I stayed at the FS First Residence instead of the FS Nile Plaza because I preferred the style and design of the First Residence over Nile Plaza. If you want a more classical European hotel mixed with tasteful Egyptian colonial details, then First Residence is the best. If you want a more modern contemporary feel, then Nile Plaza is preferable. The FS First Residence also has a much more intimate upscale private club feeling than Nile Plaza. The rooms are also larger at First Residence. I had a room overlooking the Pyramids and the Zoological gardens. The rooftop pool at the First Residence is wonderful. I spoke to a person at FS when I was there recently and asked what the major difference between the two hotel is and its: First Residence is more orientated towards leisure and upscale business travelers in a more intimate setting while Nile Plaza is much more orientated towards large conferences, big tour groups, corporate functions, etc. The reason why Nile Plaza is getting higher rankings these days is that most people's predetermined itineraries for the Cairo visit will put them at Nile Plaza because they have more rooms to block for tourist groups and cater more towards the big tour groups ie large number of restaurants, etc. Thats merely this voting inflation, and its unlikely that service there is really 100 out of 100 from what I have read. I was happy with the First Residence because it felt much more intimate and personable than the large tourist group orientated Nile Plaza.