What a lovely place - one of the best places I stayed at in 3 weeks travelling Egypt. Although the owner was not there when I stayed, he was still 10x more present and helpful than most hostel owners I encountered. He promptly answered any questions I had via whatsapp from before I arrived to the moment I left, so that I never felt out of my depth or without a clue. And when I arrived late at night there were staff members to help me who spoke English. As a solo female traveller, details like this are very important, especially when you're travelling a little off the beaten path to more rural areas. The hostel offers a really great priced day tour to a number of the sights with a private driver, who was a really cool guy though he didn't speak English. Entry prices are not included for some of the stops though most of them are free. It was honestly one of the most comfortable, great value and beautiful days I experienced in all of Egypt. The location is great, right in the town and practically next door to the beautiful, swirly stoned Shali Fortress which you can visit at any time. Convenience stores, restaurants, souvenir shops etc all on your doorstep. The hostel is made up of 2 apartments facing each other on the first floor. I stayed in the apartment with 2 rooms, each with 2 beds. There was only one other guest the entire time I was there so I had my own room which was great. There is also a washing machine in one of the bathrooms so you can do your laundry anytime and my room had a balcony with a drying rack.

Like everywhere in Egypt, double glazed windows is not the norm and so the noise of the street outside can be heard in all the rooms. However, they let me move into the other apartment which faces the backyard and was slightly more quiet. All in all, Siwa was a standout part of my trip and Al Manara was a big reason why. It was worth the 11 hour journey to and from Cairo each way (!) for only a 2 night and one full day stay! No scamming, no hassle, no problems - just a great day out taking in the beauty of Siwa.

Really pleasant stay at this hostel. Great location moments away from shops, shali fortress, restaurants, very affordable, really helpful staff who are generous with sharing their meals, information and opportunities for exploration and tours. Comfortable double beds. I’m so glad I was able to meet some super nice fellow travellers here to explore and spend time with. I think it would be hard to do so at any other accommodation in siwa. It made my stay in siwa so much more fun. All that being said remember it is an affordable, basic hostel so keep your expectations in check.

You can use the kitchen but I wasn’t able to figure out how to turn the old stove on. Some instructions around that would be helpful. Minor note during an otherwise comfortable, joyful stay.

A huge bed with a cozy and comfortable mattress. Very warm comfortable in the room, fluffly and comfortable blankets. An amazing host there, Abdallah, ready to help you around any time. Breakfast changes from day to day and I enjoyed that. Good working shower, you have also the shower at the toilet. There is hot water, soap, toilet paper, great wifi. It is located right in the heart of Siwa.

It looks a bit old fashion, but once you meet Abdallah with his great big heart and willingness to help, you calm down and you get happy. Also, the place is tidy up, more important than style. It is right near the busy city center, the advantage of being close to the fortress, the shops and the restaurants, the disadvantage is that it can be noise all the time from the traffic, also the second night for me, they did some excavations until 2am.

This hostel is located in the busy centre of Siwa very close to Shali Fortress and other attractions close by, lots of good restaurants, and lots of shops for snacks, groceries etc. The hostel itself feels more like a hotel, the rooms are very spacious, with only 2 beds in each room (perfect to get a good night sleep), beds are very comfortable, showers and toilets were always clean, with very nice showers and good water pressure! The owner Abdalla is one of the best persons you'll meet! He's very honest and treats everyone like friends!

Nothing really! All was good!

The owner Abdalla is an excellent host who takes pride in his hostel and is very enthusiastic about what he does. The hostel is an excellent place to meet other people from various parts of the world and experience a genuine cultural exchange. We were also privileged to meet Abdalla's friends who included us in their conversations (and even invited us to share their home-cooked meal), and the tasty traditional teas prepared by one of the friends were the best I ever tasted! It felt like we were staying with a group of friends! The budget rooms are basic, but very clean - beds were comfortable, linen and towels were super clean, complimentary WiFi was the fastest and most reliable during the entire trip. Included breakfast is freshly cooked by the owner himself and is served at the communal table in the common area. Also, the owner kindly offered us transportation from the bus station, but we walked because this place is easy to find along the main road. If you enjoy the sunset - the hostel is a short walking distance from the Shali fortress, and also there are plenty of local eateries in the town center which makes your experience authentic.

We found ear plugs helpful to block the traffic noise and sleep better - after all, you you are in the center of the real Siwa town, and noise and traffic is a part of local life in this area.

The place is well located, the rooms and the beds are big, I had AC on my room. It was truly comfortable. The location is ideal because you walk everywhere, you get tuk tuk right in front of the door. The managers/ owners have organized tours if you like or you design your own tour with the “house driver “ who is a “Habibi”!! ( He went to pick me up, on his own iniciativa, when he realized an outside tuk tuk driver had left me in a place. I highly recomend the Hostel!

This is by far the best hostel I’ve ever stayed in, simplicity makes it GREAT, Abdalla is the best host ever, he will prepare delicious breakfast for you every morning or share his own food with you, he’s always there to help and assist, if you have any questions or need something do not hesitate to ask him, I slept like a baby every night, there’s AC, fan, balcony, well illuminated room, washer machine, it has the best location in Siwa, I met great people there, 100 out of 100 for sure, thank you Abdalla for being so kind !!

Having to leave Siwa was the worst part

The hotel is located in a very good area in Siwa, close to restaurants, shops, bike rentals and everything else ones need. The room was clean and beds very comfortable. The manager is very nice and helpful, and communication is good with him.

The shared bathroom was not clean in the 3 days that we’ve been there. Breakfast is half an egg, bread and a spoon of jam.

Abdou is such a kind person, we did two different tours with him by tuk tuk, to the desert at sunset and to the salty lakes. Everything was incredible. Accomodation is comfortable and clean, Siwa is very dusty and he makes sure to clean the property all the time.

Nothing…sleepy with ear plugs and was fine. Street is noisy but it’s not the property fault.

Abdallah is the best host, he is so friendly and makes sure everything you want or need is organized for you. He even joined us to watch the sunset on top of the Shali fortress which is literally 3 min walk away. The location is just perfect for accessibility around town and to see everything you need to in Siwa. They have working A/C and fans so you can escape the unbearable heat outside. Beds were big and comfy. We enjoyed lovely local siwi tea with Abdallah and some other guests. It was perfect stay. Thank you Al Manara. ❤️

Nothing not to like.