I must say from the outset, the Marriott Hotel is a great place to stay in Cairo, but without doubt, the highlight of the stay is the High Tea on the afternoon we arrived. Hamish really enjoyed himself visiting his first Palace!! Who’s Hamish? Click Here
We arrived in Cairo in October 2011 very early in the morning and after being met at the Cairo Airport by the tour company representative, we travelled to our first accommodation in Cairo – The Marriott Cairo Hotel incorporating the Omar Khayyam Casino.
On arrival to a culture that we had not experienced before and a country that has been through some incredible turmoil after the revolution in January 2011, to arrive at an old palace with such opulence of the building and its’ the furnishings was totally un-expected. At that stage, we didn’t fully appreciate all the history that Egypt has to offer.
After settling into our room that was in a modern section of the complex, we enjoyed a nice simple lunch on the deck/patio area outside the old palace.
The thing that really stood out was the history of the former Gezirah palace in Cairo.
History of the Marriott Hotel in Cairo – The Gezirah Palace
The original Gezirah Palace was constructed on an island on the Nile River on orders from Khedive Ismail. I guess the first question – what is a Khedive. It could be easily described as the vice-regal position. Ismail Pasha held this position from 1863 to 1879.
Ismail asked the architects of that time to make the Palace resemble another palace in France, Versailles, where Empress Eugénie used to stay. The purpose for this palace was to host the French Empress Eugénie who was invited along with her husband the French Emperor Napoleon III and other European monarchs the Suez Canal inauguration celebrations that took place in 1869.
In 1863, Ismail used the services of German architect Julius Franz (later Franz Bey) to design the palace. This work was completed in 1868, with the help of Abdin Palace designer De Curel Del Rosso.
The interior of the palace was to include the most luxurious fittings that could be imported from Paris at the time. The German designer Carl Wilhelm von Diebitsch decorated the building by prefabricating the furniture, draperies and other internal fittings as well as the gilded stucco decorations in his workshop in Berlin. Once finished, the items were assembled and packed into containers which traveled from Berlin to Trieste by train, then to Alexandria by boat and finally to Cairo once again by train. Many of von Diebitsch’s decorative elements have been preserved to this day and can be observed in several of the Marriott’s ballrooms.
The palace was part of an estate on the island including the residence, formal gardens and a zoo. The gardens was designed by French landscape architect Barrillet Deschamps.
According to Aly Mubarak, minister of public works under Ismail, the palace had cost more than three quarters of a million Egyptian pounds, a considerable amount for the time. This amount excluded the landscaping, in itself a colossal enterprise which entailed reinforcing the banks of the river and protecting the large area around the palace from floods. Only when this work had been completed could Franz lay the foundations of the 147 meter-long palace, which nestled in the middle of the gardens.
Ismail employed the famous German banker of the time, Oppenheim, to manage the financing of his great building projects. Even with this assistance, in 1880 Ismail’s creditors claimed his possessions, and the palace was sold to a hotel chain and became known as the Gezira Palace hotel
The gardens were divided between the Khedival (later the Gezira) Sporting Club, encompassing the race course and polo field which had previously surrounded the royal residence, while to the west of the estate, Ismail’s fish grotto was converted into a garden featuring rare trees and an aquarium, opened officially to the public in 1902.
Around 1908, the hotel was sold to Prince Michel Lutfallah, who transformed it into a private residence. In 1962, turned into the Omar Khayyam hotel, which featured unsightly green and yellow makeshift cabins all over the garden.
In the 1970’s, the property was handed over to the management of the Marriott hotels, who have restored the original palace. In addition, they build to two modern accommodation towers to provide room for the numerous tourists travelling to Cairo and Egypt.
Apart from accommodation, the Marriott is used for Wedding Celebration Dinners, Conferences and the like. In fact, whilst we were there many dignitaries attending an Africa Water Conference which was being conducted. There was also a large Market/Bazaar in one of the courtyards with many craft, fabric and items for sale.
Location of the Marriott Hotel in Cairo
The hotel is located in the heart of Cairo in the Zamalek district on an island in the River Nile. The commercial centre of Cairo and the Egyptian Museum are about a 5 minute taxi ride away and there are restaurants and shops close by. The hotel is approximately 18kms (30-45mins) from Cairo International airport and 10kms from the Pyramids.
Our Highlights at the Marriott
Without a doubt, our highlight was the High Tea that we had in the afternoon of our arrival in the Palace. Walking through the Old Palace and looking at the mix of the Arabian finish combined with strong French influence in furnishing.
Looking in one room, we saw the large paintings of the French Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, French Empress Eugénie
The palace was part of an estate on the island including the residence, formal gardens and a zoo. The gardens was designed by French landscape architect Barrillet Deschamps.
According to Aly Mubarak, minister of public works under Ismail, the palace had cost more than three quarters of a million Egyptian pounds, a considerable amount for the time. This amount excluded the landscaping, in itself a colossal enterprise which entailed reinforcing the banks of the river and protecting the large area around the palace from floods. Only when this work had been completed could Franz lay the foundations of the 147 meter-long palace, which nestled in the middle of the gardens.
Ismail employed the famous German banker of the time, Oppenheim, to manage the financing of his great building projects. Even with this assistance, in 1880 Ismail’s creditors claimed his possessions, and the palace was sold to a hotel chain and became known as the Gezira Palace hotel
The gardens were divided between the Khedival (later the Gezira) Sporting Club, encompassing the race course and polo field which had previously surrounded the royal residence, while to the west of the estate, Ismail’s fish grotto was converted into a garden featuring rare trees and an aquarium, opened officially to the public in 1902.
