The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo

The personal touches made our stay. The gentleman who cleaned our room on Thursday March 5th left everything spotless and neatly organized. I don’t know his name, but we noticed and appreciated the care he took. Ahr, the doorman, was so sweet. He suggested some good things to see in Cairo and even hurried over with water when he knew we had a long day of sightseeing ahead. At breakfast, Wahid was professional and courteous, and the managers deserve thanks as well. The service was quick and everything was clean. Breakfast can’t be easy to run, so we appreciated that. And thank you to Chef Qareem for making breakfast special every morning. It was lovely to see his attentiveness and smiling face each day. Sorry if I’ve spelled any names wrong. Can’t wait to come back!

The best part for me was breakfast: lots of choice, including pastries, eggs made at the station, local dishes, salads and vegetables, smoked fish, cured meats, wonderful fruit, and plenty of yogurt, chia, and muesli. The gym was well equipped and nice, though the attendant didn’t notice the water cooler was broken or that there was no bottled water left. We stayed three nights at the start of our National Geographic tour of Egypt, then returned for the last two. The first stay was disappointing because I expected more from a Ritz. The lobby and room decor felt dated, there was a cigarette smell in the lobby, and the elevators were usually slow. In Nile-facing rooms, nightclub noise came through every night, loud enough that solid noise-cancelling earplugs were needed. Service was just so-so. After a miserable time on the Jaz Regent Nile Cruise, I appreciated the hotel more on our return. Having space, a great breakfast, and general convenience felt refreshing. It sits on the Nile in a busy part of Cairo, facing a casino or nightclub. It’s right beside the Antiquities museum, but other hotels may be worth considering. Marriott Mena House is certainly more impressive, has better food, and is next to GEM and Giza.

The Nile Ritz-Carlton has been around since the 1950s, and the old-school glamour really comes through. Walking through the lobby, you can almost picture Frank Sinatra ordering a martini. The rooms are elegant, the service is sharp, and sunrise over the Nile is a treat. The location is hard to beat, with Tahrir Square on one side, the river on the other, and the Egyptian Museum right next door. I’d book a Nile-view room, worth the extra cost, and afternoon tea in the lobby lounge is a whole experience. If those walls could talk, they’d have a thousand state secrets to share. Pure Cairo class.

The location puts you between the Nile and Tahrir Square, and there’s a large, well equipped Gymn and an outdoor pool. The pool was closed for repairs during my visit, but the front desk kindly arranged for me to use the one at the nearby Marriott. Rooms are roomy and comfortable, with great beds. Service across the hotel was outstanding, and I especially liked Bab El Sharq, the Lebanese/Egyptian restaurant on the ground floor. It deserves its 5-star status. I had a great visit and will definitely return.