- August 25, 2023
- 5:26 pm
- No Comments
This AirBnB is a Hidden Gem in Cairo, Egypt
Finding an amazing AirBnB is like hitting the lottery, right? I was scrolling through IG one day and saw this video of an AirBnB in Cairo Egypt with the SICKEST view of the pyramids! I immediately saved it to my “Egypt” folder and planned to check it out if I ever visited Egypt.
To be honest, Egypt was pretty low on my list of places to visit. I wasn’t really in a rush to get to Egypt **gasp**. My higher priority places on the continent are Tanzania, Nigeria, Senegal, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. However, an opportunity came up to help facilitate a trip for Nomadness Travel Tribe to Egypt. This meant an all-expenses paid trip AND I’d be paid to be there! With that, Egypt shot up to the top of my list! The Nomadness trip was 10 days, but I decided to get to Cairo 5 days early to enjoy some solo time and to get some content. I went back to my Instagram list to check out the things I had saved, including this AirBnB situation with the sick view.
The AirBnB
Looking at the reviews, most said the place was nice but difficult to find and warned against trying to get to the property at night. I made note of that and booked the place for the day after my arrival so I could look for it during the daytime. My flight was landing around midnight so I chose to stay at Le Meridian Airport by Mariott my first night given it’s a short walk from the airport (indoors depending on which terminal you’re flying into). Plus, I’m a Marriott Bonvoy girl so I love any reason to rack up points.
The views were spectacular
The views are the main draw for this AirBnB and they did NOT disappoint. There’s a video of my initial reaction to seeing the pyramids for the first time on my TikTok. But here’s a view for you to enjoy:
Not to mention the natural lighting in there was fantastic. Here are a few pictures I took using my phone, standing in front of the window:
Getting there was an adventure
To say this place was hard to find is completely and utterly spot on. My Uber driver followed the directions on the map and we landed on a dusty road lined on one side with local shops and the other side with parked cars and men sitting on curbs chatting and people-watching. The neighborhood was bustling with people heading to and fro, camels and cars making their way through. My Uber driver and I got out of the car to look around and see if we could decipher the location based on the map and address. He didn’t speak any English so he and I were communicating the best we could via Google Translate.
At one point, he waved over a man standing in front of a shop and showed him the map as well, explaining to him in Arabic that he was trying to help me find this place (that’s what I assume he was saying). That guy wasn’t sure either so he waved over another gentleman nearby to see if he could be of help. He wasn’t sure either. A younger man, dressed more like a westerner and walking his dog was passing by and noticed we looked lost. More likely he noticed that a group of 3 Arabic Egyptian men and a Black woman who was clearly not from around here were standing around trying to figure something out.
He stopped to help but also didn’t know where the place was. One more guy walked up and now I was surrounded by 5 men speaking Arabic. I will admit to having an “oh shit” moment. I’m a single woman, alone, in an Arabic country standing in a strange location where no one really knows where I am, and anything could happen to me.
I want to be clear about my comment about it being an Arabic country. My knowledge of Arabic countries is pretty limited and most of what I’ve been exposed to has led me to believe that their views and treatment of women could have caused me to be in a really tough situation. I recognize that this may not be true, but based on my limited exposure, those were my feelings in that brief moment.
That feeling lasted for just a moment b/c I tend to believe there are more good people in the world than bad and truly believed these men were genuinely trying to help me. The last guy who walked up knew that there was a popular AirBnB nearby that many foreigners came to. He pointed down a street towards the building. I recognized the building from another Tiktok I saw…he was right!
So that you don’t have to experience all of this confusion, at the bottom of this post, I’ll share specific directions as well as photos/videos of the surrounding area. You can also get a tour via my Egypt Travel Vlog on my Youtube Channel.
But before I share that and spoil the surprise, let’s talk about this AirBnB. Based on the photos on the site, the apartment is quite nice. Perhaps it’s a little strange having a bathtub in the room but with a bit of imagination, this could be a sexy moment for a couple having a bath in front of the pyramids, or a lovely self-care moment taking a nice bubble bath while gazing upon ancient history.
In either case, it does deliver on the view of the pyramids.
One thing you don’t see in the AirBnB photos is the building, the elevator, or the surrounding areas….but friend I want you to know what you’re getting into so you make the best decisions for you.
