Steigenberger Hotel & Nelson Village
| Company type | Hotel and resort |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Eliyahu Paposchado (initiated construction) |
| Headquarters | Taba , Egypt |
Area served | Tourists, primarily Israeli visitors historically |
| Products | Resort accommodation, hotel services |
| Website | www |
The Steigenberger Hotel & Nelson Village () is a resort accommodation located in Taba, Egypt, positioned just slightly more than 100 metres from the Egypt-Israel southern border.
History
Construction of the Aviya-Sonesta Beach Hotel was initiated in 1979 by Eliyahu Paposchado during the period when Sinai was under Israeli administration. This hotel stood near Eilat and beside Rafi Nelson's Nelson Village, a cultural center that attracted many prominent Israelis throughout the late 1960s and 1970s.
After the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty, discussions concerning the unfinished hotel and village were postponed due to disagreements over border demarcations. The establishment received its first guests on November 1, 1982, with an official inauguration on November 15. A distinctive element of the hotel is a tall wall relief bearing a Hebrew inscription, crafted by Jerusalem-based sculptor Daniel Kafri.
In 1986, an international arbitration tribunal resolved the territorial dispute by returning the land to Egyptian sovereignty while permitting Israelis duty-free passage between Eilat and the hotel. The property was sold to Egypt for $35 million and ownership was transferred in January 1989.
On September 1, 1989, the hotel was rebranded as Hilton Taba, drawing numerous Israeli visitors until the tragic 2004 Sinai bombings, which resulted in multiple fatalities and a steep drop in tourism. Following extensive refurbishment, Hilton International encountered legal proceedings related to compensation claims from victims but denied responsibility; ultimately, courts dismissed these claims.
In 2017, Deutsche Hospitality entered into a management agreement with Taba Tourism Development Company, undertaking renovations and reopening the facility as Taba Hotel & Nelson Village under the Steigenberger Hotels label. After additional upgrades, it adopted the name Steigenberger Hotel & Nelson Village in 2023.