Guest Book

Salahadeen Restauant

"We really enjoyed the meal, the soups are very good, - all the dishes are very interesting, thanks a lot for a good evening!" Uffe, Berit, Lau & Philip (Denmark) - - dined 13 Feb 2012

Don't Stop Anywhere Else

"We stayed with Mara for two days, one night and could not have chosen better. Her house is beautiful, her staff is fabulous and the attention she gives to your visit is amazing. She provided us with a driver and a plan as we had only a limited amount of time at our disposal. The only disappointment we had was that we had to leave so soon. We were 3 adults and 3 children (10, 7, 4) I highly recommend Mara's House, you will not be disappointed."

Recommend Mara House Hotel

"We were in Egypt for 3 weeks in December 2011 and had 3 nights at Mara House Hotel. I had been to Egypt before 15 years ago on a completely organised trip but wanted to go with my partner this time on our own. Mara could not have been more help to us even before we left England and was able to help with other aspects of the trip not just our time in Luxor.

Our holiday had been 6 months in the planning and was a grand tour of Egypt including Cairo, Western Desert, Sinai, Luxor, Nile Cruise and Aswan all arranged by us via the internet.

As part of our preparation we were constantly contacting Mara for advise and assistance on things to do, sights to see and local customs to be aware of when out and about. The information we received back from Mara was comprehensive and extremely useful as we found out in Cairo.

On arriving at Mara House we were so disappointed to find Mara not there to meet in person and thank, but the polite and helpful Amr more than made up for Mara's absence.

We booked a number of trips in Luxor via Mara including early morning balloon ride (highly recommended by us) followed by West Bank tour and a full day trip to Abydos and Dendara. We paid a greatly reduced price for these trips compared to the tourist operator websites with the balloon ride being almost half price through Mara.

The well stocked mini bar was also refreshingly reasonably priced compared to other places we stayed and the cold beers in the evenings were much appreciated without having to break the bank to pay for them at the end of our stay.

Our breakfasts at the hotel were lovely and the packed breakfasts and lunches we received (as part of the cost of the trips) were excellent and completely removed the need to find somewhere to eat while on the day trips.

Mara was able to arrange for the tour guide for the West Bank to be able to collect us from the end of our balloon trip so saving us time and making it possible to do both things in one day.

As for the hotel, we had extensively researched it via Tripadvisor and Mara's website and it was really lovely inside. Despite knowing it was going to be in a residential area we did initially get a bit of a shock when the taxi pulled up outside as it really is in a back street in a completely non tourist part of the town. If you have not been down a back street in an Egyptian city or town you could be a bit surprised at the location. We had not appreciated what a normal Egyptian residential area was like until we stayed at Mara's but it was all the better for the experience and we were very glad we had not opted for a big hotel in the tourist part of town.

Our room was fantastic and we had paid extra for the suite which was well worth it. We did not feel like we were in a hotel but as if we had our own apartment.

Unfortunately we were too busy to really get to enjoy the suite or the roof terrace. Maybe next time we will arrange for a more relaxed stay with less day trips now that we have done the main attractions.

We timed our walk back into town and Luxor Temple and it took a leisurely 15 minutes only. Once you cross under the train station tunnel you are then in the tourist area and start to get pestered by the hawkers and traders but by then you are only a few minutes from Luxor Temple etc so thats to be expected.

Hassle from hawkers and traders etc is a fact of life in the tourist areas of Luxor and other cities and site areas in Egypt and can be very annoying. We found once we came back across the railway line into the Mara side of town the attention we received was due to the friendliness of the people especially the children and all they wanted was for us to say 'Hello' back to them and shake their hands although they did ask us for pens for them to do their school work with. Bring any pens lying around the house with you as they are a much appreciated handout to the children around Mara's hotel and in other parts of Egypt away from the tourist areas.

We will definitely be doing another Luxor to Aswan cruise in the future and intend on staying at Mara's Hotel again whilst in Luxor. This is not a luxury 5 star hotel but a really lovely place to stay with real personality and was more like staying with friends who were giving you your own time and space than staying in a hotel.

I cannot recommend Mara House Hotel more highly for the independant traveller wanting something different from the sterile tourist hotels."

Ah, Egypt!

"My family and I visited Egypt for eight days during December and had the most wonderful time. We not only stayed at Mara House in Luxor but also Mara's apartment in Cairo. I would highly recommend both if you want to experience a more honest, colourful and friendly Egypt.

I am so very glad we did not opt to stay in hotels because we would not have met the local grocers, bakers, carpenters (who offered my son their toilet when they saw him "dancing" past their shopfront) and the children who always had a smile and greeting for us (especially in Luxor). I truly feel we had a home away from home in both places and that was a relief and a joy after our days out and about, especially in noisy, dirty, fascinating Cairo.

