Review: Fairmont Nile City Hotel, Cairo, Egypt
Intro
The next hotel on the roundabout way back from Bali to the US would see me staying at the Fairmont Nile City Hotel. Following a lovely flight onboard Qatar Airways First Class from Doha to Cairo, it was time to head off on the drive from the airport to the city.
Seeing as this was my first time back in Africa for about 13 years, I was extremely excited to see what it was like! Funnily enough, the last time I was in Africa was to visit the Pyramids🙂. All in all, the Fairmont was an absolute treat to stay at in Cairo. The rooms were elegant, the views were incredible, the food was delicious, the prices were attractive, but most of all, the staff were some of the nicest people I have ever met.
Let's get into it!
Prices+Location
Prices seem to be extremely attractive not only for flights out of Cairo but also for hotels. I chose the Fairmont due to friends' previous ties at properties in Canada (no, no discounts or anything) and because the price was reasonable. I paid 178$ towards the end of January 2024, but rates seem to start right around there.
In terms of location, the Fairmont is located right around some of the major hotels, including the Conrad (no, I am not named after the hotel). Sitting right along the edge of the Nile, it truly is a gobsmacking location and property.
Check-In
The drive from Cairo International Airport was about 35 minutes, meaning I had arrived to check in by 12 midday. As in a lot of places outside of main first-world countries, there was bag inspection every time you went in and out of the property.
The staff warmly greeted me and cracked a few jokes before offering to let me check in early. Seeing as I have very fond memories of the Nile, I asked about an upgrade to a suite overlooking the Nile. They came back to quote me 300$, but I managed to haggle it down to 160$ 😉, which I think was well worth it🙃.
The staff were even as nice as to show me up to my suite on the second to top floor!
Fairmont Cairo Rooms
My first impressions, holy smokes, were that this room was beautiful. Looking back at it, I realize that this particular room was a tad dated, but I hear that renovations had begun during my time there. Personally, I am a sucker for the antique vibe, so this didn't bother me one bit.
The suite was gorgeous, consisting of multiple couches, a television, a dining table, and a comfortable desk for working at. Everything was in perfect shape and, honestly, far exceeded my expectations.
My word, just look at this view from a hotel bedroom.
And it gets even better at night...
Bedroom
As lovely as the living room, the bedroom was the highlight of the suite by a long shot. Sliding doors encapsulate the bedrooms to provide a private and sweet sleep when needing a rest after exploring the Pyramids.
The problem with sliding doors dead ahead of the bed is that having a TV right in front of you can be a challenge. The Fairmont thought of everything, with a TV that swivels out to provide comfortability in every position.
The bed was very comfortable and up there with the likes of some of the top hotel chains in the world. I would say it falls slightly short of the Four Seasons bedding, but provided me with a sound sleep.
Bathroom
A gorgeous en-suite bathroom was accessible both by the foyer of the suite and the bedroom. Noticing a trend? Everything was up to par with what I would expect for a 5-star hotel, with plush bathrobes, a deep soaking tub, an amazing shower, and countless toiletries.
Around The Hotel
Surprisingly, I found the hotel to be almost empty during my one-night stay. During my hours there, I found around 10 people the whole time😒. That meant it was easy and private to explore the hotel grounds, starting with the ambiance of the decorations around it.
Heck, even the elevators impressed me😅.
The Pool
Located on the top floor of the Fairmont were two beautiful swimming pools. One of them is heated, which I found out the next morning when I saw some crazy (not crazy, just I was surprised) women swimming at 5:30 am😂. I'll touch on service a bit later, but the staff were exceptional up here. 🙏
Food and drink are available up here, but seeing as Egypt has a heavy import tax on foreign alcohol, I opted to stay with the free water. 22$ for a shot of Absolut is a bit pricy for me😳.
And once again, just look at those breathtaking views...
Dining
There is a multitude of different restaurants dispersed throughout the hotel. Unfortunately, I only got to try out the breakfast spot located on the second floor and the fine dining restaurant for lunch.
Breakfast was included in my original rate when booking through hotels.com, but I believe the cost of the buffet is around 20$ USD for those who are wondering.
The breakfast was wonderful, with made-to-order eggs, pancakes, and fresh pastries/bread all around. Top-notch to the Fairmont👍. I also thoroughly enjoyed the fact it opened at 6 am, as some hotels won't open their buffet until 7.
On my last day, before departing for the airport, I decided to give lunch a go at the restaurant. While certainly more expensive than local food (steak 18$ USD), I found it to be extremely delicious. The steak was lovely, and the chips were cooked to perfection.
If you are interested in the full menu, check out the Fairmonts' website.
All in all, it was a fantastic way to soak in my last few moments in Cairo, and it had some incredible food and incredible views.
Service
Hard products, whether they are on airlines or luxury hotels, are relatively along the same line. However, where the Fairmont really stood out to me was the service. From start to finish, I felt as if the staff genuinely enjoyed talking to the guests and wanted to work there. Over my time, it's rare to see every single staff member at all a hotel be exceptional, bar the AMAN resorts.
Here are some aspects that stood out to me:
From the second I checked in, the staff were laughing with me and offered to assist in any way possible
From there, I was escorted up to my room by a member of staff, where we discussed life
Around the pool, I met this lovely man named Yehia (if you are reading this, thank you🙂). He was genuinely one of the kindest souls I have ever met in my life, and he spoke about what life was like living in Cairo.
Walking through the hotel, every member of staff would say hello to me, or how is your day going?
Lastly, a huge shoutout to the bellman at the front; you were also a very interesting and kind person.
Final Thoughts
If you happen to be heading to Cairo and plan on staying at a luxury hotel, I cannot recommend the Fairmont Hotel Nile City enough. Truly one of the best stays I have had at any hotel outside of Asia, and I certainly will be staying there again next time! All that being said, just watch out for the heavy import tax on alcohol, but that is at every hotel in Cairo.
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