BABA DOOl in Aswan

Baba Dool is a lovely, colourful, traditional guesthouse at the quiet side of the island. The rooms and terrasses offer a great view of the Nile and Kitcheners Island. The latter is easily accessible by boat (6-8 minute trip), which you can easily arrange from the neighboring docks.The rooms are clean, cool, cozy, yet somewhat Spartan. Baba Dools four tiered balconies and terrasses ensure that there you can sit wherever you prefer however, without having to share the space with other guests. Great for introverts such as myself ;)A pleasant breeze flow from the Nile and there is plenty of shade to ward offAten and Amon. If you are brave enough, you can easily step into the Nile and go for a swim; the current isnt that strong near the edges and experienced swimmers might even be able to cross to Kitcheners Island.The Landlady is very nice and fluent in both French and English. She is also an amazing cook, so do ask about her breakfast and dinner options. You wont be disappointed!The islands children are friendly and inquisitive and often speak a little English, but they know not to thread onto the guesthouse grounds. Adult locals are friendly as well and wont hassle tourists. Cats keep their distance, but appear healthy and well fed.The cheapest available shop is right next to the docks, which is a 5-6 minute walk through the islands winding streets and alleyways. Surprisingly the goods cost less than on the mainland, especially bottled water and softdrinks. The offer varies from time of day, so dont expect everything to be stocked all the time. Bread, water and small amenities are aplenty.I heartily recommend spending a few days at Baba Dool to experience Nubian hospitality in a clean and quiet environment.

Very good place and very kind people was very helpfull and nice and the food was very good

It is an honor to stay in this traditional mudbrick house. Everything about it is lovely: the cool and comfortable rooms, the beautiful views, the delicious food (the best I had in Aswan), the convenient location, the charming company of the women who run it. I cant imagine there could be a nicer place to stay in Aswan. I left a few days ago, and I miss it!

Photos don’t capture the beauty of this place. Mornings are greeted by the singing of birds, gentle waters of the river and streaks of sun across the mountain top across the way. The morning and afternoon dips in the clean cool waters of the Nile from in front of the guesthouse should be on anyone’s bucket list of things to do in this lifetime; views across the water to the Botanical garden; lovely kind and gentle hosts (Auntie and Raghda), home cooking …a perfect detox from busy-life. While seemingly isolated, it is also super convenient, more so than any of the other islands. It’s quite easy to jump the ferry to town or arrange a private boat from guesthouse dock. Tours and transportation at fair prices can all be arranged easily through Raghda and Auntie. King Jamaica, Bob Marley Cafe and Nubian Dreams are all excellent places to eat and pass the time. The only regretful thing about the place is having to leave.

We really enjoyed our two night stay at Baba Doul. It’s in a beautiful setting with views over the Nile, and to the botanical gardens and tombs of the nobles beyond. The hostel is accessible via a short boat trip (5 EGP ppfrom Aswan’s East Bank (followed by a 5 minute walk through the village). There are two main departure points - one from KFC and the other slightly further upstream.The rooms are basic but good for the price (we paid about 250 EGP per person per night). If you want air conditioning, make sure to ask for it when booking as not all rooms have it. Hearty traditional Nubian breakfasts and dinners are available on request.The hosts are super friendly and welcoming. They were always on hand to offer advice or a cup of tea and they arranged for boats and cars to taxi us around all of Aswan’s sights for a good price.

Babadool is a lovely Nubian house located in Elephantine Island, across the river from Aswan main land. Its owner, Raghda is really kind and helpful whenever you need anything, even organizing trips to Abusimbel, Komombo or just going for a peaceful Felucca trip in the Nile. Her aunty Rahgia was super sweet and she is a great cook. She treated me like family and was always ready to help me with a smile on her face. I was there for one week and couldnt be more happy. My room was big and bright, had a private bathroom with hot water and I enjoyed the cool breeze coming in through the windows in the mornings. I could see the sun rising every day and gorgeous sunsets as well, over the great Nile river. I highly recommend Babadool not only because of the great location but because the family is really a delightful group of people that will make you feel at home and you will never forget them.

Excellent place with chill area and a swimming spot to take a dip in the Nile River. Good food at good prices. Shehab is great and will help you with everything you need.

