The museum seemed almost like an exhibit in itself. It’s dusty and old just like the things inside it. We saw as much as we could but there’s a lot there and you might find that things get a bit repetitive.

The mummies exhibitions are an extra fee, almost twice the actual entry price so we didn’t bother doing it. A shame that it costs so much.

We visited Cairo when there was a lot of protesting going on in Tahrir Square and it’s worth mentioning that the museum is very close to that area. It had to be closed twice while we were staying in Cairo.

I was about to review my November 2011 annual jaunt to the exciting thoroughbred horse-racing carnival, the great Breeders Cup held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky – which like many events in the USA, from boxing to baseball, is called the ‘World Championship.’

Great ego boosting American hyperbole, but it seems to work on the natives in a country that has to be number one in all things. But that is the American psyche.

However, as I was later diverted by events in the Middle East, to wit, ‘The Arab League’s Summit’ on what to do with that miscreant state, Syria, coupled with violent protests in their own Tahrir Square, Cairo, and those oh so democratic elections the Egyptian people have long craved for. Here I am instead doing a review on the hotel I was saddled with in that famous ancient city of smells, scents and the most adorable permeating body odours one could write home to Mum about.

Four days at the Radisson Blu, Cairo Heliopolis; exposed me to the entire spectrum of all possible intake of proboscis highs and lows.

A wonderful expression that came out of World War 1 and created by a forgotten English soldier, but reminiscent of the glorious, descriptive phrase out of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, ’Something’s Rotten in the State of Denmark’ is another equally compelling expression, ‘Something Smells in Cairo’ which now seems to be long forgotten, or perhaps seldom used these days for fear of repercussions on visiting infidels like myself.

All that aside – and without going into whether I think the ‘Brotherhood of Islam’ will win the elections, or if it will be the Vatican’s Representative Party; known as the ‘Little Sisters of Remote Hope’ who are currently running ‘stone-motherless-last’ (Even after the Pope shipped in 50,000 ‘Hail Marys’) my real aim here is to tell about the Radisson Blu and my ’orrible experience there.

Radissons all over the world have a reputation of quality and I have stayed at my fair share. Sadly, somewhere along the line, that message never seeped up the glorious Nile or down the busy Suez, cause The Radisson Blu, Cairo never blew me away for a second.

The façade is superb and the staff are quite friendly and they even speak several languages. At that point all eulogies stop dead!

The bathrooms are smelly, the beds only slightly softer than the back of a dromedary that takes tourists to the ‘Valley of the Kings’ and anyone suffering from haemorrhoids would be well advised to make contact with a reputable surgeon before spending even one night there.

As for the hotel’s Italian restaurant, if it was located in Rome, I am sure it would have weekly visits from the Fire Brigade. In other words, it could bring the worst out in latent arsonists.

Wonders of wonders, there is a rooftop swimming pool. It’s extremely eye-catching and looks even Vegas-quality. Like many areas in Egypt where water is scarce, I can’t vouch for the purity of the aqua pura within. After a day in my smelly room, I was starting to think my pool – as lovely as it looked – was really there so that guests could have an alternative to jumping off the roof to death or drowning themselves instead.

So you ask, why did I even stay there? Well, frankly, it was far enough from the centre of Cairo – 10 clicks – and very close to the airport, because if things got out of control in Tahrir Square, and the Army turned really nasty, or the enraged citizens and protesters saw wandering infidels as an easier target than armed troops, a quick exit was possible for yours truly.

To be remembered in history as just a ‘Mummified Journalist’ would hardly be ‘Tomb Shattering!’

Post Script: There is an error in this program that does not allow paragraphs to be shown correctly

We had an amazing time at Sequoia. From the very moment you step into this place, you’re transported into another world, showcasing Cairo’s trendy, cosmopolitan side with lots of style and beautiful people. Although it feels a little pretentious at first, the attentive staff and the quality of food will quickly prove that Sequoia is brilliant at what they do. We had a range of mezzes, main course, a lovely desert and wine and ended up paying only around £20 each.

Bring a scarf with you as it gets a little chilly in the evening as you’re sitting right by the Nile.

After experiencing the Great Pyramids of Giza under the burning sun, a refreshment in the shadow by the pool is truly deserved.

The majestic hotel is literally just down the road from the wonders, with a great view of the pyramids.

Definitely one of the best hotels in Cairo.

Although the rooms aren't 5 star (but pretty good - don't get me wrong), the place is just amazing. The atmosphere of the large garden during hot days with the swimming pool and outdoor restaurant, and the warm evenings with the smell of kebabs, freshly baked bread, the sweet smell and bubbling sound of water pipes is just priceless.

The Four Seasons might have slicker hotel rooms, but the overall experience can never compete with this old palace.

the most incredible monuments that i see in my life. i haven't any word to discribe this place of the world. you would go now!

Le Meridien Hurghada: Makadi Bay, Egypt
Le meredien hurghada is a hotel that is located in Egypt. There are 16 superior suites and one presidential suite overlooking the Red Sea and the mountains. There is also swimming pool that is considered to be the largest in the Middle East, with an indoor heated pool.

As hotels go in this country its not too bad.

Cleaner than most and have staff that wash on a regular basis.

A casino on the lower floor whiles away a few hours between meetings but other than that its not much to crow about.

Well located hotel in the city of Cairo, on Nile island. The lobby with bars and restaurants is very impressive. Especially the bar on the top floor is very nice with an impressive view over the city and Nile river.

The rooms are standard, not very modern. I would have expected more. However we had a great view over the Nile river, we could even see the pyramids.

Service at restaurants and concierge desk was poor. Breakfast was great, big variety of food, the best fresh juice.

However I think that the Grand Hyatt is a good choice to enjoy a stay in a city like Cairo.

Try Badawiya Expeditions. They are at home in the White Desert. Truly a worthwile experience.

Large corporate hotel close to the airport, this was perfectly OK but lacking in character.

Speke's Bar, the "authentic English pub-style lounge" was anything but pub-style, thank goodness, where the bar staff were helpful. The Greenhouse bistro was painted in, well, a very strange shade of light green that made me feel bilious as I stepped into its airy atrium. There's an outdoor pool surround by high walls that makes it very windy. The management were in evidence everywhere, spotting shortcomings in cleaning and standards generally. I'd have rather visited the following week when the remedial actions had been taken.