[Accommodation Review] – Four Seasons at the First Residence (Deluxe Room), Cairo, Egypt (1 – 2 Jan 24)

March 16, 2024 / kktong76 / 1 Comment

Four Seasons at the First Residence hotel facade

Location

Four Seasons at the First Residence is located on the west bank of the Nile River that runs through downtown Cairo. The hotel sits atop the First Mall, and I found it looks dead, selling mainly luxury goods. Other than the mall’s atrium cafe, there are no eateries or restaurants. Fortunately, several shops near the hotel were selling snacks and smaller items. We also found KFC and Pizza Hut to be the only choices for food, other than the overpriced restaurants in the hotel and the riverboats docked on the Nile in front of the hotel. The Cairo Zoo and French embassy are next to Four Seasons at the First Residence. There is not much around the hotel, and it is far from everything else. Getting to Tahir Square, the centre of downtown Cairo, requires a 30-minute walk (or 10 minutes by Uber or cab).

The Room

Our tour company booked us into the Deluxe Room at Four Seasons at the First Residence. The 58m²Deluxe Room is the same as the next category room – the Premier Room in terms of floor space and decor. The only difference is the view of the room, where the Deluxe Room faces the Nile River, and the Premier Room faces the Pyramids.

Entryway

We could feel an old-school luxury vibe when we entered the Deluxe Room. The first sign of luxury in the room is apparent from the small chandelier-like lamp installed in the entryway. Decked in warm yellow lighting, the room exudes a cosy and comfortable feel. This part of the room houses a wardrobe and minibar. The wardrobe inside the Deluxe Room was built into the wall and comprised two-panel sections and one-panel sections. The single panel next to the main entrance to the Deluxe Room houses a two-tiered open shelving on top of a three-tiered drawer. This design provides space for its guests to stow away smaller clothing items. The in-room safe and the iron are stored on the shelves above these shelving spaces inside the wardrobe. The two wooden door panels open up to the space for hanging clothing. I believe this part of the wardrobe is capable of swallowing at least two weeks of clothing, but the number of hangers supplied is limited. A luggage rack and the ironing board are also stowed inside this part of the wardrobe. I like the rack design of the wardrobe, which is large enough for guests to put away their luggage after unpacking.

The minibar is situated next to the wardrobe in the room’s entryway. Here, we found a Nespresso machine, electric kettle, bottled water, and ice bucket, along with coffee capsules and tea bags placed on the marble-top open shelving. Some wine glasses and champagne flutes are neatly placed on the glass-top shelving above it. The mini fridge is fully stocked with drinks and some snacks, which are all chargeable, underneath the coffee and tea-making appliances, hidden in a cabinet.

Sleeping Area

The door frame between the entryway and the Deluxe Room’s sleeping area clearly segregates the room’s two parts. The sleeping area is dominated by the large king bed, which occupies about ⅔ of the sleep area in the Deluxe Room. On the ceiling hangs a gold-plated glass chandelier that provides most of the illumination in the sleeping area. The floral prints on the carpet extend to the headboard of the king bed, giving the design language some form of consistency. Using an old English headboard further projects the sense of luxury in the room. We got excellent sleep quality on the king bed that is topped by a firm mattress. The bedside tables and the design of the table lamp chosen by Four Seasons at the First Residence enhance the sophisticated opulence feel of the room. Despite not being fitted with drawers and decorated with a lamp, in-house telephone and radio, I found the space afforded by the bedside tables sufficient for us to place our lifestyle devices.

Sitting on a marble-top TV console opposite the king bed is a 42″ flat-screen TV placed perfectly for guests to obtain entertainment from the bed. The TV is loaded with both Egyptian and international channels that keep us entertained while not out exploring the vibrant city of Cairo. We could use a couple of drawers on the TV console to put away the souvenirs we bought in Cairo. A single-seat armchair equipped with an ottoman is placed beside the TV console. This armchair is very comfortable for relaxing or reading a book.

