Facilities. The view of the pyramids from our palace suite was simultaneously humbling and empowering. The suite per se was pathetic. Severely dated amenities, running water that showcased a myriad of brackish colors, carpet and paint that was beyond worn and a bed that offered a significantly less then spectacular sleeping experience made me question how the Mena House was able to justify their asking price. I prefer to skip the Ritz Carltons and the Four Seasons in favor of hotels that offer an authentic charm or an unique experience. This hotel offered neither.
In contrast, the common areas were nice, and at times, enchanting. Of particular note was the Khan El Khalili restaurant and the Abu Nawas nightclub. Both featured decor that was voluptuous and pleasing.
The location of the hotel worked well for my purposes. Of the four nights I stayed in the hotel, 3 were spent exploring the pyramids or the desert and the hotel's proximity to these sights was appreciated. Travelers who intend to spend more time in the city center of Cairo would do better elsewhere as taxis into the city might take as long as 45 minutes.
Service. Decent
(a) Anytime the requested services were under the domain of the actual hotel staff...all worked out well. Last minute flexibility re my stay and the willingness to accommodate my access baggage while camping was much appreciated.
(b) Anytime the requested services were under the domain of the onsite Misr Travel Agency...all worked out poorly or not at all. Certainly any tour booked with Misr was prompt and responsive. However, upon asking them any questions re events, tours or travel for which they did not have prearranged programming, their response ranged from lackluster to hostile. This is highly disappointing as my expectation of any 4/5 star hotel is that their guest relations/concierge desk is resourceful and eager to be of service. By outsourcing this duty to an external vendor, Mena House loses the opportunity to provide Four Seasons level service.
Unique Qualities: General. The reason this hotel barely managed a "Satisfied" rating is threefold:
1. Pyramid view.
2. Pyramid view.
3. Pyramid view.
Without it, this hotel wouldn't be able to compete with an American standard Holiday Inn.
As an aside: I also enjoyed the belly dancing performance at the Abu Nawas nightclub. Good fun!
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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$180 and up
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Phone: 377 3222, 377 3444
Address: Pyramids' Road. Giza, Cairo.
Directions: Across from the Giza pyramids.
Website: http://www.oberoimenahouse.com/index.asp?leftinfo=1&leftitem=1
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on Apr 14, 2006
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