Cairo

[Aston100]

Hello, does anyone have first hand experience of The IC Semiramis or the Ramses Hilton?
These are the two hotels in-scope for my circumstances.
Would have considered the Hilton Zamalek but it sounds like it is a bit far from any transport options or anything to see/do/eat within walking distance. Also no lounge and reports of status recognition being a bit iffy – but happy to hear otherwise from anyone who has been to this hotel too.
Thanks.

• This topic was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[PeteM]

I was about to ask this exact question, so bumping the thread up.

Did you go to Cairo in the end, @Aston100?

[Aston100]

Hi Pete, flights got cancelled, rebooked and cancelled again, so I’m leaving it until probably Feb 2024.
Also, the Grand Egyptian Museum hasn’t opened yet as items are still being moved from other museums.
So there is a risk that if you go anytime soon’ish, you’ll have the worst of it as older museums will be missing exhibits and those exhibits won’t be viewable in the GEM as that place still isn’t open.

The Hilton Ramses sent me an email confirming that HH status privileges will apply to all 4 rooms and all 8 people (lounge access, breakfast and presumably a room upgrade), so long as we book two rooms in my name and two rooms in player 2’s name. We are Diamond and Gold respectively.

The IC Semiramis were uninterested in any incentives for four rooms and Diamond status, plus the place looks like it needs a serious refurb going by room pictures and reviews. The IC Cairo City Allstars were almost as dismissive. The management / contact for this place also represent the Staybridge and the Holiday Inn, all in the same shopping centre complex.

There is a Holiday Inn suites in Maadi, which unfortunately seems a bit far from the action but the place is brand new (or rather, it seems to be a new section of an existing large Holiday Inn which has been partitioned). These guys offered room upgrades and complimentary breakfast for all 4 studio suites / 8 guests that we wanted to book on points (unclear if the upgrades would have been to junior suites or ‘proper’ suites). There is a metro on the blue line a ten minute walk away.

So if I go in Feb, I will likely book the Hilton Ramses. It has been going through a refurb in the past year so not sure if we’ll get a decent refurbished room, or end up in a construction site!
But equally, I will consider the HI Maadi Suites. Cairo seems the sort of place where we will be out of the hotel other than to sleep.

[PeteM]

That is super handy, thank you! We are looking at 3 rooms going over Christmas, so hoping the museum situation will have settled.

I was willing to spend a fair amount of points on the Marriott Mena House in Giza, but my cousin who lives in Cairo discouraged me from it, saying that there is nothing going for it apart from the view and we’d likely feel trapped, as staying in Cairo for 5nts and the neighbourhood there has little going for it.

[Aston100]

Hmm my post seems to have disappeared, but apparently Pete is able to see it.

[PeteM]

I was just thinking I’ll look crazy talking to myself!

I suspect it’s gone into moderation? I did screenshot it to send to my party, so if it doesn’t reappear I can post that.

[PeteM]

Did you email with anyone in particular at the Hilton, by the way, @Aston100?

[Aston100]

PeteM wrote:

Did you email with anyone in particular at the Hilton, by the way, @Aston100?

Mohamed Taha
Manager Executive Floors
Mohamed.taha@hilton.com

CAIRO RAMSES HILTON HOTEL
t: +20 2 3946936 | f: +20 2 25752942
1115 Corniche El Nile I Cairo 12344 I Egypt

[PeteM]

Many thanks!

[PeteM]

So we’ve ended up at the St Regis – one of my friends decided she wanted to spend Christmas in true luxury, so is kindly treating us to one of their 3 bedroom apartments!

Does anyone have any experience with the CAI lounges? We’ll be spending a fair few hours at Terminal 3 during our trip whilst flying domestically with Egyptair and I note the Priority Pass website says the lounge is available for “international flights only” – is that really the case? The airport website doesn’t go into this much detail…

[Aston100]

Hi Pete, I’ve rebooked flights for October/November 2024.
Wish I had a friend with complimentary access to the St Regis!

