Lotus Hotel

I booked an expensive room for Cairo, around 75 €, expecting a nice view of Tahrir Square. When my wife and I arrived with all our luggage, they said that room wasn’t available and sent us to a poorer place in another building, with no view. I was totally disappointed. Lotus shows nice photos on Booking but doesn’t have the rooms available, so I’d advise travelers not to book here. It felt like a tourist trap. No, no, no!

Ahmed was our guide and driver for the pyramids, and he was amazing. He spent the whole day with us and even took us to try some of the best local Koshary in Egypt. The hotel is in the heart of Cairos CBD, close to shops and not far from the Nile River. There’s a place to exchange money two 2doors away. Reception was amazing and very helpful, and the daily breakfast is served in a lovely vintage dining area. It gives you a real Cairo experience and is budget friendly, comfortable, and conveniently located. A very satisfied customer 😀 👌 😊

The building is dated, but the rooms inside are okay. The women looking after breakfast are very nice.

The location worked well, but getting there and staying there was a bad experience. The entrance and lobby were filthy and dusty, and the hotel elevator felt old, neglected, and unsafe. In the lobby, someone was playing football loudly enough for the match to echo everywhere. The receptionist was pleasant, but had no computer to check our Booking.com reservation and had to call someone. He then sent our passport details through social media to someone we couldn't identify, which felt unsafe. Our room had two single beds instead of the booked double, and didn't look like the Booking.com photos. It hadn't been renovated, and even if the bathroom had been, it still wasn't great. The old windows let in every sound. From the seventh floor we heard traffic as if it were in the room, along with unsettling noises from the shutters and sudden banging through the night. One of the noisiest nights I've had. We'd booked two nights, but packed up and left for somewhere else. Nobody even asked why. The location was good, but it wasn't worth putting up with all that.