Grand Hyatt Cairo

Opinion

A massive, centrally-located upmarket choice with an extravagent and slightly over-the-top décor bordering on the tasteless, but which offers a wide array of dining venues and facilities, and impressive Nile views - particularly from the top-floor revolving restaurant. It is a popular haunt of the corporate crowd and hosts many meetings and conferences. The on-site shopping mall contains a small food court as well as boutiques, gift shops, a kids floor and a cinema. Boasts its own boat for dinner dance cruises.

Exterior

A landmark 42-storey Y-shaped tower topped with a revolving restaurant and boasting an imposing gold columned entrance; adjoins a curved 15-storey tower housing a Hard Rock Café on one side and a 7-storey shopping, cinema and leisure centre on the other.

Property type: Hotel

Storeys: 42

Interior

The impressive modern interior has a spacious split-level lobby with huge double height windows overlooking the Nile; the upper level has large black marble columns, a water feature, wood-panelling, and houses a reception and a sizeable glass-walled stylish restaurant. The lower level has a slightly tacky fake rock feature containing an aquarium and a small fish restaurant. A courtyard-style area has a sushi bar, a breezy Italian eatery and an inviting wood-panelled pub; a smartly-furnished terraced is beside the river.

Rooms: 714

Grounds

A 6th floor pool deck has a bar/restaurant, plenty of loungers and parasols and offers river views.

Location

Area Type: Perched on tiny El Roda Island in Garden City on the East bank of the Nile with similar properties and many embassies nearby.