Do let me know how you get on in the country.
I’m going outbound in CE, and likely coming back from Luxor or Aswan (connecting in Cairo) 2 weeks later with Egyptair.

[PeteM]

It’s getting excitedly close for us now, @Aston100.

We’re doing 5nts in Cairo, then to Luxor for 1nt, 4nts cruise to Aswan, 1nt there and then to Dahab via Cairo and Sharm. Home from Sharm on EZ – booked front row, though! Managed to get front row on BA on the way to Cairo too 🙂

[Aston100]

Sounds good Pete, but do you think one night is enough for Luxor? I was planning on up to 5 nights there (probably the Doubletree).

Would be interested to know how you get on with your cruise. I’m undecided on doing one as I don’t want to be trapped on what might turn out to be a party boat full of noisy millennials.

[Amy C]

May I butt in here as someone who has been to Luxor many times? One night isn’t enough! It’s my fave city in Egypt. You could get it all done in 2 probably if you pack a lot in. I am happy with 5-7 nights there and don’t get bored.

[JonathanC]

A little bit OT here, but anyway;

If you’ve never been to Cairo before, driving behaviour and road traffic laws (or lack of them) are something else,

Don’t ever rent a car !

Trying to cross a road can be difficult even for some of the most confident of people !

[Aston100]

Amy C wrote:

May I butt in here as someone who has been to Luxor many times? One night isn’t enough! It’s my fave city in Egypt. You could get it all done in 2 probably if you pack a lot in. I am happy with 5-7 nights there and don’t get bored.

Amy, have you done a cruise between Luxor and Aswan (or vice versa)?
If so, would welcome your thoughts.
Tripadvisor consensus from ‘destination experts’ seems to be negative on the whole.

[bruinbrown]

PeteM wrote:

So we’ve ended up at the St Regis – one of my friends decided she wanted to spend Christmas in true luxury, so is kindly treating us to one of their 3 bedroom apartments!

Does anyone have any experience with the CAI lounges? We’ll be spending a fair few hours at Terminal 3 during our trip whilst flying domestically with Egyptair and I note the Priority Pass website says the lounge is available for “international flights only” – is that really the case? The airport website doesn’t go into this much detail…

I can’t comment on the lounges at CAI but we stayed at the St Regis in the centre of Cairo earlier this year and we absolutely loved it. It was an excellent hotel and somehow felt more like a st regis than the st regis New York. Breakfast was great, restaurant was good as well for lunch, pools were great. My one tip though – it’s a half smoking, half non-smoking hotel so if you’re sensitive to cigarette smoke then you might find yourself struggling in places. We stayed in a nile view room supposedly non-smoking and could definitely feel cigarette smoke in our throats in certain parts of the room.

I’d echo the comments about not driving though. Ubers were cheap and I think it only cost us about £5 for most long journeys in Cairo.

[HampshireHog]

Amy C wrote:

May I butt in here as someone who has been to Luxor many times? One night isn’t enough! It’s my fave city in Egypt. You could get it all done in 2 probably if you pack a lot in. I am happy with 5-7 nights there and don’t get bored.

I echo this, two full days required. One to go the valley of the kings and temple of Queen Hatshepsut second day to play Roger Moore at Karnak and see Luxor temple. Further days could be trips out of town to temples on the nile

[Amy C]

Aston100 wrote:

Amy C wrote:

May I butt in here as someone who has been to Luxor many times? One night isn’t enough! It’s my fave city in Egypt. You could get it all done in 2 probably if you pack a lot in. I am happy with 5-7 nights there and don’t get bored.

Amy, have you done a cruise between Luxor and Aswan (or vice versa)?
If so, would welcome your thoughts.
Tripadvisor consensus from ‘destination experts’ seems to be negative on the whole.

Hi, yes I have. Did Luxor to Aswan in 2018 with full excursion package and loved it so much I did it again (without excursions) the year after. I’ve never got the impression from TA that it’s not a good idea. Also took the option to go to Abu Simbel which was worth it.

