Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino — Hotel in Giza

Friendly employees but service is severely lacking...the management is forced to intervene to fix issues which should be resolved at the lowest level possible. We experienced a number of negative issues during my stay at this property. Upon check in, no upgrade was offered to recognize my platinum status. I had to pry the upgrade from the management. Additionally, no platinum amenity was available to guest during check in. We were forced to wait 1 hour while the room upgrade issue was eventually sorted out. No explanation of the facility or its offerings was given during our hour wait for my room (which leads to a negative experience later on). The upgraded room was a corner suite and it was on par with other SPG properties. After two days, things started to really go downhill. On the third day I requested a wake up call at 7AM; however, I ended up receiving three wake up calls at midnight followed by two others at 6AM. After complaining in the morning, a club employee offered me an apology; however, no request for compensation was ever offered....just an "I'm sorry." To make matters worse, after I extended my stay due to a change in our travel plans, I was informed that I needed to change rooms for security reasons. This security reason did not seem to be a fitting excuse so I requested additional information regarding the hotel security situation, I was told told after much wrangling the issue was a large party was going to take place near the pool and the hotel was moving all guest located close to the pool because they did not want to compensate the guest over potential noise complaints. I assured the hotel I would not seek any compensation for the party that evening (in reality the music from the party was the highlight of our stay). Switching gears to the restaurant, I found out by accident that all SPG members receive a 20 percent discount on food; however, in spite of restaurant knowing that I am a platinum member, no discount was ever offered until I brought this issue up with management. If you want to eat Breakfast, it closes at 1030 AM promptly without any consideration for an extended time during the weekend. This is not on par with most other GCC based SPG properties which hold extended hours on the weekend (at least 30 minutes extra - likewise there is no brunch). The thing that really got me were two issues that popped up continuously, the first the is "backsheesh" mindset of the lower wage workers at the hotel. For example, the room cleaners will purposely forget to place items of significant importance in your room...such as toilet paper or towels so that you will be forced to call service express upon your return. As such, while not demanding a "tip" it is implied. While this is expected throughout the country as a whole, seeing it in the hotel at a minimum level is disconcerting at best. If this is the best what Egypt has to offer, I cannot imagine the worst. There is no shopping arcade, nor could I find anything decent to eat nearby. In spite of the issues, I will say the workers are very friendly, I just don't know if their positive demeanor is enough to cover up for the other...

My family and I were supposed to stay at this hotel for the final 5 nights of our trip in Egypt before taking a flight back home. As a bonvoy platinum elite member, I was escorted to the club lounge on the 26th floor to receive what was supposed to be a special warm welcome/quick check-in for long time bonvoy members like myself. At the lounge I met the lounge manager, Mai Medhat, who appeared to be not in the mood for greeting guests. She explained that a special room had been prepared for me and gave me the keys. I went to see it, it was hot, humid and smelled like rotting carpet. No special preparations were apparent...at a minimum they could've turned on the AC to reduce the level of humidity. I went back upstairs and shared my impression of the room and she gave me the keys to another room. Same thing. I returned to her a second time with the same complaint. She decided she would accompany me for a third round, this time she brought keys to 3 rooms on the same floor. Same problem to varying degrees except the third room had the AC on, smelled like rotting carpet and bug spray. She confirmed it herself. So we went back upstairs and she asked me which room I wanted, I said none of the ones I have seen. She ignored me and pretended to be busy. I informed her that I am leaving and that I want to cancel check-in and asked for my points to be returned to my account ( this was a redemption stay) to enable me to book a different hotel. At this point she started being difficult and she claimed not to know how to effect this cancellation. I asked her if she could call someone and she said she would call helpdesk. I asked her to request immediate return of the points as I need them to book another stay for myself and my family members. She brushed me off. I asked her to call a manager. After 15 minutes, a man showed up and asked what the problem was, after I explained he got her to talk to someone and return the points to my account. I then booked another Bonvoy hotel in Cairo, which turned out to be fabulous, as is the case always with Bonvoy properties in Cairo. In my 18 years as a loyal member, I have never received such treatment. I am sure that they could've found a clean room for me. The male manager asked me if he could persuade me to stay and I said yes of course, all I want is a clean room. His reaction to my request was to look at me and then walk away without uttering one word. I am amazed at the lack of customer support at this hotel. It is too bad because the location is wonderful and they have the most spectacular view of the Nile from the 26th floor Lounge, the main reason for which I chose this hotel. Unfortunately the staff members whom I met were either rude and unhelpful or simply indifferent and careless. I have severe allergies and I shared this and explained that I can't handle these smells. They just ignored me. Anyway, be warned about the condition of the rooms if you want to enjoy the view there. Also, worst hotel staff I have ever...

Deeply Dissatisfied With Sheraton Cairo

I write this review following a deeply disappointing experience at the Sheraton hotel in Cairo, Egypt. Our family of four found ourselves shoehorned into a room with two single beds despite specifically requesting a double bed, a single bed, and a baby cot. Although we were assured that the issue would be swiftly addressed, we received the cot at 2:30am and the double bed was never provided. This severely disrupted our rest, marking the start of an unsatisfactory stay.

The level of cleanliness in our room was regrettable. We were faced with a bathroom tarnished with mold in the shower, and the ceiling exhibited signs of water damage repair. This was a far cry from what one would expect from a supposed 5-star establishment.

The reception staff's demeanor was far from professional. For instance, a receptionist even criticized my brother-in-law's handwriting, stating it resembled a doctor's - ironically, he is a doctor.

The staff's English proficiency was significantly lacking, making communication difficult. Astonishingly, local street sellers had a better grasp of the language than the hotel staff.

I would like to highlight our horrendous experience at the hotel café located oddly on the same floor as reception. This should have been a convenient, pleasant spot for our family dinner, but it turned out to be anything but. The café was filled with a pervasive stench of cigarette smoke, an issue overlooked by the management despite a designated non-smoking area.

We waited for a staggering 30 minutes for our order of salad, sandwiches, and juices to arrive in an almost empty café. The Caesar salad and chicken were bone-dry and inedible. Our toddler accidentally broke a bottle of alcohol gel, and while the larger glass pieces were removed, smaller shards remained scattered on the floor, despite our repeated requests for cleaning. The staff's negligence put our children at risk and inconvenienced other customers. To top it off, our juices were served at the end of the meal, only after two reminders.

Breakfast was the only silver lining in our otherwise woeful experience, with a well-organised service and delectable food.

Overall, we felt the staff lacked direction and efficiency. Their chaotic operations reflect poorly on the Sheraton brand and felt more in line with a 2-star hotel, despite the 5-star rating. The Intercontinental hotel offered us a far superior experience, indicating that the issues at the Sheraton Cairo lie in poor staff training, not the local culture.

In summary, our stay at Sheraton Cairo was a lamentable experience. I strongly advise potential visitors to consider other accommodations in Cairo that provide better service and value for your money. Sheraton Cairo is evidently not worth the premium rates...