Further into the sleeping area, after the king bed and before the floor-to-ceiling glass window panels, we found a work desk. The luxury vibe in the Deluxe room is also apparent in the elegant dark brown wooden work desk with gold patterns and floral designs. The work desk is of a great size for guests staying in this room to get some work done. The power sockets are conveniently fitted onto the wall next to the work desk. Guests can look out into the Nile for inspiration or to relax their eyes while sitting on the red velvet chair while working.

Bathroom

The entrance to the bathroom of the Deluxe Room in Four Seasons at the First Residence resides in the sleeping area next to the TV console. The luxurious theme seen throughout the room flows into the bathroom. Decked in sand brown colour, the colour choice in the bathroom suited the desert country of Egypt very well. The bathroom has an elongated layout, with the bathing and sink areas on opposite sides. The first thing that caught my eye was the long sink countertop space. The dual sink is fitted into a brown marble top, accompanied by a gold frame mirror that stretches the entire bathroom length, adding to the luxurious theme throughout the room. There are toilet amenities on the countertop and the glass latch at the sink area, but one point to note is that Four Seasons at the First Residence did not provide a dental kit as part of their amenities offering in the room.

Opposite the sink is a huge bathtub and walk-in shower. The walk-in shower, next to the bathroom entrance, is a huge space for showering that comes fitted with a regular shower head in the shower. Four Seasons at the First Residence provides its guests in the Deluxe Room with bath amenities from Gyspy Water, a Stockholm brand, which left my skin feeling soft and refreshed. I like the fragrance of the bath amenities provided. There is ample space in the shower for guests to place their dental kits and facial wash. The bathtub is fitted next to the walk-in shower, further into the bathroom. The bathtub is rather sizeable, and I had a great soak in to wash away the fatigue from exploring Cairo. The toilet is a separate room tucked in the furthest end of the bathroom. Even the enclosed toilet space, which comes with a separate European-style bidet, feels spacious.

Service

Four Seasons is renowned worldwide for its luxury and top-notch service. While the service we received at Four Seasons at the First Residence was good, I find the service not memorable. The staff were welcoming and were able to respond to any questions posed to them. However, they are seen standing behind their desks or just hanging around waiting for guests to approach them rather than proactively engaging guests. Case in point: the porters in the hotel were more concerned with guests putting our bags through the x-ray machines upon entering than helping guests with their bags or offering greetings. The reception team were found hanging around behind their desks instead of actively welcoming guests who stepped into the hotel. Having said that, by no means were the staff in Four Seasons at the First Residence rude or anything; they were still seen smiling at guests and making eye contact with them.

Hotel Facilities

Gym

Four Seasons at the First Residence has quite a large gym on level 4 of the hotel. The gym is very well equipped with cardio and strength training machines. The 10 treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bikes were all placed facing the large window, allowing guests to work out with a view of the Nile River. While the number of strength training machines is limited, these machines allow guests to engage in total body workout, working different major muscle groups. There is even a free weight area with dumbells for body workouts. In the middle of the gym is an open space, which is meant for guests who want to do yoga or even stretching. Inside the gym’s changing room, we saw a huge jacuzzi facing a window that looked out into the Nile River. There is even a sauna and steam room inside the changing room.

Swimming Pool

Four Seasons at the First Residence has a large swimming pool on level 4 of the hotel building. The pool allows guests to do some serious lap swimming. There are quite a number of sundeck chairs on the pool, where guests can get a great tan as there is no vegetation blocking the sunlight. There is also a small wading pool at the side of the swimming pool for children to play in.

Overall

The Deluxe Room in Four Seasons at the First Residence is spacious and comfortable. The room screams luxury, consistent with the branding of the hotel chain worldwide. I found the sleep quality on the king bed to be excellent. The only letdown is the view, blocked by a building in front of our room. The hotel’s location is also rather inconvenient as there are not many shops or shopping malls near the hotel aside from the boring First Mall below the hotel. The service in the hotel was good but not memorable.

