Location:
The hotel belongs to the community of Qurna, is situated directly
beside the temple of Merenptah
(turn right at the crossroads near the ticket office, about 50
m on your right hand) a bit off from the main road.
Hotel: The oldest hotel on the West Bank accommodates in
its jumbled buildings 24 simple but practical furnished rooms,
therefrom eight in a building constructed with mud-bricks in the
style of late architect Hassan Fathy. "Marsam" offers
24 rooms. Recently eight double rooms and two single rooms have
been renovated, provide private bath rooms. Other guests share
three separate bath rooms. Natasha Baron, a Czech born lady with
Australian passport, is the manager of the hotel. The centre of
the "Marsam" is the beautiful garden with seatings in
the shadows of the trees. From three sides it is surrounded by
the hotel buildings, to the east it open, offers a view to the
fields. Since the opening the garden is the favorite place for
hotel and other guests.
Special: The traditional hotel is famous
for hosting archaeologists from all over the world. Most of them
are very open minded, like contact with tourists. But this also
means, that "regular" guests need a reservation in advance,
particular during the excavation season from October till March.
So, please don't forget to ask for availability of free rooms
in advance.
Service: Booking based on bed and breakfast. Halfboard
available on request only. Hotel owned car. Airport transfer on
request will be charged with the usual local rates.
Food and Beverages: Although there is an inside restaurant
- most of the guests prefer to be served for all meals in the
wonderful garden. For breakfast you find the Egyptian "aish
shams" (sun bread), baked daily by a family in the near by
village, cheese, eggs, jams and butter. At lunch time every day
another typical Egyptian menue with poultries, beef or minced
meat as well as two different vegetarian menues (LE 25) is served.
For dinner you only find international vegetarian food, as there
are soups, salads, pizza, pasta, and several sweets (LE 20). All
kind of soft drinks, fresh fruit juices, tea and coffee are served
all day long.
Entertainment: You can reach from the hotel all archaeological
sites of the West Bank by feet within maximum 15 minutes, exept
the "Valley of the Kings". But this famous valley you
can reach by hiking over the mountains from the workers village
"Deir El Medina" or a shorter distance from the temple
of Hatshepsut. On request we can rent for you bicycles. We can
arrange all kinds of trips by rented bicycle, donkey, horse, camel
or car. Also we have contacts to tour guides in several languages
or experienced organizers of Desert
Safaris.
Prices: Double without private bath room LE 60, single
LE 30 (B/B) per person/night, double room with private bath LE
100, single LE 50 (B/B) per person/night including all taxes and
stamps.
Payment: All payments requested cash upon arrival,
unfortunately we cannot accept credit cards or cheques. Foreign
currencies will be changed according to the daily exchange rate
of the bank.
Contact and Reservation:
eMail: marsam@africamail.com