Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel I have very fond memories of my stay at the renowned Sofitel Legend Old Cataract located in Aswan, Egypt. It was November 2022 and on a whim I had travelled alone all the way to Egypt from Canada. The famous pyramids of Giza were not only really high on my bucket list but had been on my list since I was a young child. I blame that carpet ride scene from Disney's Aladdin for that. After arriving in Cairo, I completed the tourist pilgrimage to the pyramids in Giza which was nothing short of amazing. I then found myself realizing that I still had a few days to burn till my return flight home and hadn't put much thought into what I'd do after seeing the pyramids.
So there I was with no plan, feeling lost but high on life because of the successful outing. Once I got back to my hotel in Cairo, and the high dissipated I got to work planning where and what I'd do next. Looking back at it now, I didn't realize the major part the Nile river would play in shaping my entire trip as I would inadvertently follow it south.
My journey south lead me to the city of Aswan. A bustling city, where the smells of spices filled the air and the streets were full of coordinated chaos of a normal Egyptian day. After some research I found that Aswan was a close enough city to stay in to be able to visit the less visited site Abu-Simbel even more to the south (pictured below). A quick search on Booking.com revealed countless great reviews on the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract so without hesitation I made a reservation and was off to the hotel.
I arrived at the gates of the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract just as the sun had said goodbye for the day. I quickly went through the security check they had there. Almost felt like the second my bag came through the airport style luggage detector that I was promptly greeted by a bell boy, who had a cart waiting to drive me to the front lobby. Once my bags were loaded on the cart, the drive began. This short trip from the gate to the front lobby gave me a chance to take in the real beauty of this hotel. Even at night it was an astonishing site. Gardens and trees were gleaming with life as they were lit up by lights. I remember thinking to myself "oh damn this is nice".
My driver dropped me off at the lobby and I was greeted by the welcoming staff, who poured a welcome drink and told me to relax in one of many plush couches located there. As I relaxed and waited to be checked in I could feel history radiating from the walls. Believe me when I say, everything seemed aged to perfection.
Next thing I knew, a bell boy had come to retrieve me and bring me to my room. Along the way he gave me a quick rundown of the premises. We crossed the courtyard and I had a chance to view even more gardens, beautiful pools and fountains that lined the walk. Once at my building, we took an elevator up to my "King Room with the Nile View". Boy did this not disappoint as the bell boy pushed the door opened. Usually I'm not too impressed by hotel rooms as how much time are you really going to spend in a room but after a long day of travelling it was a delightful thought knowing I would be laying my head down here.
There were welcome treats which didn't last long and just lead me to ordering more food off of the room service menu. This room had a gorgeous marble bathroom which I took full advantage of in my time there. I'm usually not a tub kinda guy but decided I would be here. There were many high end complimentary bottles of lotions and fragrances which I opened to smell and put on my body. Seemed fitting to don the comfy bath robe as I moved about the room. After I was feeling completely pampered, I flipped through local Egyptian TV stations before resigning for the night.
I awoke to the sunlight peaking through the black out curtains that I had forgotten to fully close before my slumber. After gathering myself, I opened the curtains to reveal a spectacular view of the Nile river below. To think that for centuries this body of water had been the life line of so many great civilizations in history. The likes of Cleopatra and Alexander the Great once gazed upon these exact waters.
After taking in all the beauty sunrise bestows on landscapes each morning, I went down to get breakfast which is held in the hotels restaurant called 1902. The smells of fresh bread, fruits and coffee filled the Arabian dinning hall. Did I ever get my fill in there. Food was beyond delicious at breakfast and later again at dinner.
I began exploring the courtyard and the halls of the hotel now that the sunlight was on my side. Many framed pictures of famous celebrities and royalty graced the wing I stumbled onto. A manager happened to be walking by and noticed that I was just wandering and he gave me a unprompted tour of this wing. It was here that I discovered the rich history of the building and that a famous book, "Death on the Nile" by Agatha Christie was written within these walls many decades prior.
As I explored every corner of this historical building. I came across the spa area which looked like it had been crafted with such elegance only the purest of heart could enter. It had one of the most visually appealing pools I think I've ever seen in real life, so naturally I had to take a picture of it. If my stay could have been a bit longer, I would have definitely taken some time to enjoy the spa there.
Overall my experience at the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract was one that will undoubtably never be forgotten. From the abeyance, to the staff, to the food, to the views, it all came together nicely in such a way that made the place feel like much more than just a hotel. It felt like with each passing second I was living inside an experience, inside history. - MOG