Where to Stay in Alexandria: Downtown, Stanley or Montaza?

Which area of Alexandria is best to stay in?

Downtown, on the curve of the Eastern Harbour, is the best base for almost every first-time visitor; the eastern seafront districts of Stanley, San Stefano and Montaza trade walkability for newer hotels, beaches and space. Alexandria is a thin city about 20 km long, wrapped along the Mediterranean, and almost everything a visitor comes for sits at its western end: the Citadel of Qaitbay, the Bibliotheca, the Roman theatre, the catacombs and the old cafés.

The further east you stay, the more of your day you spend on the Corniche road, a multi-lane seafront highway that is slow at most hours and very slow on summer evenings. Most of our travellers spend one or two nights here, so a central location matters more than it would on a longer stay. Our Alexandria destination guide covers what to see; this page is about where to sleep.

How do Alexandria's districts compare?

The table compares the realistic bases by distance from the historic centre and the feel of each; drive times assume moderate traffic and roughly double on summer evenings.

What is it like staying downtown on the Corniche?

Downtown puts you in the Alexandria of Cavafy and Durrell: belle-époque buildings, a seafront tram, patisseries that have been serving since the early 20th century and the Eastern Harbour filling your window.

The landmark is the Steigenberger Cecil Hotel on Saad Zaghloul Square, opened in 1929 and woven into Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet; its sea-facing rooms look straight across the harbour to Qaitbay. Nearby, older hotels such as the Paradise Inn Windsor Palace and Le Metropole keep their period lifts and high ceilings, and smaller budget hotels occupy the upper floors of old apartment blocks around Raml Station. Our guide to Egypt's historic hotels tells the Cecil's story in more detail.

From here the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is about a 25-minute walk east along the seafront, Kom el-Dikka's Roman theatre about 10 minutes inland, and the catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa and Pompey's Pillar a short taxi ride south-west. Old cafés and pastry shops such as Délices and Trianon are around the corner.

The trade-offs are age and noise. Historic hotels can have creaky plumbing and small bathrooms, and the Corniche below is loud until late. A sea-view room on a higher floor is worth asking for, both for the view and to lift you above the traffic. Crossing the Corniche on foot takes care: use the underpasses or crossings where you find them, or cross with a crowd.

Should you stay in Stanley or San Stefano?

Choose the eastern seafront if you want a modern, international-standard hotel with a pool and sea views, and are happy to take a car to the sights.

Stanley is known for its bay of tiered summer beach cabins and the Stanley Bridge, a much-photographed seafront landmark; San Stefano, a little further east, is home to the Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria, part of a tower complex with a shopping mall. Hotels here are newer, quieter inside and more likely to have pools and gyms than downtown's period buildings.

In summer this stretch becomes the heart of Egypt's domestic beach season. From roughly June to September, families escaping Cairo's heat fill the public beaches, the Corniche jams after dark and hotel rates rise sharply. Outside those months it is calm, and the promenade is pleasant for an early walk. Allow 20–40 minutes to reach downtown, more on a summer evening.

Is Montaza a good base?

Montaza is a good base for a slower stay with garden walks and sea swims, but a poor one for sightseeing, because the historic centre is 30–60 minutes away.

The former royal estate at the eastern end of the Corniche has large gardens, sheltered beaches and the closed Haramlik palace; our Montaza Palace guide covers a visit. Hotels inside or beside the estate, such as the Helnan Palestine within the gardens and the Sheraton Montazah across the Corniche, give you sea air and quiet evenings. Maamoura, just beyond, is a residential beach suburb popular with Egyptian families in summer.

Montaza works if you have three or more nights, want beach time on the Mediterranean or are travelling with children who need space. For a one-night stop, the commute eats too much of your day.

Where should you stay for El Alamein, Siwa or the train?

For El Alamein and the road to Siwa, a downtown or western hotel saves time, because both lie west of the city; for train travel, any central hotel works.

• El Alamein: the war cemetery and museum are about 110 km west, roughly 1.5 hours from downtown. Leaving from Montaza adds up to an hour of city traffic each way.
• Siwa: the drive to Siwa Oasis runs west along the coast to Marsa Matruh, then south. A night downtown, an early start and a stop at El Alamein on the way is the classic plan.
• Trains from Cairo: express trains stop at Sidi Gaber, in the east-central districts, before terminating at Misr Station near downtown. Your driver or hotel can meet you at either.
• Flights: Borg El Arab Airport is about 45 km south-west of the centre, 45–60 minutes by road. Most Australians arrive overland from Cairo instead.

What should you check before booking an Alexandria hotel?

Check the view, the season and the year of the last renovation; in Alexandria, a sea view and a refurbished room make more difference than the star rating.

• Sea view: the city faces north over the Mediterranean, so sea-view rooms catch the light without the full afternoon sun, and the sunset over the Eastern Harbour from a downtown room is memorable.
• Season: Egyptian summer holidays and the Eid holidays bring peak domestic demand; book early, and expect fuller beaches and busier roads.
• Winter weather: from December to February Alexandria gets most of Egypt's rain, with occasional storms. Older buildings can feel chilly, so ask about heating.
• Alcohol: international and historic hotels generally serve it; many smaller hotels and restaurants do not.
• Parking and access: downtown streets are narrow; on our private tours your driver handles drop-offs, but independent drivers should check hotel parking.

Which Alexandria area should you choose?

Downtown for nearly everyone on a short stay; the east for comfort, beaches or a longer, slower visit.

• First-timers with one or two nights: downtown on the Eastern Harbour, as on our Cairo and Alexandria itinerary.
• History and literature lovers: the Cecil or another period hotel around Saad Zaghloul Square.
• Comfort seekers and business travellers: San Stefano, Stanley or Smouha.
• Families in summer: Montaza or San Stefano, for pools, beaches and space.
• Anzac and Second World War pilgrims: downtown, for an early start west to El Alamein.
• Travellers heading to Siwa: downtown, then west along the coast, as on our Ultimate Egypt journey.