Like the Arabian accents on its walls, Cairo's Waldorf Astoria perfectly blends contemporary luxury with Egypt's ancient history.
The five-star hotel group launched its first African property in Heliopolis last summer, with the property officially opening its doors in February.
Situated next door to the Hilton's Cairo Heliopolis Hotel, the Waldorf is accessible via an opulent corridor separating their polar opposite interiors.
The National checks in to find out just how luxurious Waldorf Astoria's first hotel on the African continent really is.
The welcome
Upon landing at Cairo International Airport after a four-hour flight from Dubai, I'm whisked away in a private transfer to the hotel, which is only a 10-minute drive away. Jessica, one of the hotel's concierge team, is quick to welcome me into the hotel's grand atrium, which is filled with palm trees, water fountains, chandeliers and lavish art deco interiors.
I'm immediately struck by the grandeur of the lobby, which is shaped like an eye and dominated by floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel's signature clock – said to represent the pupil of Pharaoh's eye – takes centre stage.
My luggage is swiftly taken away while I relax with jasmine tea and a cold towel before Jessica gives me a quick tour of the hotel's restaurants and bars and then shows me to my room.
The neighbourhood
Heliopolis is one of the oldest cities in Egypt and dates back to the ancient times. It has ancient buildings and ruined temples, as well as Andalusian-style architecture that creates a unique charm.
Attempts to modernise have led to American-style highways, which make it difficult to cross the road and explore the neighbourhood on foot, unless you believe you have nine lives as the locals seem to.
There's not a lot to do in the area, as we find out when we ask the concierge. However, she directs us to book a car to “take us wherever we please”, which include Egypt's main presidential palace, Downtown Cairo and the Grand Egyptian Museum, an hour's drive away. The newly opened museum has the original statue of Ramses II, as well as 87 original statues on the grand staircase and an exhibition on Tutankhamun. Khan El Khalili, Cairo's famous bazaar, and the old souq are well worth seeing, as well as the obvious Pyramids of Giza.
The main pull for the Waldorf Astoria Cairo Heliopolis is simply its proximity to the airport, which is convenient for anyone who dislikes long and arduous transfers.
The scene
With 252 rooms and suites, a heated outdoor swimming pool and four food and beverage outlets, the hotel has plenty to keep guests occupied.
The hotel attracts a range of travellers, from families and couples to those visiting Cairo on a quick city break. Security is tight – requiring guests to have their cars and bags searched before entering the property – due to the hotel's popularity among VIPs and politicians, since it's so close to the airport.
The room
The hotel was designed by British company Adrian Barboza Design, with the interiors drawing inspiration from Cairo's history and culture – ancient Egyptian references coupled with a contemporary twist.
Gold accents and scallop wallpaper feature throughout, a nod to the Waldorf Astoria's famous Peacock Alley.
Rooms are decorated with a rich colour palette of greens, blues and neutral tones that evoke warmth and comfort. My fifth-floor room comes complete with a king-size bed that is firm and comfortable, as well as a fully stocked mini bar and a stunning view of Le Jardin pool area.
The bathroom is bright and airy, with a separate toilet and a large marble sink with lots of space for my cosmetics. A large bath tub and spacious walk-in rain shower feature impressive green scallop tiling and come complete with luxury toiletries provided by Sodashi – a luxury, vegan and cruelty-free brand from Australia.
The food
The hotel's food and beverage outlets offer lots of variety for all tastes and dietary requirements. Brasserie Ayda is the spacious all-day dining spot where we have breakfast each morning. It is buffet-style, with a live cooking station for traditional breads and a cold room filled with delicious cheese, meat, fish, fruit and mezze. Middle Eastern classics, hot dishes and healthy items are also on the offer. In the evening, the sharing menu experience is great, featuring a number of delicious dishes also available a la carte.
For mains, I try the Mediterranean Sea bass fillet (EGY1,950/Dh151)with tomato confit, lemon butter sauce and herb oil, as well as the Angus cote de boef with cafe de Paris butter, mashed potato, grilled vegetables and fried rice (EGY6,500/Dh504).
The standout dishes are the fried octopus and potato salad with Kalamata olives and capers (EGY680/Dh52) which is cooked beautifully and packed full of flavour, and the burrata with roasted baby beetroot (EGY460/Dh35) – a welcome change from the usual burrata and tomato combo – that has delicious Middle Eastern twist thanks to the addition of tangy flavour of pomegranate molasses.
Peacock Lounge serves teas, coffees and afternoon tea, while Bar Raa is the hotel's cosy speakeasy – a beautifully decorated jazz bar with a spacious outdoor terrace. Le Jardin Pool Bar is a Mediterranean-inspired outdoor restaurant serving light meals in a setting reminiscent of those found in the French Riviera.
The service
There's no denying that everyone here enjoys what they do, you can see it on the constant smiles on their faces. Everyone is always on hand to help, answer questions or simply have a chat.
I'm also really impressed by how attentive they all are – ensuring I'm fully settled in my room with fresh strawberries, providing sweet Arabic treats after a day of exploring and remembering my coffee order in the morning at breakfast.
The only downside in terms of service is that sometimes it can be slow at busier times.
Highs and lows
If you're looking for a gorgeous hotel to spend a few days relaxing in, then the Waldorf Astoria Cairo Heliopolis ticks all the boxes. It has everything you need from delicious food to a stunning spa with a hammam, fully equipped gym and outdoor setting that will transport you straight to the Mediterranean.
One low is that the room lacks a healthy number of conveniently placed plug sockets and mirrors, which make things a tad difficult when getting ready for the day.
The insider tip
Stay in a room with a pool view as these get lots of natural light throughout the day.
While the spa is not open yet, I am given a sneak preview and when it does launch, I highly recommend winding down your day floating on cloud nine with a Balinese massage on the Lemi dream bed and its cosy water cushion.
The verdict
Waldorf Astoria Cairo Heliopolis is a great option for a short city break near the airport and just a 20-minute drive to Downtown Cairo, where you can discover the charm of the old city versus the new. The hotel offers excellent food, friendly service and cosy rooms that are ideal for relaxing in after a full day of discovering all that Cairo has to offer.
The bottom line
Rates start from Dh1,100 per night for a deluxe room based on two adults sharing, including taxes and fees; check-in at 3pm and check-out at noon; hilton.com
This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel and reflects standards during this time. Services may change in the future.
Scores:
Day 4
England 290 & 346
Sri Lanka 336 & 226-7 (target 301)
Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
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Manchester United 0
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Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
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The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
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- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
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Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
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ICC Intercontinental Cup
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (captain), Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Saqlain Haider, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Naveed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Boota, Amir Hayat, Ashfaq Ahmed
Fixtures Nov 29-Dec 2
UAE v Afghanistan, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Hong Kong v Papua New Guinea, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
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Namibia v Netherlands, ICC Academy, Dubai
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