Around 1908, the hotel was sold to Prince Michel Lutfallah, who transformed it into a private residence. In 1962, turned into the Omar Khayyam hotel, which featured unsightly green and yellow makeshift cabins all over the garden.
In the 1970’s, the property was handed over to the management of the Marriott hotels, who have restored the original palace. In addition, they build to two modern accommodation towers to provide room for the numerous tourists travelling to Cairo and Egypt.
Apart from accommodation, the Marriott is used for Wedding Celebration Dinners, Conferences and the like. In fact, whilst we were there many dignitaries attending an Africa Water Conference which was being conducted. There was also a large Market/Bazaar in one of the courtyards with many craft, fabric and items for sale.
Location of the Marriott Hotel in Cairo
The hotel is located in the heart of Cairo in the Zamalek district on an island in the River Nile. The commercial centre of Cairo and the Egyptian Museum are about a 5 minute taxi ride away and there are restaurants and shops close by. The hotel is approximately 18kms (30-45mins) from Cairo International airport and 10kms from the Pyramids.
Our Highlights at the Marriott
Without a doubt, our highlight was the High Tea that we had in the afternoon of our arrival in the Palace. Walking through the Old Palace and looking at the mix of the Arabian finish combined with strong French influence in furnishing.
Looking in one room, we saw the large paintings of the French Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, French Empress Eugénie.
The palace was part of an estate on the island including the residence, formal gardens and a zoo. The gardens was designed by French landscape architect Barrillet Deschamps.
According to Aly Mubarak, minister of public works under Ismail, the palace had cost more than three quarters of a million Egyptian pounds, a considerable amount for the time. This amount excluded the landscaping, in itself a colossal enterprise which entailed reinforcing the banks of the river and protecting the large area around the palace from floods. Only when this work had been completed could Franz lay the foundations of the 147 meter-long palace, which nestled in the middle of the gardens.
Ismail employed the famous German banker of the time, Oppenheim, to manage the financing of his great building projects. Even with this assistance, in 1880 Ismail’s creditors claimed his possessions, and the palace was sold to a hotel chain and became known as the Gezira Palace hotel
The gardens were divided between the Khedival (later the Gezira) Sporting Club, encompassing the race course and polo field which had previously surrounded the royal residence, while to the west of the estate, Ismail’s fish grotto was converted into a garden featuring rare trees and an aquarium, opened officially to the public in 1902.
Around 1908, the hotel was sold to Prince Michel Lutfallah, who transformed it into a private residence. In 1962, turned into the Omar Khayyam hotel, which featured unsightly green and yellow makeshift cabins all over the garden.
In the 1970’s, the property was handed over to the management of the Marriott hotels, who have restored the original palace. In addition, they build to two modern accommodation towers to provide room for the numerous tourists travelling to Cairo and Egypt.
Apart from accommodation, the Marriott is used for Wedding Celebration Dinners, Conferences and the like. In fact, whilst we were there many dignitaries attending an Africa Water Conference which was being conducted. There was also a large Market/Bazaar in one of the courtyards with many craft, fabric and items for sale.
Location of the Marriott Hotel in Cairo
The hotel is located in the heart of Cairo in the Zamalek district on an island in the River Nile. The commercial centre of Cairo and the Egyptian Museum are about a 5 minute taxi ride away and there are restaurants and shops close by. The hotel is approximately 18kms (30-45mins) from Cairo International airport and 10kms from the Pyramids.
Our Highlights at the Marriott
Without a doubt, our highlight was the High Tea that we had in the afternoon of our arrival in the Palace. Walking through the Old Palace and looking at the mix of the Arabian finish combined with strong French influence in furnishing.
Looking in one room, we saw the large paintings of the French Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, French Empress Eugénie.
.In the same room known as the Saraya Gallery, they served a very impressive High Tea. The selection of teas was excellent and the food just kept coming. Based on the experience, the quality of the food and tea, and the excellent service provided by the staff, I am more than happy to recommend very highly doing Afternoon tea at the Marriott when in Cairo. The experience we had was comparable to the High Tea we experienced at Raffles in Singapore.
The other new experience we saw was the methods employed in the car park at the Marriott. “Touch Parking” is something that I would have been horrified to see in Australia, but must be quite the norm when in Cairo. It is now easy to understand why most cars had small scratches and bump marks.
For more information about Marriott Hotel
- Big Chair – Hamish at the Marriott Hotel
- Egypt Leg of the Tour starts at the Marriott Hotel
- Hallway to get to Breakfast – Marriott Hotel
- Hamish at the Marriott in Cairo feeling very brave
- Hamish waiting for Lunch at the Marriott Hotel – Cairo
- Hamish – Coffee every morning
- Marriott Hotel – Ball Room
- Marriott Hotel – Bread Making
- Marriott Hotel – French Furniture
- Marriott Hotel – Hamish at the Bakery
- Marriott Hotel – Lighting
- Marriott Hotel – Market
- Marriott Hotel – Staircases
- Marriott Hotel in Cairo
- Marriott Hotel – History to High Tea!!
- Marriott Hotel – Hotel Rooms
- Marriott Hotel – Lead Light Windows
- Marriott Hotel – Staircase to the Lobby
- Outdoor Pots at the Marriott
- Swimming Pool at the Marriott
- View of the Marriott Hotel, Cairo