Accommodation Enquiries

 

 

What is the difference between a 5 star and a 5-star deluxe hotel/cruise?

 

The star ratings get higher as the facilities and overall standard of the accommodation gets better and so it is easier to imagine 5 star deluxe (or any suffix added to 5 stars) as being 6 stars; something that those who fix the star ratings seem feared to utilize.

 

 

Why am I being advised to stay in a hotel close to the pyramids rather than in Downtown?

If you are only in Cairo for a few days it is a lot easier for you to see the sites starting from a base in Giza. The traffic from downtown to the pyramids can cause the journey to take over an hour, which means an early start if you want a full day’s experience, especially if you require to enter the Great Pyramid when you have to be at the plateau before 0800. If you are in Cairo for a while, the hotels at the Pyramids are all on a resort basis, built in acres of land with outdoor swimming pools and relaxing areas, something which Downtown hotels cannot really provide. This is why you tend to find that the Downtown hotels are built like towers; very tall and narrow, while Giza Pyramid hotels are limited in height, but cover more ground.

Cost also comes into the equation as a simple 4-star hotel in the Downtown area is more than often a lot dearer than a 5-star resort in the Pyramids area. Cairo is like most major cities in the world in this regard as city center property is a lot more expensive. Though it may appear that Downtown hotels do afford the luxury of being able to wander around the area for shopping and restaurants, etc, most of the Pyramid hotels offer free shuttle buses to allow you to do the same, plus taxis are not expensive and will still work out cheaper in the end.

 

What are the differences between bed and breakfast, half board, full board and all inclusive?

 

Bed and breakfast mean that only breakfast is supplied.

Half board means that breakfast and dinner are supplied

The full board has all meals supplied (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

All inclusive means that all meals and drinks are supplied; some hotels also supply alcohol. This latter point should be checked when making the booking.

 

Do I have to stay in my hotel after the day’s tour has ended?

 

No, definitely not, and we would encourage you to go out and enjoy the culture of Egypt. Many packages are full board, which tends to make people think they have to stay imprisoned in their hotel, but the sites and sounds of Cairo, especially, are too great to be missed. Why stay in the same hotel, with the same faces, when you could go out and have your dinner on a cruise boat sailing around Zamalek Island, accompanied by either a belly dancer or a Whirling Dervish; or sometimes both. This is your holiday, so enjoy every minute and get out and explore.

 

I have some expensive items which I do not want to leave lying in my room/cabin, what should I do?

 

All hotels and cruises have safety deposit boxes, sometimes even in your room/cabin. All you need do is ask at reception and they will give you instructions on how to use them, or will safely put away your valuables until you need them.