Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence

Four Seasons Cairo is located on the banks of the Nile in Giza, so perfect if you are taking the night sleeper train to upper Egypt (Giza station is smaller and less chaotic than Ramses station in downtown Cairo). It’s as genteel and refined as you expect with polished service and elegant classic rooms.

There’s lots of high end dining options including several in the luxury shopping mall attached to the hotel. Our favourite was Aura, the Middle Eastern restaurant on the 4th floor which has indoor and outdoor options around the pool including private little cabanas with a TV (handy for sports events or if there’s a game one of your party doesn’t want to miss). A good place to try shisha too.

Top tip: whilst this didn’t bother me one bit, despite the double glazing and high floors, light sleepers might want to take ear plugs to muffle the sound of Cairo’s notorious traffic and car horns. It really is a city that never sleeps! Though this might mean you miss the nighttime roaring of the lions from Cairo Zoo just across the road which I found rather exotic!