Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence

The rooms were immaculate and really comfortable, and we enjoyed the drinks and lunch and dinner by the pool and at aura. The staff made the stay especially nice: Magat, Ehsaan and Maryam were so welcoming and helpful, and Ahmed at breakfast was exceptional. Salma, Mira and Mohammad were great around the pool too. Looking forward to coming back soon.

The rooms are really spacious, and the breakfast buffet has a great selection. Our room was noisy, though, with honking and road sounds all night. The service was great: they respond quickly and stay on top of things, from booking drivers to making restaurant reservations.

We came to celebrate my partner's 30th birthday, and the staff made it feel special with balloons and a delicious cake. They were attentive throughout, and our spotless room had a fantastic top-floor view we hadn't expected. The pool and spa were excellent and made the trip feel relaxing. The Four Seasons at the First Residence was a calm escape amid busy Cairo and Giza, and I had a wonderful stay. I'd highly recommend it.

Breakfast was delicious, and the staff serving it were consistently friendly and attentive. Asala was kind and attentive when she later resolved an issue and arranged a nice dinner, and Ramy was also really nice and made me feel heard. Those moments were appreciated, but the rest of the stay left us disappointed. For my first time at a Four Seasons, it fell short of what I'd expected from a five-star hotel. The fire alarm went off repeatedly at 6 a.m. early in our stay, making a loud static-like noise. We were told someone would come upstairs to investigate, but no one showed up. When we raised it again, staff were understanding, though the poor follow-through and communication had already caused needless anxiety. The incident overshadowed the later help from Asala. Another manager then said to us in the elevator, “oh, you are the ones that complained about the fire drill”. We weren't told whether it was a drill or an accident, and we shouldn't have been made to feel bad for reporting it. Parking was another major hassle. During a wedding, the space was so limited that cars backed up at the entrance. No one acknowledged the delay or explained what was happening. We waited in the car without help, then had to unload our own bags. It felt below the standard we'd expected. Later, we tried to rest before dinner but loud bar noise outside our window disturbed us, and pool use was restricted because of the wedding. It seemed event priorities came ahead of regular guests' comfort. The room itself was comfortable and had a nice bathroom, but the sink had no hot water. The $100 hotel credit was frustratingly hard to use. Staff kept directing us to the bar or restaurant, where we had no time to go and don't drink. The spa wasn't available or flexible as an alternative. Different departments passed us around and gave conflicting opening times, first 9 a.m. and then 10 a.m. In the end, the only compensation offered was a pen. That didn't feel like the high-quality service the Four Seasons promises. With the operational problems and lack of clear communication, we left disappointed. My first Four Seasons stay didn't meet the high expectations set by the brand, and I'm hesitant to return. I hope the hotel improves. We expected more.