Stay & Play
Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence
by Randy Mink
From my 14th-floor room I had a bird’s-eye view of boat traffic on the Nile River and could hear the constant horn-honking that is so much the soundtrack of car-clogged Cairo, one of the most congested cities in the world.
Yet Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence, an oasis of calm and classical grandeur, insulated me and my fellow Goway Travel tour members from the frenzy of Egypt’s gritty capital. The hotel is part of a mixed-use complex called the First Residence.
A 20-story luxury hotel on the western bank of the Nile, the Four Seasons lies across the street from the Giza Zoo and its botanical gardens. (Actually, the hotel is in the Cairo suburb of Giza. The Pyramids of Giza can be seen from some rooms.)
Sumptuously Appointed Public and Guest Rooms
The hotel’s architecture and decor are classic French Empire, reflecting the Napoleonic period in Egyptian history. Gilt finishes, highly polished woods, and lavish use of marble, along with Egyptian motifs, lend touches of elegance the pharaohs would have enjoyed.
Members of the Saudi and other royal families, plus Egyptian celebrities, stay at the 262-room Four Seasons or in apartments in the neighboring First Residence high-rise.
My Premier Nile View room had a chandelier in both the entranceway and bedroom. Thanks to a super-comfortable bed and the best pillow ever, I never slept better.
International Cuisine
From my room I could see the permanently docked First Nile Boat, home to most of the hotel’s restaurants. Nairu’s pan-Asian menu features Cantonese, Japanese, Indian and Thai dishes, while Zoe offers Greek-inspired fare and Xodo is a Brazilian steakhouse. Riva is the place for brick-oven pizzas.
The boat’s Le Petit Chef presents a novel dining experience. In a digital animation show that turns your tabletop into a swirl of colors, a little cartoon character appears at each guest’s plate and prepares each course before the actual dish is served.
Overlooking the hotel’s fourth-floor swimming pool, Aura delights guests with hot and cold mezzes and a selection of Syrian and Lebanese grilled entrees.
Bountiful Breakfast Buffet
At breakfast time, our Goway gang feasted at the Four Seasons’ palatial third-floor Tea Lounge, where the buffet offered everything from vegetable curry and moussaka to made-to-order omelettes. One day I tried feteer, a flaky, cheese-filled Egyptian pastry, ladling on tahini sauce and molasses. We all enjoyed the thick, flavor-packed mango and strawberry juices.
Boutique Shopping at its Best
Attached to the Four Seasons is Giza First Mall, a collection of high-end boutiques. On the ground floor of the three-level indoor shopping center, the hotel’s French brasserie, La Gourmandise, serves up bouillabaisse, French onion soup, steak frites, quiche and irresistible pastries.
Jewelry shops include Rolex, Tiffany and Bulgari. Horus Relics sells reproductions of ancient Egyptian artifacts. One merchant purveys plush Egyptian cotton goods.
Goway Travel Captures the Best of Egypt
A first-class trip all the way, our Goway tour also included an overnight at the Four Seasons in Alexandria and three nights on the five-star Sonesta St. George cruise ship in southern Egypt. Returning to Cairo for a final night before the flight home, we wrapped ourselves in luxury at the Fairmont Nile City.
