While surveying downtown Cairo hotels, Gamal Nkrumah discovers a suite designed for a sultan of sorts A downtown Cairo hotel might not be the place to put down new roots, but there are notable exceptions. Most of the hotels in this part of Cairo have seen better days and are run-down, dilapidated lodges that house rucksack European and East Asian tourists stopping over in Cairo for a week or so. They hark back to the good old days of Khedive Ismail's belle époque. He tried to construct a "Paris along the Nile" fashioned in the unique style of the Parisian architect Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, commissioned by Napoleon III to revamp the French capital. . After its turn-of- the century heyday, the fortunes of downtown Cairo declined. It was, however, an unhurried fall from grace. Today, the central part of the city is invariably kitsch -- at best, and at certain places alarmingly so. The pensions of downtown Cairo are on the whole miserable, bleak resting places. More suitable, perhaps, for drunkards, who just want to lie down and slumber to ward off the frightful impact of hangovers. But dipsomaniacs toying with the notion of visiting the country ought to be forewarned that downtown Cairo is fast becoming short of watering holes. Worn and threadbare sheets and old, uncomfortable mattresses in dingy hotels should come as no surprise, so do inspect the bedrooms before you check in. Do not be fooled by the marble and mahogany bourdoir sumptuousness of some establishments. Many were almost written off as a lost cause decades ago. Some are ugly enough to satisfy a certain type of backpacker's appetite for visual offensiveness and discomfort. It doesn't matter if you are underdressed, overdressed or inappropriately dressed. The downtown hotels have no particular dress code. Moribund, though perhaps a bit harsh, is the word. Still, here and there one stumbles across veritable gems. There are the old classics with colonial-style overtones such as the Victoria Hotel on Al-Gomhuriya Street or the nearby Windsor Hotel on Alfi Street that incidentally played host to memorable scenes from the Hollywood blockbuster Raiders of the Lost Ark. Indiana Jones memorabilia aside, the Windsor with its faded grandeur might not be the best place in town to hang your head in, but it is as good as any to hang out for a drink at its historic bar. Originally built as the baths for the Egyptian royal family, the building that houses the Windsor was converted into the British Officers' Club until the 1952 Revolution: another contraposition that adds to the inexplicability of the whole. It all looks marvellously surreal. Bizarrely not everything offered is in full working order. To some it is a run-down relic, but others see the Old World charms at work. Downtown hotels are invariably dingy hovels, but there are a few gems buried in the hustle and bustle of the heart of this bewildering metropolis of 20 million people. Budget, or middle price range hotels, in downtown Cairo range from $25-$45 per night with a plain continental breakfast. These bed and breakfast establishments sometimes offer twin share. Most of the downtown Cairo hotels have laundry, valet service and convenient concierges. Take the Talisman Hotel de Charme, an indescribably pretty place where a Frenchwoman managed to conjure up the Oriental theme. She decorated each room, or suite, with a particular colour scheme in mind. Orange, ochre, blues and purples. Crimson, too, and the most vivid and verdant green. They also come in a wide range of textures. She approaches decorating as she would getting dressed, choosing items that go together. She is an obsessive collector, acquiring souvenirs from all over the Middle East. High-quality craftsmanship is the Talisman's hallmark. Indeed, the Talisman is a different kettle of fish. It is in an entirely different category from other downtown Cairo hotels. To begin with, it is almost impossible to locate, and the preponderance of dark woods lends a noticeably wintry ambiance to the place. But there is more to the Talisman than meets the eye. Breakfast is neither frugal nor fancy. Don't expect a fantastic spread. Still, breakfast at the Talisman is a fresh opportunity for a few moments to put the day in motion. Freshly-squeezed seasonal fruit juices, sweet and savoury home-made pastries, cheese and fresh fruit are an excellent combination to start the day with. And then there is the way the staff put themselves out for you. Time spent chatting over an immaculately prepared breakfast table is never wasted. The lemonade is superb, but the waiter would not share his secret recipe. The proprietor whispered that he reckons fresh yoghurt is added to the delectable concoction. If you are looking for sheer spaciousness, forget it. But the 25 rooms are intricately designed. The vividly-coloured bed covers with matching wall tapestries and a myriad magical touches -- the toilet rolls in the marble-floored bathrooms come in red tarboushes (the oriental headgears better known as fezzes), for example. The air-conditioned rooms are spotless, thanks to the meticulous caretaker Madame Ferial -- Eva for short. French doors and hardwood floors complete the picture. The Talisman is filled with an extraordinary collection of antiques. In some rooms, the panelling was stripped of varnish and lavishly painted. Restoring a hotel in downtown Cairo has had wonderful but unexpected consequences for those who frequent it. One bathroom remains with original cherry tub and handsome crackled tiles. Every room in Talisman is a good mix of eye- catching treasures from around the Middle East -- fabrics, cushions, carpets and ornate screens. The homely