48 Hours at the Fairmont Nile City, Cairo
Imagine you are looking for an exciting city for a short getaway. It should be vibrant, there should be good hotels and after all the food and culture should be promising as well. Would Cairo be in your top 5 picks? To be honest, it would not have been in mine. As luck would have it, I needed to attend several events in Cairo and a few days later, I already found myself at the slightly (to still say it in nice words) chaotic Terminal 1. I was relieved when I saw a sign with my name on it - the friendly agent escorted me through immigration, customs and introduced to me the driver who waited just outside the terminal. It was something special and different as I knew it from European destinations, where they wait at the arrival hall.
Traffic tends be horrendous so I was quite surprised when we entered the hotel driveway thirty minutes later (apparently we really lucked out with the traffic) and I was greeted by the friendly porters of the Fairmont Nile City.
I was immediately escorted to my room on the third floor where I fell in love with the view of the Nile. It had something magical and I found myself glazing out of the window quite a few times. The room itself was functional and stylish which is a rarity within chain hotels - usually you can only choose one of the two options. ;-)
The bathroom was huge and I appreciated the “Le Labo“ amenities. Call me weird but I don’t see any advantages of the modern shower and bathtub combinations. I always feel sorry for the housekeeping staff since they have to clean the whole bathtub as well even though I only used the shower.
Breakfast next morning was a delight and while they provided everything you can imagine at an international breakfast, I was especially excited to try the local products. In fact I could not have been happier with what I found. An excellent breakfast if you consider being in Cairo.
It may not have been the smartest decision to have a late breakfast as I was invited for a lunch with the PR and Media representatives of the Fairmont Nile City only a few hours later. I wish I could have tried more of the delicious food options but nonetheless it was a lovely lunch and I really enjoyed chatting with the Management. It always gives a personal feeling on a sometimes quite unexciting business trip!
The next unavoidable meeting after all that food was located on the top floor of the hotel - the gym. It featured excellent equipment and the magnificent views of Cairo surely create a great atmosphere. Two personal trainers were at my disposal all the time which was definitely a nice add-on. I wish I could have spent more time at the rooftop pool and jacuzzi as it looked gorgeous - I ended up lounging there for only an hour due to my tight schedule but still enjoyed the peaceful environment.
After all Egypt and especially Cairo were not on my bucket list - sometimes you just need to get out of your comfort zone to experiences great things. The Fairmont Nile City combines everything you may possible need while exploring Cairo and the surroundings. This is probably one of the best places to stay in Cairo, and therefore I can recommend the Fairmont Nile City to every traveler needing to stay in the capital of Egypt. As usual in such countries, it is very important to bear in mind that the standards are different all over the world and that hotels and their services can be different all over the world. At least that's why we are traveling and it's exactly what makes it so super special.
Niklas was guest of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, however all above written expresses his own opinion and has not been influenced.
