Toilets

Hotels

Toilets in the major tourist hotels in Luxor are western and efficient. There is no need to use a paper bin (as there is in some mediterranean countries).

Public toilets

There are decent public toilets close to the El Kababgy and Metropolitan restaurants on the lower corniche opposite the Winter Palace. These toilets are owned by the local authority but are maintained by the restaurants.

The Savoy Centre near the El Luxor (ex Mercure) hotel has toilets on all floors that are fairly well maintained but not as good as they used to be. They are useable if you need them.

Most other public toilets in the town are designed and cleaned to local standards and are best avoided.

Restaurants

McDonald's has a reasonable toilet on the top floor of their restaurant behind Luxor temple. Snacktime has excellent toilets on the first floor. Most other good restaurants have toilets that are at least acceptable, some excellent. The exceptions are 'garden restaurants' such as Hamees and Sindbad, which have very basic facilities that are best avoided.

Visiting hotels

You are not usually far from a good tourist hotel, most of which have facilities in the lobby, so if the need arises, visit one of these.

Tourist sites

When you are out and about, toilets at some of the tourist sites can be a bit grim and there is often someone outside trying to sell tissue paper for LE1 or LE2. Make sure you have tissue with you when you go away from the tourist hotels and take some anti-bacterial gel in case there are no satisfactory hand washing facilities.

In the shopping area at Karnak temple there are usually men outside the doors of the ladies and the gents, asking for money before you go in. We do not know if these are official or just opportunists. They do not just want the normal LE1 or LE2, but often ask for the equivalent of LE20, in any currency. If you say you have not got the money, they have been known to go through people's bags. When we go to Karnak, we get someone else to hold any bags, go empty handed, refuse to give money, and get away with it. It is a little brazen, but their behaviour is worse! An alternative is to go to the nearby restaurant for a drink and use the facilities there.

Updated April 2010