Hi all,

Just got back from a two week holiday to Cairo and Sharm El Sheik. Loads of good fun. I didn't see many postings on the site before I left so took my chances with the Sheraton hotels and it all turned out well. Especially since the hotels are all category 1 due to the cheapness of Egypt.

Cairo:

If you want five star in Cairo you have to stay at the Four Seasons or Hyatt Grand. All other "5 star" hotels are four at best by European/American standards.

We stayed at the Sheraton Cairo - Hotel Towers and Casino. This hotel is dated, but has all the facilities of a five star hotel. 24 hour restaurant, bars, clubs, huge pool, exercise room, spa, etc. The rooms here are dated by fine, with big balconies overlooking the Nile and if you're high enough with views of the Giza pryamids. The pool and the exercise room are the best parts of this hotel. The exercise room has outside memberships, so it will give you anything you could want (10 treadmils, 5 stairmasters, all machines, etc). The pool is big with a swim up bar and is nice to relax in if you aren't out sightseeing. There is also a "Hotel within a Hotel" on the 17th floors and up.


Sharm El Sheik:

The only true five star options here are the Hyatt, Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton. All hotels/resorts here seem to cater exclusively to the Italian package holiday market. Only the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton seem to be exempt from this.

We stayed at the Sheraton Sharm. This hotel/resort is made up of two areas that are located about a five minute taxi ride North of Namaa Bay (the big name hotels located in Naama Bay are the Marriot and Hilton). We were expecting this hotel to be of a lower quality than the Cairo hotel, but were actually surprised. While not a true five star it's a very nice hotel. We were upgraded to a corner suite that was huge with three separate balconies that overlooked the red sea. There were fruit and sweets delivered to the room on a regular basis. The beach area and pool were also nice - the beach has lots of umbrella's that are spaced nicely to give you some peace and quiet on the beach. We talked to some people that went to the wedding and they had stayed at the Hyatt and said they were really packed in at the beach and pool.

Overall this hotel is definitely worth staying at, especially if it's on points as it's also a category one hotel.

Things we did that we liked in Sharm:

1) Dive Thistlegorm and Ras Mohammed. Don't waste your time with Tiran. We say amazing coral gardens, dolphins, wrecks, white tip sharks and loads more.

2) 4x4's in the desert. Really good fun.
3) Climb Mount Moses. Be careful - this is no easy climb and you stay up all night to see the sunrise, but it's worth it.
4) Dinner at the Thai restaurant in the Hyatt.
5) There is an Italian the was recommended in the Lonely Planet that is just off the main strip in Naama bay that is fantastic.
6) Smoke the flavored tabacco.
7) Chill on the beach and at the swim up bars.

Overall we were very happy with the Sheraton's in Egypt. They are not five star as claimed, but for the most part they are solid four stars. Def worth spending 2,000 points a night vs $190 and up to stay in the Hyatt or Four Seasons.