Perched along the banks of the legendary Nile River in the heart of Cairo, The Ritz-Carlton Nile offers a peaceful sanctuary amidst the vibrant energy of Egypt’s capital. This property features panoramic views of the world’s longest river and the city’s dynamic skyline. We had a lovely stay in a club-level room so read on to find out what to expect before your arrive.
Location: 5/5
The Ritz-Carlton Nile has a prime location right on the edge of the Nile and just seconds from the famed Tahrir Square. There are dozens of museums and cultural sites in the area, making this a very accessible hotel from a touring perspective. It’s located approximately 30-40 minutes from the airport and 30-40 minutes from the Giza Pyramids complex.
The central location makes it an ideal base for exploring Cairo’s most iconic attractions. Within walking distance, guests can find the Egyptian Museum, home to ancient treasures including King Tutankhamun’s artifacts. The property is also conveniently situated near high-end shopping areas, local restaurants, and entertainment venues. For those interested in experiencing Cairo’s vibrant nightlife, the hotel’s proximity to upscale neighborhoods like Zamalek provides easy access to the city’s best dining and entertainment options.
Lobby & Check in experience: 4.5/5
The lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Nile showcases elegant Egyptian-inspired design elements throughout. The space features soaring ceilings adorned with crystal chandeliers, marble floors with intricate patterns, and carefully curated artwork that pays homage to the region’s rich cultural heritage. The lobby also serves as a gateway to the hotel’s various dining venues and facilities. When we arrived, we were greeted at the desk with traditional welcome beverages. We had booked a club level room so we were escorted upstairs to the club lounge for a seated check-in with our choice of beverages.
We did book our stay on American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts to take advantage of the $200 statement credit from American Express and the Fine Hotels benefits that included:
- Early check in and 4pm guaranteed late check out
- $100 property credit
- Room upgrade on arrival (upgraded to Nile view room)
Rooms: 4/5
That being said, we were moved fairly quickly and the room we ended up in had a spectacular view of the Pyramids in the morning (1138).
While the rooms are spacious and comfortable, they are quite dated and due to the cultural norms of smoking being allowed in guest rooms, we noticed that the majority of the rooms did smell strongly of smoke. We booked non-smoking rooms but we were put next to a smoking room and ended up having to move when the entire room became overwhelmed with smoke around 9pm. The ventilation system unfortunately does not guarantee you a non-smoking room which makes it difficult for sensitive people.
One thing to note as well for any Nile-view rooms at most properties along the Nile is the music from the boats and bars can be quite loud at night. It was particularly loud at the Ritz-Carlton due to the disco across the Nile. The other issue with the Ritz is the city facing rooms will likely have loud noise on the weekends due to the courtyard being used for weddings and events every weekend. We recommend earplugs and a noise machine if you’re looking for a restful nights sleep.
Service: 4/5
The service quality at the hotel can be inconsistent, particularly during peak times. While while we felt the staff in the Club Lounge and concierge desk was excellent overall, there are some communication challenges and it felt like issue resolution was very slow to be addressed. When we experienced our room completely filling with cigarette smoke around 9pm, it took over 25 minutes to reach a resolution and get moved to a new room.
The housekeeping staff did a great job stocking the room and turning the room down. There was nothing remarkable like nightly gifts or extra water, but they did do a consistent job of maintaining the room.
We did also order some cocktails at the pool bar that came out more like a juice than a true cocktail and when we complained to the service staff, they were deeply apologetic and ended up bringing a shot – not quite what we had in mind as a resolution but the thought was there. We’re certain with some more training that the staff could raise their service level significantly.
Dining: 4/5
The Ritz-Carlton Nile features several dining venues of various cuisines. The signature restaurant, Vivo, offers contemporary Italian cuisine with Nile views through floor-to-ceiling windows.
BHAR, the Middle Eastern restaurant, serves authentic regional dishes.
The hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, Culina, provides international buffet options and à la carte menus. There is also a lobby bar with light bites and drinks.
Out of the NOX, the rooftop bar has a live DJ on some evenings and they serve cocktails high above the city. The decor and style were quite outdated but the service was good and the drinks were significantly better than the pool bar.
The Aqua pool bar and lounge offers beverages, though I would recommend against ordering a cocktail as they were not particularly good and lacked alcohol.
Club level guests have access to the exclusive Club Lounge, which serves five food presentations throughout the day including breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts. We spent most of our time in the Club Lounge taking advantage of the happy hour in the afternoon that serves local wines and beers.
Facilities: 4.5/5
The Ritz-Carlton Nile has a Spa, outdoor pool with pool service, a well-stocked fitness center, and club lounge with food and beverages all day. While we did not use the spa, they do have a steam and sauna and it is connected to the fitness center.
The outdoor pool is very spacious and has ample seating around and it never got crowded. Pool service is available, though the cocktails were mediocre. They do not provide water or sunscreen at the pool but you can purchase water.
Overall, they have a lot to offer at the Ritz, but the facilities are quite dated. I have no doubt with a renovation that it would breathe a lot of life into the property but for now, it is a good property to spend a few days relaxing at amongst the hustle and bustle of Cairo.
Style: 3.5/5
The Ritz-Carlton Nile was originally built in 1959 as the first luxury property in Cairo and was taken over by Marriott in 2015 and they did do a renovation around that time. The style is classic in a lot of ways and the lobby is stunning. They do certainly have some inconsistent style elements that make the property feel extremely dated, such as the bathrooms and older style furnishings in the guest rooms. The rooftop bar has a very mixed style and lacks comfortable furniture and feels more like an afterthought than a cool rooftop bar.
There are some great elements like the Egyptian art in the lobby and the floor to ceiling windows. We believe with a solid Ritz-Carlton style renovation, this property could be stunning and comfortable.
Overall: 3.6/5
Overall, the Ritz-Carlton Cairo has some solid offerings when it comes to the fantastic Club Level lounge as well as the location near historic Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum. Guests should be aware of the night club across the river bank if facing the Nile and be aware that non-smoking rooms may still suffer from a lot of smoke due to the ventilation system. If you are looking for added perks like upgrades & resort credits, be sure to reach out to us at team@voyagerguru.com for rates and availability.
