Perhaps one of the most enduring images of Egypt is the Nile flowing by the veranda of the Old Cataract Hotel. The palace was built to offer an exotic and oriental atmosphere for the tourist. The hotel was constructed by Thomas Cook, the grand tour manager of Egypt. The hotel was opened in 1899, during the British occupation, and has been receiving hundreds of nobles of European families wishing to visit Egypt, Nubia and Sudan. Before entering the hotel, to the left side, you can visit the Moorish Ballroom with its domed roof serving as the hotel's restaurant. A combination of gourmet dishes and grand design is fulfilled in one of the worlds leading heritage hotels. From the first step inside the hotel, you will find yourself in another world with Andalusian arches and Moorish style The facade of the palace is prestigious and the garden extends to join the Nile. From the terrace, one can enjoy Aswan's wonderful nature with the large white sails of the traditional Feluccas filling the Nile view from sunrise to sunset. The hotel is also famous because of the star-packed movie version of the mystery novel "Death on the Nile". Its here in the terrace and in the hotel's Moorish ballroom were some of the scenes of the movie occurred.