I’ve finally gathered reviews and comments about Mara House and our Salahadeen Restaurant here on my own website. There aren’t many for Salahadeen, as it’s been open only to Mara House guests for years and TripAdvisor has since removed those reviews. These come from TripAdvisor, Google Maps, guest blogs, letters, and other kind words shared over time. Some are missing, as I hadn’t realized TripAdvisor began deleting reviews from tour guests who did their tours with us but who didn’t stay at Mara House. I hope these words give you a true sense of who we are and what Mara House is all about. Enjoy, Mara
471 entries.
Truly, it WAS the trip of a lifetime and Mara arranged everything for us. First off, I'd been talking with Mara online for years and while I hadn't committed to booking with her, I did have tons of questions about visiting Egypt. Mara was great, answering all that I had to ask. Finally, I was ready and booked with Mara for 2019 February.
We were greeted at the airport by Ahmed and whisked through Cairo to our hotel for check in. Ahmed was there in the morning and he remained on call for our entire trip and encouraged us to call him with any needs. He really came through for us. That first morning he introduced us to our guide Heder and driver Mohamed. The four of us were together all week and just had a blast. We started with the step pyramid, the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid. By the end of the week, we had seen the Giza Plateau, The Egyptian Museum, the Gayer Anderson house, Medieval Cairo, Coptic Cairo and Islamic Cairo. All while under Mara's invisible guidance and "umbrella'' of service. We were safe and well cared for.
At the end of our first week, we flew down to Luxor and stayed with Mara for a night, where we met Amr and his staff. We were we introduced to some home cooking and hospitality, par excellence.
We then transferred to a luxury cruise ship for the next four days, with a new guide and he really knew his stuff just as well as did Heder in Cairo. The cruise included the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, Abydos and Dendera. Wonderful cruise ship and excellent staff, and fabulous temples...what's not to love?
We spent the last couple days of our vacation just hanging out at Mara House relaxing. She arranged day trips for us and took care of all the details. While I appreciated the food at the hotel in Cairo and on the cruise ship, I'd rather have Amr's cooking at Mara house anytime. He sent us off each morning with coffee and a huge breakfast. In the evenings, we had a great dinner each night. Don't get me started on the Saladin Feast. It's so good and it's huge.
Do yourself a favor and go visit Egypt. The people are warm and welcoming. I can't tell you how many amazing people we met in our two weeks there. Trust Mara and her staff to know their business and they will take care of all the details, You just show up and enjoy your trip of a lifetime.
S Robin USA Traveled with family Feb 2019. 9 night Egypt Package Reviewed on TripAdvisor
We were greeted at the airport by Ahmed and whisked through Cairo to our hotel for check in. Ahmed was there in the morning and he remained on call for our entire trip and encouraged us to call him with any needs. He really came through for us. That first morning he introduced us to our guide Heder and driver Mohamed. The four of us were together all week and just had a blast. We started with the step pyramid, the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid. By the end of the week, we had seen the Giza Plateau, The Egyptian Museum, the Gayer Anderson house, Medieval Cairo, Coptic Cairo and Islamic Cairo. All while under Mara's invisible guidance and "umbrella'' of service. We were safe and well cared for.
At the end of our first week, we flew down to Luxor and stayed with Mara for a night, where we met Amr and his staff. We were we introduced to some home cooking and hospitality, par excellence.
We then transferred to a luxury cruise ship for the next four days, with a new guide and he really knew his stuff just as well as did Heder in Cairo. The cruise included the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, Abydos and Dendera. Wonderful cruise ship and excellent staff, and fabulous temples...what's not to love?
We spent the last couple days of our vacation just hanging out at Mara House relaxing. She arranged day trips for us and took care of all the details. While I appreciated the food at the hotel in Cairo and on the cruise ship, I'd rather have Amr's cooking at Mara house anytime. He sent us off each morning with coffee and a huge breakfast. In the evenings, we had a great dinner each night. Don't get me started on the Saladin Feast. It's so good and it's huge.
Do yourself a favor and go visit Egypt. The people are warm and welcoming. I can't tell you how many amazing people we met in our two weeks there. Trust Mara and her staff to know their business and they will take care of all the details, You just show up and enjoy your trip of a lifetime.
S Robin USA Traveled with family Feb 2019. 9 night Egypt Package Reviewed on TripAdvisor
Our whole experience with Mara House was excellent. We did the 9 day Egypt tour and were in good hands the entire trip. Mara completely put me at ease about traveling in the winter (in the event we had flight delays on our end) and was happy to answer any questions I had. Her blog posts are VERY helpful for planning the trip and to also understand the locals and customs.