[Accommodation Review] – Uniworld MS River Tosca (Cairo Deck Grand Suite), Nile River, Egypt (25 Dec 23 – 1 Jan 24)

March 6, 2024March 12, 2024 / kktong76 / 2 Comments

The MS River Tosca sailed us between Luxor and Aswan on the River Nile

The Boat

The River Tosca is a riverboat cruise that takes visitors on a round trip from Luxor to Aswan and back to Luxor. The River Tosca has five decks, where all 41 cabins onboard were located from decks two to four. Boasting an all-suite cruise, there are essentially only two types of suite rooms onboard the MS River Tosca: the Grand Suite and the Royal Suite. The Royal Suite is a true suite with a separate living and sleeping area. The other 39 cabins onboard the MS River Tosca are the Grand Suite, essentially a Junior Suite. The MS River Tosca is one of the better and more luxurious riverboats that operates along the Nile River. The boat exudes an old-school 19th-century charm in its decor, where most of the public area of the boat is decked in dark brown wood finishes.

The Cairo Deck Suite

Our 31m² Grand Suite is situated on the Cairo Deck, the second and lowest deck with guest accommodations. There are only four suites on this deck, situated on the forward part of the boat.

Entryway

The entryway of the Grand Suite onboard MS River Tosca did not have any furnishings, and we could see the entirety of the Grand Suite from this part of the room. My first impression of the Grand Suite onboard was that it looked old school due to the colour choice of the wallpaper and the carpet. The grey background wallpaper with patches of maroon, brown print, and white laces looked like something from the 80s. The brown and red carpet in the suite gave it a desert vibe, seemingly reminding guests that Egypt is covered mostly by the Sahara desert. The entryway is home to the wardrobe in the Suite and the entrance to the bathroom.

The wardrobe fitted in the Grand Suite onboard MS River Tosca has three sections. The section nearest the door is where we found additional pillows and a minifridge fully stocked with drinks complementary to guests onboard. The second panel of the large wardrobe is where we hang our clothing. The hanging space behind the second panel gave us ample space to hang our seven days’ clothing. I liked how the riverboat was generous in providing us with many hangers in the wardrobe. The third section of the wardrobe features shelving space with three large drawers occupying the lower part, while the open shelf takes the top part of this section. I also like the generous amount of space in this part of the wardrobe, allowing us to stow our smaller clothing items and stuff we bought out of sight. We found an in-room safe in this part of the wardrobe. The three-panel sliding doors on the wardrobe are fitted with mirrors, making the entryway look larger. Opposite the wardrobe is the bathroom.

Bathroom

I like the design of the bathroom. Decked in white and light brown tiles, the bathroom looked clean and bright, which is also contributed by the mirrors used throughout the bathroom. The bathroom has a fairly large countertop space at the sink area, where we had plentiful store space for our toiletries. The drawers at the sink area further enhance the storage situation. Opposite the sink is a walk-in shower fitted with regular and rain shower heads. The space in the walk-in shower is also generous, and I did not have to engage in elbow wars while showering. The toilet and a European bidet are tucked into the bathroom wall furthest from the entrance. The MS River Tosca even fitted a sizable bathtub in the bathroom, perfect for a bath to soak away the weariness we accumulated from exploring Upper Egypt.

Sleeping Area

The sleeping area occupies most of the space in the Grand Suite. Next to the wardrobe is a vanity table that doubles as a work desk. The desk is large enough to serve both functions, and its three drawers provide additional space to stow away smaller items. We primarily used the power outlets fitted on the wall at the work desk to set up our “charging station,” where we charged our power banks and lifestyle devices.

A couple of armchairs and a small table are tucked in one corner of the cabin, next to the floor-to-ceiling window panels. The thick cushion-padded armchairs are a great spot to relax, and the chairs are placed next to the window, which makes it a perfect spot to look out into the Nile as MS River Tosca makes its way along the river. The small table between the two armchairs is occupied by an electric kettle and coffee and tea items. We did not use the coffee and tea in the suite throughout our seven-day sailing onboard, as there was a pantry just outside our cabin. Nonetheless, it was thoughtful of the boat to provide such convenience to their guests by including a small coffee/tea station here.

