Egypt hotels · Aswan
Aswan Hotels
Where to stay in Aswan – cataract-view balconies over the islands, resorts on their own Nile island, and Nubian guesthouses on the painted west bank – Egypt's gentlest city, booked by our own team.
- Best areas
- Cataract · the islands · Nubia
- Star range
- 3-star to 5-star
- Nights
- 1–2 typical
- Nile view
- Yes, cataract-front
- Airport
- Aswan (ASW)
- Rates
- Net, negotiated direct
The decision
Where to stay in Aswan
Aswan is the softest landing in Egypt – the Nile widens and breaks around black granite islands, the desert comes right to the far bank, and the pace drops the moment you arrive. Where you stay is mostly a choice of view: the cataract from a riverside balcony, an island reached by launch, or a Nubian village across the water.
Cataract & the Nile-front
First-timers who want the famous view
The grand riverside hotels and Nile-front 5-star look over the islands and the rocks where the river narrows. Aswan's signature stay, and its best sunsets over the dunes.
An island in the river
Couples and quiet seekers
Resorts on their own Nile island, reached by a short launch, with the town a two-minute boat ride away. Green, calm and a little removed from everything.
The Nubian west bank
Travelers after color and character
Family-run guesthouses in the painted villages above the river – warm, simple, sociable. For many people it's the part of Aswan they remember most.
Town & the corniche
The budget-minded and early starts
Smaller hotels near the souk, the station and the ferry, handy for a pre-dawn run to Abu Simbel. Value over view, with everything close to hand.
What the stars mean here
Star ratings in Aswan
Egyptian star ratings run a little generous, so here's what each level actually buys you in Aswan.
A clean town hotel near the corniche, or a simple, characterful Nubian guesthouse on the west bank. The basics done well and the warmest welcome on the river.
The comfortable middle: a pool, a riverside terrace and often a cataract or island view for well below the landmark rate.
The historic cataract hotels and the island resorts – full service, balconies over the rocks and the felucca sails, and the rooms worth asking us which ones face the water.
From the collection
Hotels we book in Aswan
A sample of the Aswan hotels we book, from cataract-front 5-star to island resorts and Nubian guesthouses. Tell us your dates and the view you want, and we'll match the room.
Tolip Aswan — 5-star resort on the Corniche El Nile
Tolip Aswan puts you on the Nile’s East Bank, making it a mid-priced resort choice in Aswan. Its Corniche location gives you a base by the river, while suite and family-size room types add options for different trips. The largest room type sleeps four. Some rooms have a balcony or bathtub. Choose Tolip Aswan if you want a Nile-side stay and a five-star hotel without choosing one of the city’s more expensive options.
The Zen Wellness Resort Aswan
The Zen Wellness Resort Aswan is a West Bank choice with Nile-view rooms, away from the East Bank hotel area. Pick it for a quieter base and views of the river or gardens from some rooms. Family-size room types include a villa, and the largest sleeps eight. The resort is one of Aswan’s more expensive hotels, so it suits travelers who value its West Bank setting and room choices over a lower-priced stay.
Aswan: Sonesta Nouba, Movenpick, The Zen Wellness Resort
Sonesta Nouba puts you on the West Bank of the Nile in Aswan, a setting that sets it apart from east-bank hotels. Its rooms have terraces, and you can choose a Nubian House with one queen bed or two twin beds. The hotel is one of Aswan’s more expensive stays. The Nubian Museum, Unfinished Obelisk, and Nile cruise moorings are on the opposite bank, so visiting them means taking a ferry or taxi.
Sofitel Old Cataract, Aswan
Sofitel Old Cataract is a high-end Aswan pick for travelers who want suites with Nile views, handy to the Nubian Museum and Aswan Nile cruise moorings. It has 21 suite types among its 33 room types, including Nile View Suite options. Some rooms have balconies or terraces, and some include a living room. Garden-view rooms and suites are also available. With its suite range and choice of Nile or garden views, it suits travelers looking for more than a standard hotel room.
