Cairo accommodations welcome you to a destination nicknamed “The City of a Thousand Minarets”.
Cairo known for: pyramids, citadel, mummies, shopping malls, museums, exhibition centers, parks, mosques, Orthodox churches, Egyptian restaurants, bazars, hypermarkets, spices
Located on the Nile River’s east bank, Cairo is about 900 miles west of the Red Sea. The Nile (world’s longest river at 4,130 miles) branches into the Rosetta and Damietta Rivers in the “Nile Delta” (northward). Westward across the Nile lies the city of Giza with its great pyramids. The Suez Gulf (artificial waterway) connects the Red and Mediterranean Seas. A part of “Old Cairo” is “Coptic Cairo” (Coptic churches / historic sites).
Within / near Cairo main attractions: Citystars Mall (shopping mall), ELAKABER (Egyptian restaurant), Khan el-Khalili (Bazar – souvenirs, crafts, jewelry, clothing, spices), The Egyptian Museum in Cairo (archaeological artifacts museum – Tutankhamun treasures), Carrefour – Maadi City Center (hypermarket), City Centre Almaza (shopping mall), Koshary Abou Tarek (Koshari restaurant), Al-Azhar Park (manicured gardens, lawns, fountains, cafes, restaurants, open-air theater, city views), Downtown Katameya (shopping mall), Genena Mall (shopping mall), Cairo Citadel (12th-century Saladin fortress / wall – protected against Crusaders), Cairo Tower (tourist attraction), The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (sculptures, metal-ware, pottery, hall of mummies), Abou Haidar Shawerma (Shawarma restaurant), Semsema (fast food restaurant – shawarma), Al-Azhar Mosque (Cairo’s first mosque est. 970), Pharaonic Village (Egyptian history living museum – ancient village / Tutankhamen tomb replicas), Roxy Square (park), Shooting Club Dokki (sports club), Baron Empain Palace (Stately / abandoned Indian Hindu temple – carved wooden spiral staircase, gardens), حواوشى الربيع – Notes of Spring (Egyptian restaurant), Al-Ahly Sporting Club Nasr City, Egypt’s International Exhibition Center, Amr ibn al-As Mosque (minarets, inner courtyard, engraved marble), Cairo International Convention Centre (convention center), Al-Sayyida Nafesa Mosque, Al-Hakim Mosque (10th-century mosque – grand entrance, inner courtyard, arcades, 2 minarets), Royal House – Heliopolis branch (supermarket), Wadi Al Nile Seafood (seafood restaurant), People of Egypt Walkway (park), Prince Mohamed Ali Palace (Manial Palace – historical landmark), Gamal Sholqamy (barbecue restaurant), The Hanging Church (Coptic Orthodox church – Noah’s arc-shaped wooden roof, 5th-century pulpit, icons), El Korba Square (3-sided square – grand buildings, ornate fracases, Byzantine-style basilica), Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (art museum), Cairo Opera House, Habib Pasha El-Sakakini Palace (19th-century Rococo-style mansion – lavish interior décor, marble statues, rooftop cupola), Qasr El Nil Bridge (Nile River road bridge – 19th-century bronze lion statues), Aisha Fahmy Palace (museum), Tahona elbaba kirolos (Orthodox church), St. Simon “The Tanner” Monastery, Wadi Degla Reserve (sandy desert canyon – sheer rocky walls, camping, wilderness walks, biking trails)
Giza pyramids area (southwestward): Giza Necropolis (archaeological site – Great Pyramids, Great Sphinx, other ruins), The Great Pyramid of Giza, Great Sphinx of Giza (monument), Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Lamour (wedding venue), Khufu’s Restaurant (Egyptian restaurant)
Southward: Saqqara Necropolis (historical place), Mit Rahina Museum, Red Pyramid (ancient Memphis necropolis – burial chamber, passages, guided tour), Serapeum of Saqqara (1400 BC Necropolis – stone tombs of sacred Api bulls)
Cairo main airport: Cairo International Airport
Rideshare service: Uber
Subway system: Cairo Metro
More fun things: Pyramids & Sphinx Tour, Egyptian Museum Ticket, Citadel Tour
Cairo professional football club: Al Ahly SC (Al Ahly WE / Al Salam Stadium – north side)
Cairo currency: Egyptian Pound
Legal drinking age: 21 years old
When visiting Cairo there are some things to keep in mind. Arabic is Egypt’s official language, though most educated Cairenes speak fluent English, French, or both. Vendors and even males in general are known to take an aggressive tone toward foreign women in bazars (different culture). These areas otherwise are considered safe. First and foremost to purchase after arrival at Cairo accommodations is a bottled water supply (grocery store). Believe it or not a roll of toilet paper is recommended to carry in one’s bag when out in public for an extended period. Keep in mind that security checks (ex. airport) are relatively more frequent in Cairo. PDA (public displays of affection) should be avoided and modest attire is required in religious areas. Air quality can be poor at times. It’s possible to see inside The Great Pyramid. Cairo accommodations are some of northern Africa’s best. Before we get to Cairo accommodations, let’s take a look at some more background information on the area to help you along the way.
