Area said that the two tombs of
Ramses III and Ramses IX will be closed in order to terminate the
lighting project there.

All these openings coincide with the
celebrations of Luxor Governorate of its national day (4-11-2015). A
number of activities will take place at this day and will be witnessed
by the Minister of Antiquities accompanied by a number of Ministers and
public figures. Among the activities are a pharaonic ballet performance
organized by the Cairo Opera House at in front of Hatchepsut Temple. The
Egyptian Armed forces will also participate with a military music
performance touring the whole country in addition to pop dancing and
fireworks.

©Ministry of Antiquities, Press Office

Review on Airbnb

Jane's Profile - Airbnb: Words can barely describe the wonderful experience that I had with Jane. The room was fabulous and the setting was lush and green. I felt safe and very well cared for. The staff did an amazing job or arranging excellent tours and ensuring that my needs were met. It is very close to all of the sites of Luxor. I have recommended to all of my friends that they stay with Jane while in Luxor and I hope others make that decision as well.

BENEFIT CONCERT IN AID OF THE SUNSHINE PROJECT 23 Oct

23 October at 19:30–22:30 at Luxor Culture Palace, Jolie Ville (Movenpick) Road, Awamia, Luxor



BENEFIT CONCERT IN AID OF THE SUNSHINE PROJECT: Ahmed Harfoush, the amazing Egyptian Jazz Entertainer has very kindly offered to perform a Benefit Concert to raise money for the children of The Sunshine Project Orphanage here in Luxor.

ALL proceeds from this FANTASTIC, NOT TO BE MISSED event will go directly to the Sunshine Project.

Tickets are priced at 50 LE each but any monetary donation above this price will be very gratefully received.

To book for this exciting evening please call 01061 480 265 or send a private message to Theresa Clarke or Barbara Clarke, with your name and how many tickets you require. Tickets will also be available at The Sunshine Project Village in Awamia.

We would like to give a HUGE "THANK YOU" to Ahmed Harfoush and his team for this wonderful gesture.

Flats in Luxor (Egypt) - TripAdvisor

Flats in Luxor (Egypt) - TripAdvisor: My husband and I used Flats in Luxor for private transfer and we also decided to book a tour for the Valley of Kings and Cairo due to our short schedule. Jane and Mahmoud were so welcoming and reliable; they made us feel looked after and were our 'go-to' contacts in Egypt. We especially enjoyed our Cairo tour- great guide! The flats look beautiful, although we didn't stay there for this trip. We were lucky enough to meet with both Jane and Mahmoud on our trip, though.

Stayed July 2015, traveled as a couple

Website down, should be restored in 24 hours

Grrrr my websites have been hacked and are currently down. My hosting service are fixing it and 'normal service will be resumed' ASAP

Flats in Luxor (Egypt) - Condominium Reviews - TripAdvisor

One of our regular guests gives her second review on Trip Advisor. This is allowed if there is at least a year between reviews. We have many people who come back time and time again. They become family.



Flats in Luxor (Egypt) - Condominium Reviews - TripAdvisor: I have stayed with Jane at the Al Gezera flats 5 times now, and have enjoyed my visits each and every time. The staff are very friendly and helpful, offering to assist with anything you may need to make your stay more comfortable. The location is excellent, a 5 minute walk to the river and close to all sites on the west bank. The view is spectacular and the ambiance is very relaxing. It has become my second home in Egypt!

ARCE Member and Author Janis Susan May Uncloaks Her Fascination with the Greatest Muse of All: Egypt | American Research Center in Egypt

We at Flats in Luxor like to help............



ARCE Member and Author Janis Susan May Uncloaks Her Fascination with the Greatest Muse of All: Egypt | American Research Center in Egypt: The second blessing was Jane Akshar, owner of Flats in Luxor (which rents out the loveliest flats for holiday makers) and a tour arranger. When it became obvious that I would not be able to go over for this book, she volunteered to be my researcher-on-site and was invaluable with little things like train schedules and travel times – things you can’t really find on the internet.



I have to give a plug to Janis as she so kindly gave my business a plug

The
recent ARCE newsletter carries an interview with Janis and a preview of
her latest book. "Publishing simultaneously under four pseudonyms, the
author shares her deep passion for Egypt and writing and then reveals
the genesis of her current project, A Killing at El Kab. Read
about her stay in the dig house of 19th century English architect and
Egyptologist, Somers Clarke, where the story is set. Says May,  "Our
trip to the dig house was spectacular, the stuff of dreams. The house
itself is a fantastic, romantic, domed dream of a
place."...................

I have read lots of her books including the Egyptian File, cracking holiday reads.

