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Best hotels in Cairo
This shortlist covers the best hotels in Cairo from the 1,188 stays listed on the site, and it is for travellers deciding where to sleep in a city built along the Nile, between the Egyptian Museum, the bazaar and the Pyramids.
Staying in Cairo
Cairo is Egypt's capital and largest city, built along the Nile. People stay here for the Egyptian Museum, the bazaar and the mosques of Islamic Cairo, and as a base for Giza and the Pyramids across the river on the west side; the Grand Egyptian Museum is near the Pyramids. The areas each carry a trade-off. Downtown puts you at Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum but is the busiest option. Zamalek, on Gezira island in the Nile, is quieter and leafy. Garden City sits by the river just south of Downtown. Islamic Cairo is closest to Khan el-Khalili, Al-Azhar Mosque and the Citadel; Heliopolis, northeast, is closest to the airport; Maadi, in the south, is residential and leafy.
The hotels on this shortlist sit in two of those southern and central addresses. Prince Omar Cruise is listed at Cairo Al Wosta 15, in the city proper. Nile View Aton Cruise is on the Maadi Corniche, next to Al Shorouk Club, in the leafy residential south. Both are cruise-style stays with restaurants and outdoor pools, so they suit couples and families who want a base with facilities rather than a plain room, and they work for a short break as well as a longer, slower stay.
The shortlist
Ranked by hotel class, then guest rating and number of reviews.
Prince Omar Cruise
Cairo Al Wosta 15
Best for: Drivers · Pool and spa
- Outdoor pool
- Parking
- Breakfast
Why stay hereThis 5-star cruise moored at Cairo Al Wosta works for guests who want a floating base in the city. An outdoor pool and a restaurant with breakfast and buffet service handle the essentials, while the bar and snack bar or café cover the rest of the day. Shuttle service, parking and a 24-hour front desk make arrivals and outings straightforward, and the ship is wheelchair accessible.
See Prince Omar CruiseNile View Aton Cruise
Maadi Corniche Next To Al Shorouk Club 11513 Turah Egypt
Best for: Pool and spa · Breakfast
- Outdoor pool
- Sauna
- Breakfast
Why stay hereThis 3-star Nile cruise moors at Maadi Corniche next to Al Shorouk Club, so Cairo's corniche is your starting point. On board you get an outdoor pool, a sauna and a lounge, plus an entertainment programme and karaoke for the evenings. Air-conditioned cabins have a terrace, TV and bathtub, and breakfast can be taken as a buffet or in your room.
See Nile View Aton Cruise
The shortlist side by side
| Hotel | Class | Breakfast | Pool or spa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Omar Cruise | ★★★★★ | Yes | Yes |
| Nile View Aton Cruise | ★★★ | Yes | Yes |
From each hotel's own listing on this site; a dash means it is not listed.
How to choose
For families
Both hotels list an outdoor pool, a restaurant and a bar, and Nile View Aton Cruise adds a terrace, a sauna, an entertainment programme and karaoke. Rooms at Nile View Aton Cruise are non-smoking, and Prince Omar Cruise lists wheelchair access, which helps when travelling with children or older relatives.
For couples
Couples get a pool, a bar and a restaurant at either address, with no need to leave the property in the evening. Nile View Aton Cruise adds a terrace, a lounge and a sauna for quieter time together, and its Corniche address in Maadi puts the Nile-side setting of the south within reach.
For extra comfort
Choose by class and facilities rather than stars alone. Prince Omar Cruise is listed as 5-star and adds a snack bar or café, a buffet, a 24-hour front desk, a shuttle service, parking and wheelchair access. Nile View Aton Cruise is 3-star and covers the essentials plus a sauna, a lounge and room service.
For longer stays
Both hotels list laundry or dry cleaning, which matters on a longer trip. Nile View Aton Cruise adds iron and ironing board, an in-room safe, a bathtub, express check-in and currency exchange. Prince Omar Cruise answers with a 24-hour front desk and a shuttle service for days out.
Where to stay in Cairo
Maadi
Maadi, in the south, is residential and leafy. Nile View Aton Cruise sits on the Maadi Corniche next to Al Shorouk Club, so the hotel's address places it in this southern district rather than in the busy centre. It is a quieter base with a restaurant, a bar, a lounge and an outdoor pool on site, and you cross the city for the Egyptian Museum, the bazaar and the Pyramids.
Our picks here: Nile View Aton Cruise
Cairo Al Wosta
Prince Omar Cruise is listed at Cairo Al Wosta 15, in the city itself. Staying here means a central Cairo address with the property's own restaurant, bar, snack bar or café, buffet breakfast and outdoor pool, plus a 24-hour front desk, a shuttle service and parking. The busiest districts, and the sights they hold, are reached from this base.
Our picks here: Prince Omar Cruise
Plan your stay
Getting there and around
Cairo International Airport is northeast of the centre near Heliopolis. Trains run to Ramses railway station, which is useful if you arrive from elsewhere in Egypt. Roads connect the neighbourhoods, and travel times vary with traffic. Plan ahead for the heat from June to August, and book airport transfers and any long road journeys in advance. Check the train or flight schedule for your date, as timings change seasonally. Both hotels on this shortlist list a shuttle service, and Prince Omar Cruise also lists parking.
When to go
October to April is mild, and this is the more comfortable part of the year for walking between sights, with Cairo about 500 km from Luxor in a straight line if you continue south. June to August is very hot. If you travel in summer, plan around the heat rather than against it. Availability for the hotels here is checked live, so no figure is quoted for any date.
Questions, answered
Do these hotels have parking?
Prince Omar Cruise lists parking among its facilities, so you can arrive by car. Nile View Aton Cruise does not list parking, but it does list a shuttle service. Roads connect the Cairo neighbourhoods and travel times vary with traffic, so allow for that on any drive.
Is breakfast included?
Both hotels list breakfast. Prince Omar Cruise lists breakfast and a buffet, and Nile View Aton Cruise lists breakfast, breakfast in the room and a buffet. What is included in a given booking is confirmed with the property, since availability is checked live.
Do the hotels have a pool or spa?
Both list an outdoor pool. Nile View Aton Cruise adds a sauna. No spa is listed for either property, so if a full spa is what you want, treat the sauna and the pool as what is on offer here.
Are pets allowed?
Neither hotel lists pets among its facilities. If you travel with an animal, contact the property before booking. Both Nile View Aton Cruise and Prince Omar Cruise publish their facilities as listed here, so anything not named should be confirmed directly.
Which of these hotels is closest to the centre?
Prince Omar Cruise is listed at Cairo Al Wosta 15, in the city, while Nile View Aton Cruise is on the Maadi Corniche in the residential south. On those addresses, Prince Omar Cruise is the more central of the two, and Maadi is the quieter, leafier option.
Which hotel has the highest guest rating?
The guest ratings for the stays listed here are given out of 5. Ratings are compared among the stays with at least 20 reviews, so check the current score shown for Prince Omar Cruise and Nile View Aton Cruise on their pages before you decide.
Which is better for a family?
Nile View Aton Cruise lists non-smoking rooms, a terrace, a sauna, an entertainment programme and karaoke on top of its pool and restaurant. Prince Omar Cruise lists a pool, a restaurant, a snack bar or café and wheelchair access. Choose by the facilities your family will actually use.
Do the hotels offer a shuttle service?
Both hotels list a shuttle service. That helps with reaching the Egyptian Museum, the bazaar and the Pyramids from the Maadi Corniche or from the Cairo Al Wosta address. Book airport transfers and any long road journeys in advance.