The apartment in Cairo was huge, secure and in an excellent location. We walked to Tahrir Square on New Year's Eve, enticed out the door at 10pm with our two children because of the palpable excitement on the streets (we were watching from the balcony). There was a concert on and we mixed with many families and young people. Not once did we feel unsafe.

We were able to organise airport transfers at the travel office across the road, buy water and supplies at the local supermarket minutes away, walk to Attaba Market, walk to the local's food market and enjoyed shopping on Talaat Harb, also very close by. My children bought icecream and loved getting the popcorn from the street vendors.
We also walked to the Antiquities Museum (about 15 minutes from the apartment) which was one of my favourite parts of the trip. Seeing mummies, statues, scripts and treasures up close, the things previously confined to books and film for me, was truly wonderful and magical. We were close enough to walk to the famous Cafe Riche, described by Economist Magazine as "the café at the heart of revolutionary Cairo."

Our trip out to Giza to see the pyramids and the Sphinx was enriching and we were able to enjoy it because of the advice from Mara about which taxi to hail, how to gain a fair price, and how to ask them to stay and wait for you. The amount of hassle tourists encounter is extraordinary and there is never an obvious path to take. Having some idea before you start helps you keep your wits.

Our day trips to Abydos and Dendera and the West Bank's Valley of the Kings were marvelous and also another favourite for me. Our guide (organised by Mara and her manager Amr) was brilliant and as I delve into my books and watch Egyptian documentaries at home here in Australia I can imagine myself back inside a temple, gazing at Coptic graffiti, hieroglyphics, carved and painted pictures of gods and kings. Incredible.

The kids loved the calesh ride around Luxor and our boat trip on the Nile to Banana Island. I enjoyed trying sheesha, flavoured with rockmelon! The Luxor Temple was just a short walk away and enjoyable to visit.

For authentic meals and a good atmosphere try Sofra Restaurant. We went four times because we enjoyed it so much. Also a short walk from Mara House.

On many occasions I found Egypt to be quite perplexing, At times I hated it and then I would come back to the haven of Mara House, go to bed and wake up and want more. Or we would get hassled and intimidated and then someone would be genuinely nice to us. Or we would try and pause, take in what we were seeing and it was truly indescribable and extraordinary.
Years ago a friend of mine went to mid-Africa and when I used to ask her what Africa was like she would laugh and say, ah, Africa. She loved it but I never understood what she meant. Because a part of her was undecided almost. Now I know. Ah, Egypt!

I found myself trying to follow the rules and gliding along in the chaos, only to apply the same rules in another situation and then offend someone. Ah! Frustrating! And I was never quite sure of the rules for women. Should I barter alongside my husband, take control or defer to him? Who knows. I dressed modestly but wondered if I should have worn a scarf (especially on our walk from the Citadel through Old Cairo) or if that would have been pretentious and over the top.

Mara House's manager Amr was a wonderful guide and companion for my family in Luxor. He was also the one who met us at the front door at 1am (!) in Cairo, showed us around the apartment and gave us our maps and instructions. He was also in Luxor when we arrived there four days later. Amr and his staff did a wonderful job of welcoming us and helping us to get the most out of our trip.

Amr and Karim were just gorgeous with my boys when we were at Mara House. They sat down and drew with them, showed them all the plants on the roof terrace and were always so welcoming and attentive when we would arrive back at Mara House after a day out.

I wish we had more time in Egypt. Next time I want to visit the Red Sea and cruise to Aswan. I would even tackle Cairo again! My nine-year-old son has just said he wants to come back and stay one day. And he said he wants to stay here again because he wants to "see the people again". I thought he'd say the mummies and treasure!

A word of advice for prospective visitors to Egypt. If you are watching media reports about Egypt with apprehension please do not let it stop you from visiting. Email Mara and she will be more than happy to update you, as she did me. I had sent her an email after hearing about more riots in Tahrir and was then sent an email and a link to her blog which had a wonderful account of actual life on the streets as well as accompanying pictures. It put me at ease.

I found the atmosphere in Egypt optimistic yet cautious. People know it will take time for change. They are not euphoric but quietly hopeful. The media for whatever reason does not depict this. On one evening there was a peaceful gathering for the people who had been murdered by the army at Tahrir, with family and friends holding a candle in memory of their loved ones. No confrontation though. No hostility. I am sure it did not make it to the international news feeds.

I also have to disclose something. I write as if I met Mara but she was enjoying a well-earned holiday with family in Ireland. Having said that, I feel like I know Mara and have met her after speaking on the phone, sharing emails and reading about her on these forums!
I would like to think that my family may one day visit Egypt and Mara('s) House(s) again!"