Lonely Planet Review

One of Cairo's most luxurious hotels, this is part of the First Residence, an exclusive residential and shopping complex. Although the service and facilities are fantastic in that opulent Four Seasons way, the location is a baffling and inconvenient one for visitors to Cairo, unless the zoo is at the top of your itinerary…

With its out-of-the-way and bizarre positioning above an upmarket mall, once inside the hotel you'd think that the opulence of a Four Seasons would overwhelm the senses. However, the hotel layout is so odd that you'll be asking staff for directions for the whole first day you stay here. Still, while you're lost you can smell the wonderful fresh flowers everywhere and admire the lovely paintings, antiques and collectables filling gorgeous display cases. The rooms are just as opulent, offering Nile, Pyramids or garden views and the amenities are of the usual Four Seasons standards. The bar, with its dark-wood-panelling and gentlemen's club ambience is very comfortable and a great place for a nightcap. Lai Thai restaurant is excellent, offering truly authentic and tasty Thai food - the Nile views from it and Seasons (Mediterranean) restaurant are fantastic.