Ambiance Downtown Hotel

At Garden City Hotel, the room was quiet, comfortable, and clean, and the staff were friendly and ready to help. It's affordable and feels safe, with a great spot near downtown, the Nile, and plenty of restaurants and shops. I'd definitely come back.

We liked the location and had a nice view of the garden. Breakfast was decent, and some staff members were nice. We stayed for two days and saw four rooms after the room we were given as an upgrade. They cancelled the booking.com reservation to upgrade us, but none of the four rooms looked anything like the photos except for the ceiling. The old orange wood furniture looked like it was from the 2000s, not the light grey wood shown in the pictures. There were cracks in the walls, and our door wouldn't close properly unless locked with a key. The elevator wasn't finished, and its saloon-style door pushed you out. The bathroom was small, and the shower was inconvenient. Water stopped after each shower, leaving us without any for 30 minutes, twice. We chose a room with two single beds and put them together ourselves. Under the bed was full of dust and stuff, and part of the wall was damaged.

The hotel is a little worn and could use renovation. Breakfast was very poor, and the same every day: boiled egg, French fries, cucumber, tomato, jam, and Egyptian bread. The location is great, right behind Tahrir square. The staff were friendly and helpful, and we had a large King Suite with two bedrooms and a beautiful view.

I had a shocking experience at the art shop in this building. A seller stands outside, approaches people passing by, and acts friendly. He introduces himself, offers what he calls a business card, then gives you a silly drawing and signs it. Suddenly he demands 100 euros for the “gift,” saying you've damaged the picture. He and his accomplices inside pressure you and won't let you leave until you pay. It's an aggressive scam. Avoid the place, don't accept anything from the people outside, and keep your distance.