Nile Hotel Closes; to Reopen in 2012 as a Ritz-Carlton

The Nile Hotel in Cairo bade farewell to its guests and closed its doors on the first day of 2010. For the next 30 months, this celebrated hotel is undergoing an extensive physical makeover to emerge in 2012 rebranded as The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo.

Owned by Misr Hotels, a subsidiary of The Holding Company for Tourism, Hotels and Cinema, plans are in place to convert the property,  located along the famous river in the heart of bustling downtown Cairo, to reflect its former glory as an iconic landmark in this ancient city.

When it reopens, the new hotel will feature a contemporary design by WZMH Architects/Frank Nicholson Inc. The Nile Ritz-Carlton will comprise 327 guestrooms, including 52 suites that offer views of the city. There will be two 432-square meter (4,650 square feet) Royal Suites, each featuring a magnificent grand entrance with floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a 270-degree panoramic view of the Nile, two bedrooms, a living room and dining area.

Guests of The Ritz-Carlton Club Level, the signature section of the hotel accessible only by key card access, will be able to enjoy 24-hour refreshments in the hotel’s Club Lounge.

All guest rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including wireless and wired internet access, iPod docking stations, flat screen televisions and DVD players as standard. Most of the guest rooms will also offer free-standing bath tubs.

Four specialty restaurants, two lounges and a bar will offer a multitude of dining options from classic Italian cuisine to a contemporary steakhouse. The hotel’s all-day dining restaurant will offer international favorites with five live cooking stations, while a modern steakhouse and sushi bar will feature the best of both dining concepts. For those who have a taste for the Mediterranean, there will be a fine dining Italian restaurant with a wine bar and a walk-in humidor. Surrounded by a 360-degree view of the Cairo skyline and the Nile River, the roof top lounge and bar is an excellent place to savour a drink with friends while the Egyptian-themed cafe is a comfortable setting for drinks, snacks and shisha.

As a key destination for business in the city due to its facilities and its central location within Cairo, The Nile Ritz-Carlton will offer a variety of fully-featured meetings and function space. The Grand Ballroom will offer flexible meeting space for conferences and special events of up to 4000 guests, while seven smaller function rooms may be used for meetings from 1345 to 2880 guests.

“We are delighted to announce that we are progressing on schedule with this major project and that we are totally committed to our plans,” said Aly Abdel Aziz, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of The Holding Company for Tourism, Hotels and Cinema. “This project will retain the historic sentiments of this iconic hotel and is essentially an evolution of adding to what it once represented. Although it is a considerable investment on our part, we strongly believe that it is one which will yield great economical and emotional rewards.”

The hotel was rebranded as The Nile Hotel, Cairo on January 1, 2009 and since then, had continued to welcome guests to enjoy its services and facilities. Opened originally in 1958 under the Hilton management and as one of the preferred hotels for visiting dignitaries, heads of state and celebrities, the hotel has endeared itself to Cairenes and tourists alike by bearing witness to many political, social and corporate events and milestones throughout the last half century.

See other recent news regarding: Airlines, Airports, Flights, Codeshare, Lounges, First Class, Business Class, MICE, GDS, Rewards, Miles, Hotels, Apartments, Promotions, Spas, New Hotels, Traffic, Visitor Arrivals, Cruises, Free Deals, Videos, Nile Hotel, Cairo, Egypt, Ritz-Carlton