Inside the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract: A Hotel Review
Inside the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract
A Hotel Review
Historic, mysterious, magical are all words that come to flooding to my mind when I think of the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, Upper Egypt. Like the country it calls home, the Old Cataract Hotel is one of those famous places that certainly lives up to its reputation.
I spent three days and two nights in one of the Sofitel’s Luxury Rooms with a Terrace and felt as though I’d stepped into a dream, back to a romanticized time in the early 20th century when much of Egypt’s ancient mysteries were still being uncovered. Find my full review of the hotel below:
sofitel legend old cataract
The Property
The Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel resides along the banks of the Nile primarily inside a Victorian-era Palace that was originally built for Egypt’s King Fouad. The hotel has long been a popular stay for royals, celebrities and government officials alike. Most famously, hosting renown murder mystery writer, Agatha Christie, and former British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill.
Located so close to the Nile, the Sofitel offered many relaxation and gathering spots throughout the property to highlight its world-class view. My favorite of these was their understatedly elegant Terrace, which also doubles as one of the hotel’s restaurants. It was here, amid the brown whicker chairs and tables, that I most often spent my free time, ardently diving into my Death on the Nile hardcover. The Terrace Staff almost immediately recognized me as an Agatha Christie fan and even went out of their way to seat me at Agatha Christie’s “favorite table” during my stay. I absolutely loved this little corner spot near the balcony where I enjoyed the best high tea that I had in a while and dove further into the murder mystery novel at hand!
sofitel legend old cataract
The Rooms
There are 4 types of rooms along with multiple suite options at The Sofitel Old Cataract Hotel.
- Premium Room
- Luxury Room
- Nile Suite
- Cataract Suite
- Prestige Suite
- Opera Suite
- Sir Winston Churchill Suite
- Agatha Christie Suite
While most of the Rooms and Suites are available in both the hotel’s original Palace building and the newer tower building, some are unique to only a certain part of the property. The Sir Winston Churchill and Agatha Christie Suites, for instance, where both historic figures previously stayed, are only available in the original Palace.
On my visit, I opted for a Luxury Room in the hotel’s tower. My room came equipped with 1 king-size bed, a sitting area, a terrace balcony, a freestanding bathtub and a fantastic Nile river view.
I was very happy with my accommodations and, even though it was in the newer section of the hotel, I felt as though I had stepped back in time to an era when traveling was most certainly more of an extravagance and luxury. The room was even almost the same size as my entire apartment at home. The only main difference was that I was now treated to the most beautiful furnishings, a five-star view and convenient amenities. Because everything was so wonderful, I’m still having trouble deciding on my favorite part of the room!
Right now though, if I had to pick, it’s definitely the large king bedroom. The plush sheets, black out curtains, and controlled reading lights made it hard to not sneak under the covers for a quick read or a light afternoon nap after a long day of exploring in the hot sun.
And although it would have been more of a dream to stay in the historic main building, I was still able to experience it in a big way! The hotel’s staff offer guests daily tours of the Sir Winston Churchill and Agatha Christie Suites***. Now that I’ve seen both first hand, they’re definitely at the top of my bucket list for my inevitable return to Egypt.
***The historic suite tours are complimentary for guests and operate only when the rooms are not otherwise occupied.
sofitel legend old cataract
The Food and Drinks
In addition to in-room dining, the Sofitel offers five different dining experiences:
- The 1902 Restaurant
- The Terrace
- Oriental Kebabgy
- Saraya
- Palms
My favorite meals were those taken on the Terrace and the 1902 Restaurant, both of which are located in the historic Palace building. The high level of culinary detail and creativity against the hotel and restaurants’ beautiful backdrops felt like magic.
The 1902 Restaurant, in particular, was an experience like no other. The menu has changed a bit since my visit, but I still remember being blown away by both an amazing almond crusted shrimp and an extensive wine list.
The 1902 Restaurant also went above and beyond once they learned of my dairy allergy, even going so far as to put my Allergy Translation Card on file after the first visit so that they’d be ready and able to accommodate me again if I dined there during my stay.
sofitel legend old cataract
Hospitality
And as far as hospitality, I also don’t know if I’ve ever stayed at a more gracious and attentive hotel than the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract. My experience was fantastic from start to finish, except for one small mix-up that ended up being rectified in the most jaw-dropping and above-and-beyond way:
On my first night, I ordered a “breakfast box” from in-room dining that I would take with me on my trip to Abu Simbel the next morning. This is fairly common to order while touring Aswan because there’s not much food along the way to the temple and timed road closures require visitors to leave earlier than a hotel’s breakfast buffet would normally be available.
While my breakfast box arrived on time, I quickly noticed that my dairy-free request was not taken in. I was still able to eat around any of the more suspicious-looking foods and wasn’t actually too bothered, but my tour guide insisted on calling the hotel to let them know about the error.
Hospitality is taken very seriously in Egypt, he said. After his phone call, he told me that I’d be taken care of on return and that I should go to the hotel’s concierge.
Once we got back that afternoon, I found the concierge who immediately phoned the hotel’s manager and brought me to the lobby bar. There, the manager offered me a complimentary drink, apologizing for the earlier mix-up. Of course, I let him know everything was totally fine and that I understand – these things definitely happen! But that was not all he was going to tell me. He then let me know that he had closed off the 1902 Restaurant for me that night so that I could have a special dining experience all to myself.
I’d be able to dine in the historic space completely solo and, to top it off, the manager even booked a Lute Musician to come and play for me during my meal! Never in my life had I been so humbled and speechless all at the same time!
The food and experience that night at the Sofitel’s 1902 Restaurant was so wonderful that I even went back to dine again the following night – that time, to experience a more normal evening. Only, my second experience was still not normal at all – and in the best sense.
The chef had prepared the most decadent and special dairy-free dessert that I’ve ever had. Two lemon meringue pastry swans and a pistachio macaron tower topped with fresh strawberries.
sofitel legend old cataract
The Verdict
The Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan is one of my top 5 favorite hotels in the world. From the property to the rooms to the dining to the experiences, it’s truly magical in what every sense of the word.
My only regret is not having booked an even longer stay so that I could spend more time enjoying the hotel and everything it has to offer.
I can’t wait to come back in the future in order to step back in time to the grandeur and extravagance that is the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel.
Sofitel Legend Old Cataract
Aswan, Egypt
Type: Luxury
Price: $$$$
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