Very beautiful and peaceful place, the lady who is working there is very nice.

Authentic, friendly and very laid back place to take a break from the buzzing streets of Egypt. Beautiful view of the botanical garden island. The dinner, homemade by the family, was delicious.

Wonderful place - amazing views over the Botanical Gardens, super clean and comfortable. The owners were welcoming and very kind. Really enjoyed the conversations and the whole vibe. 10/10 ❤️

Of all the places to stay on Elephantine island, Baba Duul is the one where youll feel the most like youre on a nature holiday. Theres a beautiful view on the Nile and on the Botanical gardens/Gharb Aswan. You can sit right by the water and in the summer, it is probably the most convenient place on the island to go swimming. Theres always interesting people around and you end up having long late-night discussions by the river.

Excellent ! The hosts are incredible, and the place is really chill (relaxing vibes, no pressure, every one is really calm and welcoming).The terrace is just in front of the nil (the view is just awesomeand most rooms also have a nice view. The place is clean.If you want to eat, the breakfast costs 50 LE and is really good. We ate dinner there also, and every thing is home made (by the mother of the hostsand quite typical.Best price-quality ratio, the BEST place to stay in Aswan.

Very bad place with awful communication they sent me an email through booking to pay a deposit for my booking and i tried to call them many times sent mails to pay the deposit but with no response after arriving to Aswan they cancelled the booking without any notice and it still confirmed on booking and they told me there is no room for me i had to reserve an overpriced bad room in Aswan

very beautiful place , feels like you are at your home , close to River Nile, very beautiful view. calm , relax , warm :)

There is no reason to stay elsewhere in Elephantine Island. BABA DOOL is a Nubian family guesthouse on the west side of the island with all modern conveniences in modest rooms that open on sandy or paved terraces. This is the more relaxed side with views on the calm Nile with its stoic rock islands, elegant feluccas, tour boats, the tombs of the Nobles, the botanical Gardens (Kitchener Island). Its location is the perfect perch from which to set out while in Aswan.The Nubian family, comprised of Rahgda, Rawia, Shehab, little Zinab is warm, sincere, generous and efficient.The home cooked meals -breakfast, lunch, dinner- were sublime! In particular I was drawn in by Rawia’s falafel, hibiscus infusion hot and cold and Raghba fresh mango juice. Alternately, Raghba’s meals of grilled chicken or fish, vegetable tagines, tahini and rice, fresh flat bread and a light orzo soup (yes this is still one mealis more than enough to keep you on you day trip or adventures in Aswan or the region.BABA DOOL will also prepare you a picnic lunch if your design or theirs.So Elephantine is an island, I wish I had known BABA DOOL had a boat available to pick us up from the Aswan dock. Shehab’s boat is available for trips anywhere below the low dam and where the feluccas or large tour boats cannot go. This is his river he knows the stories and where things are: the passes, the quiet spots, the birds, the photo ops, he also knows where to the best eastern cakes and turkish coffee.He will walk you to the best weaver on Elephantine take you by boat and wait or return to pick you up after a climb up the tomb of the nobles or a walk into the desert to the Monastery of Anba Hatre (St Simeonor textile shopping on Gharb Sohail. If we only had more time Shehab mentioned so many possibilities to explore on the Nile and the other islands, accessible via boat with this knowledgeable young man.On my return to Aswan, I will be coming home by returning to BABA DOOL.

I wasn’t sure what to expect. I first booked the property through Booking.com and messaged the property about arranging airport pickup. I didn’t get much of a response. I was scared that we were going to have to figure everything out on our own. As we stepped out of the arrival terminal we were greeted with a man who held a “Baba Dool” sign. My anxiety started to go away. He drove us through town and told us all the different sights. He dropped us off at the port where a nice guy was ready with a boat to drop us off on the other side of the island to the steps of Baba Dool.We were greeted by a nice woman, and she gave us some the and welcomed us to her town. Our room wasn’t ready yet, so we waited a bit and explored the island a little bit. We came back our room which was ready. It was cozy and comfortable. No windows and unfortunately the lightbulb in the bathroom was out (they did not replace it until the next night).They helped us arrange a driver to Abu-Simbel. We left our room at 3am. It was a shared van with other visitors from other hotels/hostels.Overall all the workers at the guesthouse were nice and happy to have us. It is run by a family and they helped us understand Nubian life and their welcoming presence will always be remembered.

