The Old Cataract above the Nile, Aswan
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Selected by TheMediterranean.com

Mandarin Oriental Old Cataract, Aswan

The Victorian palace of the Nile, on a granite bluff above the First Cataract, facing Elephantine Island.

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Sofitel Legend Old Cataract above the Nile, AswanPhoto: Mena Zareef / Pexels

Selected by TheMediterranean.com

Why we selected Old Cataract

Thomas Cook opened the Old Cataract in 1899, a Victorian palace of rose granite on a bluff above the First Cataract of the Nile. Agatha Christie wrote part of Death on the Nile on its terrace, Winston Churchill stayed here, and its suites are named after both.

It reopened in 2011 after a restoration by the French designer Sybille de Margerie, and on 1 May 2026 it became a Mandarin Oriental. The Nile Wing is being renovated until July 2027; until then the historic Palace is open.

Nowhere else in Egypt carries its standing among travellers, and few terraces anywhere have a finer view of the Nile at sunset.

Aswan, on the Nile, Egypt

Mandarin Oriental

Open all year

Plan Your Stay

At a glance

Mandarin Oriental Old Cataract, Aswan at a glance

Rooms and suites

Where you will stay

While the Nile Wing is renovated, the official site lists 35 rooms and suites in the historic Palace, among them signature suites with private terraces over the Nile.

Signature rooms and villas

  • Sir Winston Churchill Suite
  • Agatha Christie Suite
  • Palace Cataract Nile View Suites

Dining

Dining at Old Cataract

Restaurants and bars

  • SarayaLevantine and Mediterranean
  • The TerraceAll-day dining

    The famous sunset afternoon tea, facing Elephantine.

  • The PromenadeLight regional dishes and tea
  • Pool Bar

Spa and experiences

Spa, wellness and experiences

Spa, pools and the sea

  • An outdoor infinity pool overlooking the Nile

Experiences

  • Philae Temple by boat
  • The Aswan and Nubian Museums
  • The Unfinished Obelisk
  • Abu Simbel by air or road

Getting there

How to arrive at Old Cataract

Nearby

Around Old Cataract

The setting

The Nile at Aswan

Photographs of the surroundings; each caption says exactly what it shows.

Felucca below Qubbet el-Hawa on the West Bank, Aswan, Egypt
Felucca below Qubbet el-Hawa on the West Bank, Aswan, EgyptPhoto: Eszter Kisgyura / Unsplash
Feluccas on the Nile below the desert, Aswan, Egypt
Feluccas on the Nile below the desert, Aswan, EgyptPhoto: Diego F Parra / Pexels
Feluccas at sunset on the Nile, Aswan, Egypt
Feluccas at sunset on the Nile, Aswan, EgyptPhoto: Abdallah Shaheen / Unsplash

Plan your stay

Plan your stay at Old Cataract

Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what matters most, and we will reply with how to make the most of Mandarin Oriental Old Cataract, Aswan. Write to [email protected].

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Checked 31 October 2026. Awards are listed with the year they were given; rooms, restaurants and seasons can change, so confirm details with the resort. See all the Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean.

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More of Egypt

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