Sonesta Nouba Hotel Aswan

A Nubian village by the water

The Sonesta Nouba is built like a village: low Nubian-style houses set in a garden on the riverbank at Abu el-Rish Qebli, on the east bank. In April 2023 the hotel joined the American group Sonesta, as its third address in Egypt.

The 45 rooms are "Nubian houses", with a queen bed or two single beds. All have a private terrace and a Nile view; the decor uses the warm tones and painted motifs of Nubian villages. The main dining room has brightly coloured domes and arches.

Along its promenade the hotel also keeps a climate-controlled crocodile pond, looked after by Nubians from the neighbourhood. Sonesta presents it as a centuries-old Nubian tradition and a symbol of that culture.

A day at the Nouba

Hotel life is shared between three places. The main dining room serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a Nubian menu and an international one. The open-air Nubian Pergola serves meals at any time of day. The Crocodile Bar, facing the Nile, serves coffee, tea and snacks during the day, then wine and cocktails in the evening, with live music every night.

Between visits, there is the riverside pool, the gym and the steam room. Check-out is at 11 am and check-in from 3 pm, local time.

For groups and celebrations, the hotel arranges moments at Aswan's sites: breakfast on a felucca, dinner served at Philae Temple.

The cost of distance

The hotel is about twenty minutes' drive north of central Aswan and about 7 km from the railway station. The calm has a trade-off: every outing involves a car. The hotel offers a shuttle on request and organised tours, both for a fee. Those who want to stroll along the corniche or through the souk in the evening will prefer a hotel in the centre, such as the Old Cataract.

Sabaro's view

For whom: couples and families looking for a small, quiet address on the Nile; travellers with reduced mobility, with accessible rooms, wheelchairs and a pool hoist.

Strengths: the Nile view from every terrace; the Nubian architecture; a rating of 4.7/5 on Tripadvisor from 144 reviews; the garden and the pool by the water.

Good to know: you need a taxi or the paid shuttle to reach town; some guests mention small bathrooms and unexpected extra charges.

Our advice: book transfers and excursions together with the room, so you know the full cost of the stay.