Quick answer
Egypt's great historic hotels are the Marriott Mena House at Giza, the Sofitel Winter Palace in Luxor, the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract in Aswan and the Steigenberger Cecil in Alexandria, each more than 90 years old and each in a location no new hotel can match. They are still working hotels, so you can stay in them, or simply book a drink or afternoon tea and absorb the history.
Which are Egypt's great historic hotels?
Four hotels carry the story of travel in Egypt from the age of steamers and Thomas Cook to today: Mena House at Giza, the Winter Palace in Luxor, the Old Cataract in Aswan and the Cecil in Alexandria. They were built when wealthy Europeans wintered on the Nile, and between them they have hosted archaeologists, royalty, wartime leaders and novelists. All four still operate as hotels under international brands, renovated but recognisably themselves.
| Hotel | Place | Opened as a hotel | Origins | Best known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott Mena House | Giza, at the foot of the pyramids | 1886 | A khedival hunting lodge | Pyramid views; the 1943 Cairo Conference |
| Sofitel Winter Palace | Luxor, East Bank Corniche | 1886 | Built as a winter hotel for Nile travellers | Lord Carnarvon and the Tutankhamun discovery |
| Sofitel Legend Old Cataract | Aswan, above the First Cataract | 1899 | Built by Thomas Cook for his Nile passengers | Agatha Christie and the terrace at sunset |
| Steigenberger Cecil | Alexandria, Saad Zaghloul Square | 1929 | A grand seafront hotel of cosmopolitan Alexandria | Durrell's Alexandria Quartet; harbour views |
What is the history of Mena House?
Mena House began as a hunting lodge used by Khedive Ismail near the pyramids, was bought by an English couple, Hugh and Ethel Locke King, and opened as a hotel in 1886. It is the only great hotel where the view from the garden is the Great Pyramid itself.
The hotel's most famous moment came in November 1943, when Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Chiang Kai-shek met there for the Cairo Conference. It has strong Australian connections too: the Australian Imperial Force camped beside it at Mena in 1914–15 before Gallipoli, and the hotel was used as a military hospital during that period; our guide to the Anzacs in Egypt tells the story. The hotel's own history lists many other well-known guests over the decades; treat such lists as hotel lore unless they are documented.
Today, as the Marriott Mena House, it has rooms in the original palace building and in newer garden wings. Ask specifically for a pyramid-view room in the historic part if the setting is why you are there. The Pyramids of Giza gate and the Grand Egyptian Museum are minutes away; our where to stay in Cairo guide explains how it fits a split Cairo stay.
Why is the Winter Palace in Luxor famous?
The Winter Palace, opened in 1886 on Luxor's Corniche, is where Lord Carnarvon stayed during the excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb, and by long tradition where the discovery was announced in 1922.
Its cream-and-ochre Victorian façade, sweeping double staircase and riverside terrace face the Nile and the Theban hills, and its gardens, with old palms and flowering trees, are among the most peaceful places in Luxor on a hot afternoon. In the early 20th century it was the social hub of Egyptology's golden age, when archaeologists, collectors and wealthy travellers wintered in Luxor. The hotel is a short walk from Luxor Temple; read our guide to the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb before you go.
Today it operates as the Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor, with rooms in the historic palace building and in a newer garden wing. A 1970s tower beside it, once known as the New Winter Palace, has since been demolished, restoring the old building's setting. For the full experience, ask for a Nile-view room in the historic building.
What makes the Old Cataract in Aswan special?
The Old Cataract was built by Thomas Cook & Son and opened in 1899 for passengers on the company's Nile steamers; its terrace above the First Cataract remains one of the great views in Egypt.
The hotel's Moorish-style interiors and its famous terrace, looking across granite boulders and feluccas to Elephantine Island and the desert dunes beyond, made it the place to winter in Aswan. Agatha Christie stayed here, and the hotel appears in the 1978 film of Death on the Nile; it is often said that she worked on the novel during her visits, though accounts differ on how much. The hotel names other famous guests, including Winston Churchill, and those claims are best enjoyed as part of the legend.
After a major restoration it reopened in 2011 as the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract. The historic Palace Wing has high ceilings, balconies and period style; the newer Nile Wing has larger, more modern rooms. Non-residents can usually reserve the terrace for afternoon tea or sunset drinks, with a smart-casual dress code. Our where to stay in Aswan guide compares it with other bases.