Built in the fertile Nile Delta, original Cairo-area cities were known as “Memphis” (31st century BC – 7th century AD) and “Heliopolis” (ancient Egypt). Ancient-Egyptian “territorial administrative divisions” were known as “nomes”. Memphis (southwest of present-day Cairo) served as the capital of “Inebu-hedj” (Lower Egypt’s district number 1 nome). Heliopolis (northeast-Cairo’s present-day Matariya & Ain Shams districts ) was the capital of “Heliopolite” (Lower Egypt’s number 13 nome) and a major religious center. Ancient Egyptians worshipped deities such as Atum, Ra and Horus (sun gods). Established during the “Fourth Dynasty” (Old Kingdom’s “golden age” – 2613-2494 BC), the Giza pyramid complex would boast the “Great Pyramid of Giza “. Also known as the “Pyramid of Khufu”, Giza’s largest pyramid would measure 481 feet in height (about 1/3-the-size of Empire State Building) and take an estimated 20 years to build at a cost of around $5 billion (today’s valuation). The May, 525 BC “Battle of Pelusium” (Kingdom of Egypt vs. Achaemenid Empire) saw an Achaemenid (Persian) victory and Egypt’s annexation into the Achaemenid Empire. Second “King of Kings” Cambyses II (led Persian conquest) crowned himself pharaoh. Egyptian-based “Amyrtaeus of Sais” was crowned in 404 BC, which disrupted Persian rule only briefly, as the “Thirty-first Dynasty of Egypt” (343–332 BC) saw the Persians regain control of the area. By the first millennium AD Memphis was in decline and Cairo was on the uptick. After a Roman conquest Emperor Trajan (98–117 AD) constructed a canal connecting the Nile River to the Red Sea. In 300 AD emperor Diocletian built “Babylon” (large Roman fortress – Coptic Cairo). The 602-628 AD “Byzantine-Sassanian War” (Byzantine-Roman Empire vs. Sasanian-Iranian Empire) caused hardship and partial desertion in the area. Led by “Amr ibn al-As” (Muhammad -companion / commander), the “Muslim conquest of Byzantine Egypt” (April, 641) saw Babylon Fortress besieged and overrun. Ibn al-As founded a new settlement next to Babylon Fortress known as “Fustat”. Around that time the “Mosque of Amr Ibn al-As” was built. The “Umayyad Caliphate” ruled until 750 when it was overthrown by the “Abbasid Caliphate”. The Abbasids moved the new capital “al-Askar” northeast of Fustat. Turk “Ahmad ibn Tulun” ruled the area relatively briefly following the Abbasid Caliphate’s collapse (Hulagu Khan & Mongols sack Baghdad). In 969 the “Fatimid Empire” conquered Egypt and founded a new fortified city northeast of Fustat (“al-Manṣūriyyah”). Around that time the “al-Azhar Mosque” was commissioned and the “Great Palaces of the Fatimid Caliphs” were built. Attributed to “Caliph al-Mu’izz li Din Allah” (Fatimid Caliphate), the word al-Qāhira (Cairo) derives from qāhirat al-Mu’izz (the vanquisher of al-Mu’izz). Unsuccessful, the “Crusaders” attempted to capture al-Manṣūriyyah in 1168. Subsequently “First Sultan of Egypt” Saladin established the “Ayyubid” dynasty in Cairo circa 1171, and completed Cairo Citadel twelve years later. The “Mamluks” (former enslaved mercenaries, slave-soldiers & freed slaves of Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern & Southeastern-European decent) would take control of Egypt from 1250 to 1517. The “Mamluk Empire” repelled the Mongols and eliminated the Crusader states in the Levant. The 1516 “Battle of Marj Dābiq” (Mamluk Sultanate vs. Ottoman Empire / Mamluk rebels) saw an Ottoman victory and annexation of Syria. The Ottomans would conquer Egypt in the following year. Ruling from Constantinople, Sultan “Selim I” designated Egypt a province with Cairo as its capital, and the city became the Ottoman Empire’s second-largest (behind Constantinople). Twenty years after American Independence Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in Cairo (1796). The May-June, 1801 “Siege of Cairo” / “Cairo Campaign” (French Republic vs. United Kingdom / Ottoman Empire) resulted in an Anglo–Ottoman victory, and in 1805 Albanian “Muhammad Ali” Pasha became “viceroy of Egypt”. Often regarded as the “founder of modern Egypt”, Pasha governed until his death in 1848. Isma’il Pasha (Ali’s grandson) envisioned a “Parisian-inspired” Cairo and amassed significant debts along the way. Great Britain took control of Cairo by way of the 1882 “British Conquest of Egypt” / “Anglo-Egyptian War” (Khedivalist forces / United Kingdom vs, Urabilist forces). Thereafter the city’s economic center moved westward from Historic Cairo toward the Nile River. British occupation lasted into the 20th century when Egypt gained independence (1922). Known as the “Cairo Fire”, a series of late-January 1952 riots resulted in about 750 downtown-Cairo buildings being burned and looted. Britain made a full troop withdrawal in 1956. Between 1950 and 2010 Greater Cairo’s population grew from roughly 3 million to over 16 million.