Pyramisa Isis Island Aswan
Pyramisa Isis Island Aswan is a mid-priced pick for a Nile-side stay on Aswan’s West Bank. It gives you a river setting while keeping you based across the Nile from the Nubian Museum, the cruise moorings and the Unfinished Obelisk. You’ll need a ferry or taxi to reach those East Bank places. Room choices include Nile- and garden-view types, plus family-size rooms and suites. Some rooms have a balcony, bathtub or living room, and the largest room types sleep four.
Obelisk Nile Towers Hotel – Aswan
Obelisk Nile Towers Hotel – Aswan is a good-value pick for an East Bank Nile stay, with river-view rooms. It gives you a riverside base among Aswan’s five-star hotels without the higher price of many in its class. The Aswan Nile cruise moorings are a short walk away. You can choose a Double or Twin Room with a river view, with or without a terrace. The Nubian Museum and Unfinished Obelisk are also nearby.
Obelisk Nile Hotel, Aswan Nile Corniche
Obelisk Nile Hotel – Aswan is a good-value pick for its East Bank setting on Corniche El Nil and Nile-facing rooms. It gives you a river base in Aswan without the higher prices of many local stays. The Aswan Nile cruise moorings are a short walk away, and the Nubian Museum and Unfinished Obelisk are nearby. Room choices include suites with river views, plus rooms with garden, pool, or Nile views. Some room types have a balcony or terrace.
Mövenpick Resort Aswan
Movenpick Resort Aswan puts you on Elephantine Island, surrounded by the Nile. Choose it over Aswan’s city hotels for an island base and rooms with Nile views. The resort has suites, including duplex suites, and family-size room types that sleep up to six. Room views include the river, garden, and pool. The Nubian Museum and Unfinished Obelisk are across the Nile, so plan on a ferry or taxi to reach them.
Gloria Aqua Park - New Aswan
Gloria Aqua Park - New Aswan is a good-value pick in Aswan for travelers who want an aqua park and a West Bank base. Its New Aswan location sets it apart from hotels on the East Bank, while family-size rooms can sleep up to five. Some rooms have balconies, bathtubs, or pool views. The West Bank setting means you’ll need a ferry or taxi to reach the East Bank’s Nile cruise moorings, Nubian Museum, and Unfinished Obelisk.
Basma Executive Club Hotel – Aswan
Basma Executive Club Hotel -Aswan is a mid-priced 5-star choice near the Nubian Museum and Unfinished Obelisk. Its Aswan location gives you a handy base for museum visits and trips to the obelisk. The hotel also sits near the Nile cruise moorings on the Corniche. Room types include suites and a family studio suite. Some rooms have a bathtub or kitchen, giving travelers a choice of useful in-room features.
Basma, Citymax – Aswan
Basma Aswan pairs a spot in front of the Nubian Museum with river-view rooms, a useful base for seeing Aswan. The mid-priced, 4-star hotel has room choices with river, garden, pool, or city views. The Design Suite has a terrace and river view. Some rooms sleep up to three, which can suit a small group. Choose Basma if you want to stay near the museum and have a choice of room views without paying for one of Aswan’s more expensive hotels.
Aswan Plaza Corniche
Aswan Plaza Corniche is a good-value East Bank base on the Nile Corniche, with river-view rooms and suites for travelers who want a more spacious stay in Aswan. Choose from room types that include balconies and living areas, with family-size options for groups of up to four. Its Corniche address puts the hotel near Aswan’s Nile cruise moorings, the Nubian Museum, and the Unfinished Obelisk, making it a practical choice for combining riverside time with city sightseeing.
Hapi Hotel Aswan
Hapi Hotel Aswan is a good-value East Bank base, with Aswan’s Nile cruise moorings a short walk away. It suits travelers who want to keep costs down while staying near the river and handy for exploring Aswan. The Nubian Museum and Unfinished Obelisk are also nearby. Some room types have Nile views, and family-size rooms are available. The largest room sleeps three, making the hotel a better fit for small families than larger groups.
From your door
What you can do from a Aswan hotel
Aswan is the gateway to the Nubian south – the temples on the water, the High Dam, and Abu Simbel a short flight or an early drive beyond.
Philae Temple
The temple of Isis on its island, reached by motor launch – a short half-day and best in the early light.
The High Dam & Lake Nasser
The dam that reshaped modern Egypt and the vast lake behind it, a short drive from the riverside hotels.
