Review: Sofitel Winter Palace, Luxor, Egypt Our stay at the Sofitel Winter Palace in Luxor was nothing short of extraordinary. This hotel, a converted 19th-century winter palace, exudes a timeless elegance that transports you to a bygone era. While the term “palace” may evoke images of castles or fairy-tale grandeur, the Winter Palace is instead a magnificent example of refined luxury—a stately, grand residence steeped in history and charm. Location and Grounds Nestled on the banks of the Nile, the property boasts expansive grounds featuring some of the most exquisite gardens we’ve ever seen. These meticulously maintained gardens are a true highlight, creating an oasis of tranquility in the heart of Luxor. Whether strolling among the lush greenery or relaxing by the inviting pool, we found the outdoor spaces to be a perfect complement to the hotel’s regal interiors. Timeless Elegance The Sofitel Winter Palace retains much of its late 19th- and early 20th-century character, making it a visual delight. The hotel’s interiors are filled with elegant touches: opulent chandeliers, richly crafted furniture, and intimate, atmospheric spaces. The bar, with its dark wood and leather furnishings, evokes the era of the British Empire, offering a warm and nostalgic ambiance. The vast salon area—a grand room reminiscent of a scene from Downton Abbey—is a place where you want to linger, read, or simply soak in the history. Nearly every corner of the hotel invites you to stop and take a photo, capturing its timeless beauty. Accommodations and Dining Our room, overlooking the Nile, was equally charming, blending classic design with modern comforts. The sunsets over the river were magical, and we spent our evenings on the front veranda, enjoying drinks and watching the day fade away. The hotel features a highly regarded French-style restaurant with a formal dress code, which we regrettably did not have the opportunity to try.

Great hotel in a fabulous location and full of history. Lovely room with balcony, staff so kind and helpful. Breakfast was excellent with so much choice. The swimming pool area was a great place to spend time and again staff so helpful. The view from our rooms was exceptional - looking across the Nile to the hills beyond. Also very central for the temples and Valley of The Kings.

I don’t usually write anything here but this is a note to other travellers. The minibar does not work like any other hotel we have ever been to - they do NOT stock it or apparently take note of what you have used! We certainly did not realise this until paying the final bill and making the assumption items used had been added. Unfortunately the receptionist was not too kindly when the error was discovered. It would be great if the hotel made this more obvious than it was - unfortunate end to a fab stay.

The Old Winter Palace (don't confuse with the new one!) is a grand old colonial-era hotel in a perfect location along the Nile Corniche. The place drips with history and has a variety of restaurants and bars in which to relax. The gardens are beautifully maintained and very pleasant to wonder through. Staff were brilliant, hands down.

The Nile-facing rooms can be a bit noisy, but the sturdy old windows do a good job shutting out the hustle and bustle. Disappointing to see peacocks caged rather than free to wonder the gardens.

Our stay was absolutely amazing! The place was absolutely magical because of its location and staff. Breakfast was the best part of the day. Staff were so hospitable and pleasant. Geniunly 5 stars service! We checked in to our 1st room which had some issues with the bathroom. I contacted the onsite manager and they were super fast and efficient to change our room to a better one with an even better view. When we moved to the new room we found a fruit basket with an apology letter on the table. Overall it was one of the best hotel experiences we've ever had. Defiantly coming back next year!

The hotel has its charm and is in a beautiful location. It lacks amenities of a luxury hotel but a good place to stay for a night.

Facilities like a gym were missing. The bathroom floor would flood due to an issue with the bathtub. While checking out, informed the reception so they could fix it for the next guest. The response was not apologetic but rather 'you should have told us before and we would have fixed it'. Staff needs a bit more training.

Stayed in the historic main building, which for the most part does preserve the elegance and charm of a bygone era. Our room was spacious with high ceilings and a great view over the Nile. Nice breakfasts in an elegant setting. Beautifully peaceful, well kept gardens.

No separate shower - only a shower head in the bath. The historic front room directly overlooks the main road along the Corniche so you can hear the noisy traffic. The pool area does not seem to fit the ethos of the main old building: it's like the pools in many modern family resorts. The hotel is expensive given these drawbacks.

Location, garden and atmosphere of the hotel, wonderful staff (Mr Rashid and Mr Mohammad Ali were very helpful and kind). An exceptional palace hotel which itself is an historical monument

Breakfast location: La corniche: restaurant till midnight breakfast hall starting 5.30, some details about hygiene are missed. Fryer stand is nearly in the middle of the hall, no aspirator hood exists. Smell of burned oil reaches to the rooms at the second floor and it was very heavy at the breakfast hall. Restaurants in the hotel are expensive with respect to the ones in Luxor, however have much lower price with respect to the restaurants with the same quality in Europe or USA.

Location is central. Historic building with amazing garden (trees, flamingos, pool etc). All furniture and decoration moves you to the old days) everything was comfortable, however you should be ready for old and a bit dusty facilities. Old Cataract in Aswan is the same age but looks much modern and luxury. Breakfast is good in a nice place.

Staff is attending and approachable. However we had an issue with minibar when check out… was asked to pay for something we did not take (be careful), then it always solved but nobody even excused. you do not expect it in such a hotel(

Loved the nostalgia of the hotel and the service is impeccable. WiFi was fantastic so if you do need to work there is no issue connecting with anyone. We will visit again.

Nothing to point out. The service is great. My tip is if you want to buy local clothing or a souvenir then visit the shops underneath the hotel terrace. Hassle free shopping with wonderful staff. The ATMs all work really well so my advice would be to get Egyptian Pounds out. 4K EPs seemed to cause no issues. 7K EPs wouldn't go through.

Fabulous colonial British culture celebrated here. Carter Carnarvon Noel Coward have all visited. Very comfortable. Top quality food. Staff are top quality at all levels. All this set in botanical gardens and late Victorian grandeur. Do not miss it if you're Luxor.

Pool area is fab. Problem is the recently added Pavillion annexe means it can be a bit crowded at peak times.