Thursday March 28th, 2024
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Fairmont Getaway

Last week we headed to Fairmont Heliopolis to retreat from the drama of city-living without having to leave Cairo and found a haven that combines stylish rooms, great food and poolside fun!

Staff Writer

While there’s no shortage of poolside fun to be had around Cairo, one hotel stands out from the rest thanks to their service, outlets and refined settings. We were invited to check out the Fairmont Heliopolis’ newly refurbished rooms last weekend, complete with a day at the pool and dinner at their signature Egyptian restaurant and went home with a new-found admiration of the East Cairo landmark…

We checked in at noon and were promptly shown to our sixth floor, pool-view room, especially booked for our day use. Modern, bright yet slick, the rooms are a far cry from the old Sheraton which used to occupy the space. With a Nespresso machine and massive flat-screen TVs as standard, the rooms served as the perfect retreat from the scorching heat. However, despite it being one of the hottest days we saw this summer (39 degrees to be precise) the pool was a lovely 22 degrees and the Fairmont Heliopolis’ in-pool certainly kept us chilled out. With a concise but apt poolside menu, our fun in the sun was only interrupted by a decadent cheeseburger, a tasty club sandwich and generous waiters refilling our wine glasses.

The latest hits play at an acceptable volume, giving the pool the perfect summer vibe even as we enter October. As sun set, we retreated to our rooms, got out of our wet clothes and chilled on their uber-comfy beds in their uber-comfy robes until dinner time. With the best connectivity panel we’ve ever seen, we could charge our phones, play our music and hook up our laptops to the big screen TV without having to bother with wires or trying to squeeze between the TV and the wall to plug in our USBs. 

Next, it was time for dinner at their Egyptian Nights al fresco dining area, a stone’s throw from Fairmont Heliopolis’ pool. A lovely breeze set the scene for an authentic experience as live fiteer, batata and fool  carts sent over some tantalising aromas. We went for the grill menu though, as well as an array of mezzes from liver and traditional sausage to baba ghanoug and hummous. The mixed grill plate (which we ordered with a side of bamia, molokheya and a whole host of things that remind us of teta’s cooking) came fresh from the charcoal and combined ribs, kebab, kofta and chicken and certainly satisfied us after a day of splashing about.

Head to Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers official Facebook page here to book your getaway.