On the other side of the sleeping area sits the bedding area, which looks elegant. The brown high cushioned headboard matching the bed runners gave this part of the suite a very cosy feel. Rather than calling the bed a king bed, it is merely two super single-sized beds being pushed together to form a king bed. This bedding arrangement is very common in the cruise industry, where some cruise liners do a better job concealing the gaps of the single bed. However, on the MS River Tosca, there is no intention to conceal that the bed comprises two single beds. They even furnished the beds with individual blankets tucked into the space between them. The bed’s sleeping quality was excellent, leaving us feeling refreshed every morning and after every nap. At the end of the bed are a couple of individual benches, which we use to place our luggage. The top of these benches are padded with thick cushions, making them a great space to sit on while watching the TV mounted on the wall opposite. The TV placement is perfect for us to watch while lazing on the bed. However, the entertainment options on the TV are very limited, with only four channels: two Egyptian channels and one English channel. The fourth channel merely loops some PowerPoint slides over and over again. We were limited to the English channel, BBC, as we did not understand Arabic. Standing guard on both sides of the bed are two bedside tables. Decked in light brown, the two-tiered drawer bedside tables are quite large, giving us additional storage space and allowing us to place our lifestyle devices on them. The only design flaw with the bedside tables is the lack of power outlets, preventing us from charging our mobile phones.

French Balcony

The Grand Suite onboard MS River Tosca did not have a balcony per se. Rather, the suite is fitted with a French Balcony in which the centre floor-to-ceiling glass panel can be slid to let a fresh Nile breeze into the suite. There are bars fitted to prevent guests from falling overboard.

Service

Service was top-notch onboard the MS River Tosca. Every staff member we met was welcoming and always had a smile on their face. Every time we return from sightseeing, the staff will be at the door welcoming guests with refreshing drinks. The staff greeted us every moment we bumped into them on the boat. Telab was our cabin attendant who always kept our cabin clean and tidy twice daily. When we saw him along the corridor, he checked if we needed to top up supplies. He would always leave a small souvenir with the next day’s programme sheet on our bed every evening during turndown service.

The staff at the dining hall were amazing. They would remember our preference for seating and always brought us to our preferred table. They always found a good alternative when our preferred table was unavailable. The staff remembered that we liked spicy food and would always bring us a bottle of hot sauce without asking for it. There was an occasion when the dining hall staff told the head chef onboard our preference for spicy food and gave us a small bowl of spicy sauce the head chef prepared. The head chef is an elderly gentleman who was active in the dining hall during meal time, introducing the dishes to guests. He was very personable and took care of us very well. He would always recommend the speciality of the day for us to try. We had a great time onboard MS River Tosca, mostly due to the personable staff onboard who would always lean in to help without fail.

Meals

Meals are served in the main dining room on the boat’s Nile Deck (Deck 1), just one deck below the reception onboard MS River Tosca. We were told that the cruise company has a farm in Luxor, where most of the produce used to prepare the meals came from. Every meal served was Western cuisine, except for a few days when we saw some Egyptian food on the menu. Most lunches were buffet-style, usually with two meat and two vegetarian options. There is a good selection of salad and starters, and we were spoilt for choice for desserts. Dinner is served in a restaurant-style, where we are given a menu with appetisers, mains, and desserts. The restaurant staff was happy to take our orders and customise the options. Drinks and wines are included in the meals onboard. The food prepared onboard was delicious and of high quality; we enjoyed every meal and looked forward to the next meal. The menu changes daily, and we were well fed by the Chef team onboard the MS River Tosca.

Around the Boat

Sundeck & Pool

MS River Tosca dedicated the entire Sun Deck (Deck 4), the highest deck onboard, to the sundeck and swimming pool. The sundeck consists of two distinct areas: the pool deck and the alfresco area. The forward part of the boat is dedicated to the pool deck, where a small pool is fitted to the front of the sundeck onboard MS River Tosca. The pool is too small for anyone to swim in, which I thought served more as a dipping pool to cool guests off during the summer months. There are numerous sun chairs and loungers behind the pool for guests to relax while we sail on the Nile. The sundeck is a great place to watch sunrise and sunset. We enjoyed the tranquillity of the Nile on the sundeck loungers.

