 
Where to stay in Cairo?
Cairo is a vast city of over eighteen million people and still growing. With so
many mouths to feed and families to accommodate the city continually expands into the surrounding desert.
The Pyramids, once isolated on the sandy Giza plateau now rest on the very
edge of town. And were it not for the River Nile, splitting the city like a snake, there are few visible landmarks
to help orientate first time visitors.
Hotels in Cairo are spread across the city so it’s highly advisable to book a room before you
arrive. You’ll find every kind of accommodation in the
city from 7 star hotels to budget hostels and guest houses.
Before deciding where to stay in Cairo, it’s a good idea to
first pick a district:
Giza
If you want to wake up to a view of the Pyramids (smog
permitting) in the morning then this is the place to stay. Giza is not strictly part of Cairo. Formerly a village
on the West bank of the Nile, Giza has expanded into a massive bustling district while Cairo has grown to engulfed
it on all sides.
The Great Pyramid, the sphinx, and Cairo University are all located here. Most
of the city’s other places of interest are to be found in Cairo proper. Unless you
want to spend all day every day exploring the pyramids, it's advisable to base yourself in one of the city's other
districts and travel to Giza via taxi cab.
Mohandeseen
Mohandeseen is one of Cairo’s modern suburbs built in the 60s by Sadat to accommodate
the city's professional classes. It still remains a centre for middle class Egyptians and although there are no
historic sites here it is one of the better districts for finding high quality restaurants and
cafes. It also has a number of decent mid
range hotels.
It's not as hectic as other parts of the city, and is conveniently situated exactly
half way between the Pyramids, and central Cairo where the Egyptian museum is
located.
Central Cairo & Downtown (read more about
downtown Cairo)
Downtown is the area behind the Egyptian Museum and Tahrir Square. It’s here that most of the
budget accommodation is to be found as well shops, cafes, restaurants and travel agencies. It’s also one of the loudest and
most congested parts of the city.
On the other side of the Egyptian museum is
the River Nile. Many of central Cairo's 5 star hotels are located along it's east bank including the Ramses Hilton,
the Nile Hilton and the Sheraton. If you're partial to some metropolitan madness and want to be within easy reach
of the majority of the city's sites, then head downtown...
Garden City
A little further north (from central Cairo) along the East bank of the river is Garden
City, one of Cairo’s greener, more wealthy districts. Don’t be surprise to see heavily armed soldiers on every
corner, it’s also where all the embassies are located.
Zamalek
Zamalek is an attractive, residential district located on an island in the middle of the
River Nile. It’s where a lot of foreign students and ex pats reside, and as such is home to a plethora
of European style shops and café's, and a hip and happening night life. It’s a 5-10 minute taxi ride from
downtown and about 20 minutes from Giza.
To find available budget accommodation:
Where to stay in Cairo Links:
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