Flats in Luxor (Egypt) - Condominium Reviews - TripAdvisor

Flats in Luxor (Egypt) - Condominium Reviews - TripAdvisor: Mahmoud was our on site contact and really went out of his way to provide expert advice on tours in the area and how to organize our time in Luxor. The car services and tours offered are top quality in a country where standards can be dodgy. None of the information or tours were pushed on us which was a nice departure from the rest of our Egypt experience.



(So proud of Mahmoud, nice to have someone to rely on whilst I was galavanting in the UK)

Foreign archaeological missions resume excavating Upper Egypt after 13-year ban | Cairo Post

This applies to new missions doing excavation. There are a quite a lot of old ones doing conservation, recording and restoration.



Foreign archaeological missions resume excavating Upper Egypt after 13-year ban | Cairo Post: For 13 years, the excavation permissions were limited only to Egyptian missions to explore treasures in Upper Egypt but due to the “successive requests from foreign Universities and researchers, the council agreed to give the licenses after 13 years of suspension,” Amin told Youm7 without going into further details on number of the foreign missions applied for the permits.

How safe is your holiday? Is Luxor safe?

Do you worry about travel abroad?

You should listen to BBC Radio 4 Your and Yours http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/b06087bk

They did a phone in on ‘safe holidays’ and I did a prerecorded piece which appears in the first 15 minutes.

They contacted me after I sent this email.

"I have been facing the ‘is it safe’ question for some time now. I run a tourism business in Luxor, Egypt where I live, what with the revolution and various other incidents it is a question that we face all the time.

I think events of this week, France, Tunisia or Kuwait all on the same day, have shown that nowhere is actually safe.. Statistically you are probably more likely to die driving to the airport than on holiday in Egypt.

At the time of the failed Karnak temple incident in Luxor I had 19 outstanding bookings. Two thirds were archaeologists and of course very familiar with the situation here in Luxor so I was not surprised they weren’t worried and did not contact me. However I also did not get any cancellations from the third that were regular tourists. Actually I didn’t even get a single email asking about the situation.

I think this reflects my opening statement. The world is not safe and people just don’t let incidents stop them living their lives.

To go to a country AFTER an incident is probably the safest time.
Enjoy your holiday"

Mohammed Ismail in 2000 at TT320 the Royal Cache

One of my correspondents sent me copies of photos she had taken of Mohammed Ismail, my walking guide. These were taken in 2000 and show him pointing out TT320, the royal cache. Mohammed is available to take guests(staying with us or at hotels) to Thoth Hill, Valley of the Colours and other places of interest that you can only reach by walking. He is VERY knowledgeable, used to live in a tomb in Old Gurna and a total gentleman.

Photos and Videos of Luxor Egypt | Holidays in Luxor

Just loaded up a batch of guests photos, these guests had some serious high quality lenses so some pretty unique pictures Photos and Videos of Luxor Egypt | Holidays in Luxor

A really long TA review from our Texan guests

Flats in Luxor (Egypt) - Condominium Reviews - TripAdvisor: The flats are owned by British expat Jane Akshar. We stayed in Isis on
the third floor with a great view of the hills of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna to
the west (the Valley of the Kings is on the opposite sides). It is a 3
bedroom, 2 bathroom flat with a very large and open room as you walk in
with living room and dining furniture. There is a door on the west wall
and twin doors on the north wall that open onto a nice L-shaped balcony
with wicker-type furniture for lounging around. My wife's favorite early
morning activity was to sit on the balcony with a cup of coffee
watching the hot sir balloons float by. We usually had one open all
night and never had to use the AC. You have a nice sized kitchen with
stove, sink, refrigerator, and cabinet with dishes. The bedrooms are
nicely sized with a queen sized bed in the master bedroom and two twin
beds in the other bedroom. Our bed was extremely comfortable. The master
bath had an open shower and the second bathroom which is the largest
had a good sized bathtub with a shower. One thing that people need to
know is that toilet paper can't be flushed and needs to be put in the
trash receptacle that is emptied each day. Rooms have ceiling fans and
A/C. The rooms are nicely decorated with tile floors. There is a nice
outside pool for the guests.

As far as food, you have a wide
choice of items to choose from for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They
have a restaurant at their Goubli building but no worry, your meals will
be brought to you and their cook is outstanding. All food is bought
locally each day so it is always fresh. Portions for two people at
dinner can be a little large (our first was enough for 4 people or for
lunch the next day) Typically we had soup, entree, a salad, and dessert.
Plus bread. Lunch and breakfast are obviously more manageable. The most
expensive dinner (Egyptian, chef's choice) was 55 Egyptian pounds or
about $7. If you are vegetarian, no problem, the vegetables are great
and local (tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, squash, carrots, okra,
etc.). Egyptian tomatoes are far superior in taste to American versions
as they ripen naturally and grown locally. To order meals just let the
server or chef at times know what you want and what time when he comes
to clear your dishes off.

