Marriott Mena House In Cairo, Egypt

The Marriott Mena House Hotel in Egypt is an iconic luxury hotel that offers guests an unparalleled blend of history, elegance, and modern comfort right next to one of the world's most celebrated monuments—the Great Pyramid of Giza. Originally built as a hunting lodge in 1869, Mena House has hosted dignitaries, royalty, and celebrities from around the globe, offering them exquisite views of the pyramids from its lush gardens and grand rooms.

The hotel combines classic Arabic architectural details, such as intricate mosaics and ornate woodwork, with modern amenities. Guests can enjoy a variety of fine dining options, a luxurious spa, and a swimming pool framed by one of the most famous vistas on earth. With its unique history, stunning architecture, and unbeatable location, Mena House provides a remarkable experience for visitors looking to immerse themselves in the grandeur of Egypt’s ancient past while enjoying contemporary luxury.

It turned out that Mena House was even older than we’d expected, having been around since the 1800s. In fact, it was the first hotel in Egypt to have a swimming pool.

The hotel does a great job highlighting its history both in the guest rooms and in common areas. For example, in the lobby there are lots of historical photos taken at or of the hotel from years past.

The photo in the top-right corner particularly caught my eye. You’re no longer allowed to climb up the Pyramids, so getting to have that experience back in the day must’ve been incredible (n.b. that’s the Marriott Mena House behind her in the distance).

Bedroom

The best part of the room though wasn’t inside the room. It balcony which looked out at the Pyramids of Giza – that’s the Great Pyramid on the left and the Pyramid of Khafre on the right.

There’s a Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids of Giza each night which is a show where the Pyramids get lit up. Unfortunately you can’t see that from the hotel as they’re lit up on the other side, but the night time views weren’t any less spectacular.

Bathroom

Breakfast

Breakfast is served in 139 Restaurant which is at the front of the property. To get there, you have to walk out the front of the hotel from the lobby, stay to the right of the long water feature and then walk through the security doorway to the right. Keep going straight and you’ll come to 139 Restaurant, then head round to the right of the building.

Word of warning – you’ll never want to leave the breakfast table in the morning unless you’re actually going to be visiting the Pyramids that day! Again, the location of Marriott Mena House is second to none.

Club Lounge

Amenities

Marriott Mena House has a beautiful outdoor pool that’s great for doing laps and a perfect temperature.

There’s also a separate children’s pool at the end.

There’s a decent-sized fitness room with lots of pieces of equipment and weights.

Marriott Mena House has a spa called Saray Spa, although we didn’t get any treatments there.

Breakfast is served in 139 Restaurant, as is dinner if you want to eat there. As an alternative dinner option, there’s Moghul Room which is an Indian restaurant. We didn’t end up eating at either restaurant in the evening seeing as there was tasty dinner available for free in the club lounge.

The hotel also has a coffee bar which is located between the front desk and the elevators.

There’s a gift shop on site too, although it’s not always open. This has postcards and other souvenirs for sale. There’s a post office just outside the hotel, but be aware that it’s closed on Fridays.

Service

Service very good at the hotel. I’ve already mentioned Nagy in the club lounge who was fantastic and made our stay even better than expected. Other staff members were always kind and helpful too, such as Christy who called the lab on our behalf regarding our COVID tests and Reda who drove one of the golf carts around the property. He gave us a lift one time and also made sure we were aware of what to expect at the Pyramids when it came to people wanting to be our tour guide.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi at the Marriott Mena House was excellent. There is always a good connection in our room on our laptops, as well as on our phones all around the property. The speed was always very good too.

Check-In & Check-Out Times

Check-in is at 2pm, while check-out is at 12pm. Our flight to Jordan wasn’t until late afternoon on the day we checked out, so we got a 2pm late checkout thanks to my Titanium status.

Location

When it comes to location, Marriott Mena House can’t be beaten. I’ve already included this photo already in the review, but I’ll include it here again because how many places in the world have a better view at breakfast than this?!

If you’re wanting to spend a lot of time in downtown Cairo then its location isn’t as great as it takes 45 minutes or so to get there due to traffic. If you have enough days in Cairo though, you could do what we did and spend a few days downtown on the Nile and a few days at Mena House by the Pyramids.

Final Thoughts

If you want to book a stay near the Pyramids of Giza, the Marriott Mena House can’t be beaten for location and comfort. There are many guest houses near the Pyramids that are far cheaper, but I doubt they’d feel anywhere near as special as this hotel.

Address

Marriott Mena House, 6 Pyramids Road, Giza, Cairo 12556, Egypt