I am so glad that Mara included visits to Abydos and Dendera temples, and to the nobles tombs and workers village in the itinerary. They were so beautiful and not to be missed! Ahmed took care of us in Cairo and gave us great advice on how to navigate the city upon arrival (including getting across traffic). He made sure we had everything we needed, knew our schedule for each day, and handed us off to our very capable guides while in Cairo. (We had so much fun with Suzy!) Arriving in Luxor was a breath of fresh air compared to the bustle of Cairo.
Mara House itself is clean, quiet and beautifully decorated. Amr took great care of us during our stay and all of the food was delicious. Do not miss out on the salahadeen feast! I don’t know where we will find Egyptian food in the states, but it will be a quest well worth it. Mo was our guide for the last half of the trip and was very knowledgeable about all the sites and happy to answer any questions we had. He was great at helping us navigate the busy sites and gave us plenty of time to explore on our own too. We appreciated that he would take the time to point out things that were unique to each site.
I still think that there are parts of the trip that are still sinking in. It was a once in a lifetime trip, and Mara House made sure that the whole experience was unforgettable!
Teresa Glick USA. Travelled as couple. Feb 2019. 9 nights Egypt package. Reviewed on Google Maps and TripAdvisor
I am so glad that Mara included visits to Abydos and Dendera temples, and to the nobles tombs and workers village in the itinerary. They were so beautiful and not to be missed! Ahmed took care of us in Cairo and gave us great advice on how to navigate the city upon arrival (including getting across traffic). He made sure we had everything we needed, knew our schedule for each day, and handed us off to our very capable guides while in Cairo. (We had so much fun with Suzy!) Arriving in Luxor was a breath of fresh air compared to the bustle of Cairo.
Mara House itself is clean, quiet and beautifully decorated. Amr took great care of us during our stay and all of the food was delicious. Do not miss out on the salahadeen feast! I don’t know where we will find Egyptian food in the states, but it will be a quest well worth it. Mo was our guide for the last half of the trip and was very knowledgeable about all the sites and happy to answer any questions we had. He was great at helping us navigate the busy sites and gave us plenty of time to explore on our own too. We appreciated that he would take the time to point out things that were unique to each site.
I still think that there are parts of the trip that are still sinking in. It was a once in a lifetime trip, and Mara House made sure that the whole experience was unforgettable!
Teresa Glick USA. Travelled as couple. Feb 2019. 9 nights Egypt package. Reviewed on Google Maps and TripAdvisor
This was our first trip to Egypt, and it was fantastic! My wife & I stayed with Egyptian relatives in Cairo & Alexandria at beginning & end of trip, with a 3-night stay at Mara House in Luxor tucked in the middle - and the feeling of being taken care of by family was seamless!
Mara makes it easy to set-up via email, Amr welcomes you into your beautiful home away from home (and cooks excellent meals), and Mohammed is the scholarly cousin who guides you professionally through Egypt's wonderful ancient history! We'll be back.
Mac Whipple USA, Traveled as couple Jan 2019. Luxor 3 nights package
Mara makes it easy to set-up via email, Amr welcomes you into your beautiful home away from home (and cooks excellent meals), and Mohammed is the scholarly cousin who guides you professionally through Egypt's wonderful ancient history! We'll be back.
Mac Whipple USA, Traveled as couple Jan 2019. Luxor 3 nights package
My family booked the 3 nights package at Mara House during the 2018 holiday season. My twin daughters and my wife really enjoyed visiting the ancient tombs, temples, and the sunset sailing on the Nile. We are very impressed by Mohamad’s knowledge of these ancient temple, and he made the visit a very enjoyable and educational experience.
Amr is very caring and considerate and made our stay very enjoyable, arranging transportation to local restaurants and the Luxor museum. In additional, the meals he prepared were delicious. We also had our breakfast at the roof-top garden, which was beautifully arranged with succulents and flowering plants. .
Amr is very caring and considerate and made our stay very enjoyable, arranging transportation to local restaurants and the Luxor museum. In additional, the meals he prepared were delicious. We also had our breakfast at the roof-top garden, which was beautifully arranged with succulents and flowering plants. .
Very professional hotel and tour company that will make sure your tour of Egypt is well organized, safe and efficient. We gained deep knowledge of the history and culture of ancient Egypt from our excellent guide, Moh. And Amr who runs the hotel is an extremely nice guy who also makes excellent food - in fact the best food that we ate on our entire trip! Thank you Mara House for the great experience.
Greg Pritchard USA - traveled as couple. Luxor 3 night package Reviewed on google maps.
Greg Pritchard USA - traveled as couple. Luxor 3 night package Reviewed on google maps.
Amr, thank you for such a lovely stay! You have been so helpful and kind and have made our stay very stress free. The breakfasts and feast was delicious.
Thanks to Mara, Ahmed and Amr for organising our 9 day Egypt tour - absolutely fantastic!
Matt & Amelia, Sydney, Australia. Traveled as couple. Jan 2019 9 night Egypt package (From Mara House Guest Book)
Thanks to Mara, Ahmed and Amr for organising our 9 day Egypt tour - absolutely fantastic!
