OUR STORY
The story behind the name
THE FOUNDER
Al Moudira is the vision of Zeina Abou Kheir, who fell in love with Luxor when she first arrived by felucca several decades ago and recognised Luxor’s West Bank, with its timeless, transcendent charm, as the perfect place to realise her dream. On a parcel of desert with its own natural spring, Mme. Zeina created a palace on Luxor’s west bank that is a rarity in Egypt, a privately-owned and run top-end hotel. Over decades, and overseeing all aspects of the running of the hotel, she earned herself the title of the moudira, the female boss.
Meet the team
The hotel’s distinctive architecture, beautiful domes and arches are some of the best work of the London-trained Egyptian architect Olivier Sednaoui, who has since built private houses and exclusive hotels across Egypt. Sednaoui used a team of local master masons to realise a design that combines Middle Eastern architecture and tradition with sustainable building techniques. His architectural brilliance and Mme. Zeina’s ability to collect handcrafted wooden doors, locally sourced terracotta, painted glass from Alexandria and hand-painted floor tiles from around Egypt and across the region, are the foundation of the hotel and are at the heart of what makes Al Moudira unique.
Zeina travelled around the Middle East seeking exceptional antiques and artworks to enhance Al Moudira’s charm, to ensure that it would evoke the glamorous past of Alexandria, Cairo, Beirut, and Damascus.
Specials
WORKSHOPS
Egypt’s finest artisans work continuously with our team to maintain the charm of Al Moudira and are happy to provide hands-on masterclasses in textile design, carpentry, metalwork, and pottery.
OUR LIBRARY
The hotel’s well stocked library has a significant holding of books on archaeology, Egypt and the Middle East.
HOME FARM
Beyond the gardens of Al Moudira lies a small home farm with cows, a resident camel, donkeys, ducks, chickens as well as a vegetable garden that supplies a variety of vegetables and flowers for the table.
Bespoke Transports
Upon request, we could arrange for your airport transfers in our beautifiully restored vintage cars offering you a unique level of comfort and a nostalgic experience letting your mind wonder about stories dating back to the classic eras.
Moudira on the banks of the Nile
We now have a mooring on the West Bank, not far from the Valley of the Kings and surrounded by gardens. We own a beautiful boat that offers Nile trips and crossings, together with picnics and private tours with lunch and dinner included. At our mooring there is a comfortable rest house overlooking the Nile that can be used for private dinners.
