Why don't you think about the Cairo Marriott for your stay in Cairo? The centerpiece of the hotel is a Palace built for Empress Eugenie when she came for the opening of the Suez Canal in the late 1800's. It's wonderful. I've spent 3 weeks there in the last year.

There is a very nice garden and a Terrace Restaurant which is filled by wealthy Cairenes after Prayer on Fridays.

There are 2 towers which house the hotel guest with rooms that are fine, but nothing special. Even though the Towers are 20 stories each, you don't get the feeling that you are in a huge hotel due to the smaller size of the Palace & the reception area.

I've stayed in 6 or 7 hotels in Cairo & visited others -- once I discovered the Marriott I haven't stayed elsewhere.

I haven't stayed in/been to the 4 Seasons, so I can't tell you about the Big Hotel feeling.

Mena House is fun (imagine waking up with the Pyramids in view), but a little far from town. Many people stay there for a day or two while they see the Pyramids & go to Dashur, Memphis & Saqqara, then stay in town for the remainder of the Cairo stay.

Hi Sunshine,

Thanks for your post -- the Marriott is on our short list, and the palace sounds beautiful. Did you stay in the towers, or in the garden rooms? Do the garden rooms actually look out in onto the gardens of the palace?

The garden rooms sound quite nice, but are by far the least expensive rooms in the hotel, which makes me wonder if there is a problem I'm not aware of -- noise, perhaps?

How is the food at the Marriott? Is it worth paying for B&B, or is it easy to get breakfast in Cairo?

What other hotels have you stayed in? What did you think of them? We are also looking at the Semiramis and the Conrad.

Thanks for the note about the Mena House being far away. It looks like a lovely place to stay, but I'm not sure that it will be very convenient for the sights in town.

Cheers,
Julian

Well Marriot is a beautiful hotel and location is good and it is next to the nile river. The buffet is wonderful at Omar Khayyam but last time i went it was only offered on Thursday nite. The garden room is ok but have to warm you that you better bring the mosquito stick with you!!!

I love staying at Conrad. It is a wonderful hotel and the service is excellent. You will have a mall by two block from this hotel which you can walk and there are food court inside the mall. The mall is called Ekadia Mall. Semiramis is a wonderful hotel and strategically located in downtown. You may walk at the back of this hotel to downtown. There you can find KFC, McDonald and Pizza Hut and also walking distant to the American Embassy and also to the Egyptian Antique Museum. From here you can go to the Khan El Khalili bazaar about 15-30 minutes taxi ride for just 5-6 egyptian pound and you stay at Hussein what the local call it until late at nite drinking tea with mint and if you want to try the shisha pipe!! Breakfast in this hotel is ok just like any other hotels. In cairo you can easily find food like the local food called shawerma/doner kebab here in europe the call it. It is tasty and cheap too. If you go to Mohandissine in Gamal El Dowal Arabia St. which is only about 5 egyptian pound from downtown and 3 egyptian from Marriot, you will find a lot of places to eat there from the beginning of the street!! and the best thing about this place it is open till late at nite especially during the summer! I would recommend you Semiramis hotel for the location. Dont stay in Pyramid areas..yes the price is cheap but it is not worth due to the traffic jam and also transportation is expensive by taxi and you dont want to ride in the mini bus...it is scary and toooo crowded like sardine!!!

I agree with Subshine's view of gardens etc of Marriott. But I did think that room that I stayed in , albeit a few years ago, was pretty mediocre - dated and more like 3 star. Since then renovations of at least some of the hotel. I have also stayed at what became the Grand Hyatt and thought the rooms were much better and good facilities just being completed (about 3 years ago). Shopping mall referred to by magdylinda is very good by Cairo standards - especially for kids' clothes - Arkadia is I think corect spelling. Directly opposite Conrad sitting on the river is a trendy upmarket bar/ restaurant you could check out. I would put those 3 hotels above Semiramis despite Semiramis convenience for Egypt Museum.

Hello,

Will mosquitos be a problem in March? I usually bring repellent on safari, but didn't think Egypt in March would be a problem.

Cheers,
Julian

Jasher, I've stayed in:

Sheraton Heliopolis -- close to the airport & good for those nights where you need to catch a 4:30 am plane or for business in the area.

Cairo Sheraton -- Huge reception place made of marble make it very cold. Rooms were nicer than the Marriott. Big hotel feeling. None of the restaurants stood out.

Cairo Hilton -- Again, feels like a big hotel. Rooms are standard Hilton.

Ramses Hilton -- Don't even think of staying there if you're a boutique sort of guy.

Mena House -- Like the Marriott, it's an historic building -- the Pasha's Hunting Lodge. The room I stayed in was a little shabby, but it was fine. That view of the Pyramids was fabulous & the Moghul House (Indian) Restaurant was great.

I've been in the Grand Park Hyatt & again it's huge. Quite elegant, however. There's a really good fish restaurant in the restaurant grotto below the reception area.

As for the Marriott, I've read (probably here) that the Garden rooms are noisy at night due to the tented oriental restaurant. The restaurants are all good. The breakfast buffet is the best of all the hotels I've stayed in in Egypt.

Haven't been to Egypt in March, so can't tell you about mosquitos at that time.

I don't know about the Barron, either.

I am really out of tough. When are you going to Egypt, Julian???

Make that - I am really out of TOUCH.....

We just stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Cairo. Food was very good, service was wonderful. The room was on the 26th floor overlooking the Nile. Very clean and modern.

Hi,

I'm going to Egypt for a week in March with my sister.

Cheers,
Julian

Lucky you!!!

I'm afraid Diva doesn't agree...

Cheers,
Julian

going to egypt in march for 2 weeks haven't plan anithing yet need hepl...i will meet my wife there she works in the sudan but have limited acces to the web so i,m in charge of the planing...