IAN-UK

The Zamalek property isn't getting much love here. It's a smart hotel in lovely area of Cairo, on Gezira island with views over the river towards the Conrad. There's no lounge, but it would be a shame to let that put anyone off the place. Zamalek is about as geographically central to Cairo as it gets, and is very much the cultural focus of modern Cairo - art galleries and museums, trendy shops, cafes and restaurants on leafy streets, and the opera house complex at the southern end of the island.

Heliopolis offers much the same affluent atmosphere, and is not without charms, but for a first time visitor intent on seeing Cairo rather than simply stay in a nice hotel close to the airport it's probably not the best choice. Something like staying in Richmond rather than Knightsbridge on a first visit to London.

I have soft spot for the Rameses, though its super-central location is daunting in terms of the traffic flows around it. The Egyptian museum is only stone's throw away, but it could take some time to negotiate the traffic to get there: and i will take even longer to reach the museum when it moves out to Giza . It is suggested that will be before the end of the year, but who knows ….



I was in cairo a couple of weeks back, but didn't stay at any Hiltons. But I did note that hotel prices have gone crazy: I hope they won't be able to maintain these levels as pent-up demand for travel levels off!

Zurich

Thank you all for your thoughts!
I will stay four weeks in Egypt and 5 nights or so in Cairo. My travel plans are still evolving and I must confess that I haven't looked at Cairo details yet. So I cannot already answer precisely what I want to see or not. Since most of you are experienced travelers to Cairo I appreciate your inputs vey much. And with any place my four weeks in Egypt and 5 nights in Cairo will never be enough to see and enjoy it all. But your inputs help.
Thank you!

as219

Thank you for bringing up Zamalek! An excellent location for a lot of reasons... but it really depends on the individual's interest in modern Cairo (as opposed to Pharaonic and/or Islamic). Zamalek also has the benefit of being (relatively) quiet, leafy, and interesting with, as you say, art galleries, upscale restaurants and - mercifully - tourist-free. The only reason we didn't pick it is that I was angling for a major suite upgrade that I was unlikely to get in Zamalek, but it's definitely worth considering.

PS A shoutout to my favorite Zamalek venue, the El Sawy Culture Wheel. I wish it were a little easier to access, but it's worth the effort to visit!

I would just recommend this for now: First, the Pharaonic stuff is of course amazing, but the mosques of Islamic Cairo are virtually unparalleled in the Arab world and really should not be missed. They're all different, and the history, architecture and artwork is amazing. I can make specific recommendations if you want. Second, apropos the discussion above, modern Cairo has a lot to offer. It's the largest city in the Arab word, the largest city in Africa, and IMHO the "NNY of the Middle East." Art galleries, boutique stores, concerts, theater, amazing restaurants...there's so much to do and see that is overlooked by most tourists who visit Cairo only to see the Pyramids, Egypt Museum then head south. Don't be like them!

whimsey21

HI all-- I'll be visiting Cairo with my family for the first time this April (so during Ramadan), and spending a few nights while doing the usual tourist sites. From reading this thread it sounds like the general consensus was that the Heliopolis Towers were best, with maybe the Conrad in second, in terms of general quality of property. I'm seeing the new Waldorf Heliopolis (which I believe is the rebranding of the Towers) as sold out during my stay, so my options seem to be the Hilton Heliopolis or Conrad. Between the 2, which is likely to give us the best experience for a few days? I'm expecting we'll spend time in the hotel in the afternoon since I've heard that the sites/museums close early during Ramadan, so we'll probably hang out until restaurants/markets open in the evening, and make use of the lounge (seems like both properties have one). It would be ideal to be in an area where we could walk around a bit in the evening to experience a bit of the local flavor and maybe visit a local restaurant, but I don't know how practical that will be from any tourist hotel. Would appreciate any thoughts (including suggestions of Marriott properties if any of those are superior to the Hilton options. I'm HHonors Diamond and no status with Marriott, but don't mind staying at a non-hilton property for a few nights if it is just better). Thanks in advance for the help.

dirtrat

I'm also a Diamond member and will be staying at the Cairo Conrad for 3 nights on the 28th of this month. If I remember I'll report back of my impressions of the property although it does have good reviews.

whimsey21

thanks- I’d appreciate that. The recent reviews on some 3rd party travel websites have been poor, so I’m wondering whether to keep my booking or change