Villa Belle Epoque

Cairo has few boutique hotels and none as well run and luxurious as the Belle Epoque.

In a garden quarter in southern Cairo, the Belle Epoque occupies a 1920s villa that exudes period style and refinement. Developed in 2009 by a family that also operates small luxury boats on the Nile, the Belle Epoque is unique in the city – independent, elegant, luxurious and a far cry from the impersonal large chain hotels.

There’s a lovely outdoor pool overlooked by palms, mango and guava trees. Staff are extremely friendly and attentive, helping to create a relaxed ambience.

It is removed from the main attractions though, and it can take a long time to drive into the city centre (Egyptian Museum and Islamic Cairo, for instance) through Cairo’s traffic-clogged streets. The metro station, however, is five minutes walk; you can be in the centre in 20 minutes.