Six Continents Hotels provides double boost for Egyptian government’s efforts to create a more modern and vibrant business environment

Egypt’s mystical fascination for travellers, built upon its envied reputation as a centuries-old trading empire, will be enhanced by a modern emporium promising unbridled pleasure for tourists, and unprecedented opportunity for entrepreneurs.

Occupying an entire city block in the heart of Egypt’s capital, Citystars Heliopolis Cairo will make a grand entrance into international tour itineraries and conference planning when it opens in December 2002.

Providing the vital accommodation element for business and leisure visitors to the $600 million Citystars complex will be the new Heliopolis Inter-Continental Hotel and Holiday Inn Heliopolis.

Due to open in December 2002, the Heliopolis Inter-Continental Hotel will offer 533 guest rooms, 184 deluxe suites and apartments, and 73 bungalows and chalets. Opening six months later, the Holiday Inn Heliopolis will offer 330 rooms and suites.

Combining major retail shopping, entertainment, commercial office and residential facilities.

The Citystars project is the largest of its kind in the Middle East, and supports the Egyptian government’s efforts to create a more modern and vibrant business environment.

“We already have a substantial stake in Egypt, so we are proud to be a part of such a project, with its hybrid objective of augmenting the potential of the tourist, retail and property sectors of the Egyptian economy,” said Raymond Khalife, President, Six Continents Hotels, Middle East and Africa. The company, which has its regional headquarters in Cairo, already operates seven Inter-Continental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn hotels in the country, with seven other new properties under development.

Set to become a major new asset for Egypt, and the Middle East as a whole, and after four years in the marketing and development stages, Citystars Heliopolis Cairo will be based on five pillars of commercial activitiy: retailing, entertainment, hotels, permanent residential accommodation and commercial office space.

Its will be the commercial and entertainment hub that will provide entrepreneurs with more than 470 shops, and the opportunity to align with the Middle East’s most ambitious tourist and commercial venture. Already, the 780,000 sq metre development, within easy reach of Cairo International Airport, the Congress Centre and Downtown Cairo, has commitments from department stores, a gold and craft souq, cinemas and food courts, amongst others.

Its tourist potential will be enhanced by the Heliopolis Inter-Continental Hotel and the Holiday Inn Heliopolis. “They have been designed, and will be operated, to a level of sophistication which will compliment the entire project,” says newly appointed General Manager for the two hotels, Thomas Hilberath.

With superbly furnished guest rooms, bungalows and chalets all located poolside, the Heliopolis Inter-Continental Hotel features its own tower containing deluxe suites of up to five rooms, including presidential and royal suites.

A giant dividable banqueting hall is capable of seating 1,300 guests, with bride rooms as well as a pyramid restaurant catering for 600 guests, and there are 12 conference rooms. Diners will have the choice of Japanese, Italian gourmet and Lebanese restaurants, as well as a pool deck served by a restaurant and bar. There is also a night club, discotheque, cocktail lounge and fun bar.

The hotel’s Aqua Spa, amid landscaped gardens, will include a health and leisure club, jacuzzi, sauna, gymnasium with massage treatment rooms, swimming pools and squash courts. Children will have their own play club, pool and nursery. A state-of-the-art business center will offer advanced multimedia connectivity, as well as simultaneous translation facilities. The hotel has a separate VIP entrance and majlis, as well as its own helicopter pad.

Complete with club floors and lounge, the Holiday Inn Heliopolis offers three meeting rooms, two restaurants, a cocktail lounge, swimming and fitness facilities, as well as a sophisticated business centre.