HotelChatter

Tags: Fairmont Hotels / Abu Dhabi Hotels / Cairo Hotels / China Hotels / → All Tags

Fairmont Hotels Go Exotic With Three New Silk Road Hotels

We love new hotels, and we definitely love new hotels in exotic places – so the fact that the Fairmont group have just opened up three new hotels along the Silk Road gets us pretty excited.

The first is the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi – that unusual name means "Gateway to the Sea" so you can guess that it's a beachfront hotel. There's a private beach and two swimming pools if relaxing is on your agenda, but it's also easy to visit the gold markets, a nearby mosque or trek out on a desert safari. Until the end of the year nightly rates start from $230 as an opening special.

more ›

Tags: Fairmont Hotels / Hotel Renovations / Cairo Hotels / Egypt Hotels / → All Tags

It's Always Sunny at Fairmont Towers Heliopolis

Where: Uruba B Street, Cairo, Egypt

Near Cairo, the Fairmont Towers Heliopolis has just had a major addition. Working around the original hotel while it was still operating, some magic builders have now created a fancy new conference center and 247 new hotel rooms right next door, and judging by this pic it is something special.

The architect got into the idea of the hotel being in Heliopolis, which means "city of the sun", by incorporating lines like sunrays into the design and even including sun motifs throughout. The new restaurant and café are impressive too: there's an artificial river running through the Aqua e Luce restaurant and Café Heliopolis is right in the center of the atrium entrance. Oh, and it even serves camel milk ice cream.

Advance purchase internet rates start at $136 a night, and they also have a few packages going: we like the bed and breakfast package (starting at $200 a night for a double) because it literally includes a full breakfast in bed, and the romance deal (with wine and cheese and a lovely late 4pm checkout) starts from $210 a night.

Tags: Cairo Hotels / Hotel Openings / Boutique Hotels / → All Tags

A Boutique First For Cairo Coming Soon

Where: Maadi, Cairo, Egypt

“Cairo” and “tranquil” – not two words we’d normally associate with each other. At least, we didn’t until news of Villa Belle Epoque plopped into our inbox this morning.

It’s opening on March 21st and calls itself “Cairo’s first boutique hotel” – boutique meaning a 1920s villa with just just 13 period-style rooms, chandeliers, lots of balconies, and date palms and mango trees in the gardens. Foodwise, you can choose from Egyptian, Oriental, Italian and French; and there’ll even be a high tea served on the bank of the Nile on offer, as well as felucca boat trips at sunset.

more ›

Tags: Egypt Hotels / Hotel News / Hilton Hotels / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / Cairo Hotels / → All Tags

Cairo Loses a Hilton, Gains a Ritz-Carlton

Where: 1113 Corniche El Nil, Cairo, Egypt, 12344

We're looking forward to the new year; January 1st is traditionally a day for renewed hope and fresh beginnings, and no one is taking more advantage of this than Cairo's Nile Hilton. When the clock strikes midnight (Egypt time, of course), the 431-room historic hotel on the shores of the epic River Nile will become the Ritz-Carlton Nile Hotel.

As the first Ritz-Carlton in Egypt's capital city, The Nile Hotel will have to dust off its top hat and tails to remain a leader in Cairo and keep pace with the 5-star standard of Ritz-Carlton. What does this mean, exactly? It means sweet, sweet renovation of course. Beginning in mid-2009, the hotel will begin an ambitious 2-year revamp, while continuing to host guests. Although there will no doubt be angry TripAdvisor reviews about the construction, you just can't flip a Hilton into a Ritz without a little elbow grease (and a lot of brocade).

In case you're wondering why Ritz-Carlton picked this old Hilton as their new property, we refer you to its breathtaking view of the Nile and the abundance of hookahs they keep poolside. Too bad they didn't add belly dancers to the room service menu; then they probably would have gotten five-star status without the help of Ritz-Carlton.