I stayed in the Hostel for 5 nights. People very so friendly and helpfull, the island is very quiet (no carsand the view is like in paradise. Food was very tastefull, just a little bit more expensive but definetly worth it.Ask for a boat ride/ tour with Shehab, he is one of the kindest persons Ive ever met in egypt!

Really cool place. Just stopped off for a coffee while looking round the island but its super chilled and great views

The best food I had on Elephantine Island Aswan. We had a soup, salad, chicken bbq and vegetables for 150 EGP. The place is owned by a women, she was great to talk to and kind. I recommend!

Clean room, comfortable bed and pillow, clean bathroom with Hot/Cold water, Quiet place and a patio with a nice Nile river viewmany thanks to Lady Rawiashe ist a great host, she speaks fluent English and of course she is a very good cook.

They lied to me 3 times: I called ahead and they said they had a room for 200, I show up and there is no room to be had for any price. The following day, the only room available is 300. The free breakfast turns into 20 and then 40 when I have finished eating it. Then they don’t have change for a 50. Beer that costs 23 on the red sea cost costs 50 here. Their pricing overall is reasonable but constantly lying and gouging at every little opportunity is really annoying.

Very nice place with 3 nice terraces, amazing view, quite and a warm welcome. I recommend

Good guesthouse. A little impersonal but okay. One downside ... all the rooms have the same key. So be aware of this. All in all a good place. Just loved the island in particular! Nubian way of life 🥰

the house have amazing view, is very welcoming and the staff are very friendly. very cute the bed linen and the fresh and clean rooms. for dinner homemade and good food.The best is the sunset:)

We came here planning to stay just one night and we ended up staying many more. The location and view is amazing, and the hospitality and the Nubian style is absolutely worth the stay. They arranged everything for us and always for a good price. The place is clean and quiet and we felt very taken care of. This place was recommended to us by fellow travelers and we’ll pass the recommendation on -they truly deserve it!

Location is not good, have to walk 7-8 minutes from the ferry point. If you have luggage or suitcase u r gonna have problem. Also its so difficult to find out the hotel as there is no proper way and the way to the hotel is quite dirty. You wont ever someone from the hotel when you need them and also have to ask them for common things like Towels. My experience was not at good with this hotel. Booked an AC room but was denied by the owner for a AC room. Heard a lot about great breakfast from the reviews but the packet breakfast I got was not at all good. The only good thing about this hotel is its located just at the bank of river Nile. Overall not recommend if you are looking for a comfortable stay after a hectic day.

First of all you should understand clear - Baba Dool guesthouse located on the island, in the very far end of Nubian Village and when you took a ferry from Aswan city to this island, after that you have to walk through labyrinth of a tight and twisted streets all across the island that could be a quest - especially in night time; actually, in Nubian Village are a few guesthouses, Baba Dool is the most famous one but definitely is not the best choice; i arrived there in a day time and spend a few hours wait for check-in - cause there were no stuff at all and nobody respond to phone calls; next morning when i ask for extension of my staying there, they offered me a different room, smaller than previous one but 50% more expensive; so, i checked out and moved to a different guesthouse - and it was much better place; by the way, in Baba Dool no kitchen for guests, so you can`t even make a cup of coffee in morning; i suggest you to choose any guesthouse close to ferry - there you can easy find a better accommodation

Really nice place, with a great view, a small beach to swim in the Nile and great people to help you with anything.

Baba dool is the perfect place to stay when visiting Aswan! The view is beautiful and the house is very welcoming. All the colours around you make will you very happy :The family is very polite and helpful as well!

As soon as we arrived at the beautiful Nubian style building on Elephantine island, we were greeted like family. The patio and swimming beach were an amazing opportunity to enjoy the Nile all to ourselves, and finally take a dip!The interior colourful courtyards and sitting rooms were a great escape from the heat. Arabia has the biggest smile and greeted us every morning with breakfast. She even taught us a few Nubian words and organized a sunset felucca ride that picked us up right off the beach.Gazrekom!

Beautiful guesthouse in a serene location. We were well cared for by the family during our stay. Would recommend!

