Where to stay in Luxor: East Bank or West Bank?

Want to know where to stay in Luxor? Explore the best areas and hotels for your trip, on both the East Bank and the West Bank of the Nile.

It’s easy to see how a trip to Luxor could overwhelm even the most intrepid visitors.

While other Egyptian cities showcase one or two landmarks (or three pyramids), this city doesn’t have to go far out of its way to outshine all of them.

There’s so much to see that it’s a tough gig working out how to fit it all in, and that’s before you even get to your accommodation.

On my trip to Egypt, I stayed at El Mesala Hotel on the West Bank. In this guide, I’ll take you through the two sides of the river, what’s near each one and the best hotels to book on both.

At a glance

Best hotels in Luxor: top picks	Hotel
Where I stayed	El Mesala Hotel
Best Luxor hotel on the West Bank	Al Moudira Hotel
Best Luxor hotel on the East Bank	Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa
Best hotel in Luxor for luxury stays	Steigenberger Nile Palace Luxor

Where I stayed: El Mesala Hotel

El Mesala Hotel is where I stayed. It’s on the West Bank, on the riverfront by the ferry landing and across the Nile from Luxor Temple, so you’re close to the Valley of the Kings and the other West Bank sights but only a short boat ride from the East Bank.

The hotel has a swimming pool, a rooftop restaurant and air-conditioned rooms with balconies, most of them looking out over the Nile. At night, you can see Luxor Temple and the Winter Palace lit up on the opposite bank.

Check availability and reviews for El Mesala Hotel on Booking.com

East Bank or West Bank?

Luxor was the ancient city of Thebes, the capital of Upper Egypt, and the Nile divides it into the East Bank and the West Bank. Both have their own appeal and atmosphere, and that’s before you even get to the many sites you can visit.

Before you jump in and follow the crowd, you’ll need to answer one question: “Where should I stay, East or West Bank?” Many people head straight for the East Bank, but the West Bank holds just as much potential.

It’s easy to cross between the two: the public ferry runs across the river all day, private motorboats are quick to hire, and by road it’s about 30 to 45 minutes via the road bridge south of the city.

East Bank: the classic choice

Okay, to be fair, when you consider that Luxor Temple, one of Egypt’s most fantastic attractions, is on the East Bank, it makes sense to stay here. Karnak Temple, with its open-air museum, is just to the north, and the Luxor Museum sits on the riverside Corniche in between, adding to the allure.

You’ll also find the biggest choice of luxury hotels and resorts on the East Bank, many of them with breathtaking views of the Nile. It’s the centre of the modern city, too, so there are plenty of restaurants, shops and cafés, and most locals live on this side of the river.

East Bank highlights

Karnak Temple

Karnak Temple is one of the largest religious complexes ever built. It grew over around 2,000 years, as some 30 pharaohs added temples, pylons, obelisks and halls to honour the god Amun and his family.

Its highlight is the Great Hypostyle Hall, a forest of 134 giant columns, and today Karnak is one of the most visited sites in Egypt, along with the Pyramids of Giza.

Luxor Temple

At first glance, you might think that Luxor Temple, built mainly by Amenhotep III around 1390 BC and later extended by Ramses II, is a smaller version of Karnak. But it served a very different purpose from the many temples in and around the city.

It was dedicated to the renewal of kingship: every year, during the Opet Festival, the statue of Amun was carried here from Karnak, and some historians believe that kings may have been crowned here, in reality or symbolically.

Avenue of the Sphinxes

Now, I know the word “recent” is relative when you’re talking about the historic sites that can fill out your Egypt itinerary, but the Avenue of the Sphinxes only reopened in November 2021 after decades of excavation. This 2.7-kilometre (1.7-mile) processional road was once lined with around 1,300 statues, mostly sphinxes and ram-headed sphinxes.

It links Karnak and Luxor Temple, so walking a section of it is a great way to travel between the two, just as the ancient processions did.

Suggested hotels on the East Bank

The Winter Palace (closed until 2027)

The city’s grandest historic hotel, the Winter Palace on the Corniche, closed in early 2026 for a full restoration, along with its Pavillon wing. It’s due to reopen in 2027 as the Mandarin Oriental Winter Palace, Luxor. Until then, the hotels below are your best bets on the East Bank.

Steigenberger Nile Palace Luxor

The five-star Steigenberger Nile Palace Luxor easily ranks as one of the best resorts in the city. The interior design blends modern style with Egyptian touches, there are several restaurants on site, and its pools sit right by the Nile. It’s on the hotel strip about 2 km south of Luxor Temple, a short taxi ride from the centre.

Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa

World-class service and opulence take physical form at the Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa, set right on the bank of the Nile, north of Karnak. The resort has infinity pools, a large spa and several restaurants, with uninterrupted views across the river to the West Bank.

Sonesta St. George Hotel

Offering you the chance to live in the lap of luxury, the Sonesta St. George Hotel is a large riverside hotel on the Corniche. Rooms have either views of the bustling city or calming views of the river, and Luxor Temple is a short taxi ride away.

