Water bugs all over the bathroom was a complete turn-off. I thought of changing hotels but I stayed as they agreed to spray to kill the bugs ....... This was at the Gezira Hotel, not the Gezira Garden hotel.

Please ensure you stay at the El Gezira GARDENS hotel, as there also is a "El Gezira Hotel" a few blocks away, and thats a dump. I was really surprised once I entered the hotel inner garden area and pool area after seeing a small entrance on a dirt road. I had a FANTASTIC time there. Its like coming home to an oasis after a busy day sightseeing and fighting off Luxor touts. The ferry between west and east bank is a short walk away. Take the LOCAL ferry for only ONE pound, instead of being convinced by the touts to take their little white boats across...trust me, it wont cost "only 5pounds, Sir" by the time you get across. You can also have a "Full Board" option, that includes all meals. The pool is fantatstic and well maintained. I highly recommend this little hotel.

We had booked Al Gezira Garden hotel over the net after seeing all the good reviews that it had got.But we were sorely disappointed. In spite of booking about 3 months in advance and reconfirming 7 days before, they were unable to give us the type of room that we had booked. After making us wait in the reception area for quite some time, they took us to an adjacent building outside the hotel boundary and allotted us a room in the first floor with the bathroom in the ground floor. In spite of booking an AC room with attached bath, we found ourselves in a room where the AC was broken and the ceiling fan was moving at a speed where we could count its blades. With such a poor state of affairs we decided to move out and find ourselves some other accommodation. As we tried to come out of the building we found to our utter astonishment that the main gate of the building was locked from outside. We shouted for help at the top of our voice upon which an employee of the hotel came and opened the lock without giving any explanation whatsoever as to why they had locked us inside. We immediately collected our passport from the reception and left the hotel.It was a fearful experience in a foreign country.

Seems there is a mix of reviews for two sister properties - el gezira gardens (right at the bank of the Nile a bit south of the ferry docks) and el gezira hotel (about 2 blocks into town down a side street). They are somehow connected but different places - so be sure to read the reviews for the place you intend to stay. We stayed at el gezira hotel and had a big ground level room with a balcony facing the garden/lake behind the hotel. it was extremely quiet - not only the hotel but all of the west bank. the location is good for easily reaching the sights as most are on the west bank. Also, the public ferry to reach the livelier east bank is both cheap and frequent.

Watch the prices - we had them arrange an airport transfer since we were first arriving in luxor and didn't want to start the trip hassling with taxi drivers. Their price was 120LE - which seemed reasonable seeing it is such a long drive around the south bridge. Asking around the real price is 80-100LE, which is fair enough they make some commission for their work. Just be aware you are paying for that service and could probably do better just going to a taxi driver.

Also, on the return we stayed at Boomerang on the east bank (separate review). A bit smaller and cheaper room but more central and easier for transport (train and airport).