All I have to say is, YOU HAVE TO STAY HERE!Baba dool is a one of a kind place, I have never felt more welcomed anywhere I have stayed. I came as a stranger and left as family.They can sort all trips and excursions for you at the best price I could find and I shopped around plenty! They have a private boat which can take you anywhere you need with the best driver and the kindest man on the island.Food was amazing also just ask in advance and you will have a taste of true traditional Nubian food! Breakfast was also just as good. I could go on everything was so good!Thank you to everyone there for letting me stay with you and I will be back. I miss you guys!

A cozy lovely home to stay with a lovely location and view on the nile.The rooms are comfy and clean.The food is super amazing !And after 5 minutes you will feel home surrounded by family.

If you want a picturesque and quiet hotel and dont mind very basic, then this is great.Quiet end of island looks out over Nile and uninhabited island.Radiya and Hamad friendly and helpful. Tasty, simple breakfast.An experience that I really enjoyed.

Incredible place! Very peaceful! Owned by great family that will be able to help you in anything. Good rooms.A place that i would visit again in my next trip to egypt!

The best place to relax. Very kind people, you feel like as if they are your family. Tell them to make food for you, you will enjoy another and special taste

I ve stayed two nights at Baba Dool guesthouse. The location in on the Elephantine island. Its a good place to stay in Aswan, I think better than in the town itself. Here you can enjoy some quiteness. The guesthouse is near to the Nile and you can enjoy different teraces. This is a really nice part of the stay because you can meet the travellers and also share with local people.The guesthouse is nicely decorated, the room are fine. But I would like to thank the staff, Kafana, Shehab and his mother who were helpfull, kind, concerned with their clients. You can eat there by ordering a bit in advance. I could wash some laundry witch is also nice. I ve booked the tour with them also (Abu Simber, Philae-Dam..., Tombs-botanical garden-village). Their price are really afordable. I wish I had some more time to stay longer and enjoy the sunsets and nice evenings there. Thank you

Beautiful place!! We went for a drink and played Yahtzi dice game with Mohammed, who introduced us to his uncle Osama.We ended up spending the day with Osama who very kindly showed us around the Nubian islands and villages. 10/10!!

Lovely small hotel with amazing views over the Nile. Good breakfast served on the open terrace, clean rooms and d friendly owners

The host is very friendly and nice. This place offers good resting, healthy food, amazing view and a nice conversation every now and then. Fantastic!

Everything was perfect! Thanks for everything for the welcome, the breakfast is succulent, the place is super clean. I will return to Baba Dool on my next stay in Aswan, its a certainty.Raoulia is a very nice person!!

We decided to visit Aswan for the 2nd time this year and stay at the Mövenpick for the second time. However, this time we rated the hotel as "good" instead of "excellent." The difference was the service at the swimming pool - which Ill explain at the end of this post.The rooms were good as I previously posted. The boat access to the island where the hotel is located continues to be excellent. The restaurant continue to be good although the buffet increased from 300 EGP (Approx $18in June 2019 to 400 EGP (Approx $24in early August 2019. Great staff at the reception especially Marina and Marihan which were not only very professional, but very accommodating with an excellent customer services - kudos to both, please keep up the good work! Unfortunately, this time Mr. Ramadan was off and I noticed his absence as the service in the swimming pool was terrible. Mr. Mohamed continued to the very accommodating with the pool towels, chairs, and umbrellas. Additionally, they increased the cost of uncorking a bottle of wine from 100 EGP (Approx $5.50 in June 2019 to 150 EGP (Approx $10in early August 2019. A tip to the travelers - bring your own bottle of wine and bottle opener. I was caught by surprise when they charged me $20 to uncork 2 bottles of wine. I highly recommend their chocolate ice cream. The vanilla ice cream is too sweet. I have not tasted the other flavors.Although this time we had a terrible experience with the swimming pools service, we still like the overall service, rooms, food, and location of the hotel. We booked another weekend between the end of Oct and Nov 2019 - our third stay at the Mövenpick this year.

At first sight this guest house is a dream, the view is so beautiful we spent the day watching the feluccas pass by. Unfortunately, the service is the worst we got ever since arriving to Egypt. They overbooked our room, and didn’t even apologize for it. If you happen to arrive after dark, good luck because no staff is to be found on-site, and you better have wifi because the host is only reachable through whatsapp. The tours they offer are a robbery and not worth it at all, it sucks to say but they are not genuine people and their guest house is a tourist trap. Come enjoy the view but don’t stay a night, you’ll be disappointed.