Abu Simbel
Ramesses II's colossal rock temple above Lake Nasser – a short flight or an early-morning drive, and worth the start.
A Nubian village & a felucca
The painted west-bank villages and a late-afternoon sail among the islands – the gentle, sociable side of the south.
Day tours
Things to do from your hotel
From an Aswan hotel or a docked cruise ship, the river, the dam and the Nubian villages are all close. Here are the day tours we run from the city, with live starting prices.
- Nubian Village Tour, AswanFrom $68
- Private Felucca Ride on the Nile, AswanFrom $37
- Elephantine Island & Aswan Botanical Garden by Private MotorboatFrom $754 Hours
- Abu Simbel by Road from Aswan (Day Tour)From $1621 Days
- Abu Simbel by Plane from Aswan, Day TourFrom $627
- Aswan to Kom Ombo, Edfu & Luxor – Day TourFrom $3071 Days
- Kom Ombo & Edfu Temples Day Trip from Aswan – Private, Return to AswanFrom $1079 Hours
- Kom Ombo, Edfu & Esna Temples Day Trip from Aswan – Private, Finish in Luxor or AswanFrom $12010 Hours
- Cairo Day Trip from Aswan by Flight – Private, Giza Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian MuseumFrom $86916 Hours
- Aswan: High Dam, Philae Temple & Unfinished Obelisk Day TourFrom $2251 Days
- Aswan High Dam & Unfinished Obelisk, Half-Day TourFrom $73
- Philae Temple Half-Day Tour, AswanFrom $64
- Philae Temple Sound and Light Show, evening excursion from AswanFrom $841 Days
- Kalabsha Temple & Nubian Museum – Private Half-Day Tour in AswanFrom $665 Hours
Before you book
Booking a Aswan hotel, practically
A few things worth knowing before you pick an Aswan hotel.
How many nights
One night covers Philae, the High Dam and a sunset felucca; two lets you add Abu Simbel without a rushed dawn. Many Nile cruises start or finish in Aswan, so your hotel nights may bookend the boat.
Getting in
Aswan airport is about twenty-five minutes from the corniche, and the train from Cairo and Luxor arrives in the center of town. A private transfer meets either and handles the short hop to your hotel or island launch.
Abu Simbel, early
Abu Simbel is three hours by road or a short flight south. Either way it's an early start – we'll tell you whether the flight or the drive suits your nights and your budget.
Island hotels run on launches
The island resorts are reached by the hotel's own boat across a narrow channel, running through the day. Romantic and quiet, but factor the short crossing into late nights and early flights.
Common questions
Aswan hotels, answered
01Where is the best area to stay in Aswan?+
For the view people come for, a cataract-front or Nile-front hotel over the islands. For calm, a resort on its own Nile island reached by launch. For color and character, a Nubian guesthouse on the west bank; for an early Abu Simbel start or a tighter budget, a town hotel near the corniche. We match the area to the view and the pace you want.
02How many nights should I spend in Aswan?+
One night is enough for Philae, the High Dam and a sunset felucca. Add a second to include Abu Simbel at a comfortable pace. Because many Nile cruises begin or end in Aswan, your hotel nights often sit either side of the boat.
03Is it worth staying in a Nubian guesthouse?+
For character over polish, yes – the painted west-bank houses, home cooking and the warmth of the welcome stay with a lot of travelers longer than the 5-star views. We also book the cataract and island hotels; many people do one night of each.
04Can I visit Abu Simbel from my Aswan hotel?+
Yes – Abu Simbel is a short flight or a three-hour drive south, both early starts from Aswan. We arrange the flight or the road trip with a guide and the pickup from your hotel, and advise which fits your nights and budget.
05Do your Aswan hotels include breakfast and transfers?+
Breakfast is included at nearly every Aswan hotel we book, and we confirm it on the quote. Transfers are a simple add – a private meet at the airport or station, and the island-launch crossing where your hotel sits on the water.
Reservations
Find your room in Aswan
Tell us your dates and the view you're after – the cataract, an island, or a Nubian village across the water – and we'll send hand-picked Aswan hotels. Cairo · Luxor · Aswan · Hurghada · Marsa Alam · Sharm El Sheikh, on the ground since 1988.