Mayfair Hotel 2**
Mayfair Hotel is on the first floor of a six-storey apartment building. It is located on Gezira, an island in the Nile.
The elevated 26th July Road is one of the main thoroughfares in Cairo and runs across the island. It is two blocks away from the hotel. We had an inside room, no view. At first I did not like this, but this a great advantage as there was no traffic noise nor did the sun shine in to the room to make it unbearably hot.
The island has leafy streets. It’s a 15 minutes walk to the nearest metro station: Nasser. The Egyptian museum is a 20 minutes’ walk.
Next to the hotel is a small shop selling bottled water. Water in Cairo is not dangerous to drink but it has a very unpleasant taste: too chlorinated. On the 26th July Street there are some restaurants.
We wanted to visit Giza, Memphis and Saqqara in one day. The hotel can arrange a taxi with or without guide. If you let them know your flight number they can also meet you at the airport. more
Egyptian Museum
A must do is the King Tut's galleries and the Royal Mummy Room. Dont forget to purchase the museum guidebook on the artefacts. more
Novotel Cairo Airport 4****
Generally speaking I don’t like international hotel chains. Nothing shows in which country I am. I could have been anywhere.
I only stayed in Novotel Cairo Airport because it’s 5 minutes (on foot) to the airport, or even less by the hotel's shuttle bus, which leaves on the hour and on the half hour.
There is round the clock food and drink. But we have decided not to have breakfast as this would mean getting up even earlier.
This Novotel is very comfortable, round the clock food and drink and enough opportunity to spend my last Egyptian pounds either on food or on souvenir. The swimmingpool looked attractive with its sun lounges and brightly green and white striped bath towels.
We did not make a reservation and I was slightly worried that the hotel might be full. No way! There are four floors each with 58 rooms.
Central Cairo is 22 kilometres and Giza Pyramids is 40 kilometres more
City of the Dead
This is an unusual visit, not far from Khan al Khalili market, in the outskirts of Cairo. You need an expert guide with you; otherwise local people will throw you stones without pity.
You will see an old necropolis complex with hundreds of thousands of indigent people having managed to construct their “homes” among the tombs.
But there are unexpected surprises, as pointed me up my old and “habibi” friend Mahmoud, a good guide, official one, who speaks Spanish and English, whom you can meet in Felfela restaurant, or playing backgammon and smoking narguile in a lane of Talaat Harb Street.
He showed me the impressive and beautiful mausoleums of the Mameluke sultans where now live the descendents of the old porters of the graves. That was really an amazing place to live, like in palaces. Thanks to Mahmoud we got an invitation from these families (I gave them afterwards a generous baksheesh for their kindness) to drink chai and eat some tahina in the middle of the sepulchres. more
Five Stars Net
Fast conection and reasonable rate per hour. Like 10 computers in one big room plus one separated for smokers. CD burners, memory card readers, scaners and photocopies ... In Down Town. more
Lialy Hostel
Backpackers excellent choice. Book ahead cause is often full. Reasonable priced, clean and nice. In Talaat Harb square, the real down town. Near everywhere. Internet acces around. Communal kitchen and laundry service. more
Hotel Suisse
Another of the very cheap hotels in the area around the Egyptian Museum and Talaat Harb square.
Relativetly clean. Basic. Cheap. There are much better options around for just a couple more Euros. more
The Anglo-Egyptian Bookshop
The worst bookshop in the country. Real rippers overcharging the prices of the books. Thieves. Even with fixed prices like in the travel guidebooks. more
Felfela
This restaurant is a must for every visitor to Cairo. In the old times (when I first visited Egypt a few decades ago) it was the only one, in one corner of Talaat Harb Street, but now there are several in a chain around Cairo. Nevertheless the best is the original one near Tahir Square. There you will taste delicious food in an eastern atmosphere with hanging flowers, artificial small waterfalls, lute music, the grill is at sight where are prepared the shish kebabs of the fresh fish catch in the Nile River. Indeed, this is a delightful restaurant, both, for the food and for the ambiance. I suggest you foul, the national dish made with mashed beans. more
Arabesque Hotel
Just 40 meters from the Egyptian Museum and the Nile river. Right on the busy city center. 10$ for a room sharing a clean bathroom with hot water. Breackfast is included!!! Clean and nice hostel at the 6th floor of that old building. Just 2 floors over the Invitation Hotel.AirCon rooms and laundry service. Warm people. more
Invitation Hotel
Just 40 meters from the Egyptian Museum and the Nile river. Right on the busy city center. Rooms with street views are amazing cause you can see the museum from there but can be noisy!! 10$ for a room sharing a really clean bathroom with hot water. Clean and nice hostel at the 4th floor of that old building. more
Maadi Hotel
Considoring the fact that it is basicly budget traveling, you will find it rather satisfactory. more
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