Wonderful classic hotel from the 1930's still going strong. Great value for money and good location in downtown Cairo. Very large and comfortable rooms with clean bathrooms, also has a great rooftop terrace restaurant with cold beer. Very helpful and friendly staff and good to come back to after a day exploring the museums and vibrant street life. There are plenty of shops nearby with everything you could want. Comparable to the famous and even older Continental Hotel in Tangier.

The hotel is situated in a very vibrant and convenient place to visit Cairo. It is easy to get around with taxis and the subway station. You can also walk around to go to Tahrir square and other places. The hotel is very nice, clean and I loved the decoration and architecture. The staff is very friendly and kind. The rooftop is great to have breakfast and have dinner in the evening, relaxing after a long day of walking.

Of course the neighbourhood is noisy - but I was not upset by it, on the contrary, it is part of the charm

The Carlton Hotel is a perfect place to stay to experience the best of Egypt. Staff are welcoming and super attentive, the building exudes charm and the lustre of days gone by, and the location is a tucked away side street (selling steering wheels and other car accessories) that opens out onto one of the busiest and most Cairene of downtown squares - full of life and the bustle that makes this city so alluring. Our rooms were large and comfortable, and the whole place has the look and feel of a 1940s film. Fixtures, fittings and decorative details evoke smoky romance, grand tours and cocktails. Wooden floors, dim lighting, huge ceiling fans, and maharrabiya panels incorporated into above bed lighting. One of my lightbulbs was blinking, the fridge didn’t work, and the hot water in the shower was patchy, but this didn’t detract from the overall experience, which I will look back on fondly. The dark and polished wood and faded grandeur may not suit everyone, but I’d choose this place over a generic, off the peg modern ‘international’ hotel any day. Did I mention the rooftop bar for breakfast of omelette, fuul and fluffy breads, or for winding down with a Stella after a busy day?

Unreliable hot water in shower

Fantastic historic experience, and great price/value. Probably once a "Grand Hotel", today it shows some signs of ageing - but that somehow (at least for me) gives it even more charm. And it's fair to say that the hotel also today is "well looked after". Incredible rooftop terrace & vintage bar, perfect to get a break from the bustling happy-tiring streets of Cairo. Good oriental/traditional breakfast. Great staff serving you as in the old days: lift boy, concierge, barman, and so on...

the windows are old (but elegant/vintage), so road noise can be a bit of an issue. But that's somehow a must for "authentic" Cairo - and can easily be solved with earplugs. The bathroom showed certain signs of ageing/ small leaks, but then its still nice and clean.

The hotel as it says is steeped in tradition and the general facilities reflect that , but it's very comfortable. The rooftop bar is its main attraction and it's a fantastic to be high above the chaos of the streets below. The staff are friendly , and it's a great location to explore central Cairo , although we were also easily picked up for a Pyramids trip.

We asked for menus in the rooftop bar and were told to scan it from the table , but be aware it's outdated and the actual prices are about 30% higher , although that still doesn't make it expensive. Food quality and speed of service were OK but could perhaps be sharpened up a bit.

The Carlton is an amazing survivor built in 1935, in the modernist style of the time. This part of Cairo was highly fashionable at that time, and the interior has been carefully maintained in its original style. We loved the Roof Garden, open daily for breakfast and again from 3.00pm to 1.00am. It's popular with non-residents too. There is a choice of Egyptian or Continental breakfast (Egyptian is best), and in the evening food, drinks and shisha pipes are available. The staff are all very friendly. Our bedroom had a nice big bed, very comfortable. Good aircon and heating via the aircon (useful on a cool winter's evening). Reception staff were extremely helpful. We were very happy with our choice, and had three separate stays here during our two weeks in Egypt.

Minor detail: TV has squillions of channels, all African/Middle Eastern. But no BBC. English language news via France 24 and Al Jazeera - if you can find them! Bathroom was pretty compact, but modern and with plentiful hot water.

Very charming hotel with beautiful interior and architecture. Great rooftop to hang out and take a delicious breakfast from friendly staff with view over Cairo.

The cleanliness of the bathroom could have been a little bit better, but it wasn't a disaster. What would be great too is to change the music at the rooftop in the morning and in the evening. Its too generic and just very bad ;).

Located in downtown Cairo, not far from Tahir Square, this hotel is an absolute gem. From the moment you walk through the door, you feel like you are in a Noel Coward play, expecting gentlemen in tuxedos and ladies in flapper style dresses to waltz through the lobby. The corridors are lined with interesting old photos, and the high ceiling rooms are lined with wooden panelling, juxtaposing with the flat screen television. Adequate bathroom, comfortable enough beds and tea, and coffee making facilities. The highlight of the place is the rooftop lounge and terrace bar and restaurant. This is where they serve the delicious Egyptian or continental breakfast in the morning and where you can enjoy a drink or meal with views of the city skyline in the evening. The staff were friendly and efficient, with Amr Gaber being particularly attentive.

The rooms are on the 6th and 7th floors, but despite this and some shutters, it can be a bit noisy. However, that's a price worth paying for being in the middle of the sensual onslaught that is Cairo, in my opinion.

The location was excellent for tours and the front desk staff were very helpful. The Egyptian breakfast was great. Amr, the Rooftop area manager, was exceptional, as were most of the staff.

I travelled with a friend ... she chose a double roon and I booked the Studio Suite but found it too difficult to navigate due to my age. I was given another, cheaper room. However, we were charged for my friend's room AND the studio room at the higher rate of over US100. A request for a part refund was met with a statement that I need to go through Booking.com. Not happy!!

Great old hotel with plenty of old world character. Top location close to the museums and Tahrir Square. Abundant shops and restaurants nearby and no touts, unlike Luxor. The 8th floor terrace gives a great view of downtown Cairo, warts and all! Spend an hour with a glass or two of cold beer and a pizza watching Egyption life below on the streets.

Like all old hotels of its class, the old girl needs a lick of paint and bit of fixing up, but in all a good value and safe place to stay in central Cairo.