Sheraton Cairo Hotel

Cairo is a stunning city, full of friendly, wonderful people.
Our first taste of it was late at night, coming from the airport to our hotel on the banks of the Nile in the centre of the city. Five lanes of traffic became 10 or 12, as drivers jostled for position, honking continuously and barging their way into every foot of road space.
It was 11 o’clock on a Thursday night and our guide said everybody was heading into town to relax and meet up with friends and family. When we made it to our hotel, we were greeted by armed guards and an arch at the front door to scan everyone going in.
The hotel was very opulent and we sat in the lounge sipping a beer while or guide booked us in and arranged for our luggage to be taken to our rooms - this was definitely not what we were used to! Our room was spacious, with an enormous bed and a balcony, which looked out over the Nile.
The bathroom was very modern and clean. By now it was dark and we could see a constant stream of boats lit up, with people partying on board. There were about 8 different restaurants in the hotel, serving different cuisines. Breakfast was held in the Garden Room and was an extensive buffet.
We only had dinner once in the hotel, in the Italian Restaurant, which looked out over the gardens and the river - very romantic. The food was not spectacular and be warned - a very average bottle of Chianti was £45. Every night we went to the piano bar where there was a live band. Most of the time we had the bar to ourselves.
I would thoroughly recommend this holiday to anyone who wants something a bit different. Beware of pressure to buy, in shops and from street-sellers - they are true professionals. Tipping seems to be obligatory and in the 4 days we were there, we spent £100 on tips alone.
Although the security does appear to be way over the top in order to protect the tourist industry, at all times, we felt very safe as your car is constantly checked by police and sniffer dogs - our tour operator, Operasabroad, said that there are 1 million tourist police in Cairo. Don’t be scared to visit Cairo, you will be captivated.