Tag: Cairo Hotels View All Tags
Cairo Hotels
Grand Hyatt Cairo Owner Now Says, "Party On Wayne"
August 26, 2008 at 4:20 PM | 0 Comments
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 $1 million, into the Nile River.
Aside from getting unsuspecting fish drunk, Sheik Abdelaziz al-Brahim also said the hotel would no longer serve alcohol ever again, in accordance with the Islamic ban on alcohol.
Fortunately, someone has woken up and smelled the absinthe. The owner has struck an agreement with Hyatt to serve alcohol in the hotel's restaurant on the 40th floor. This restaurant will actually be a Hyatt enterprise so the sheik doesn't have to be involved in the sale of alcohol. Guests can also order alcohol through room service.
While it's not quite the "Shorty, let me buy you a drank" vibe we were hoping for, getting drunk in a secluded restaurant on the 40th floor or in our private rooms will suffice.
[Photo: Chrispitality]
Cairo Hotels
Owner of Grand Hyatt Cairo Commits Biggest Party Foul Ever
June 23, 2008 at 10:26 AM | 0 Comments
PARTY FOUL, MAN: the owner of the Grand Hyatt Cairo recently decided to ban liquor from his hotel. Citing religious reasons, the Saudi owner showed everyone he was totally serious by reportedly pouring over one million dollars-worth of beer, wine and whisky into the Nile River.
One million dollars. Into the river.
Dude, COME. ON. There are thirsty men and women in America; why'd you have to go and be that guy by dumping all that precious nectar into a @#$%!*# 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]
Cairo Hotels
The Grand Hyatt Cairo Enters Rehab...The Lindsay Lohan Kind
May 23, 2008 at 10:35 AM | 2 Comments
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]
