Adrere Amellal Oasis
COST: $$$
A beacon of conservation, this spare Berber-style hotel on the Siwa Oasis was constructed as part of a local sustainable-development plan. An eight-hour drive west of Cairo, the fortress-like compound of 40 rooms is made of kershef, a heat-resistant mixture of rock salt and clay, and has stylish palm-beam roofs, beeswax candles, and stone floors covered in locally woven rugs. Since there is no electricity, pathways are lantern-lit at night, and braziers keep things warm. Underground Roman springs feed the pool. When the dunes of the bordering Great Sand Sea beckon, guides are available to lead Toyota Land Cruiser excursions; once in the middle of the undulating landscape, the driver will cut the engine and prepare a late-afternoon pot of mint tea, brewed with leaves grown organically on hotel grounds.
As Featured In...
From Travel + Leisure, Nov 2007
“But the hotel offers more than a romantic escape for travelers. As part of the Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative, it helps to fund and support numerous community projects. The gift shop carries jewelry handcrafted by local artisans. Meals, meanwhile, are prepared using organic ingredients purchased from farmers at fair market value—a measure designed to encourage sustainable farming. ...” MORE>>
From Travel + Leisure, Jul 2003
“Sand and stone, fire and sky, wind and water. Minimalism makes the maximum impact at this spectacular desert outpost. Inspired by the Berbers of yore, the 34 Casbah-style rooms are ingeniously fashioned from salt rock and clay, with stylish palm roofs shading guests from the blazing sun. Sans electricity, nights sparkle with candles and constellations. The flat-edged pool's water bubbles up from Roman springs. And with endless views of the dunes, visitors will want to stay a thousand and one...” MORE>>
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