atmosphere is inviting. I suppose the hotel can be viewed as a good place for inspiration and ideas for one's own home. The aura and atmosphere are magical. The drawing room is an inspiration. Workmen weave and embroider down on the first floor upholstery workshop. Everything is made by sight with no measurements or patterns, ordained designs. That is the miracle, but the workmen know exactly what they are doing. Even the air conditioners are brightly- coloured blues, greens, oranges and reds to match the colour scheme of the room. These bedrooms are designed to lift the spirit. Everything from the klims (traditional woven carpets), lovely hand-made wooden furniture to the mashrabeyas -- projecting oriel windows enclosed with intricately- carved wooden latticework -- bespeaks style. The bathrooms, equipped with complimentary toiletries, bathrobes and hair-dryers, exude an indefinable freshness. The lounges and communal spaces too have a heavenly homely feel. There is also a quaint library furnished with antiquarian books and a chaise longue. The well-stocked library is replete with the works of Rumi and Khalil Gibran. An intoxicating mix of authentic traditionalism and spotless, modern facilities that draws an ever increasing flow of tourists to one of Cairo's best kept secrets. "We want to deliver a comfortable fantasy that will draw more tourists," Mohamed Al-Ayouti, the proprietor of Talisman told Al-Ahram Weekly. The Talisman is one of Cairo's few new "boutique hotels". "The first," boasts the amiable proprietor. Diminutive pots of begonias dangle precariously from the balconied rooms that overlook narrow side streets. Crystal chandeliers in the foyer blaze crimsons and scarlet. It is that most poignant of colours that Egyptians admiringly refer to as "gazelle's blood". The result is a museum experience that is terribly attractive, but does not overtly or intentionally catch the eye of people with cheque books. It is also the symbolic value of the place. The Talisman, on Talaat Harb Street, is in the heart of downtown Cairo. The Khan Al-Khalili, the main bazaar district of Cairo is a mere 10-minute taxi-drive. The Egyptian Museum is a brisk 10-minute walk. "I wanted a hotel with a bit of character at an affordable price," explained Julia, a Canadian tourist. She told the Weekly that even though she has been a frequent visitor to Cairo, she has never enjoyed staying in such a beautiful hotel. "This is just perfect," she added. The Talisman might be inexpensive in the eyes of many Westerners, but it is out of reach of many of the Middle Eastern, Sudanese and North African tourists who increasingly frequent Cairo at different times of the year. The North Africans come in summer and the Levantines prefer the festive seasons. While the Sudanese, arrayed with the now strong Sudanese pound (currently three Egyptian pounds to the Sudanese pound) now come all year round. The Gulf Arabs stay away from downtown Cairo. Theirs' is the preserve of the five-star hotels. Some downtown Cairo hotels have become safe and secure retirement accommodation. Elderly foreigners in particular sometimes prefer to end their days in a hotel. "It is far cheerier than an old people's home," explained a Libyan octogenarian who fled his country after the Fateh Revolution that ousted the monarchy and brought to power the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. He is now happily settled down in a hotel in downtown Cairo. "The staff are friendly and I have most of my meals at the hotel. My doctor visits me when I feel unwell. Everyone understands that I am a political exile and they warn me when other Libyans frequent the hotel," the affable gentleman remarks. It used to be chic to stay at a hotel in downtown Cairo. These days, one meets the most bizarre bunch of people -- I have come across an elderly Jew from Bulgaria; a Korean rucksack teenager who has crossed Asia into Africa and is in Egypt for a month; a Nigerian market woman who adores downtown Cairo because of all the shoe shops (she comes regularly to Cairo with empty suitcases, and returns to Nigeria with caseloads of shoes); and Australian honeymooners on their way to Europe. Not so in the Talisman. I first visited this unique hotel in August. I stumbled upon it quite by chance. "This is a difficult month for us," explained the proprietor. "We cater mainly for Europeans, they adore the ambiance which is rather exotic as far as they are concerned," he explained. "The busy season begins in October and peaks in December, January and February," he added. "That is when the Europeans arrive in great numbers especially around the festive season of Christmas and the New Year. The rooms are fully booked around that time of year. Tourists prefer to head for the beaches in summer. The heat is stifling in Cairo, and the tourists who come to enjoy Egypt's unique cultural and historical legacies might be overwhelmed by the torridity, humidity and pollution [air and noise]," he notes. Ustaz Mohamed, as everyone fondly calls him, says he personally oversees all aspects of the refurbishment process during the summer months, when only a handful of rooms are booked. Check out the door hinges and the tastefully designed lamp shades. The corridors in winter might be a mite chilly, but the cosy warmth of the staff counteracts it. Winters in Egypt are usually mild, but sometimes there are some freak punishing days. Gazing out from the sixth floor balcony at the Talisman you do not get to see much of Cairo, but you do get a feel of the bustling city -- and, you have the option of shutting it all out for a good night's rest. The Lotus Hotel, hidden in the midst Talaat Harb, is another pearl. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this little hotel is the authentic art deco ambiance. And the family-run institution and is characterised by gracious hospitality. A hint of the belle époque once again: the khedive's dream come true. Another class of hotels reminds one of the Swinging Sixties rather than the monarchical or colonial periods. There is something unobtrusively republican about them. The Grand Hotel, on 26th of July Street, a major Cairo thoroughfare, is a typical example. Its single rooms start from $36 and the double rooms from $46. Mind you, the bedroom and lobby are anything but grand. Punctuated with colour, there is something unnerving about this particular hotel. The lobby is weird but not wonderful. Yet there is an acute sense of atmosphere evoked in the outlandish combination of style, or to be more precise -- the lack of it. Hotel Vienna, the first and only budget hotel in downtown Cairo with free wireless broadband, boasts 10 comfortable and spacious rooms and free airport pick-up. It is the kind of hotel that you stop over at on your way to the treasure chests of Pharaonic splendour further south in Luxor and Aswan. The Crown Hotel, on the northern end of downtown Cairo, in the vicinity of Ramses Station, the city's main rail hub, is surprisingly child-friendly, but there is little else to recommend it. The Atlas Opera, for its part, has two main restaurants, nothing to write home about. It also features a pub, discotheque and nightclub -- a bit on the seedy side. The Geisha nightclub is anything but Japanese, it is garishly Oriental in style with a weird Thousand and One Nights atmosphere. If the Arabian is not titillating enough try the Delilah Bar, a pub of sorts which could easily pass as where the Biblical Salome demanded the head of John the Baptist. Oddly enough, the Atlas Opera is wheelchair friendly, and disabled and senior citizens find it most entertaining. It also boasts convenient babysitting services, presumably some of the dancers take time off to mind the children while the parents are having fun in the hotel's discotheque and bar watching the entertainers shimmy. By sharp contrast, the French-managed Hotel Osiris has 17 spacious, spotless rooms with en suite bathrooms, quaint balconies and a terrace restaurant overlooking the unsightly albeit curious Cairo rooftop vistas, not the most pleasant of panoramas. Another downtown Cairo budget hotel with a difference is the Gresham Hotel, one of the few hotels in Cairo where pets are accepted. The Gresham has tastefully decorated rooms with private balconies, clean albeit simple bathrooms and an enchanting traditional Egyptian-style lounge. As for the Carlton, it has most certainly seen better days. Its rooftop terrace restaurant was one of the most attractive in downtown Cairo: one could sip a cool beer on a balmy summer evening. Today drink is strictly forbidden and the quality of grilled chicken on offer has markedly deteriorated. Another family-run hotel is the persevering Victoria, with its diligent staff. Exceptionally high ceilings and an Old World ambiance add to its charms. The Victoria's popularity is due to its having no less than 90 functional if not luxurious guestrooms. Most of downtown Cairo's other hotels are small and cannot accommodate large tour groups. Moreover, the Victoria's garden terrace hints of British colonialism, a remark that elicits a "no, no" from my companion who waves her hand at me in mock horror. The Cosmopolitan Hotel, a three-star Victorian-style establishment, again like an aged belle laide, retains a certain faded beauty. The 80 something year old building stands out as a distinguished landmark. The rooms of the Cosmopolitan are equipped with modern amenities and the hotel boasts a pool, jacuzzi and sauna. The 24-hour room service is renowned for its efficiency, speed and reliability. The Cosmopolitan also features modest conference facilities, rare among budget hotels. But the Bedouin Hotel is in a class of its own. Located on 4 Elwy Street, off Qasr Al-Nil Boulevard, it prides itself on being run by "Bedouins who specialise in desert trips". The décor is inspired by the colourful crafts of the nomadic Bedouin peoples of Sinai and the Western Desert (Sahara). Brightly hued rugs litter this engaging hotel which features an Internet café and a guest kitchen the clients are encouraged to use. Like the New Minerva Hotel on Talaat Street, the Bedouin is especially children-friendly. Cleopatra Palace Hotel on Bustan Street, Tahrir Square, is rather grim. But it does have its advantages. Directly opposite the Egyptian Museum, its location is exceptionally convenient, and it is a stone's throw away from Cairo's riverside five-star hotels where much of the city's pulsating nightlife takes place. Cleopatra also boasts a Korean restaurant, the curiously Hong Kong-sounding Kowloon. Every time I enter this particular hotel, an eerie albeit fleeting thought occurs to me: its royal namesake might be turning in her grave. In short, it is going to take some hard work if the pace is to pick up. I round off with the Pensione Roma, yet another family-run hotel. An Italian couple run this tiny and unobtrusive establishment. The Pensione Roma, located on the fourth floor of a nondescript building on Mohamed Farid Street, is a functional hotel. It is neither drab nor tacky, but quite frankly not my favourite. The clientele are not drawn exclusively from Italy. Cutting-edge fashion, alas, will certainly not be on display at the Pensione Roma -- no trendy Italian tourist will end up here. Be that as it may, this could be the model of which we will see an awful lot more in downtown Cairo in the years to come.