Matt & Amelia, Sydney, Australia. Traveled as couple. Jan 2019 9 night Egypt package (From Mara House Guest Book)
My partner and I stayed at Mara House for four nights and went on tours of Luxor and Aswan for 5 days. Mara House is very clean, food is delicious, and the service is wonderful. Amr, who is the chef at Mara House, serves delicious food and is very kind and helpful. We really appreciated his kindness and the wonderful feast he prepared for dinner.
Our tour guide Mo was very kind, knowledgeable and smart. We learned so much about ancient egyptian history and all of the famous temples, tombs and landmarks from Mo.
This is a fantastic company and place to stay. Very professional and organized and trustworthy. You really need a tour guide to understand what you are seeing in Luxor and Mo is the best.
Mara House will look out for your safety and make sure you see everything and are not ripped off.
The team at Mara House is very professional and kind and you'll be very happy you stayed there.
Travelled as a couple Jan 2019. Egypt Holidays 9 night package Reviewed on TripAdvisor 11.01.19
Our tour guide Mo was very kind, knowledgeable and smart. We learned so much about ancient egyptian history and all of the famous temples, tombs and landmarks from Mo.
This is a fantastic company and place to stay. Very professional and organized and trustworthy. You really need a tour guide to understand what you are seeing in Luxor and Mo is the best.
Mara House will look out for your safety and make sure you see everything and are not ripped off.
The team at Mara House is very professional and kind and you'll be very happy you stayed there.
Travelled as a couple Jan 2019. Egypt Holidays 9 night package Reviewed on TripAdvisor 11.01.19
Mara, Amr, and Mohammed were all great! The accommodations were fantastic, while our guide, Mohammed, was better than I could have hoped. Best way to see the sites and I would definitely recommend it!
Travelled with family - Mara House and tours - Reviewed on Google Maps
Travelled with family - Mara House and tours - Reviewed on Google Maps
Brilliant, seemless service and gorgeous rooms. Mara House offers a different experience to the giant soulless hotels along the waterfront. Mara's staff are caring and personable, and have an attention to detail that is a breath of fresh air in Africa.
I booked the Luxor package which includes accommodation, transport, and a guide for three days, including a day trip to Dendera and Abydos. I left extremely satisfied. I'll be back to do their cruise to Aswan for sure.
Travelled Solo Dec 2018 - reviewed on google maps. Luxor Holidays 3 night package
I booked the Luxor package which includes accommodation, transport, and a guide for three days, including a day trip to Dendera and Abydos. I left extremely satisfied. I'll be back to do their cruise to Aswan for sure.
Travelled Solo Dec 2018 - reviewed on google maps. Luxor Holidays 3 night package
The Trip of a Lifetime! My wife and I just returned from a wonderful 11-day trip to Egypt. What made this trip so amazing was Mara and her outstanding team (Ahmed, Mohammad & Mo!), who made Egypt, its fascinating history (from ancient to modern) and its wonderful & friendly people, come to life!
All the arrangements were perfect; from Mara's delightful, informative and stress-free itinerary, the 4-star accommodations, easy in-Country flights, our soothing 4 night Nile cruise, great food, great small-group fellowship (there were only 10 of us!), and of course Egypt's HISTORY! And the whole time, everywhere we went, Ahmed and his team cared for us just like family.
When we tell our friends where we went, and about everything we saw and did, and how reasonable the cost, they're astounded! This has to be the BEST VALUE/MOST AFFORDABLE all-inclusive Egypt tour available from anyone!
If you want to experience Egypt, we give our highest recommendation to Mara House! You won't be sorry!
Travelled Nov 2018 - USA. Mara's Group Trips Reviewed on google maps
All the arrangements were perfect; from Mara's delightful, informative and stress-free itinerary, the 4-star accommodations, easy in-Country flights, our soothing 4 night Nile cruise, great food, great small-group fellowship (there were only 10 of us!), and of course Egypt's HISTORY! And the whole time, everywhere we went, Ahmed and his team cared for us just like family.
When we tell our friends where we went, and about everything we saw and did, and how reasonable the cost, they're astounded! This has to be the BEST VALUE/MOST AFFORDABLE all-inclusive Egypt tour available from anyone!
If you want to experience Egypt, we give our highest recommendation to Mara House! You won't be sorry!
Travelled Nov 2018 - USA. Mara's Group Trips Reviewed on google maps
See More
- Mara House Luxor – your home away from home
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Photos of Our Suites – Take a look at the rooms you’ll call home.
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Mara House Guest Gallery – Faces and memories from over the years.
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Salahadeen Restaurant & Feast – The story behind our restaurant and its exclusive menu.
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(Coming Soon: Photo Journal of Mara House – from the first brick to today.)