F E AT U R E In later years, Alexandria became, mostly under the influence of the government that went there to escape the heat, a summer destination. Some hotels were built, the grandest of them being the San Stefano, which opened in 1887 and closed in 1993. The only historic hotel still operating, now under Accor management, is the Cecil, dating from 1930. Most of the grand hotels were, understandably, in Cairo. Fitting, as it was not only the starting point for most tourists, but also the political and trade capital, and the base for most of the military. If not actually based in Cairo, the military would at least spend their leave there. Shepheard’s Hotel opened in 1850, the first of the truly grand hotels. It became an institution in itself, after several upgrades and a complete rebuilding in 1890, occupying an enormous space overlooking the Azbakiya Gardens. It had 340 rooms and 240 bathrooms, an amazing feat at the time. As was the electricity! It had 120 ventilators, a steam laundry room staffed by 80 and a postal office that was open 24 hours a day. And most famously: the elevated terrace – from which one could look at Egyptian life without entering it. As the saying was, if you sat on the terrace long enough you could see the whole world walk by. Another memorable feature of Shepheard’s was the male-only Long Bar, which was home to two world-famous barkeepers. One invented a hangover cure, the Corpse Reviver, the other, Joe Scialom, invented a still-known cocktail called the Suffering Bastard. Scialom escaped the fire that burned Shepheard’s to the ground on Black Saturday, January 26, 1952, “slightly ruffled and really annoyed”. Most hotels suffered from either one or both of the two world wars. Not that they had any material damage, but they were requisitioned by the British army to house the soldiers, the wounded, in all practicality becoming hospitals, convalescent homes or offices, and most of them were never able to recuperate from that. The fact that tourism declined in the years after the wars didn’t help, nor did the fact that when tourism did recover in the end, it had
Grand Hotels of Egypt, while it is not a book to read from
changed. There was the revolution and the nationalization of great
cover to cover – which it was probably never intended to be –, is
properties, all factors debit to a general decline of the grand hotel.
a highly enjoyable book and a definite must-have for any history
Not forgetting the start of the truly Egyptian hotels in the 1950’s, like
freak, Egypt lover, hotelier, or for people who just love hotels. It
the new Shepheard and the Nile Hilton, “erected by order of President
is filled with information, funny anecdotes and little stories, with
Nasser”. The few grand hotels that survived became parts of big chains
great illustrations throughout.
and have only relatively recently recovered (part) of their status and glamour. Apparently there is a government initiative to preserve and
Grand Hotels of Egypt in the Golden Age of Travel
protect nine iconic hotels: the Mena House, the Gezira Palace, the
by Andrew Humphreys
Cecil, the Winter Palace, the Cataract, the old Luxor Hotel, the Nile
AUC Press, 2011
Hotel, the new Shepheard and the Alexandria Palestine. Hopefully, the standards will be improved, rather than preserved.
LE 200 Available at AUC bookstores or call the ECA to reserve a copy.
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