One of the nicest places Ive stayed ever. Its one of those places you go for 2 nights and end up spending a week.The location is perfect. Great view on the Nile and the botatnic garden. Quite place where you can rest. And its so close to city center.Two Nubian ladies that run this place are super nice and talkative. Thank you one more time for a great time.The rooms are super clean. They give you towles etc. Some of the rooms are of higher/hotel standard and some are more rustic with smaller windows. I stayed with my family in 2 different rooms and we felt really good in both. BTW the place is really open. There is a nice roof top terrace where you can spend your day. So the smaller rooms are not a problem.Yes its true what other say that somtimes the breakfast is at 8.30 and somtimes you have to wait till 9. But come on, you dont come here for business. Take it easy. Chill and enjoy the Nile in the morning.Breakfasts are included and you can order dinners. They are all home made and really tasty.Weve spent a month in Egypt. And the best week was in Baba Dool - January 2019. PS. There is loads of things to do around Asuan.

The location on the small Island gives you a unique Experience as well as calm atmosphere and the Chance to enjoy the beautiful Nile.As for this accomondation, I didnt like the old lady "working" there - she was trying to sell me stuff and in general i had the feeling that she is just after money...I was Impressed by her Englisch though.The place is a traditional Nubian House which is very cool...But there is still a Lot they should imrove at...Also, I felt very scared when I was coming back there at night.... its almost empty🙄 I mean, not many people live there, its "cut off" from the Rest of Aswan.But you should visit this Island for sure,There are museums at the other end of the island:)But as I said, for me it was too scary to go there alone at night...

I really wanted to give this place more stars! In a way it is a unique, special place, situated in awesome surroundings. At first sight it looks great. However, the more time you spend there, the more you realise how poorly maintained it is.The line between offering an authentic experience and not being bothered with hygiene and general housekeeping is somehow blurred here. There was a cigarette end on the floor in my room, the mirror was incredibly dusty. No handwash or toilet paper for days, no clean top sheet or towel (unless I explicitly asked), no drink for breakfast unless again, I ask... its tiring when you have to ask for basics. Especially so when something comes in the way.The Movenpick ferry is 24/7, free and quite handy to get to the other bank.Its a bit inconvenient that theres no staff at the property overnight and no entry system. If you happen to be back at Baba Dool after 11pm (as I did once), you may find yourself locked outside. I was lucky to be able to call them to come and open the door for me because they live somewhere else in the village.I had booked a double room but when I arrived it turned out that they had given my room to somebody else and all they could offer is a single room slightly bigger than the size of my bed... with no windows. It was alright... kind of... but it was not even acknowledged.Breakfast was quite poor. The only nice thing was the omelette, the rest was stale at best. No fruit or fruit juice. Again, hygiene was not up to par.All of the above issues are easily fixable. I would definitely visit again if I knew that those flaws were resolved. Hope this is taken as constructive, well-meaning criticism.

Absolutely loved my stay here at Baba Dool, the owner is such a warm and friendly woman and her niece was equally accommodating. They arrange tours to Philae and Abu Simbel and the food they prepare is traditional Nubian, I ate here everyday during my stay. A great option if you want some peace from the town, the balcony overlooks the Nile and particularly beautiful during sunset.

Its a great place!! Its designed like the nubian style, very pretty and rustic. The view of the river its beautiful. The owners are amazing people and very worried about you feel like home. You can order for Nubian food and its delicious!! Theres also a coffee next to the hostel if you want something more. Totally perfect. I think its the best place for stay in Aswan.Thanks for everything!! :*

Stayed for 6 nights at Raghda and her aunt Rawya...Quiet and charming... insist a bit and u get a wonderful tasty breakfast and dinner.There is a lot to do in Aswan. Not just a layover to go to Abu Simble, the island itself is beautiful, if u like art it is like an open air museum.Will come again for sure.

The aunt of the owner Ragda is very nice, speaks a good English and serves very well. Great, quite location on Elephantine island, without any traffic and noise. I will come again.