The back half of the sundeck is an alfresco area furnished with dining tables and chairs to cater to different group sizes. Guests using the alfresco area are shaded by a large tentage, which I found perfect for relaxing and enjoying the Nile breeze. A bar counter at the back of the boat serves drinks and cocktails. Daily afternoon tea onboard is also served at this part of the sundeck. Activities such as yoga, Zumba and cooking classes are also conducted in the alfresco area of the sundeck.

Gym

A small gym on MS River Tosca is located on the Pyramid Deck (Deck 4). The minimalist gym has only cardio machines: two stationary bikes and a treadmill. We also found two vibrating workout machines onboard.

Lounge

The lounge is located opposite the main reception onboard MS River Tosca. Decked in dark brown wooden finishes, the lounge exudes a sense of calmness and elegance. There is a bar at the lounge where guests can order drinks, wines and cocktails from (extra charges). A daily speciality cocktail is on top of the boat’s list of cocktails. The lounge is another venue for us to hang out when we are not in our cabin or the sundeck, as it is usually quiet. The couches and dining chairs are furnished mainly on the parameters of the lounge, leaving the centre part of the lounge empty. We had our welcome cocktails in the lounge the first time we boarded, and the boat organised nightly talks from the Egyptologists for guests to understand more about the history of Egypt. Then, there were nights when we saw performances of traditional Egyptian dances here in the lounge.

Library

The library onboard MS River Tosca is inside the lounge on the main reception deck. The library is an enclosed area where we see books (not sure if they are for display purposes), a chess set, a backgammon board and a shisha inside. I am pretty sure the shisha is for display purposes. I thought the library was a great place to hang out watching life on the River Nile flow by at the water level and in an enclosed space. It is furnished with a large couch and some chairs that look out into the Nile River through the floor-to-ceiling glass window. We saw that the library was mostly empty during sailing onboard the MS River Tosca.

Overall

The MS River Tosca was an excellent boat to sail along the River Nile. Despite being a tad old and signs of ageing, the elegant boat is very well maintained. The Grand Suite was spacious, and the sleep quality on the bed was excellent. The only letdown is the limited entertainment options on the TV. The food onboard was amazing and of high quality. The staff we met onboard were personable and welcoming. They are the stars that made our sailing onboard the MS River Tosca memorable.

[Accommodation Review] – Marriott Mena House Cairo (Deluxe Pyramid View Room), Cairo, Egypt (23 -25 Dec 23)

February 28, 2024March 12, 2024 / kktong76 / 3 Comments

Marriott Mena House Cairo has front-row seats to the view of the Great Pyramids

Location

Marriott Mena House Cairo is located close to the Great Pyramids of Giza, which is the main benefit of staying at the hotel. Its proximity to the Great Pyramids offers views of the monument in some rooms and is the hotel’s biggest selling point. Besides a few small provision shops at the hotel’s doorstep and a gas station about 3 minutes from the hotel, there are few choices for food and shopping around the hotel. The nearest shopping mall, Mall of Egypt, is about a 30-minute drive from the Marriott Mena House Cairo.

The Room

We checked into the 35m² Deluxe Pyramid View Room at Marriott Mena House Cairo, the hotel’s most basic room. The hotel has three prices for their Deluxe Room, depending on how much we see the pyramids from the balcony. We got a room that had an unobstructed view of the great pyramids.

