The Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, Egypt
Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert
Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist
If you like Agatha Christie, the famous writer of intrigue and mystery, you probably have heard of her novel, Death on the Nile. The novel is part of the series of Hercule Poirot, the clever detective who must solve a challenging murder plot in a complex web of lies, love, money and betrayal while on a steam powered river ship cruising the Nile.
So, let’s visit the Old Cataract, as we did, on an AmaWaterways 10-day Secrets of the Nile River Cruise and learn about the exotic place where she wrote this great novel.
A Little History of the Old Cataact Hotel
Built in 1899 in Aswan Egypt it is an excellent example of British colonial architecture. It is a five-star property and is full of old-world charm and elegance. If you are looking for glamor, and luxury that preserves the past indulgences of the rich, this is the place.
Built with great views of the Nile from most venues and rooms, it is just a stunning place.
We got to visit on an optional tour to take high tea here during our 10-day cruise tour..
Agatha Christie’s Stay Here
Ms. Christie stayed here in 1933 in room 1201 with her archaeologist husband Max Mallowan. He was the second husband of Agatha Christie, as her first marriage ended in divorce in 1928. Agatha was a world traveler and the story of how she became married again was a result of meeting her second husband on one of her trips.
In 1928, she took the Orient Express to Istanbul and then later on traveled to Baghdad, where she met her husband Max.
She spent several months in the Middle East with her husband on his digs and often used this knowledge in her novels.
Her novel Death on the Nile was published in 1937 and has become the favorite of many of her fans world-wide. Guiness World Records lists Agatha Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, as her books have sold over 2 billion copies.
Folks who stay at the Old Cataract can join a tour of her room conducted daily at 1700 hours, but the important furniture is on display in the lobby area. Here is a picture of the desk she used to write most of the novel:
Agatha Christie’s Writing Desk from room 1201
Abu Simbel
She also used an important Egyptian site in the novel—Abu Simbel.
Abu Simbel are 2 rock-cut temples which are dedicated to Ramesses II and his wife Nefertari. The hieroglyphics inside the temple commemorate the victories won at the Battle of Kadesh under Ramesses’ II leadership and other important Egyptian gods. The message was clear—Ramessess and his wife Nefertari were gods and should be worshiped by Egyptians..
In the novel, Death on the Nile, one of the characters narrowly escapes death from a falling stone pushed by one of the other characters in the novel, in an attempted muder.
Here are some pictures on the site, which was moved in 1968 to protect it during the building of the Aswan Dam.:
Abu Simbel with 4 statues of Ramesses II seated on the throne. The second sculpture was damaged during an earthquake and when relocated left as it was discovered. The statue on the left showes Ramessess II wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Abu Simbel with a close up view of one of the sculptures. His wife Nefetari and their children are the smaller statues.
Abu Simbel—this picture gives you some perspective on how large these statues are.
Nefertari’s Temple. It is unique in Egyptian History as only the second temple dedicated to a wife of a ruling pharaoh..
Pictures of the Hotel
Before our tea, we got a chance to wander around this historic hotel. Here are some pictures
Entrance Gardens
Hotel Entrance Door
Some of the lobby area with an sign about a romantic dinner available
The terrace area with the Nile in the background
Boats on the Nile
The Palm trees are illuminated at night
Tea at the Cataract Hotel in Aswan, Egypt
This was a English tea in perhaps one of the most stunning settings in the world. Here are some pictures of this unique experience:
Our Tea food
With our travel chums, left to right Mark, Denise, Anne and Hank
Our Final Thoughts
Sometimes, it is plain cool to visit sites that are important to you and try and imagine what it was like during that era.
We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.
When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.
Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@visitdd.com . We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!
ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.
HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 52 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:
AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent
