Luxurious Luxor

Under its ancient name of Thebes, I feel as if I've known it for a very long time. Since the age of eleven, courtesy of a brilliant classics teacher, I've held a fascination about this place which had a highly developed culture and civilisation three thousand years before the Battle of Hastings.

Modern Luxor is a fascinating blend of living history, modern bustle, and state-of-the-art facilities.

The journey there is not much more than Spain; at about five and a half hours from Manchester it doesn't feel a much longer trip. Given the rising prices and falling service standards in some traditional Spanish destinations, I can see massive competition coming from Egyptian resorts. Our Britannia flight left Manchester at 9.35 in the morning, and, allowing for the M62 first thing in the day, we decided to stay the night before at the Manchester Airport Hilton. (In the next travel column I'll be looking at their facilities in detail and the advantages of stay and fly programmes before your holiday.)

This worked very well with time to check in and browse duty free before boarding. The flight time passed very quickly with individual headphones and a good programme of British TV and films to enjoy. Sensibly, in these DVT conscious days, the cabin crew encourage passengers to have a leg stretch, and, even on medium haul, that makes real sense.

Entering the country at Luxor Airport is pretty slick: one queue to buy a £10 (sterling) entry visa, and a quick trot through passports and customs.

The flight arrives at about 5 pm Egyptian time (which is two hours ahead of the UK) and that's just about ideal. It's only about fifteen minutes to the hotel via a pleasant drive along the Corniche on the East Bank of the Nile. It seems odd to pass the floodlit Luxor Temple and see the locals walking by without a glance. Then again, I suppose many residents of Durham City pass their cathedral every day and take it for granted!

One tip is to try to take some small denomination Egyptian currency with you as a small tip is expected for moving bags and the rest. An Egyptian pound is the usual tip for such a service, and that's only about 15p currently. Carrying a ready supply is a tiny price to pay for the excellent service which you'll come to enjoy.

We stayed at Le Meridien's new hotel here (only opened in Autumn 2002) and it's a superbly designed five star delight. I'll keep you in suspense for the extra delight, its prices, a little later. The modern name Luxor is probably derived from the Arabic Al Uxor, the city of palaces, and Le Meridien is a real palace to add to the list. The rooms are large and of a very high quality and, not always the case even in five star properties, they've clearly worked hard to anticipate visitor needs. Among other things in-room are air conditioning, a big bathroom, a safe, and multi-channel TV include three English language news channels. If you need to keep in touch with home, there's cheap in-room internet access via your laptop or by using the hotel's own computers in their excellent business centre at (get this and weep UK users) only £2 per hour.

The biggest treat in our room was the balcony looking over the Nile to the West Bank. It was beautiful to watch the feluccas (boats no different to the time of the pharaohs) going up and down the river in company with the modern Nile cruise ships. The moment which is worth the trip by itself is the six'o'clock session, sitting on your own balcony, glass in hand, watching the sun set over the Nile. It sinks down below the mountains guarding the Valley of the Kings, then the rich Nile-nourished farm land on the West Bank, and then, timelessly, across the great river itself.

Complementing all the practical goodies of this hotel are a superb staff who could act as a role model for the trade all over the world. They strike a perfect balance of always being helpful without being intrusive. During my trip, I met the General Manager of the hotel, Mr Hossam El Ammrousy, who told me that 3,000 people had applied for the 220 jobs at the new hotel. With careful selection and excellent training, they really have created a dream team.

In the centre of the hotel is a huge courtyard featuring a range of restaurants, cafes and shops. My favourite was their Lebanese restaurant, El Tarboush, which provided a beautifully served dinner for two, with drinks, at way under £20 sterling. For a dinner of that quality in a five star hotel in London, you can probably add at least £100 to the bill. Top attraction for me, and my mouth waters to remember it, was perfectly grilled sea bass, fresh from the Red Sea, at about a fiver! See more of the hotel on www.lemeridien.com

Very close to the hotel are the magical temples at Luxor and Karnak. The sheer scale defies belief, and it's really inspiring to stand silent here and ponder what has happened over many centuries on the ground beneath your feet. You must not miss the Sound and Light Show at Karnak (see last week's column) for a brilliant piece of theatre with a unique setting. The choreography of floodlighting and high quality sound is really memorable, and the time scale is a powerful reminder of our own brief time on the planet.

A little farther afield, but only about thirty minutes drive, is the Valley of the Kings. It's very reasonable (about £10 UK) to hire a driver for the day and really see the area. Take a hat because even in January it's 85 F plus, and the heat bounces off the desert rocks. A ticket into the Valley (including visiting three tombs) costs 20 Egyptian (about 3 English) pounds, while a separate ticket to the tomb of Tutankhamun costs 40 (around £6). Words or pictures can't do justice to what it's like to simply be there, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Near ancient sites, or in the town centre, you will meet a lot of commercially minded Egyptians and their priceless sense of humour. Treat it not as hassle, but as entertaining banter, and it becomes part of the experience. You can try shaking your head or chanting "la shockra" (no thank you) but these guys are brilliant at getting you into a conversation. One exchange was unbelievable but true.

A shop owner wanted me to come into his shop, but I resisted, lying that we were late to meet friends. After my one sentence, he asked if I was from Newcastle!

"No," I said, " a bit south."

"Sunderland?" he enquired.

"Certainly not" I replied, "Hartlepool."

"Ah" he said, "top of the Third Division."

Obviously, I felt duty bound to see his shop then, and buy something I didn't need.

The shops, even in the old souks (markets) have a similar international language of sales technique. One old pottery shop, which probably looked pretty much the same thousands of years ago, proudly proclaimed "Asda price cheap as chips."

Getting around the place is very easy and cheap: it feels very safe too with conspicuous tourism police everywhere. Walking is pleasant, with jaw-dropping views at every turn, and there is a constant supply of taxis and kaliches (horse drawn carriages).

Above all, literally, is one treat which I beg you to take. How do you fancy soaring like an eagle in a hot air balloon?

The Magic Horizon people will pick you up very early in the morning and take you along to the banks of the Nile where a felucca will take you across to the West Bank. You are then transported into the desert to see the magnificent sight of a huge bright red balloon against the night sky. After a safety briefing, you're off for a trip you will never ever forget. Can you imagine the feeling of watching the dawn break over the Egyptian desert and the Valley of the Kings? Even the mighty pharaohs with all their wealth could not buy this view.

It was my first balloon trip and I can tell you that it's nothing like a plane. It's totally silent and serene. Passing over small farms, the children come out to wave and shout, and they are so clearly audible. A little higher, at about 1,000 feet, there's a graphic reminder of the importance of the Nile to this country ancient and modern. Cutting through the harsh dry desert is the fertile strip fed and watered by the river which brings its water hundreds of miles through Northern Africa.

Our highly skilled pilot was entertaining too, and the hour's flight was a joy from beginning to end. Don't miss the balloon ride when you go to Luxor. More on www.magic-horizon.com

I did promise to keep one treat for the end and it's the price of your trip. Thomson Holidays offer packages to Le Meridien in Luxor, flying Britannia from either Manchester, as I did, or Gatwick. Now remember this includes flights, transfers, and b&b in that fabulous five star hotel. Prices start from £569 per person for seven nights or £845 for fourteen nights. For reservations, or brochures, call 08702 413 157 or visit www.Thomson.co.uk

You'll gather that I was impressed. It's a champagne holiday at beer prices and absolutely unmissable.

Published: 24/01/2003