Le Meridien Heliopolis

Popular with business travelers and tourists needing a convenient transit hotel, Le Meridien is an upscale business hotel with a funky exterior consisting of light sandstone archways and a smattering of mismatched geometric shapes in the architecture. Inside, the hotel has a dated but elegant (in an old-fashioned way) feel, with golden elevator doors and a mix of marble and granite columns, floors, and trim. A shoeshine station with lots of gold embellishment sits off to one side of the lobby, and the rest of the space is divided neatly into a dated seating area with blue carpeting and old-fashioned executive-style furniture and a coffee lounge. Marble stairs wind up through a central atrium-like area add a bit of wow factor, despite their '80s-style gold-finish banisters. 

Le Meridien's location a 10- to 15-minute drive from the Cairo International Airport makes it a potentially good choice for business conference planners or those with late flights into or early flights out of the city, but it's a good 45-minute drive to the city center when traffic is at its heaviest, making it less than ideal for tourists. It's about an hour or so drive to the Pyramids in Giza, while the Hanging Church and other attractions in the old Coptic quarter take about 25 minutes to reach by car. The Egyptian Museum is a 25-minute drive from the hotel, while Ramses Railway Station is half an hour away by car.

Le Meridien Heliopolis offers four different room types, all with similar dated, chain-like decor. All have two-toned tan-and-beige wallpaper, blue carpets with light-tan patterns, light-wood furniture, and soft blue chairs. Entry-level Deluxe Rooms have king-size beds or two twins and come with a few nice extras normally not found in base-category rooms, including provisions for late check out and free fruit baskets. Club Rooms, the next level up, are similar, but add access to the Royal Club Lounge, with personal check-in/check-out and two free hours of the club's 10-person meeting room, plus a free daily cocktail hour. Superior Suites are much larger, with two bathrooms and a separate living room with a sofa bed, plus late check out (up to 6 p.m. at the time of this review), while Royal Club Suites add access to the club lounge. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and safes. Bathrooms are simple, with shower/tub combos, make-up mirrors, basic toiletries, and wall-mounted hairdryers of the old-fashioned hose-style variety. 

Le Meridien offers a decent selection of features aimed primarily at business guests. These include six meeting rooms, wedding- and event-planning services, a spa with whirlpool tubs, steam, and sauna, a beauty salon with hair and nail treatments, and a small but well-equipped fitness center with cardio and weight-training equipment. There's also a smallish heated outdoor pool with lounge chairs, but it's only open seasonally. Other features include free roundtrip airport transfers, on-site valet and self parking (for a fee), and free hotel-wide Wi-Fi. There are a few shops in the lobby for those looking to pick up last-minute souvenirs before flying out of town, but they aren't anything special. The dining options here are varied, and include Thai, Middle Eastern, international, and grill options. There are also a few bars, an on-site nightclub, and a lobby coffeeshop. A buffet breakfast is included in room rates, and room service is available. Guests staying in Club Rooms and Royal Club Suites can also take advantage of the Royal Club Lounge, which offers free evening cocktails and soft drinks throughout the day.