Gamaleya Boutique Hotel — Hotel in Cairo

Our first trip to Egypt began with a five-night stay at the Gamaleya Boutique Hotel, and I can’t express how grateful I am that we chose to begin our trip at this unique gem. It was at the Gamaleya that we were introduced to the genuine warmth, kindness, and friendly nature of the Egyptian people. From the moment you arrive, staff make themselves available to cater to your every need, and it didn’t take long before staff members Mariam, Nora, Hani, Abd El-Hamid, Mohammed, Karim, Samah, and Youhanna became our dear and cherished friends, whom we greatly miss now that we’re back in Canada. Whether you want information on the best sites to visit, need help getting around, want to know more about the history and customs, or wish to learn a few basic Arabic greetings, the staff at Gamaleya are quick to help out. Breakfast is included at the Gamaleya, and is prepared in personal fashion by Hani and Nora, who are Gamaleya’s chefs extraordinaire, and always serve with a smile. When they heard that we required non-dairy milk, they scanned the city of Cairo to obtain some for us.

Not only do the staff members feel like family, but the Gamaleya itself feels like home. Nestled in the heart of old Islamic Cairo, guests are provided with the opportunity to experience something the large Western-style chain hotels cannot offer. The décor of this quaint hotel, as well as the rooms, are decorated in authentic Middle Eastern style, with everything spotlessly clean. Some small artisan workshops are located on the main floor, where you can watch skilled local artisans as they hone their craft using traditional methods to produce beautiful one-of-a-kind works out of silver, wood, metal, and hand weaving. Stepping out the front door you are immediately immersed in Middle Eastern life as it has existed for hundreds of years…exotic sights, sounds, architecture, and the most amazing people. The Gamaleya Hotel and its surroundings represent the real authentic Cairo, as it has been for centuries. You can allow yourself to get lost for hours at night while strolling the cobblestone alleys and mingling with the locals as we did, and never fear for your safety. Crime is not an issue here, and the people of Islamic Cairo love and are extremely friendly towards tourists. Despite the excitement of Ramadan festivities outside each night, it was always quiet inside our room, and we slept like babies. I highly recommend that you open yourself up to a true and amazing cultural experience by staying at this gem of a small boutique hotel. The Gamaleya will always remain our beloved home base whenever we...

This is NOT the usual western hotel experience. After many 5-star hotels during our trip, I decided to cancel our last night at the Ritz Carlton by the Nile and spend it here by the Khan al Khalili market to make the most of Cairo. ||I read loads of reviews on other sites talking about the unbearable noise. This is true, we didn’t sleep much. After the music and people noise until the very late hours faded, the prayer calls and singing started. It’s not possible to sleep. ||However, what an absolutely jewel of a building with the various handcraft stores on the ground floor, the internal courtyard leading up to our room (small, but clean). It was visualising Naguib Mafouz descriptions from his books. In fact the only reason I stayed here was for precisely this experience, to see the real Cairo, the real people- away from the comfortable safe environment of the usual hotels for western tourists. ||Driving to the hotel, we saw it all, men smoking their shishas, children playing on the streets, stray dogs cats, chaos everywhere. I loved it. ||I saw a lot of what I had imagined reading Mafouz. This is a great experience, not a stay. I was exhausted but exhilarated. I need my sleep so can’t imagine anything longer. ||Staff had the biggest smile but English was...

This is a gem of a hotel in old Islamic Cairo. Relatively new, and not well-known, I felt lucky to chance upon it while researching our trip. This boutique hotel is for the more adventurous type, who doesn’t mind not having all of the amenities of larger Western-style hotel. It’s in a congested area, noisy and, due to narrow streets, challenging to get to by car. But it is in the heart of the city, close to the massive el Khalili market, and we loved it. The people who run it, Youhannna and Khouloud, are lovely rock-solid people. Noora, who runs the kitchen is delightful and will greet you with a wonderful homecooked meal each morning (even dinner, on special request). The hotel is beautifully decorated and restored, with the ground level dedicated to supporting and training local artisans (with many gorgeous fair-trade items for sale in a no pressure environment). There are several excellent restaurants within walking distance (including the rooftop restaurant at Le Riad and Naguib Mahfouz Coffee Shop). The hotel was so adored by our group that we changed our plans so we could stay there on our return to Cairo later in the month. It’s a small hotel and books up, so...