There’s nothing like watching local life on the banks of the Nile from the top deck as you glide peacefully along. It’s Egypt so you’ll be harassed off the boat & on board entertainment will be naff but the sights you’ll see are worth it. They’re no better or easier way to see the sights south of Luxor unless you are truly immersing yourself and spending a day or more at each temple.

[LD27]

Visited Egypt some time back. Spent 2 days in Luxor. Loved it and could happily have stayed for longer. Did a week trip on the Nile to Aswan and back. One of the best holidays we have ever had. Have booked twice to return including Cairo, where we have never been. Sadly on both occasions tour was cancelled. Will definitely return before too long.

[PeteM]

I am so glad I restarted this thread – so much useful information! Thank you all, this is why I love HfP! 🙂

Amy C wrote:

May I butt in here as someone who has been to Luxor many times? One night isn’t enough! It’s my fave city in Egypt. You could get it all done in 2 probably if you pack a lot in. I am happy with 5-7 nights there and don’t get bored.

Very good point! We have one night in a hotel in Luxor and then one night on the cruise whilst still docked there. We’re currently down as doing the east bank of Luxor (Karnak Temple & Luxor Temple) and the west bank of Luxor (Valley of the Kings, Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut and Colossi of Memnon). I am now looking to also add the Valley of the Queens + Habu Temple + Valley of the Nobles. So hopefully we’ll broadly do it justice, but I could see us coming back if we like it.

In terms of the cruise, we’re doing the M/S Amwaj Living Stone, as it was the only one sailing on the dates we’re there. It’s stupidly expensive as it’s over NYE, but hey ho! Will report back – my bigger concern is that it’ll be full of German OAPs than millennials! 🙂

JonathanC wrote:

If you’ve never been to Cairo before, driving behaviour and road traffic laws (or lack of them) are something else,

Don’t ever rent a car !

Noted – we have a guide and driver for the whole stay, thankfully. He comes highly recommended – will post contact details if he delivers and others want to use him. And yes, I think cheap Uber for dinner trips, etc.

bruinbrown wrote:

I can’t comment on the lounges at CAI but we stayed at the St Regis in the centre of Cairo earlier this year and we absolutely loved it. It was an excellent hotel and somehow felt more like a st regis than the st regis New York. Breakfast was great, restaurant was good as well for lunch, pools were great. My one tip though – it’s a half smoking, half non-smoking hotel so if you’re sensitive to cigarette smoke then you might find yourself struggling in places. We stayed in a nile view room supposedly non-smoking and could definitely feel cigarette smoke in our throats in certain parts of the room.

Oh, even more excited now! I suspect the smoking issue is a problem in most Egyptian hotels, though?

On a separate note – any restaurant recommendations in Cairo, Luxor or Aswan, please?

[Amy C]

Sofra restaurant in Luxor is lovely.

[PeteM]

Amy C wrote:

Sofra restaurant in Luxor is lovely.

On my itinerary now, thank you! 🙂

[Venturelog]

@Aston100 not sure if you actually are 100 years old as this topic was modified 53 years and 11 months ago!
Never having been there the hotels always seemed to be good cash value instead of points.
Slightly OT but I would be interested to know what peoples feedback is for the 5 hour flight on BA CE. Not sure if Egypt air has lie flat? Prices are the same for most dates.

[aq.1988]

Venturelog wrote:

@Aston100 not sure if you actually are 100 years old as this topic was modified 53 years and 11 months ago!
Never having been there the hotels always seemed to be good cash value instead of points.
Slightly OT but I would be interested to know what peoples feedback is for the 5 hour flight on BA CE. Not sure if Egypt air has lie flat? Prices are the same for most dates.

Not sure what Egypt Air offer but the BA avios cost is staggering for CE to Egypt. BA charge the same to TLV and they fly widebody aircraft with proper business class, as do VS.