Adrère Amellal
Siwa
A massive compound built in the unlikely materials of mud and salt, Adrère Amellal Desert Ecolodge, Siwa is a monument to imagination. There’s more to Egypt than the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings. There are sites that are more confidential but which guarantee visitors an unforgettable experience. It is so unusual and unexpected that it could almost classify as a hallucination. Unlikely as it might seem, also the walls of some of the guest rooms are made from cakes of salt embedded in mud.
Built on the sides of a white limestone mountain (Adrère Amellal means white mountain), the hotel takes the form of a traditional village. The buildings are made of kershef, a mixture of earth, stone and salt water, which provides surprisingly good insulation. “It conserves the heat in winter and the cold in summer. Air conditioning is unnecessary. So much the better since there’s no electricity”, according to the its creator, Mounir Nemagalla.
Each one of its hand-built 40 rooms is unique, combining distinction and authenticity. Earth buildings blend naturally into the landscape. All the furniture and crafts pay tribute to nature and to talented local artisanship. The furniture and sofas are made of earth covered with white cushions, and each detail is carved and enhanced with white limestone. With no electricity, the rooms are softly lit with a dozen beeswax candles and the starry desert sky.
The food comes exclusively from the hotel’s organic garden. The building is a veritable labyrinth of corridors leading to terraces or sumptuous and elegant covered areas. For relaxation, the hotel has a spa and a spring water pool. In the heart of the desert, the Adrère Amellal is proof that luxury can be simple, ecological and exclusive.
