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Cairo (Egypt) Reviews |
BILL FIRSLE
Guest
Voted this Destination:Not voted yet
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| For a 5 star hotel we were not impressed with the Sheraton. Our room was in a good location but shabby and had a lot of minor faults-lights hanging out of the ceiling, plugs hanging out of walls, towel rail and loo roll holder fell off wall-need I go on. We complained and eventually most things were resolved but it is not what I would expect from a 5*- however we were only there 3 days so it wasn't too bad. Cairo itself is amazing as are the people- Panorama provided us with a very good guide for 2 days and a driver and minibus to ourselves - all for £40 a day each with all visits and lunch thrown in. Very good value. However breakfast at the hotel was bland and room service mixed. Recommend Cairo but not the Sheraton. We also had a weeks cruise on the MS Grand Star and that was excellent all round-fabulous food, a superb guide in Caspar and the most friendly and helpful staff. After that the hotel in Cairo had a lot to live up to. We also finished with 4 days at the Siva Grand Beach in Hurgarda and although it was all inclusive the food was not as good or as varied as on the boat which considering the boat was 3* and both the hotels 5* was odd. Also apart from the Red sea there was nothing else to see as Hurgarda is just a strip of hotels with sea in front and desert behind. Would love to go back and stay this time in Aswan which we thought was a wonderful place and the Nubian people are very welcoming and there is a lot more we would like to do there. We had hassle from sellers everywhere but you soon get used to saying no if you don't want something. All in all great country-great people-throughly recommended.
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PYRAMID TRAVELS
Guest
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The staff spoke basic English, surprising for a Sheraton 5* hotel.
The hotel is geared for business people, there were hardly any other tourists and this showed in the lack of breakfast items, the lack of entertainment and the pool was closed. When we were there, the hotel was filled with 90% business people from all over the world.
We felt very out of place here and as though they couldn't be bothered dealing with us, they preferred to deal with the show-off, arrogant, businessmen.
The room was massive and came with a Nile view which was spectacular. The beds were larger than a single bed but smaller than a double and the bathroom was spacious and sparkly clean. The tv had a perfect reception and 35 channels.
I've seen more chocice of breakfast items in a 3* hotel. This was rather disappointing.
The Morrocan 'Casablanca' restaurant up on the 26th floor had a limited menu and nothing vegetarian. When I asked about the vegeterian choices on their 1 page menu, I was told I could have chicken or lamb with cous cous.
I don't eat any animals. This is what vegetarian means.
There was a minimum charge of LE45 per person (about £7.50).
We booked our table, the surroundings were beautiful. We had the chicken and vegetable cous cous at LE42 each, we only paid this to be there to see the belly dancer dance in the beautiful Morrocan surroundings.
When she did come on, she was reasonable but nothing special.
I video taped her performance for 10 mins, then we paid the bill.
On leaving, I turned round and she had changed into the most glamourous costume. I switched the camcorder on and started to film her. The Manager came over and put his hand over the lens and told me 'NO'.
He said I wasn't allowed to video her as it was a matter of National Security. I was allowed to film her before when I was sitting at a table with their overpriced food but now I had paid, I couldn't film her. I said fine and I left.
On pushing the button to the lift and waiting, the lift doors opened, as I entered the lift I was shoved to the side and around 8 businessmen with 2 mobile phones each shuffled in.
This happened to me a few times. The businessmen are obviously 1st class citizens whereas I am a tourist, a guest in their country, and whereas they are not paying out of their own pocket, I am. If my money and custom isn't welcome then that's fine, I'll go a rival hotel next time.
I told the Kuoni rep who apologised for this and said that even if it was the President himself, he would not shove me aside and enter the lift.
I've holidayed many times in Luxor and been treated with respect.
Even when waiting to be attended to at the Reception area, some businesspeople would barge in and talk over me and be served first. Not sure if it was because I was female, a white tourist or both.
For the amount of money I paid, I did not feel comfortable or welcome in this hotel. I am very disappointed.
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OUR HOTEL IN EGYPT
Guest
Voted this Destination:Not voted yet
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The Mena House Oberoi in Giza, Cairo, is Cairo's most famous and historical hotel. We paid extra to have a pyramid view room instead of a garden view room. The pyramid view rooms are in the new wing extension and from our balcony, we had perfect views of the 2 biggest pyramids, the pool and the main palace building. There are rooms in the main palace building and suites but this was so out of our price range.
Please note there are lots of tall trees in the gardens and pathways leading from the main palace building to the blocks of rooms. Best to get a room on the 2nd floor or upwards (over there, 2nd floor rooms start with a 3).
For breakfast, we could choose from The Greenery Restaurant, on the ground floor of one of the new wing blocks or the Khan el Khalili Restaurant, on the first floor in teh main building with perfect clear view of the pyramids.
Both serve the usual breakfast items - various types of bread and rolls, croissants, jam honey butter and marmalade, pastry cakes with pineapple in them or jam or glazed with sugar, breakfast cereals, baked beans, sausages (yes, in a Muslim country), sliced meats, diced potatoes, felafel, fuul (stewed beans in a gravy), 3 kinds of fruit juice and tea or coffee of course. They also had sachets of Candarel sweetener on the tables.
We found that The Greenery had a larger selection.
