Talisman Hotel

Nice people and rooms, but awful breakfast and virtually impossible to find. through an unmarked doorway on a side street of the street named in the address, with no signage externally.

Location : It is extraordinary difficult to find the entrance especially over the weekend as it is crazy crowded near the entrance. We had to drag our luggages and go through the crowd to enter the main building. In the building it was not easy to find the main door, and we had to go up and down multiple time with a no so safe elevator.

Payment: I had to pay the fee at the hotel and wanted to pay in Egyptian pound, but I was told I can only pay in $, or the equal amount in Egyptian pounds but with THE BLACK market exchange rate, which was almost double of what I exchanged my $. (1$=31 EGP, vs 50EGP in black market)


Breakfast: it was way below expectations, very simple, not much variety, it took them almost 10 min to give us bread.

En positif : lit confortable , eau très chaude et puissante pour la douche.
En négatif ; hôtel au 5 éme étage et parties communes absolument dégoûtantes - voire immondes !! Petit dej très médiocre … et thé / café ds les gobelets de carton. Rideaux et décoration très poussiéreux … et tentative pour nous facturer les bouteilles d’eau habituellement offertes !!

We loved this meticulously restored to its 1800s splendor--think Haussmann Parisian high ceilings and large French windows--with exquisite Egyptian antiques yet all modern conveniences (en suite bathrooms, air conditioning etc). Atmosphere is completed by being met each morning by elderly woman maitre d' in flawless French. High on 5th floor down a pedestrianized side street, no Cairo traffic noise to disturb you.

Walkable to Egyptian Museum and old Cairo but in an Egyptian medium/high shopping neighborhood so no hassle and lots of good local (ie not tourist) food options. As others have said, dont be put off by rather run down ground floor covered courtyard from which you get lift to 5th floor.

This hotel is the antidote to bland, impersonal, 5 star hotels and grotty noisy backpacker hotels. Plus, instead of trying to sell you tours or overpriced transport, here they told us about Uber which was a fraction of the price, very reliable and had seatbelts, and local restaurants from which they got no commission! Character, cleanliness, convenience. You could not do better.

Please be advised, the building in which this hostel is located is a semi-abandon building. There was a man sleeping in the hallway entrance of the place and another one in another floor since this hostel is on the 5th floor. The building is in terrible shape, and very sketchy. Once in the “hotel” the electricity went off.

My partner and I decided to leave the next night and stayed somewhere else, although we were supposed to stay there another night. (Still haven’t gotten my money back for the 2nd day cancellation)

Due yourselves and love ones a favor and do not book here.

Location is perfect @ down town Caïro.
Best spot to witness local life of the inhabitants of Caïro.

Die inneneinrichtungtung desd Hotels ist einzigartig, seh wertvoll.

Totally unique for Cairo, a real sanctuary right in a downtown area full of wonderful 1930s French architecture.

I visit Cairo a lot and usually stay in one of the 4 or 5 star chains. All so far are dull, large concrete buildings with no soul.

The staff were wonderful and everything worked perfectly. We stayed 3 nights. It may not be everyone's ideal but for those who want to experience old Cairo, rather than an anonymous bunker, this is a real sanctuary.

One review said breakfast was 'basic' but there was a good range of options, the fresh guavas were my highlight.

Don't miss a visit to Cage Riche 5-10 mins walk away, another institution.

Décoration soignée style années 50 ,
MAIS HOTEL TRÈS DIFFICILE À TROUVER INCONNU DE SES VOISINS... au cinquième étage d’un immeuble dont l’entree n’est pas dans la rue principale où se trouve l’adresse officielle des guides mais dans une rue perpendiculaire ... avec une enseigne de 80cmx40 perdue parmi dix autres ...

Don't take credit card though it is stated on the reservation confirmation that it is an option?! Breakfast is pretty basic. The location is great, clean and nicely decorated. Staff is friendly and kind (but depends who is attending).

Hervorragend, historisch und chic in jedem Detail

2015年4月に2泊しました。1泊めはシャワーからお湯が出なかったので、その旨話すと、10〜15分位すれば出るというのですが、結局出ませんでした。結構暑い日だったので、安くもない値段のホテルで汗も流せないのは地獄だと思いました。翌日朝、部屋を替えてもらい、今度の部屋は暑いお湯が出ましたが、排水が悪いため、シャワーを浴びているうちに足が排水に浸かってしまいます。掃除もあまり綺麗でなく、部屋の作りも、ホテルではなく、ホステルかペンションです。値段が安いのならまだしも、この値段なら絶対泊まらないほうが良いです。後悔します。
Don't stay this Hotel。

L'hotel si trova in zona centrale, ma vi si accede da una traversa un po' sporca e polverosa.
E' al quinto piano di un palazzo fatiscente e malandato ma, superata la porta dell'hotel, l'esperienza e' davvero piacevole.

Mooie centrale plek en stijlvol ingericht hotel. Ook de touroperator waar het hotel mee samenwerkt is een aanrader ('Adventure in Egypt').

Charming as the name indicates. Down an alley off Talit Harb St. Old fashioned open cage elevator. Hotel is on fifth floor. Great for travellers who like the local flavor rather than the "Hilton" feel. Staff speaks English and were very helpful and accomidating. In a typical bustling Cairo neighborhood in downtown Cairo. Walk to Tahrir Square, Egyptian Museum and the Nile. Highly reccomended.

Charming but......
The old building is dirty behond decency; the rooms have poor bathrooms and dirty floors; breakfast is a bit depressing and the downtown traffic and noise quite disturbing. Staff very kind , nice furnishing, large rooms.

The hotel was fine, I was happy until the last day when I realised that someone has stolen all the precious stones, jeweleries, and cash from the safe box inside the room. If you stay at this hotel do not leave anything valuable in the safe box as advised. I did just that, and even with my own individual code they open the safebox and stole everything that was valuable. Do not stay at this Hotel!!!

The hotel staff were so friendly and helpful and the public rooms were furnished with fab Egyptian historical pieces throughout. Breakfast lovely and particularly cool was the fact we were only in our room for about 1 minute when a knock on the door revealed the waiter with welcoming fresh fruit drinks.
You will though need to arrive by taxi as not easy at all to find. In small sidestreet with no obvious signage.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Cairo. The transport from the airport was an issue and consideration should be given for airport pick up which would assist in the frenetic conditions of the arrival section of the airport. Hotel arranged transport to airport when we left which made life easier. Best wishes to all at the Hotel Talisman.

The Talisman Hotel is the perfect place to stay in the heart of Cairo if you are looking for a friendly boutique hotel that is well-run and has easy access to the Egyptian Museum at a reasonable price.