Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence Vs. Nile Plaza. Which is best? In Cairo, there are two Four Seasons hotels: Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence and Four Seasons Hotel Cairo Nile Plaza. These properties are both in Cairo and are both considered to be the best hotels in the city. We choose which is best for the various features below.
We have outlined the best Four Seasons hotels in the world, in case you want to delve further into the hotel brand.
1. Loyalty
Four Seasons is an ultra-luxurious hotel brand that currently has 124 hotels and resorts in 47 countries. There is no Four Seasons loyalty program although you can get valuable free benefits from your very first Four Seasons stay by booking with our luxury travel concierge. These benefits include free breakfast, hotel credit, welcome gift, and room upgrades (subject to availability).
2. Location
The location is the main differentiator between these two hotels. Four Seasons at The First Residence is located in Giza, sandwiched between the Nile River and the Giza Zoo, and enjoys impressive views of Cairo’s skyline and the Pyramids. The location of Four Seasons at The First Residence is better for seeing the pyramids, and you have a distant view of them from certain sides of the hotel.
Giza is a great location in terms of being near the Pyramids and zoo, but the remainder of the tourist sites (Tahrir Square, the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, Khan al-Khalili market, Zamalek) are closer to the Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza and are on the far side of the Nile.
That said, the location of the Four Seasons at The First Residence has a local authenticity in the surroundings, which you don’t experience in the surroundings of the Nile Plaza.
Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza is a waterfront landmark property located on the River Nile’s banks in Garden City, one of Cairo’s more elegant neighborhoods. The hotel is within walking distance to many of Cairo’s most tourist attractions, including Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, as well as being near many embassies, banks, and schools. It is a 45-minute drive from Cairo International Airport.
3. Style
Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence is a modern waterside hotel that offers classically decorated rooms with huge floor-to-ceiling windows. Most of the communal areas offer mesmerizing Nile views.
As with all Four Seasons hotels, the lobby at Nile Plaza and Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence is impressive, with enormous bunches of fresh-cut flowers, luxurious sofas, and sparkling chandeliers.
The main difference between these hotels is that the whole of the Nile Plaza is currently undergoing renovation, and following completion, Four Seasons Nile Plaza will be the most stylish hotel in Cairo.
Through his Paris-based design studio PRV, the designer Rochon has spent years focusing his design eye on Four Seasons hotels and resorts around the world and has been breathing new life into the Cairo Nile Plaza property with a redesign for La Galerie Lounge, a new design and opening for Byblos Restaurant serving authentic Lebanese cuisine, Riviera Restaurant for the best in Italian coastal cuisine, and a re-envisioning of the Pool Deck area.
4. Pool
At Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence, you can make barefoot memories with loved ones at the stylish open-air main pool area surrounded by cushioned loungers and tented shade.
The Nile Plaza has three pools, the highlight being the tropical outdoor pool with a sophisticated ambiance and comfy loungers.
5. Spa
At Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence, there’s a top-floor spa offering Egyptian-inspired health and beauty treatments, a sauna, hot tub, and fitness center, and there’s also an on-site casino.
The Nile Plaza spa is fantastic, with a steam room and sauna. With a cold plunge pool directly across from the jacuzzi and the sauna at arm’s length from the steam room, this spa is well designed and a vital retreat in this busy city; showers and sinks were conveniently located throughout the spa.
6. Rooms
The rooms at Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence have not been as recently refurbished but tend to be cheaper and have gloriously large floor-to-ceiling windows, which we love.
In June 2023, Four Seasons Nile Plaza debuted its newly renovated premium guest rooms and suites. These rooms have decent balconies, unlike the rooms at Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence.
The stylish new room concept was fashioned by renowned French interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, who drew inspiration from the beauty of the River Nile at the foot of the property for soothing shades of ground, sand, and other natural elements on walls, ceilings, and doorframes.
The interior palette maximizes the natural light that pours in through floor-to-ceiling windows and terrace doorways, brightening visual and textural details created by local artists and artisans while drawing eyes to panoramic views of felucca boats gliding over the river, the 12th-century Saladin Citadel and the Cairo Tower illuminated by the setting sun.
For the renovation of spacious guest rooms and suites on the hotel’s 25th, 26th, and 27th floors, picture embroidered fabric headboards in sand tones with built-in reading lights on signature Four Seasons bedding, and deeply cushioned chairs, sofas, and lounges colored to complement other room features. These rooms are the best Four Seasons rooms in Cairo in our opinion.
The right-at-home feel continues with a multifunctional table designed for dining and work and walk-in closets in every suite. All-weather wooden tables and chairs on terraces are handsome and contemporary by design.
All newly renovated rooms and suites are enlivened with original pieces by local artists, including traditional works of pottery and framed abstracts, landscapes, and scenes of Egyptian flavor that reveal the integration of the property into the cultural landscape of Cairo.
Meanwhile, an expansive bookcase integrates the flat-screen smart TV, pieces of pottery, and a generous offering of picture books and local guides for guests to peruse or purchase.
7. Restaurants
At Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence, the hotel’s culinary offerings are a treat for the senses, with nine restaurants, lounges, and bars to choose from. Delight in trendy gastronomy aboard the First Nile Boat, savor light refreshments at the Tea Lounge, relish traditional Syrian and Lebanese cuisine by the poolside at Aura, or experience the chic La Gourmandise brasserie in the heart of The First Mall.
Sun, Nile, and brunch is the mood set every Friday at Zoé restaurant aboard the First Nile Boat docked steps away from Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence. Experience one-of-a-kind culinary delights buffet from the Middle East, Mediterranean, Europe, and the Far East accompanied by pasta, steak, and sushi dedicated live cooking stations. The First Nile Boat is a true culinary destination offering myriad gastronomic experiences, providing the perfect setting to spend time with family and friends.
Inspired by the soothing color palettes of the Mediterranean, the unique ambiance of Zoé restaurant offers the ultimate style setting for a Friday brunch experience accompanied by a side of panoramic Nile and Cairo views.
At Four Seasons Nile Plaza, designer Rochon is breathing new life into much of this Cairo property with a redesign for La Galerie Lounge, a new design, and opening for Byblos Restaurant, serving authentic Lebanese cuisine, and Riviera Restaurant for the best in Italian coastal cuisine.
8. Price
Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence is usually under $300 USD per night, making this hotel the cheaper option.
Rooms at Four Seasons at Nile Plaza start at around $400 USD per night. For around $50 more, you can book their newly refurbished Premium Superior Rooms, which we recommend.
9. Conclusion
Both Four Seasons in Cairo are some of the cheapest Four Seasons hotels in the world so offer a great deal when compared to Four Seasons in other destinations.
If you’re in Cairo, why not split your time between the two Four Seasons? The Nile Plaza has the edge in terms of location, its newly refurbished rooms, and the spa, which is superior.
The First Residence has a more boutique lobby, rooms have wonderful views, and the area includes the vibrant ambiance of the First Mall’s high-end boutiques. Don’t miss the finest gastronomic delights aboard the hotel’s newly opened First Nile Boat, their unique floating culinary masterpiece boasting panoramic Nile views and serving international delicacies.
Both have great pools and are great, highly luxurious hotels.
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