[Photo: Etihad Holidays]

Tags: Cairo Hotels / Hyatt Hotels / Nile River Hotels / → All Tags

Grand Hyatt Cairo Owner Now Says, "Party On Wayne"

Where: Corniche El Nile, P.O. Box 2288, Garden City, Roda Island, Egypt

Back in June we were stunned to hear that the owner of the Grand Hyatt Cairo committed the biggest party foul EVER by dumping out the remaining bottles of liquor from the hotel, worth nearly $1 million, into the Nile River.

Aside from getting unsuspecting fish drunk, Sheik Abdelaziz al-Brahim also said the hotel would no longer serve alcohol ever again, in accordance with the Islamic ban on alcohol.

Fortunately, someone has woken up and smelled the absinthe. The owner has struck an agreement with Hyatt to serve alcohol in the hotel's restaurant on the 40th floor. This restaurant will actually be a Hyatt enterprise so the sheik doesn't have to be involved in the sale of alcohol. Guests can also order alcohol through room service.

While it's not quite the "Shorty, let me buy you a drank" vibe we were hoping for, getting drunk in a secluded restaurant on the 40th floor or in our private rooms will suffice.

[Photo: Chrispitality]

Tags: Cairo Hotels / Hyatt Hotels / → All Tags

Owner of Grand Hyatt Cairo Commits Biggest Party Foul Ever

Where: Corniche El Nile, P.O. Box 2288, Garden City, Roda Island, Egypt

PARTY FOUL, MAN: the owner of the Grand Hyatt Cairo recently decided to ban liquor from his hotel. Citing religious reasons, the Saudi owner showed everyone he was totally serious by reportedly pouring over one million dollars-worth of beer, wine and whisky into the Nile River.

One million dollars. Into the river.

Dude, COME. ON. There are thirsty men and women in America; why'd you have to go and be that guy by dumping all that precious nectar into a @#$%!*# river?

According to the LA Times, the Egyptian Hotel Association is all like "oh hells no":

The move is a gesture to bring his business into conformity with Islamic standards. That may be so, but the Egyptian Hotel Assn. has its own rules. The organization has given [the owner] an ultimatum: Either put the liquor back by July 2 or have his hotel demoted from five to two stars

Ha! That'll show him: take away stars from his hotel to depress him so much that he'll want to drink away his sorrows. Well played, Egyptian Hotel Association.

Meanwhile, we're wondering if the Nile tastes delicious right now.

[Photo: Chrispitality]

Tags: Cairo Hotels / Hyatt Hotels / Hotel Bars / Hotel Bans / Egypt Hotels / → All Tags

The Grand Hyatt Cairo Enters Rehab...The Lindsay Lohan Kind

Where: Corniche El Nile, Garden City, Roda Island, Cairo, Egypt, 11519

Alcohol may be on the brink of extinction at Egyptian hotels, if the worst fears of tourism officials there come true: After the Saudi owner of the Grand Hyatt Cairo banned the sale of alcohol at the hotel, destroying millions of dollars of the stuff in the process, officials now worry that other properties may soon follow, the BBC reports.

It's unknown why the owner had staff pour bottle upon bottle of wine and liquor down drains, though some suspect it may have something to do with Egypt's enormous Muslim population, which is barred from consuming alcohol, even in cooking, according to the Koran. Supporters say foreign visitors "should respect the local custom," while critics argue that "just as Muslims expect to be served Halal food on international flights, they should be prepared to respect the desires of their Western guests," the BBC writes.

Hyatt has, of course, asked for the decision to be overturned, fearing that Western tourists won't stay at the property and that it may lose its five-star rating, the BBC says.

If the ban does catch on, we expect staying at a hotel in Egypt will be like an overnight at any Disney property--and they're certainly not hurting for business. Plus, guest reviews of the hotel are nothing but raves. Though we do worry: first alcohol; what's next--porn?  

[Photo: Chrispitality]