Few hotels anywhere have a view like the Mena House. It sits at the foot of the Giza plateau, so close that the Great Pyramid fills the sky above the gardens, and it has hosted royalty, statesmen and film stars since the nineteenth century, when a khedival hunting lodge was turned into a hotel; the 1943 Cairo Conference was held here. Today it is run by Marriott, with rooms and suites in the historic palace and the garden wings, many with private balconies over the pyramids, the gardens or the pool. There is a large outdoor pool, the Saray Spa, and a choice of restaurants including the 139 Pavilion, with its terrace facing the pyramid, Italian at Alfredo and Indian at the Moghul Room. The Grand Egyptian Museum is a few minutes away.
Living in it: breakfast on the terrace with the pyramid in front of you is the reason to stay. The gardens and pool are calm after a day of sightseeing, and the plateau and the GEM are close by.
Trade-offs: it is far from downtown and Islamic Cairo, often an hour or more in traffic, and the old Mena House gate to the plateau is closed to visitors, so you will drive round to the new entrance. Pyramid-view rooms cost more and are worth booking specifically.
Why stay here
- ✓Pyramid-view balconies
- ✓Large outdoor pool
- ✓Saray Spa
- ✓139 Pavilion terrace restaurant
- ✓Alfredo Italian restaurant
- ✓Moghul Room Indian restaurant
- ✓Historic palace gardens
- ✓Fitness centre
Good questions
Can you see the pyramids from the Mena House?+
Yes. Many rooms have balconies facing the Great Pyramid, and the 139 Pavilion terrace looks straight at it.
Can I walk from the hotel into the pyramids site?+
Not directly any more; the old Mena House gate is closed to visitors, so you take a short drive to the new visitor entrance.
How far is the Mena House from downtown Cairo?+
Roughly an hour by car in typical traffic, so it suits trips focused on Giza and the GEM.
