New Palace Hotel

New Palace Hotel is not new and not a palace (except for the extremely high doors and ceilings on the 6th floor), but all the same, a good deal for money until you get sold on a tour. Highly recommend paying the price to get a bus to pick you up from the airport (organised by the hostel). No way a taxi can work with the street address. When you arrive at night (very common with flights for some reason), the hotel is on a rather dark street.

The hotel/hostel is on the sixth floor and above, so you can take the lift behind the stairs after entering. Yes, the lift doesn't have enough doors, so with no internal door for the lift you race past each level at breakneck speed. Definately eerie in the dark. Thankfully the reception is there all hours, and despite them having no idea what room you may be in, they seamlessly put you in a room, and offer whatever things you may need, towel, extra sheets, toilet paper, soap, which is a welcome relief. Some rooms offer their own bathroom whilst others are shared. Not overwhelmingly pleasent, but with thongs all is possible. And don't even worry in summer if there is hot water, you're not likely to need it.

Beds are suitable, offering one lower sheet and a synthetic blanket. But as before, other sheets are easily summoned. The pillow is likened to a rock, although a little more smooth! But with a jacket/jumper or scarf you can make it bearable, and with the heat and exhaustion of Cairo, sleep comes easily. Beds are also rather hard, but again exhaustion usually overcomes you before you can complain too loudly.

Rooms tend to be air conditioned but it is a little bit of a misnomer. It all depends on your luck whether it is cold or useless. Some rooms also have a fan to supplement the air con. It is highly recommended you open doors/windows once it gets dark to let the cooler air in. Don't worry, no malaria in Cairo mozzies.

There is also a rooftop garden, which thankfully is not truly open to the baking sun, but covered with reeds/wooden sticks. You have a startling view of the poverty surrounding the hotel in Cairo. Breakfast is included with tea (don't drink every last sip unless you want to eat tea leaves!). You also get a little bread and some jam. It doesn't start until eight-thirty a.m., so be warned if you've signed up for an early start you will go hungry. Water is bottled all over the country, and no it isn't free.

You are sure to meet one of the guest services crew at breakfast to tell you what little time you have in Egypt and sell you tour options. They will give you a booklet of other people's praise. In the end, you pay less than booking from overseas, but then still you still need to pay all the tips, food and entry, so you decide.

Response from the Hostel:

1 -Most of the new rooms now have new mattresses,soft pillows,new sheets,newly build bathrooms inside with NEW AIR CONDITION.

2-The elevator has an internal doors now,we polish the cabinet also we increase the horse power oh the motor so it improved the velocity.

3-We are not located in a poor area,we are in the heart of the city and many of the hostels listed on your site are located very close to us,but the buildings around the hotel have an empty roofs,the habit of the Egyptians that they do not throw the old furnuture or things not used by them but they keep it on the roof ,so it appear as poor area but we are located in the most expensive part of city.

— Avis exclusif de Hostelz.com
June 2006