Marriott Properties in Cairo

The Cairo Marriott Hotel has an old-money vibe and an excellent location in Zamalek's embassy district – it's quiet, relatively clean, and feels quite safe. There are plenty of cafes nearby, and all the gift shops and local specialty brands you could want, making shopping very convenient. Compared to the hotels I stayed at on the East Bank when I first arrived in Egypt, this one is much more convenient and comfortable. There's a subway station about a 10-minute walk away, which is great for getting to attractions like Khan el-Khalili – just three stops and less than ten minutes, much better than the hassle of a taxi. The room decor is an older European/American style, not very modern, but very clean. However, the Nile view from the balcony isn't as good as from hotels on the East Bank. I recommend ******* breakfast with your room, otherwise, it's $30 per person and not particularly lavish. The service was generally good, but there were some glitches. When I checked in, the key card didn't work, so I had to carry my luggage a long way only to find I couldn't open the door. I had to go back to the front desk to get it sorted, and they didn't offer any apology – classic Egyptian 'relaxed' attitude. Overall, compared to East Bank hotels, if I were to come back, I'd still choose Zamalek; it's just so much more convenient! Also, many people going to Marsa Matruh will visit Siwa. However, it's important to note that while Siwa is widely rumored to have a simple and honest local culture, there can be issues. I booked one night at Soléi old town, a hotel in the center of Siwa, through a certain platform. However, upon arrival, I was taken to another homestay-like place far from the hotel, with no hotel signage and terrible conditions. It felt like I was being scammed and was completely unsafe. The owner was incredibly despicable, knowing that the platform's ******* policy meant no refunds. He outright denied everything, wasting a lot of my time and disrupting my itinerary. Everyone should be vigilant when traveling, try to choose large platforms with refund policies and reputable hotels to avoid impacting your travel experience.

The grounds and views are simply breathtaking – truly no alternatives. This is essentially why people come here and pay the price. HOWEVER! After staying at a good hotel in Cairo, Mena House feels like a budget trip to a summer cottage. This applies to everything: the interior, the furniture, the toiletries. The restaurant is expensive and not particularly tasty. They treat you like a tourist, meaning they don't really notice you or make an effort. You could just come here in the evening to take photos and dine at the restaurant. Probably, if I had known it was this simple, I would have done just that. They even bring tourists here by bus; we saw them. On the positive side, there's also a golf cart and a separate entrance to the pyramids. Tickets are paid, but the golf cart ride there and back is free. We had an unpleasant situation at the restaurant, which I reported to the manager when we were checking out. All the managers spoke with us and tried to resolve the situation. To leave a good impression and smooth things over, they gave me 5000 Marriott loyalty program points. But they won't be useful to me back home. I tried to book a same-day spa appointment but couldn't. For my birthday, they left a small cake in the room, and that was it. A room upgrade was offered for $500 for two days, not as a complimentary birthday gesture. The soundproofing is so bad it's like your neighbors are entering your room at night and lying down next to you in bed. The air conditioning wasn't working. This hotel is purely a tourist gimmick.