Entryway

Marriott Mena House Cairo’s luxury vibe can be felt when we enter the room’s entryway. The entryway merely serves as a pathway from the main door to the sleeping area of the Deluxe Pyramid View Room. Marriott Mena House Cairo uses dark brown timber and marble flooring that exudes a sense of calmness and elegance. The wardrobe and bathroom entrance are located in the entryway. The three-door wardrobe has two sections. The bigger two-door part of the wardrobe is allocated for hanging clothing with sufficient space to hang at least five days of clothing, though the number of hangers is limited. We found the ironing equipment and an additional luggage rack in this part of the wardrobe. The other part of the wardrobe has a single-door panel, which houses a four-tier drawer, perfect for us to stow our smaller clothing items. The in-room safe is also nicely hidden in this part of the wardrobe.

Bathroom

The marble-laden bathroom is nothing short of luxury. A single oversized sink sits by the wall next to the entrance to the bathroom. I like how Marriott Mena House Cairo did not overfit a dual sink in the bathroom to sacrifice the space allotted to the sink area. Two drawers on either side of the sink allowed us space to stow our toiletry bags. The space on top of these drawers also allowed us to place our facial care items and shavers. However, the large marble holder the hotel used to place some of the amenities on one of these drawers took up a huge amount of space. Fortunately, a glass ledge fixed on both sides of the mirror by the sink did not affect the space usage at the sink.

The toilet is wedged between the sink area and the bathtub. The placement of the porcelain throne does not affect the useable space in the bathroom. Marriott Mena House Cairo fitted the Deluxe Pyramid View Room bathroom with a shower/tub combination. I am not a fan of the shower/tub combination as I find getting in and out of the shower a hassle, and potentially, one might slip and fall, especially guests with mobility issues and children. The bathtub in the room was a tad small, and the sealing for the glass panel was questionable. I always see water seeping through the moveable glass panel whenever I shower.

Sleeping Area

The Deluxe Pyramid View room in Marriott Mena House Cairo

The Marriott Mena House Cairo allocated most of the floor space to the sleeping area. The room looks bigger than most of the entry-level rooms in other hotels. The centrepiece of the sleeping area is the king bed, which occupies about ½ of the sleeping area. I find the mattress used for the king bed to be of the correct level of firmness and very comfortable to sleep on. I had no problems getting excellent sleep quality on the king bed. However, the pillows supplied by the hotel are a tad too soft for my liking. On either side of the bed sits a bedside table, which I find ample space to place my mobile phone and power bank, despite being furnished with a table lamp. The two drawers on the bedside tables gave me more space to put away more stuff. The only flaw in the design of the bedside table is the lack of power sockets on the left table. There was no way for me to charge my mobile devices, and I ended up charging my mobile phone using a power bank. The situation on the right bedside table is better because it has two USB-A charging outlets.

A large cabinet sits opposite the king bed, flushed to the wall. This cabinet houses a large 49″ flatscreen TV. I like the size of the cabinet. Despite placing a large TV, we still found space to stow small items on top of the cabinet. The three drawers at the TV cabinet allowed us to throw whatever we bought inside without worrying about aesthetics. We found a mini fridge hiding inside the left cabinet of the TV console. There are tons of entertainment options on the TV. We could select from various local and international channels to keep us entertained when we were not admiring the pyramids on the balcony.

Marriott Mena House Cairo seems to want their guests to relax and not work while staying with them. Instead of finding a work desk, we found a small dining table with two matching chairs. A minibar station is beside the dining table, tucked in a corner of the room. We found a Nespresso machine and the usual coffee capsules and tea bags. As the room lacked power outlets, I used one outlet here to charge my power bank and lifestyle devices. I was amazed at how Marriott Mena House Cairo could fit a two-seater couch in their Deluxe Pyramid View Room and yet afford us space to move around the room. The fabric couch is a great place to relax (although we use it mainly to put on our backpacks) and watch TV without messing up the bed.

Balcony

The part of the Deluxe Pyramid View Room we like the most is its balcony. The balcony space is fairly large and gives us a great view of the Great Pyramids of Giza. Furnished with a table and two chairs, we found ourselves hanging out here when we returned to our room. The table on the balcony is large enough for us to dine.

