Why am I being advised to stay in a hotel close to the pyramids rather than in Downtown Cairo?
If you are only in Cairo for a few days it is easier for you to see the sites starting from a base in Giza. The traffic from Downtown to the pyramids can cause the journey to take over an hour, which means an early start and that takes time from your sightseeing experience. If you are in Cairo for a while, the hotels at the pyramids are all on a resort basis, on acres of land with outdoor swimming pools and relaxing areas, an experience Downtown hotels cannot really provide. Many Downtown hotels are built like towers, tall and narrow, while Giza pyramid area hotels are limited in height, but cover more ground.
Cost also comes into the equation as a simple 4-star hotel in the Downtown area is often more expensive than a 5-star resort in the Pyramids area. Cairo is like most major cities in the world in this regard, as city Centre property is a lot more expensive. Though it may appear that Downtown hotels do afford the luxury of being able to wander around the area for shopping and restaurants, most of the Pyramid hotels offer free shuttle buses to allow you to do the same, and taxis are not expensive and can still work out less expensive in the end than staying Downtown.
We encourage our guests to try the small boutique hotels and guest houses either Downtown or Giza pyramids area.
