Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence, Cairo

I stayed here for four nights on my honeymoon and it is absolutely the best hotel in Cairo in my opinion. Actually not just mine - travelling business class I was waiting in the check in line talking to someone who lived in Cairo checking in first class who asked me which hotel and immediately said - "oh, that's the one" when I told them this one.

There are two Four Seasons Hotels in Cairo - this is the newer of the two I ...
...it was outstanding. The service was like nothing I have ever experienced. Example: I was reading my book on a sun lounger by the pool - they have pool waiters for drinks, towel check people who give you a special sheet-type towel to go over your sun lounger with a pocket for the head cushion, and another towel to dry yourself with, they bring you sun cream if you ask etc etc. Then since when I sipped my drink I put my book down open and face down ... more

I stayed here for four nights on my honeymoon and it is absolutely the best hotel in Cairo in my opinion. Actually not just mine - travelling business class I was waiting in the check in line talking to someone who lived in Cairo checking in first class who asked me which hotel and immediately said - "oh, that's the one" when I told them this one.

There are two Four Seasons Hotels in Cairo - this is the newer of the two I think.

It wasn't cheap but my goodness it was outstanding. The service was like nothing I have ever experienced. Example: I was reading my book on a sun lounger by the pool - they have pool waiters for drinks, towel check people who give you a special sheet-type towel to go over your sun lounger with a pocket for the head cushion, and another towel to dry yourself with, they bring you sun cream if you ask etc etc. Then since when I sipped my drink I put my book down open and face down on the table beside me, someone brought me a complimentary bookmark so I could close it when I wanted my hands free!!!

The actual hotel is like "wow". All in marble - amazing lobbies, restaurants etc - it was an adventure just walking through it all. Opulent! And a shopping centre attached just in case you are not feeling decadent enough just being there.

4 restaurants all serving late into the night or til 2.30am in the the case of the bar - a chines/ thai restaurant, the bar served greek mezes and tapas, a traditional European and a tea lounge. Breakfast was a cornucopia, catering for Japanese and American tastes as well as European. Hotel prices (i.e not local currency - and most locals would never be able to afford to eat there) but great quality.

We stayed in a standard room (£275 a night in high season 2005) and it was generously sized. Giant bed, huge wardrobe, room for two armchairs and a table at the window end (not brilliant views into the neighbouring shopping centre but much more exciting if you craned your neck and yes, you can see the Nile. You pay more for the better views.) The "standard" bathroom was bigger than any I've ever had, even in the bridal suite - had two sinks , a bath and a massive walk in shower - all beautiful, ultra-modern, marble and spotlessly clean.

Huge telly - adequate range of English language programmes CNN, BBC World etc including a film channel (spent first night of honeymoon curled up in early night with hubby watching Pretty Woman - aww). Bed was turned down , shoes were cleaned, chocs on the pillow - all that stuff.

An unfaultable experience - you could have spent three days and not left the hotel , except that would be a crying shame in Cairo. I have never enjoyed a hotel so much in my life.

This gushing review makes me sound like I've only ever done a Travelodge and the Happy Eater before but it's not true - I promise you I am a woman of taste and discernment and I've been to all the best places! It was just 5 star plus plus plus, and so often in Europe anyway that doesn't happen, never mind Africa. It had the excellent standard of service you get in a top flight American hotel without the extra rip off charges and the blandness.

Cheap and great dry-cleaning/laundry facilities, well placed to walk round Cairo, and so new it actually made a nice chance to marvel at the amazingness of modern architecture instead of the amazingness of the ancient sites. Excellent level of English spoken by everyone and anything you wanted, they could get.

I enjoyed every single second, even walking into the lifts was exciting. OK, I'll stop gushing now. Maybe it was because it as my honeymoon. 

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