Our room was spacious with two single beds, very clean sheets, air conditioning control box wasn't straight forward, the door to the balcony didn't lock but had a door chain on it. The bathroom was great and the side of the bath was low, helpful for someone with arthritis in leg who can't lift leg too high. Hairdryer in bathroom and selection of toiletries, 2 bathrobes and 2 pairs towelling slippers.
The tv had 30 channels to choose from and a glossy pull out TV guide. Minbar below tv.
Room service was prompt, not too pricey but not a great selection though.
The gardens and pathways leading from the 3 accommodation blocks were beautiful, gardiners always out watering the grass, plants and trees.
The swimming pool was freezing cold, plentiful sun loungers and The Oasis Bar to serve up soft and alcoholic drinks as well as food (pasta, french fries, soup). Perfect place to sit in the shade and gaze over to the Pyramids.
We didn't try the famous Moghul Room indian restaurant as we're not fans of spicy food. Their menu is on display outside the restaurant. The Khan el Khalili Restaurant also serves lunch and dinner (I was told it is open 24 hours). Varied a la carte menu, some tasty vegetarian dishes for me. Bookings are required at both restaurants.
The Sultan Bar on the ground floor is such a relaxing place to be. The chairs have funny square seats, there are beautiful beaded curtains framing the windows where people look up to the pyramids, especially in the evening when the Pyramid Sound and Light Show is on, lovely to see them lit up at various times. Sometimes in this bar they have a pianist and violinist. The bar on the first floor has a man with an electronic violin but no view from the window.
Reception are helpful and I was particularly surprised at the perfect English spoken by some of them.
There is a selection of shops selling usual tourist things - postcards, stamps, cosmetics, souveniers, t-shirts, cigarettes, books, maps. There is a bank to exchange your travellers cheques and a travel agency to book local tours and excursions.
The customer relations team, especially Anne, were very helpful. They can arrange to show you around the Montgomery and Churchill Suites, but sadly we ran out of time to do that.
There is a range of taxis who are parked outside the hotel, they always park there and are well known and I felt safer using them than just any old taxi of the street. They do charge a bit more as they assume you have a lot of money to stay there but I feel it is safer to use them. The hotel also has fancier cars, some type of limousine (not the american stretch) and an idea of prices for tours.
The Mena House Oberoi have a golf course, you have to exit the hotel and cross over the road and walk down into it. We had drinks outside teh clubhouse and enjoyed the peace and quiet.
They have a casino but we're not the gambling type. There was another restaurant, which served mostly fish dishes but this was booked up also. They have entertainment from 8.30 p.m. onwards.
We got a great package deal with Kuoni holidays. Much cheaper doing it this way than getting a flight only and turning up at the hotel. We saw the price list as being $220 american dollars a night there. We paid about £60 english pounds a night when we worked it out.
Overall, it was a fanstastic experience staying there and worth every penny.
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JANET
Guest
Voted this Destination:Not voted yet
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Booked this hotel independently whilst in Luxor, Egypt.
Hotel is on busy main road. Taking your life in your hands trying to cut through traffic to cross it. No pedestrian crossings.
2 lifts - when a lift opens at your floor, always a few inches above or below the floor level.
Hotel staff - not helpful. Toilet wouldn't flush. Took me 15 mins just to repeat'toilet broken, toilet not good, problem with toilet'. I was told 'please speak English Madam'. I do speak English. I even repeated this in Arabic. At first, They claimed not to understand. After 30 mins, someone came and turned on a water connection pipe and hey presto.
Lovely room, double glazed window, 2 firm beds with clean sheets and nice carpets.
Air conditioning did not work full stop. Another 10 mins to explain this. We were in room for 2 hours and nothing. We went out and visited the Egyptian Museum. 5 hours later, someone called to say it could not be fixed and would we like another room. This was late in the evening and we would be checking out the next afternoon so we declined this offer. TV had 12 Arabic channels.
Breakfast - small selection of bread rolls, frozen butter, salad, chocolate doughnuts.
Nowhere outside hotel to buy food (simple food such as pasta or soup). We jumped on a local minibus a few minutes along the road to KFC and McDonald's. Local minibus running the full stretch of Pyramids Road (or Sharia al Haram) cost 50 piastres each for single journey regardless of where you get off (10 pence sterling).
We visited the Pyramids on Saturday morning. Took microbus along (20 mins)then walked. L.E. 20 each to enter the site (£4 sterling). This was at 0830 hours. Very quiet and not much hassle. Spent 1 1/2 hours there without a guide.
It was wonderful!
The hotel was impressive from the outside. When we exited the hotel, hotel staff would ask where we were going. If we were just going for a walk or a look around, they would insist on getting us a taxi or offering us excursions. Very pushy!
Rooftop bar on 12th floor had wonderful view of the 3 Pyramids.
The rooftop bar was the highlight of the hotel.
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Hayes & Jarvis
Guest
Voted this Destination:Not voted yet
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| Showing a little of it's age now (it was the first top class hotel in Cairo) the Hilton is ideally situated for a visit to the Egyptian Museum- although that will prove a severe let-down! Because the Hilton is a business class hotel, the decor and standards have not been allowed to drop as far as the Luxor Hilton. Rooms are large and clean. The 4 lane road between the hotel and the Nile is packed even at 3am although this actually provided us with entertainment. Not at all easy to walk the streets at night- it felt really uncomfortable.
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