West Bank: the quieter side

Before you eye-roll me out of existence, yes, the West Bank is equally worthy of wearing the crown as the best area to stay. How could the area where the Valley of the Kings lies be anything else? It’s also where I chose to stay.

This is, after all, where you’ll find the tomb of Tutankhamun and that of Seti I, to name but a few. As for female representation, the West Bank boasts the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Valley of the Queens, home to the tomb of Nefertari. Clearly, this is where your ancient Egypt Indiana Jones fantasies await.

It’s quieter and more rural than the East Bank, with sugar cane fields, villages and smaller, family-run hotels. It’s also where the sunrise hot air balloons take off.

West Bank highlights

Colossi of Memnon

As you head across the West Bank, two imposing statues, twin seated figures of Amenhotep III, wait to greet you. Known as the Colossi of Memnon, these statues, each around 18 metres tall, originally stood guard at the entrance to the pharaoh’s mortuary temple.

The best bit? Visiting the Colossi is free, which gives you every reason to snap as many photos as you like.

The Valley of the Kings

The world-famous royal burial ground, the Valley of the Kings, is why so many people visit the city every year. Pharaohs of the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties were buried here, most famously Tutankhamun.

More than 60 tombs have been found in the valley, and around a dozen are open at any one time: in 2026, ten are open on the standard three-tomb ticket, and the tombs of Tutankhamun, Ramses V and VI, and Seti I need their own tickets. On my visit, I chose Ramses IX, Merenptah, and Tausert and Setnakht, and the tomb of Tausert and Setnakht (KV14) was my favourite.

The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt as pharaoh for about 20 years and brought it great wealth through trade, ranks among history’s most famous female rulers. So it’s no surprise that her greatest architectural achievement is a standout attraction.

Set into the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut is one of the most popular sites on the West Bank. It draws big crowds and delivers equally huge rewards, so go early in the morning.

Suggested hotels on the West Bank

El Mesala Hotel

The hotel I stayed in, El Mesala Hotel, is on the riverfront by the ferry landing, opposite Luxor Temple. It has a pool, a rooftop restaurant and rooms with balconies, most with Nile views.

Al Moudira Hotel

One of the West Bank’s most distinctive places to stay, the Al Moudira Hotel is a palace-style boutique hotel on the edge of the desert. It’s quintessentially Egyptian in style, with ornate domes, arabesque courtyards, lush gardens and a pool, and its restaurant is a destination in its own right.

Malkata House

Set on the edge of the desert, not far from Medinet Habu and the Valley of the Queens, Malkata House is a small, peaceful guesthouse with a pool and garden. It’s a good base for exploring the West Bank’s tombs and temples and for early pick-ups for a hot air balloon over Luxor.

Nile Panorama Hotel

Enjoying the best of the West Bank doesn’t have to come with a high price tag, and the highly rated Nile Panorama Hotel is an affordable, well-placed option about a ten-minute drive from the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu. On-site facilities include a rooftop pool and a restaurant.

New Memnon Hotel

Located in the Theban Necropolis, on the road beside the Colossi of Memnon, the New Memnon Hotel gives you easy access to the West Bank sights. With brightly decorated rooms, a rooftop coffee bar and a restaurant serving local dishes, it’s a good-value base on the West Bank.

Where to stay in Luxor: frequently asked questions

Which bank is best to stay on?

It depends on what you want from your trip. With the widest choice of hotels, restaurants and shops, and Karnak and Luxor Temple on the doorstep, the East Bank is the best all-round area, but the West Bank is equally great if you want somewhere quieter and closer to the tombs. I stayed on the West Bank.

How many days is enough in Luxor?

If you don’t mind fast-paced travel, you can see many of the highlights in about two days: one on each bank. To take in everything the city has to offer at a gentler pace, plan to spend three or four days.

How do you get around the city?

If you want to explore at your own pace, the best way to get around is to hire a car and driver for the day. Taxis are easy to find (agree the fare before you set off), and the public ferry is the cheapest way to cross the Nile. Organised tours are another option, but you’ll need to stick to their timetable.

Practical tips before you book

• Decide where you want to stay based on the sights you want to visit. You can see the best of both banks wherever you’re based, but booking accommodation to match your itinerary is a good idea.
• If you’re planning a sunrise hot air balloon ride, check that your hotel is happy to arrange an early breakfast box, as pick-ups can be as early as 3.30am in summer.
• Use services like Booking.com to compare prices and read recent reviews.
• Book ahead, especially for the cooler months from October to April, the busiest season, when the best hotels fill up quickly.
• Prepare for the heat if you’re travelling in summer: I travelled in late May and early June, and there were points in Luxor where I was so hot I didn’t know what to do with myself. A hotel with a pool makes a big difference.

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Read more Luxor guides

• The best things to do in Luxor
• Karnak Temple: what you need to know
• How to visit Luxor Temple
• Why you need to visit the Valley of the Queens
• Visiting the Valley of the Kings: a practical guide
• Should you take a hot air balloon in Luxor?

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