Windsor Hotel

This downtown fixture has changed little since it opened in the 1930s. Travel posters from the 1950s adorn the walls, and while the claim that the Schindler elevator is one of the oldest operating in the world is hard to verify, it’s certainly the oldest in Egypt to still be carrying passengers. The building was originally a khedival bathhouse and served as a British Officers Club during World War II. The heart of the hotel is undoubtedly still the lounge bar on the second floor, with its chairs cut from old barrels and a chandelier of antlers. The vintage reception desk in the lobby, with its original switchboard, however, comes a close second.

Rooms vary considerably, from high ceilinged and spacious to small and quite dank. At the best of times, the whole place is somewhat musty, but if history is your thing, it’s going to seem a small price to pay for the sense of time that the hotel conveys. Less forgiving are recent reports that visitors have felt pressured to accept guide services touted by the front desk.

19 Alfi Bei Street

Downtown Cairo

Tel:+ 20 2 591 5810 /+ 20 2 591 5277

Fax: +20 2 592 1621

Mena House Oberoi Hotel

part from the fact that it’s historically worth a visit in its own right, the Mena House is a good place to stay for those who are in Cairo to see the Pharaonic sites at Giza and up the valley toward Saqqara, Dahshur, and Memphis. Originally built as a hunting lodge next to the pyramids for the Khedive Ismail, it was converted to a hotel in the 1890s. Oberoi took it over in the 1970s and distributed a roomful of 19th-century furnishings throughout the present guest rooms.

The hotel’s location is not ideal for venturing into Islamic Cairo, but it cuts an enormous amount of hassle out of getting to Saqqara and Memphis, as well as the Giza pyramids (which can be viewed directly from the hotel). Public areas of the hotel are decorated with dark wood paneling and mashrabeya, which evoke a time of more relaxed and elegant tourism. Add to this one of the nicest outdoor pools in the city and easily Cairo’s best Indian restaurant, the Mogul Room, and the Mena House makes a pretty good home base for Egypt.

PYRAMIDS ROAD GIZA

Pyramids Road

Cairo

Tel: +20 2 377 3222 / +20 2 377 3444

Fax: +20 2 376 7777

Sofitel Cairo Maadi Towers & Casino

Located just minutes from the city’s most fascinating sites & ancient wonders, Sofitel Cairo Maadi Towers & Casino overlooks the majestic Nile River, with panoramic views of the great Giza pyramids. This stylish hotel offers the luxury of a 5 star resort and the convenience of a professional business center with its own superb restaurants, conference rooms, ballroom, world-class casino, heated pool and more, 12 km from downtown, 30 min from the CICC and 45 minutes from the international airport.

Amenities and Services Services at hotel:

Languages spoken at the hotel: Arabic, English, French
Car hire service desk
Cash machine
Concierge
Dry cleaning / Ironing
Safe deposit box at reception
Currency exchange
Parking
Bus/coach parking area
Public outdoor parking

Security features
24 hour security staff
Video camera at bldg entrance
Smoke alarm in public areas

Leisure facilities
Fitness centre
Massage
Outdoor heated pool
Outdoor unheated pool
Sauna

Meetings Services
Computer hire facilities
Copy/print service available
Fax machine
Internet connectivity
Secretarial service (typing)
Translating/interpreting service

Cornish El Nil Maadi Po Box 217 11431 CAIRO,  EGYPT
(+20)2/25260601 – (+20)2/25261133
H1526@accor.com