Egypt Hotels Overview
Where to stay in Egypt
The word Hotel in the colloquial Arabic language is "Fundoq" and the word was derived from the verb that means "to leave wide open" as to leave the door ajar and this word reflects the high sense of hospitability that the Egyptians in particular and the Arabs in general have always been famous for.
Tourists will find the door open for them all over Egypt with a wide range of hotels offering a variety of services and prices that would suit the budget of all types of travelers.
There are many good old colonial hotels in Egypt in addition to many four and five stars hotels that are luxurious and offer the finest services and facilities for their guests.
On the other hand, the cheaper hotels do not always mean that the guests would have to sacrifice enjoying their journeys in Egypt as there are a number of simple and clean hotels located in some fabulous locations all around the country.
-------------------------------------------------------
Where are the hotels located in Egypt
Tourism has been an old industry in Egypt and this is why you may find hotels about everywhere around the touristic cities in the country.
In Cairo, for example, the luxurious hotels are clustered in three major locations for different purposes. Many of the hotels are located in the eastern section of the city near the Cairo International Airport for transit travelers who spend one or two nights in Egypt.
Another major area where good hotels in Cairo are situated is downtown overlooking the magical River Nile. These are the finest hotels in Egypt and they are located near many of the important touristic attractions like the Egyptian Museum and the Citadel of Saladin.
The last place to find some fine hotels in Cairo would be the area around the Pyramids of Giza which offer their guests with magnificent views of the most important monument in Egypt. However, these hotels are rather far from any other touristic sites.
As an alternative, you can find cheaper hotels all around Cairo. Many of them are located downtown and they would be among the best choices for budget travelers.
The charming island and neighborhood of Zamalek hosts some of the pleasant hotels of Cairo and being located near the heart of the city, it would be easy to visit any many places easily if the guest is staying in Zamalek.
This same pattern of the geographical locations can be found in almost all the touristic cities in Egypt with the luxurious more expensive hotels located either near the River Nile or around important monuments and the cheaper budget hotels scattered all around the other sections of the city.
In coastal cities like Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada on the Red Sea or Alexandria and Marsa Matruoh on the Mediterranean Sea, the best hotels and resorts would be located near the seaside while the cheaper would be located far from the sea. Of course this is a general rule but there are many exceptions.
----------------------------------------------------------
Reserving a room in a hotel in Egypt
Most of the higher category hotels in Egypt follow the same international procedures of booking as the rest of the world, with some hotels asking the guests to give them their credit card number as a conformation for their reservation.
However, if the tourist is visiting Egypt with a good reputable travel agency, they will take care of his reservation and all the accommodation issues
Many of the cheaper and budget hotels do not have any booking systems and they just follow the first come first serve basis while other hotels would require the guests to pay for one night as a confirmation of their reservation.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Grading of hotels in Egypt
The hotels in Egypt are graded by the Egyptian government on a star rating system up to five stars as the top with some few seven stars hotels that newly opened in Egypt.
The internationally managed chain hotels usually fall within the five and 5 star deluxe stars category while the local less famous hotels would usually rank as two or three hotels depending on the types of facilities and services presented by the hotel.
Certainly not all five stars hotels have the same quality of services and the same facilities. However, in all five stars hotels in Egypt, the guests would find several restaurants, a bar, a night club, a swimming pool, air conditioned rooms, room service, and many other facilities and services.
In four stars hotels in Egypt, the guests would usually find a coffee shop, one restaurant, a smaller swimming pool, TV sets, air conditions, room services, and a number of other facilities.
--------------------------------------------------------
Five star Hotel vs Five star deluxe Hotel
Five star hotel's amenities include amenities such as 24-hour room service, turn-down service upon request, concierge services and valet parking . Five-star deluxe hotel amenities include state-of-the-art health clubs, luxurious spas, gourmet restaurants, butler services and upgraded check-in services, Five-star deluxe hotels have lobbies with fresh flowers, plush furniture and original artwork. The staff at five-star hotels goes out of the way to personalize guest services, using the guests' names and anticipating each guest's needs.
For quite a long time, five star hotels have been known as the most luxurious ones. Now, several hotels have been awarded deluxe stars. Previous classifications were on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest. Now a deluxe star hotel would be ranked as more uxurious hotel.
Luxury hotels or five star hotels are constructed from high-grade materials and have intricate architectural designs. Mostly, 24-hour room service is available, aside from gourmet dining and a high staff-to-guest ratio. Rooms are huge and are decorated with fine furnishings. The rooms have luxury bath products and toiletries, high-speed Internet access and DVD players. Most five star hotels have access to a golf course; spa and wellness center; pool and tennis courts. The most luxurious room in a five star hotel is the presidential suite.
---------------------------------------------------------
The Chain Hotels in Egypt
The internationally famous chain hotels that can be found in Egypt would include Sheraton, Hilton, Sofitel, Marriott, Meridian, Four Seasons, and Grand Hayat. These hotels offer the best services and facilities in the country that are similar to the other hotels located all over the world.
On the other hand, there is no local or cheap chain of hotels in Egypt. The large number of budget hotels in Egypt is usually family owned and they are managed independently.
---------------------------------------------------------
Hotels for Business Travelers in Egypt
Some of the major cities in Egypt like Cairo and Alexandria have started rapidly turning into important business centers and the hotels of these cities are transforming and adapting to the needs and requirements of this new market.
New super luxurious five and even seven stars hotels have started opening around Cairo distinguishing themselves by offering top class services and facilities for their guests.
Some new hotels in Cairo like the Four Seasons and the Conrad Hotels, situated by the Nile, offer their guests with the best trained concierges and a 24-hour business services.
These hotels offer the guests with rooms that are equipped with computers, fax machines, fast internet connection, and voice mail. There are also a number of fine meeting rooms and conference centers.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Disabled Travelers
Although many of the hotels, touristic facilities, and some historical sites in Egypt have started upgrading their facilities to suit the needs of disabled travelers, the country is still far away from being near the international standards of serving disabled travelers.
On the other hand, what Egypt does have in its favor in this issue is the most friendly people to be found anywhere in the world who are ready to help disabled travelers all over the country assisting them with all what they might need.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Travelers with Children
Egyptians just love children and they consider them a blessing this is why having your children around in your trip to Egypt would be quite enjoyable for you and for them as well.
Some five stars hotels offer the children with a daily entertainment program. Moreover, many hotels and resorts have swimming pools and a children garden for the kids to enjoy themselves on their journey to Egypt.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Budget Travelers in Egypt
Egypt can be a wonderful experience for travelers on low budgets as witnessed by a generation of young backpackers who visited the country recently for admiring the Pharaonic monuments, or mingling with the Egyptian culture, or even enjoying the sea in Sinai and the Red Sea.
It doesn't matter which city a budget traveler is targeting to visit in Egypt, he will find a decent place with fairly a low price to stay in almost all destinations around the country.
Most of Egypt cheaper hotels offer most of the services and facilities that are commonly found in youth hostels all around the world.
Camping on the other hand can be sometimes problematic in Egypt except for some areas specified by the government for camping in cities like Luxor, Marsa Matruoh, Sharm El Sheikh, and Hurghada.
Camping is also allowed in some national protected areas like Ras Mohamed, to the South of Sharm El Sheikh, Wadi El Rayan, near the Fayoum, and some other protected areas around the Sinai Peninsula.
The Western Desert of Egypt, especially near the White Desert and the Bahariya Oasis would certainly be a marvelous place to have a camp in Egypt and it is highly recommended for tourists to spend a night in the Egyptian desert.
0 comments:
Post a Comment