Home to roughly 10 million “Cairenes”, Cairo is Egypt’s capital city and one of Africa’s largest. Cairo’s metropolitan area is the world’s 6th-most populous. Cairo accommodates about 14.9 million visitors annually. One of the world’s oldest higher education institutions is Al-Azhar University (est. 972). The Arab world’s largest and oldest film / music industries are based in Cairo. Characterized by a hot-desert climate, Cairo experiences typical desert weather (hot days / cooler nights). Summer high temperatures average 88+ °F, while winters stay about 72 °F (winter lows 57 °F). Wind storms are common between March-May and snowfall is rare.
Additional points of interest: Ibn Tulun Mosque, Al Hakim Mosque, Muizz Street (open-air museum / heritage site), Talaat Harb Square (historic street), Gezira Island (affluent area), Cairo University, Cairo International Stadium, Historic Cairo (Islamic Cairo), Coptic Cairo (Babylon Fortress)
Cairo local foods: falafel, shawarma, hummus, pita bread, simit (circular bread), hawawshi (pita stuffed w/ minced meat, vegetables, spices), koshary (Egypt national dish- lentils, rice, tomato sauce, cayenne pepper, pasta, onions)
Popular drinks: beer, liquor, wine, tea, coffee
With some background information on the area, we’re ready for Cairo accommodations that will help make for an unforgettable experience.
Le Méridien Cairo Airport
Cairo Airport , Terminal 3
Cairo International Airport
Hotel amenities: multiple restaurants, bar, buffet breakfast (surcharge), 2 outdoor pools. children’s pool, terrace, rooftop garden, garden, spa, gym, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour front desk, concierge services, luggage storage, laundry facilities, business center, meeting rooms, conference space, parking, airport transfer
Nearby: Mezzeh Restaurant, China Red Restaurant
Within feet:
Within 3.6 miles:
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- City Centre Almaza Shopping Mall
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Within 4.8 miles:
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- Tivoli Dome
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Approximate cost per night (Presidential Suite): $694
Cost per person (three people): $231
The St. Regis Cairo
People of Egypt Walkway | Nile Beauty
Hotel amenities: restaurant, bar, buffet, continental or vegetarian breakfast, outdoor pool, terrace, indoor pool, sauna, hot tub, fitness center, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, coffee machines, electric tea pots, safety deposit boxes, desks, hairdryers, Arabic, German, English and Italian-speaking reception staff, ATM, free bike usage, private parking
Nearby: La Zisa (Italian restaurant), Sirocco Restaurant & Pool Bar, J&G Steakhouse Cairo, مطعم الكوت – Al-Kout Restaurant, Sinan Pasha Mosque
Within feet:
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- People of Egypt Walkway (park – river views)
- Nile Beauty (sculpture)
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Within 1.5 miles:
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- Tahrir Square
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Within 2 miles:
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- Aquarium Grotto Garden
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Within 4.5 miles:
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- Cairo Citadel
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Within 11 miles:
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- Giza Pyramids
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The St. Regis Cairo is 11 miles from Cairo International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Royal Suite): $19,189
Cost per person (three people): $6,396
Waldorf Astoria Cairo Heliopolis
Orouba Street Cairo Heliopolis
Cairo Military Academy Stadium
Hotel amenities: multiple restaurants & bars, pool cabanas, personal concierge service, 5 event spaces, boardroom, business center, ballroom
Nearby restaurants / bars: Alla Grande! (Italian restaurant), BRASSERIE AYDA, Noble House (Asian restaurant), My Kind Of Place (breakfast restaurant), Darts BAR
Nearby misc.: Nola (dessert shop), Oriental Weavers (carpet store)
Within feet:
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- Cairo Military Academy Stadium
- Cairo International Airport
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Within 3.1 miles:
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- Baron’s Palace
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Within 3.4 miles:
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- Meriland Park
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Within 5 miles:
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- International Park
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Approximate cost per night (Presidential Suite): $6,800
Cost per person (four people): $1,700
Crowne Plaza West Cairo
Plot 29, Arkan Plaza, Zayed Entrance 2
Arkan Plaza
Hotel amenities: restaurant, bar, outdoor pool, fitness center, free Wi-Fi, business center
Nearby restaurants: Clams and Claws Arkan Mall (seafood restaurant ), Al Beiruti – Arkan Plaza (Lebanese Restaurant), Willow’s – Arkan Plaza (restaurant)
Nearby misc.: Gourmet Food Stores – Arkan Plaza, Sheikh Zayed (grocery store), Koffee Kulture (coffee shop), Specialty Būn (بُنْ) – Market Street (coffee shop), Patchi (chocolate shop), Chouchou Eclair Bar (pastry shop), Arkan Theatro (performing arts theater), ORANGESQUARE (clothing store)
Within feet:
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- Arkan Plaza (shopping mall)
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Within 8.1 miles:
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- Giza pyramid complex
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Within 13.2 miles:
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- Gezira Island
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Crowne Plaza West Cairo Arkan By IHG is 25.2 miles from Cairo International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (1 King Arkan Suite Club): $1,678
Cost per person (four people): $419
Life Pyramids Inn
5 Safi Eldien Street, Giza
Great Sphinx | Rooftop 7000
Inn amenities: restaurant, bar, continental breakfast, city views, terrace, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, shared kitchen, electric tea pots, 24-hour front desk, airport transportation
Nearby: Tree Lounge Pyramids Branch (restaurant), Giza Pyramids & Sphinx Free Walking Tour with Sherif, Hamada Al-Jabri – Horse Riding Haram (horse rental service – +20 12 21357817)
Within feet:
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- Great Sphinx
- Rooftop 7000 (Sphinx-area restaurant)
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Within 1 mile:
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- Giza Pyramids
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Within 5 miles:
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- Al-Mounib Subway Station
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Within 9 miles:
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- Croquet field
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Within 21 miles:
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- Sphinx International Airport
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Life Pyramids Inn is 19 miles from Cairo International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Junior Suite): $88
Cost per person (five people): $17
La Perle Pyramids
16 Hadayek Al Ahram, Kafr Nassar, Al Haram, Giza Governorate
Lamour
Apartment amenities: 2 living rooms, mountain views, terrace, balcony, soundproofing, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, fully-equipped kitchen, 24-hour front desk, currency exchange, bicycle & car rental service, free private parking, paid airport shuttle
Nearby: Bezzera & Pavoni (coffee shop)
Within feet:
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- Lamour (wedding venue)
- Giza Pyramids
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Within 5 miles:
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- Giza Suburbs Train Statio
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Within 8 miles:
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- Coptic Museum
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La Perle Pyramids is 19 miles from Cairo International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Superior Apartment): $149
Cost per person (four people): $37
Solana Sky Pool Boutique Hotel
Akoya Rd Solana Hotel, New Cairo
Aeon Mall
Hotel amenities: bar, outdoor pool, free Wi-Fi, free parking
Also in the area:
Nearby: Reform Pilates Studios New Cairo
Within feet:
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- Aeon Mall (shopping mall)
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Within 4.9 miles:
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- Petro Sport Stadium
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Within 7.5 miles:
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- Mirage City Golf Course
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Solana Sky Pool Boutique Hotel is 10.8 miles from Cairo International Airport.
Approximate cost per night: $100
Piccolo Mondo Boutique Hotel
Raed Salam, Giza
Masjed El Salhen
Hotel amenities: bar, terrace, balconies, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, desks, continental breakfast, 24-hour front desk, currency exchange, luggage storage space, concierge service, private check-in/out
Nearby: Topaz Bazaar, Master Roof Top (coffee shop)
Within feet:
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- Masjed El Salhen (mosque)
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Within 1.2 miles:
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- Great Sphinx
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Within 7 miles:
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- Fustat Park
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Within 20 miles:
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- Sphinx International Airport
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Piccolo Mondo Boutique Hotel is 18 miles from Cairo International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Three-Bedroom Apartment Suite): $86
Vibotel Residence Hotel Apartments
Andalos St., Katameya Gardens, New Cairo
Katemeya Dunes Palms Golf Course
Hotel amenities: air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, kitchens, laundry, free parking
Also in the area:
Nearby: Shimmers New Cairo (restaurant), Yafa Square
Within feet:
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- Katemeya Dunes Palms Golf Course
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Within 7 minutes:
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- The American University in Cairo
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Within 9 minutes:
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- Point 90 Mall
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Within 12 minutes:
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- Maxim Mall
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Vibotel Residence Hotel Apartments is 43 minutes from Cairo International Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Two-Bedroom Apartment): $4,235
Cost per person (six people): $705
So there they are, Cairo accommodations that will help make for an unforgettable experience. We hope you have found this information valuable and most importantly, that you enjoy your time in Egypt!