Which historic hotels are in Alexandria and Cairo?
In Alexandria, the Cecil is the classic; in Cairo, the most historic hotel you can still stay in is the Cairo Marriott, built around a palace of 1869, while the most legendary of all, Shepheard's, is gone.
- Steigenberger Cecil, Alexandria: opened in 1929 on Saad Zaghloul Square, facing the Eastern Harbour, in the era when the city's Greek, Italian and Levantine communities made it the most cosmopolitan place in the Mediterranean. It appears in Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet, and the hotel recounts wartime stories of British officers and well-known guests, which should be taken as hotel lore. See where to stay in Alexandria.
- Cairo Marriott, Zamalek: its central building is the Gezira Palace, built by Khedive Ismail in 1869 for guests attending the opening of the Suez Canal. The palace's grand halls survive, with modern towers either side.
- Shepheard's Hotel, Cairo: founded in the 1840s by Samuel Shepheard, its terrace was the most famous meeting place in 19th-century Cairo. The original building was destroyed in the Cairo fire of January 1952; a new hotel of the same name was later built on the Nile in Garden City. At the time of writing its status has been changing, so check whether it is open.
- Heliopolis Palace Hotel: a vast domed hotel opened in 1910 in Baron Empain's new suburb, used as an Australian military hospital during the First World War. It is now a presidential palace and cannot be visited.
What is it like to stay in a historic hotel in Egypt?
Expect grand public rooms, beautiful settings and impeccable views, along with the quirks of old buildings: rooms that vary in size and outlook, and wings of very different ages under the same name.
- Know which wing you are booking. All three Nile-valley classics combine a historic building with newer wings. The newer rooms are often larger and quieter; the historic ones have the character. Specify which you want.
- Views cost more. Pyramid-view and Nile-view rooms carry a premium and sell first; garden-view rooms are cheaper and still give you the public spaces.
- Dress codes: some restaurants and terraces ask for smart-casual dress in the evening; pack one smarter outfit.
- Book early: for Christmas, New Year and the cooler months from December to February, book 9–12 months ahead.
- Visit without staying: afternoon tea, a drink or dinner lets you experience the hotels on any budget; reservations are usually required.
Are there historic ways to travel the Nile too?
Yes: a few vessels recreate the steamer era, including the restored paddle steamer Sudan, which dates from the early 20th century and is associated with the Christie era, and a fleet of modern dahabiyas built in the style of 19th-century sailing boats.
Pairing one heritage hotel with a small ship or dahabiya is the classic way to travel in the old style, and Siwa's kershef eco-lodges offer a very different kind of heritage, built with traditional desert techniques; see where to stay in Siwa. Our luxury Nile cruises and dahabiya guides explain the options.
Which historic hotel should you choose?
If you can choose only one, choose by what matters most to you.
- For the single most memorable view: Mena House, with the Great Pyramid from your balcony.
- For romance and a special occasion: the Old Cataract, especially a Palace Wing room and sunset on the terrace.
- For Egyptology history: the Winter Palace, where Carnarvon waited for news from the Valley of the Kings.
- For literary and cosmopolitan Alexandria: the Cecil.
- For Anzac history: Mena House, beside the site of the 1914–15 camp.
- To stay in all three Nile classics: our Luxury Egypt tour uses Mena House and the Old Cataract, and the Egypt honeymoon combines a balloon over Luxor with the Old Cataract. See also our luxury travel in Egypt guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the oldest hotel in Egypt?
Among hotels still operating, Mena House at Giza and the Winter Palace in Luxor both opened as hotels in 1886. Shepheard's in Cairo was older, founded in the 1840s, but its original building was destroyed in 1952.
Did Agatha Christie stay at the Old Cataract?
Yes. Christie stayed at the Old Cataract in Aswan, and the hotel appears in the 1978 film of Death on the Nile. Accounts differ on how much of the novel she wrote there.
Can you visit the Old Cataract or Mena House without staying?
Usually, yes. Both welcome non-residents for meals, drinks or afternoon tea, typically with a reservation and a smart-casual dress code. Security screening applies at the entrance.
Where was Tutankhamun's discovery announced?
By long tradition, at the Winter Palace in Luxor, where Lord Carnarvon stayed. See our guide to the Tomb of Tutankhamun.
Is Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo still open?
The original Shepheard's burned down in 1952. A later hotel of the same name stands on the Nile in Garden City, but its status has been changing, so check before planning around it.
