Marriott Mena House, Cairo

We thoroughly enjoyed our recent stay at this very atmospheric property. Our room was spacious, quiet and comfortable, and we really enjoyed the lovely grounds (interesting for bird-watching). The breakfast buffet at 139 Restaurant, with its wonderful view of the Pyramids, was superb, and we enjoyed dining there several times. The hotel staff were uniformly welcoming and helpful. Special mention to the pianist who performed beautifully in the lobby bar on several evenings. The hotel's location couldn't be better for visits to the Grand Egyptian Museum. The historic building is undergoing renovation, but we weren't disturbed by the noise.

We ate lunch at the Mena House restaurant. There were 8 of us and it was expensive but worth it. The best meal we had in Cairo during our trip

This hotel has a superb location, just a few hundred yards from the Giza Pyramids. It was good to start the day with a view of them whilst taking al fresco beside the hotel's ornamental pool. The service was excellent. The rooms were a good size with a full range of amenities. The Grand Egyptian Museum is close by but pedestrian access from this hotel is not available but this may change when the proposed bridge walk from the Museum to the pyramids is opened.

*What worked well* About 50 mins–1 hour from Cairo Airport. The drive is mainly motorway so it was an easy journey, even with kids. The hotel has real old-style charm. Our main reason for booking was the pyramids views and easy access to the Giza Plateau, and the buggy access part was excellent. It’s so convenient with kids. Nobody uses that entrance, so we had our guide meet us there with no crowds or hassle. When we finished, the buggy picked us up from the same drop-off point. Just remember to book your tickets online before and make sure you select the correct date for your visit (I managed to accidentally select the day before but thankfully the attendant at the pyramids gate sorted it for us). The new Grand Egyptian Museum is less than 10 minutes away. We used Uber and it only cost £1.50 each way. Tickets to the GEM also need to be booked online, we were not able to buy them at the gate. Our room was a bit small for a family of 4, but the staff pushed the beds together which was lovely for us to sleep as a family. It wasn’t clear when we first were trying to book that kids stay free with parents, but after calling/emailing, the hotel confirmed we can share one room. We had a partial view of the pyramids from our balcony. The pool area was nice, with a small heated pool for kids and the restaurant food was good quality. Staff were generally helpful. *The major issue: event disruption* A few days after booking, we got an email saying a large event was taking place and the preparation for that event would happen during our stay (we heard a wedding was due to take place two days after our stay). We were first told we could still access the gardens and eat at 139 Restaurant, which has the main pyramids view. On day one we only managed one meal at 139, and even then the view was blocked by event structures with constant, loud banging from workmen building the set-up. After that, 139 was completely closed to guests, and the garden view was only partially available from a side angle. This was hugely disappointing when paying full price. We booked this hotel specifically for the pyramids views at the restaurants and gardens. Management did make some attempts to rectify it following our complaints but it’s unacceptable to charge full price while knowing guests won’t get access to the very features they’re paying for. The hotel only took our booking a few weeks prior, so they absolutely knew about this massive event. I’ve seen many other guests complain about the same thing. If events are going to disrupt stays, this needs to be made clear on the Hotel website and customers should be given reduced rates given the disturbance to their stay is significant. As we couldn’t use 139, we relied on room service to at least enjoy the pyramids view from our balcony. *Other notes* The pool area was very clean and immaculate. The staff member skimming the water was very prompt, just perhaps a bit eager at times. I appreciate he wants to keep everything clean/safe but he made us feel like we were making a mess as he seemed in a hurry to clean up when we had only just got out the pool. *Verdict* This is still a good hotel if you want easy, convenient access to the pyramids and GEM. But the hotel must inform customers at the time of booking if the property is hosting a wedding or large event that restricts restaurant and garden access. Guests book and pay a premium for those views. If this isn’t fixed, the hotel will lose customers. 7/10.

We sadly only had one night at the hotel, but it was such a special way to start our trip to Cairo. We were upgraded to the pyramid view room, and for anyone considering…well it’s worth the cost to wake up to the only remaining wonder of the world. The breakfast with the view is a must have, and the staff is very helpful. It is close to the GEM and an Uber is easy to access to get there from the hotel. I wish I had more time to enjoy the rest of the facilities, but they are remodeling their historic part of the hotel which seems like it’ll be a grand stay once completed.