Payment is due up front after you
arrive in hard cash (Dollars, British Pounds or Euros). Cash gets a much
better exchange rate and is especially critical these days with the
lack of tourists in Egypt. If you want to go on a tour or strike out by
yourself Jane can arrange it the evening before. My wife are frequent
Egypt travelers so all we needed was basic transportation. I bought a
cheap unlocked phone and got a SIM card for use in Egypt. Everyone has a
cell phone out of necessity. We used ours to call our taxi driver to
pick us up at the end of our touring day on the west bank and to have
our boat pick us up while on the east bank. I certainly suggest that you
get an Egypt guide before you travel so you have an idea of what you
want to see. Also Jane has a book "Hidden Luxor" that has great
information.

All of Jane's Egyptian staff are extremely friendly
and helpful and treat you as family. Jane has a wonderful sense of
humor and is eminently knowledgeable of Luxor. You do not need to pay
for meals or trips until you are ready to depart so be sure to plan
ahead to bring extra funds. It is expected to tip "baksheesh" for
services rendered and Egypt (plus the Middle East) is no exception so be
prepared. Americans are used to it but not so many other foreign
travelers. Overall, I highly recommend staying at the Flats in Luxor and
we will hopefully return in 2016. It is a unique experience.

My second review through Airbnb

Jane's Profile - Airbnb: We had a great time at Jane's. The location is perfect, close to the things you have to see in Louxor West Bank, close to the ferry ( 10 min walk ). It is a quiet place with a beautiful view, the apartment is clean and spacious, Jane and her team are lovely people ! And as a bonus you have the summing pool ! I highly recommend you to pick their place, you will not regret it. Adila

Egypt retracts decision to ban visas upon arrival | Cairo Post

Hurrah, just been announced, good news



Egypt retracts decision to ban visas upon arrival | Cairo Post: CAIRO: Egyptian Authorities postponed Thursday the implementation of a controversial decision to end the visa upon arrival system for individuals.

“The Foreign Affairs Ministry has postponed the implementation of the new visa system following extensive consultations and discussions between the state’s stakeholders and chairmen of several travel agencies,” according to a foreign ministry statement Thursday.

Finally we have improved electricity at Goubli

It must be about 7 years since we applied to have the electricity upgraded and paid a huge sum of money for a new sub station to be located next to the building. Well finally they have actually done it and today we switched on every a/c unit in the building and they all worked perfectly. Great for summer visitors.

Thrid Time a Charm - Review of Flats in Luxor, Luxor, Egypt - TripAdvisor

Thrid Time a Charm - Review of Flats in Luxor, Luxor, Egypt - TripAdvisor: I have stayed at Flats in Luxor 3 times now. I am never disappointed The flats are clean , well furnished and beautiful The price is fair , the staff is very good. Jane and Mahmoud are great hosts. The roof top is perfect for enjoying the sun. Laundry available on site which came in very helpful

All ready for summer guests

We just had the a/c engineer in to go through all the units. He even got the one working in my spare bedroom. So we are all ready for the summer.

comfortable and perfectly located and great service - Review of Flats in Luxor, Luxor, Egypt - TripAdvisor

comfortable and perfectly located and great service - Review of Flats in Luxor, Luxor, Egypt - TripAdvisor: We were delighted with our stay at the spotlessly clean flat at Al Gezera. The flat was very comfortable with a large balcony from which to watch the hot air balloons, flocks of birds, and the sunset. We enjoyed the wonderful meals prepared by in house chef and staff. We relished eating salads, after being assured by Jane that there would be no problems, and she was absolutely right. After a day of sight-seeing, it was perfect to have our meals in.
The staff bend over backwards to help with anything you might need. Jane is a wonderful source of information and her recommendations were greatly appreciated. Jane’s guide Hussein Omar and driver Ragab were excellent and completely accommodating.
We highly recommend these accommodations.

Excellent Value and Yummy Food - Review of Flats in Luxor, Luxor, Egypt - TripAdvisor

Excellent Value and Yummy Food - Review of Flats in Luxor, Luxor, Egypt - TripAdvisor:



My family of four and my sister and her daughter stayed at the Selket apartment at Goubli Villa for six days in December 2014.



You couldn't beat the price for what you got - a large three bedroom flat with wrap-around balcony, a kitchen, a bathroom and a shower room. The views to the Theben hills were beautiful. Early in the morning you could see balloons gliding peacefully in the sky. One morning, the birds pecked on our windows to wake us up. We waited for them the next few days but they must be away on holidays.



