Kings Palace - Hostel

That stay was awful. The place was filthy, and the staff had a bad attitude. They talked loudly in the corridor, so I couldn’t sleep, and there were mosquitoes and flies everywhere. I chose a non-smoking room, but people smoked while sleeping in the four-bed dorm. It actually had nine beds, with nine people in one room.

The staff were kind and welcoming, and everyone spoke English well. They were happy to give directions and advice. When I accidentally locked myself out, they went out of their way to get me back into my room quickly. The place was pretty clean, though you have to ask housekeeping to come every couple of days. Otherwise they leave you alone. I booked a private room for $10 a night, which came with its own bathroom, so I wasn’t too bothered by the occasional issues. It’s right in the heart of Cairo, with lots of places a few kilometers away and within walking distance if you’d rather not haggle with taxi drivers at first. By Egyptian standards, it was okay, but my room was several floors up. The elevator sometimes didn’t work, and the AC had problems too. It could take a while to get the AC fixed.

There wasn’t even a bedside table or closet where I could put my things. The bed was very dirty, mosquitoes were everywhere, and the noise made sleep impossible. They also charged me more than the amount shown on Booking, and I never got the breakfast included with my reservation. I wouldn’t recommend staying here, even for one night, because you won’t get any sleep.

The place was very dirty, and they never confirmed my booking.