Service

Service in Marriott Mena House Cairo was exceptional. We were warmly welcomed by the staff member who took care of the check-in for us when we arrived. The staff at the check-in counter gave us a verbal orientation on the hotel facilities. They even volunteered to show us to our room and deliver our luggage. All the staff at Marriott Mena House Cairo, including the security team at the main and side entrances to the hotel, were fantastic. They were warm and welcoming, and everyone always smiled when guests walked past them.

In particular, our housekeeper, Islam, was amazing. He would always greet us with a smile whenever we bumped into him along the corridor. When we first entered our room, Islam knocked on our door to check if we needed anything else. Islam would check in with us during turndown service to see if we had sufficient supplies. There was an occasion when I saw Islam working in other rooms along the corridor and requested extra bottled water from him. Islam dropped down his work and focused on our request with a smile.

Our check-out was processed by Hazem, who did so efficiently. Perhaps it is the SOP of the hotel; Hazem checked with us on our stay. I gave him feedback regarding the water seepage issue in our bathroom. Instead of making excuses (which most hotels do), Hazem was not defensive and apologised for the hardware issue (though it was no fault of his). I saw him taking notes of our issue description, and he assured us he would get his engineering team to look into it. Hazem even thanked us for bringing up this issue to him.

Hotel Facilities

139 Pavilion Restaurant

The 139 Pavilion Restaurant is our go-to restaurant for meals, open 24/7 serving breakfast and supper. Breakfast is served buffet style, with a huge selection of food spread across several stations but concentrated near the kitchen side of the restaurant. There is a station with cold food such as salad and fruit. The bread section is placed at the end of the cold station. There is a hot food section that serves your usual continental breakfast options. There is also a station where food is cooked ala minute like pasta and eggs. The food served during breakfast was tasty and high quality.

We also had our Christmas dinner at 139 Pavilion Restaurant, arranged by our tour operator. For dinner, there is an even larger selection of food. The restaurant set up its food offerings in both indoor and outdoor stations. The indoor stations include the usual salad bar, fruit section, and a huge selection of meats and cooked vegetables at the hot station. There was also a station where pasta was cooked a la minute and served to guests. There is even a large counter set up for bread and Christmas puddings. But what intrigued me the most was the huge selection of pastries and desserts. These pastries looked too pretty to be consumed, and all came in relatively large portions. Besides the pre-prepared sushi station in the outdoor section, we were treated to a wide choice of grilled seafood and meat cooked on order. There is also a station that serves Indian naan. The food was delicious, and we were spoilt for choice for the Christmas Dinner.

Gym

The gym at Marriott Mena House Cairo is located on the ground floor of Marriott Mena House Cairo. The gym occupies a large area and is well-equipped with machines typically found in commercial gyms. There are strength training machines that work out almost every major muscle group of the body, as well as cardio training machines such as treadmills, stationary bikes and ellipticals. These cardio machines are placed facing the gardens of Marriott Mena House Cairo and the Great Pyramids of Giza. There is a corner set aside for guests who want to practise yoga. Towels and water are available in the gym.

Swimming Pool

Marriott Mena House Cairo has a large swimming pool in the northeastern part of the hotel in a separate courtyard. The heated pool is capable of allowing guests to do some serious laps. There is no lack of sundeck chairs around the swimming pool for guests to enjoy the sun or to relax by the pool. Aside from the main pool, there is a smaller wading pool for the hotel’s younger guests. There is a bar at the pool, and the staff are seen stationed at the bar, regardless of whether people are using the pool.

Overall

We had a positive experience staying in Marriott Mena House Cairo. The staff we met were very friendly and welcoming. The Deluxe Pyramid View Room was spacious and well-designed. The sleep quality on the king bed was nothing but excellent. We like the gardens and the view of the Great Pyramids from the hotel grounds, especially from our room’s balcony. Other than the views of the pyramids, there is not much going on outside the hotel. Apart from the few provision shops and a gas station, all other amenities and shopping are far from the hotel. Nonetheless, I would return to the hotel for its comfort, emphasis on safety, impeccable service and, most importantly, the magical view of the Great Pyramids.