Gardens and Nile from the main block

Three things are immediately noticeable about this hotel.

The first and most obvious is its size. At 28 acres and nearly 500 rooms, this hotel is the biggest in Luxor by a long way. It is almost as big as the Sonesta and Nile Palace put together. This links with the second thing. It is busy. Very busy. There always seems to be something going on; people coming and going; suitcases in reception. The front part of the reception area sometimes feels more akin to a bus station than a hotel. In a word, the third thing is 'shops'. The hotel has shops built into its outside frontage, shops inside and shops all down the edge of the gardens, almost to the Nile.

These things are neither good nor bad in themselves, but they mark the character of the hotel. It is a character you will either like or dislike. If you want a quiet reception area where you can sit with a newspaper and relax; if you want to wonder around the hotel grounds without being reminded of souvenir shopping, then you may not feel comfortable at the Isis. On the other hand, if you prefer the bustle of London to the quietness of of the moors; if you like the idea of popping from the pool to the shop without leaving the hotel, then you may be attracted to the Isis.

Pyramisa Isis hotel

An advantage of its size is that there is variety. There are many types of room, varying by outlook and by size, including interconnecting rooms and four different kinds of suites. Long carpeted corridors lead to the rooms, which are reasonably spacious, well-equipped and usually clean. Some rooms have been smartened up but most are still a little tired.

The cheaper rooms have a city view, which means they overlook the road at the front which is busy and rather noisy. For a bit extra you can look over the gardens and pool towards the Nile. Nile-facing rooms in the main block have a narrow panorama because the two hotel wings get in the way. Most of the rooms at the Nile end of the wings have broader oblique views of the river. At the top end some of the suites have much more internal space and panoramic views, although if you are upgrading to that extent you may also wish to consider one of the more highly acclaimed hotels nearby.

Lotus restaurant

The main restaurant is the Lotus, which opens unusually early at 5am. The Lotus serves breakfast as well as local and international lunches and dinners. Most of the meals are buffet although à la carte is available when the buffet is closed. Breakfasts are OK but the food for other meals does not have the best reputation is town, lacking in quality and variety. Most people who know the Isis recommend b&b and to eat outside. Alternative restaurants at the Isis are La Terrazza, an Italian restaurant and pizzeria, which is open from 11am , and the Pink Panda, serving a Chinese and Asian menu from 6pm.

Drinks and snacks are available from the Lounge bar in the main building and the Yashmak, a coffee bar by the pool with a swim-up bar. Drinks are also served in the tented Badea from 3pm and the Abu Nawas lobby bar from 9pm until 2am, where there is sometimes live entertainment.

Other amenities include health and beauty treatments, but these are limited and do not include a proper gym. The two pools are said in the hotel literature to be heated, but only the smaller one has heating in winter and although described as a children's pool it is 3'6" deep at one end. It is fine for older children, but it is not as ideal for younger children or toddlers as the facilities at the Jolie Ville, for example.

When preparing reviews of hotels we take into account feedback from previous visitors reported to us, to travel companies and to hotel agencies. Visitor feedback is very mixed. As with any hotel, some people return many times and recommend it. Many who have not stayed at other Luxor hotels report that the Isis is fine. Most who have stayed at the Isis and other 4 or 5 star hotels usually recommend the alternative.

Because of its relative lack of favour, you can sometimes get a good deal at the Isis. In particular, larger groups and families find the junior suites spacious and convenient: and cheaper than booking two separate double rooms. That doesn't make the food or the 'busy' feeling any better, but if you can get a good deal, especially if one of the suites is right for the kind of group you are in, then it is worth considering the Isis on a bed & breakfast basis. If you are booking as a single person or for two people, and want a traditional single or double room, then unless you can get a very good deal indeed, we think you would be better off at one of the other hotels within a few hundred yards of the Isis. For an idea of the other hotels in the immediate area, have a look at the map of the southern part of Luxor.