The building
Note, in the AirBnB listing, they only show a photo of the door, not the entire building. Cuz, let’s be honest, the building is a lil janky. The folk on social media tried to drag me for saying the building was janky but…it was 🤷🏾♀️. I stand by that. The building is very old and appears to be dilapidated. I will say, many of the buildings in this area of the city look old and dirty. That’s partly because they are very old. It’s also partly because Giza, the suburb of Cairo where the pyramids are located, is a very dusty area of town. For that reason, the buildings are typically worn by wind, dust, and tons of sun exposure.
The building reminded me of some of the projects you’d see in large cities in the US, honestly. I grew up in a trailer park and a lot of my aunts and uncles lived in the projects, which is where I spent most of my weekends as a kid so I’m not bougie enough to care about the building looking old. I do know, however, that there are folks who would arrive and feel like they landed in the wrong place or were tricked by a bait and switch from the AirBnB and I’m a keep it real kinda girl. So here is what the building looks like:
The elevator
You’ll need to ride the elevator to get to the AirBnB. It’s not the typical elevator you’d see in the US, that’s for sure. There’s just no way this elevator would be considered up to code in the US. Part of the elevator has old-world charm and part of it looks like something from a scary movie. In most elevators in the US, you enter, a door closes and you’re encapsulated in a box without any exposure to the interworkings of the elevator. In this particular elevator, you literally see the floors you’re passing by, lol. There is no barrier between you and each floor as the elevator ascends. That might be scary for some people. I don’t scare easily though and I’ve been in elevators like this in middle/western Europe.
The surrounding area
The area surrounding the AirBnB can feel very busy and different from what people are used to. This is not a touristy area. There is no Starbucks. This is a neighborhood in a small town outside of Cairo called Giza. You’ll see small shops with meat hanging outside, you’ll see people getting around on camels, , you’ll see local markets, you’ll see locals! It’s their neighborhood.
Being in local areas is my jam so I dropped my bags, and went downstairs to chat it up with the security guard/doorman and his friend who became my friend, Ahmed. Ahmed and I walked around the neighborhood for a bit and stopped to grab a bite at a restaurant just down the street and around the corner from the AirBnB. The food was so so SO good!
How to Get There
Ok now on to the directions. The address on the AirBnB listing may only get you so far. Here’s a few videos of how to get there from the main street where my Uber driver’s directions dropped me off.
This is the street view of where my Uber driver stopped at and couldn’t figure out where to go next:
If I turn in the other direction, down the street is a pharmacy:
So if you see both of these, you’re very close. The AirBnB is down a small road off this main street. The blue sign in the first photo with the arrow actually points where the AirBnB is. No idea what the sign says, but it is pointing in the right direction to get to the AirBnB!
So bookmark this post and screenshot it before you go to this AirBnB just in case your driver gets lost, you can help him help you find it, lol. Good luck!
Full disclosure, I did not get the chance to stay here overnight. I realized I booked my hotel for overlapping days 🤦🏾♀️ and I didn’t feel like repacking to unpack the packing again. I hung out here for the day and headed back to my hotel. But the reviews are mainly really good.
AirBnB Details
- Link to the Property: XURU STAYS EGYPT (they actually have 3 apartments in this building as of this post)
- AirBnB Cost: ~$80-$85 USD Per Night
- Configuration: Studio Apartment w/ Bathroom. Bathroom features shower, sink, toilet
- Features: Self-Checkin, Key fob required to access elevator
- Reviews: 250+ with 4.78 rating;
So having access to more than just the photos on AirBnB, would you still stay here? Now, that I’ve shared all that, I’ll say that I’d come back here. The people I interacted with were friendly and kind. While the building was janky, it was truly a “don’t judge a book by its cover” moment.
If you wouldn’t stay here, I totally get that. Check out my list of best places to stay in Egypt. Want more Egype content, check out my other blog posts on Egypt:
- Best Places to Stay In Egypt
- Guide to the Best Souvenirs in Egypt
- Best Places to get a view of the Pyramids in Egypt
- 10-Day Itinerary Egypt
- Top Things to Do In Egypt
- Best Cities to Visit in Egypt
- My Top Random Egypt Travel Tips
- Adapter for Egypt
Also, stop my by Egypt Travel Vlog on YT!
