Nile Bar & Lounge

The Nile Bar & Lounge is the riverside bar at the Steigenberger Nile Palace, one of the large hotels on Khaled Ben El-Walid Street on the East Bank. The hotel has three bars in all, and this is the one to choose if you want to sit by the water with a drink, on a patio where you can watch feluccas, cruise boats and the lights of the West Bank across the river.

The bar serves drinks together with light bites drawn from the hotel's restaurants, including Thai, Italian and Lebanese dishes. That makes it a flexible option for an early evening drink that turns into a light supper, without the formality of a restaurant booking.

The atmosphere is relaxed and international, typical of a large resort hotel, and the riverside setting is the main attraction. Sunset is the best time to arrive, when the light over the Theban hills is at its most colourful and the evening breeze picks up off the Nile. In the cooler months, bring a light layer for sitting outside after dark.

The lounge suits couples, hotel guests and visitors staying nearby who want a comfortable Nile-side drink, as well as families in the early evening. Prices are in line with a large international hotel and higher than in the independent pubs nearby. If you are looking for a livelier night, the King's Head Pub is a short walk along the same street.

The Nile Palace is south of the town centre, a short taxi or carriage ride from Luxor Temple and the souq. The hotel's Italian restaurant, Casa di Napoli, and its Lebanese restaurant, El Tarboush, are good options for dinner before or after a drink. Opening hours are not published, so call the hotel to check, and expect a security check at the entrance, which is normal at large hotels in Egypt.

In Luxor, evenings out usually mean a drink by the river followed by dinner, rather than late nights, because so much sightseeing starts at dawn. Hotel bars such as this one are among the few places where alcohol is served; if you are not a resident, call ahead to check access.