One big advantage of staying at Goubli was the on-site dining. Every morning we had breakfasts packed for us (we left early for sightseeing). Every night, the staff brought multi-course meals to our flat. This was most convenient as after eight to nine hours of sightseeing, none of us was in the mood to go out to a restaurant. By having someone deliver dinner and cleanup afterwards, we could relax, shower, read, watch TV. No more waiting for food at a restaurant or lugging all the kids out at night. The food was delicious and very reasonably priced. The hygiene standard was western. We ate all the salads and no one got sick. This had to be one of the best things about staying at Goubli. We salute the three young men who worked tirelessly in and out of the kitchen every day.
The location is not convenient for walking or going to the East side, but you may spend only a day there anyway. Most of the sightseeings are on the west side and closer to the flat, and you don't have the hassle of going long distance to cross the bridge from the East. Besides, you get picked up by your guide and a van/taxi, as from any accommodation. So relative to other lodgings,



Goubli is very central!
Jane had arranged an excellent guide for us, Hussein. He was very knowledgeable and un-intrusive in his guiding. We hated to be rushed, and Hussein gave us as much time and space as we needed. A most patient man. One of the best guides anywhere.
We also had a walk with Mohamed in the hills near the German House. It was really fun and the kids saw some abandoned tombs with bats crawling around. During this walk Mohamed showed us rocks for making pigments, and my son picked up some for his art class at school. This was a real treat because it was like an hands on experience after his visit last summer to an exhibition about colors in art history at the National Gallery in London.



Jane is very charming and knowledgeable. Her husband Mahmoud will get things done and arranged if you ask him. They make a great team.
Our only reservation - longer shower curtains? Jane, Mahmoud, and your super team - Thanks for a wonderful stay.



Room Tip: Go for higher level rooms with views to the hills.

Flats in Luxor Prices

Prices and Check In: What do you get for your money when you book with Flats in Luxor?

1) Opened in 2003 we are the longest established self catering accommodation in Luxor, we have always strived to be the best with the most options.

2) We have the best reputation, check our Trip Advisor listing, we are the top with over 100 reviews, we are also listed in Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, both the Boston Globe and the Sunday Times have run features on us

3) We offer the most comprehensive facilities with large rooms, beautiful views, ALL bedrooms have a/c, communal facilities like free Wi-Fi, swimming pool, our brilliant chef, Jacuzzi, billiard table, garden, roof terrace, onsite security staff, housekeeping with full Western style bed linen and towels.

4) Resident Egyptologist. Jane Akshar is well known for her love of Egyptology and her blog on Luxor attracts archaeologists from all over the world. Combine that with her library, the books she has written and her studies with Manchester University and you have access to the best Egyptology advice in Luxor. She knows all the sites intimately and loves to share her knowledge with you either informally or with her lectures (which are available online). She can advise about the best places for children, (her kids tours are great fun) or mobility impaired adults or PhD students, she has helped them all.

5) Full Egypt wide service, with our long term partners we can provide the full Egyptian tour service

a. Cairo and the pyramids

b. Alexandria and the library

c. Sailing on the Nile, day trips or full cruises

d. Desert safaris



Flats in Luxor Group is a registered Egyptian company, with an international reputation. Come to the best and have full confidence that your Egyptian holiday will be unique, special, safe and with a reputable company. Stamped receipts are available.

Gazīrat el-Baʿīrāt – Reiseführer und Reiseinformationen auf Wikivoyage

We have been featured on a German Wiki article! 



Gazīrat el-Baʿīrāt – Reiseführer und Reiseinformationen auf Wikivoyage: Flats in Luxor, Mobil: 20 (0)122 415 5057 (Mahmoud Jahlan), (0)100 356 4540 (Jane Akshar), E-Mail: info@flatsinluxor.co.uk. Ferienwohnungen befinden sich hauptsächlich in Theben-West. Mit Swimmingpools und Restaurant auf dem Dach.

Egypt Ranked One Of ‘The Cheapest Countries To Live In’ | Egyptian Streets

Egypt Ranked One Of ‘The Cheapest Countries To Live In’ | Egyptian Streets: The report and figures are based on the costs of groceries (meat, bread, rice, eggs, fruits, vegetables and alcohol), transport (one-way tickets, monthly passes, taxi fares, petrol prices and more), restaurants and utilities (electricity, heating, water and the internet).

Holiday Deals in Luxor | Special Offers for Holidays in Luxor

It is sunshine Saturday and time to book your sunshine holiday.  

Holiday Deals in Luxor | Special Offers for Holidays in Luxor: Earlybird discounts.

Book your 2015 holiday before 31st January and get 15% off OR two weeks for the price of one. Quote EARLYBIRD15