Isn’t it anyones dream to wake up in the morning, open the curtains and look out over the pyramids of Giza when visiting Egypt? Sounds too good to be true right? But don’t just dream about it, make it happen. You will be surprised how easy and affordable it is.
In this blog post I will show you the best places to stay near the pyramids and tell you everything you need to know and help you make your dream come true. However, keep reading because not all that glitters is gold.
As romantic as it may seem, there is another side to the story too. Is it really that cool? Here is my honest opinion!
On my recent trip to Egypt I visited the Pyramids on a day trip from Cairo. I stayed at the Fairmont Nile City in Cairo, a l;uxury hotel in the heart of Cairo.
An Uber comfort from the city to the Pyramids if Giza costs about $10 one-way and takes 45 minutes. So there is actually no reason to stay overnight next to the Pyramids unless you are dreaming about having breakfast with a view of the pyramids or going to sleep while looking over the silhouettes of this ancient Wonder of the World.
Another advantage of booking a hotel near the pyramids is that you can easily attend the light show, happening every night at 07:00 pm from October to April and at 07:30 pm from May to September.
But to experience sleeping in a hotel next to the Pyramids of Giza at the end of my Egypt trip I booked a hotel near the pyramids for two nights and these are my experiences. Before I list you the best places to stay in Giza I will start with a list of things to know before booking a hotel near the pyramids.
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9 Things to know before booking a hotel near the pyramids
1. There is not much to do
Visiting the pyramids is of course the highlight of traveling to Cairo and there is a long list of other cool places to visit in Cairo, but near the pyramids there is nothing to do. The area around the pyramids is very residential without any other Cairo highlights.
2. Staying 1 night is enough
Unless you are splurging and booking a fancy 5 star hotel near the pyramids I would not recommend to stay more than 1 night near the pyramids.
3. Giza town is dirty
Let’s just be honest, the town around the Pyramids Complex is not a place where you want to hang out. It is a dirty place with trash all over. Piles of trash on the side of the streets and camel and horse poop everywhere. Combine that with the hot temperatures and you will understand that the town of Giza actually stinks. Having a room with a view over the pyramids sounds very romantic, but this is also the reality!
4. Visit the Pyramids the day of check-in
Most likely it will be pretty hot when visiting the pyramids and walking around for a couple hours in the desert is exhausting. Strolling back to your hotel after your visit, taking a shower, sitting back and admire the phenomenal views over the pyramids is pretty damn nice.
Also when waking up the next morning you can enjoy your breakfast with a view over the pyramids at your own leisure without feeling the rush to go visit.
5. Pick the room category with Pyramids View
Most of the hotels mentioned will have various room categories and most of them do NOT include pyramids view. So when booking your room, make sure it says: Pyramids View and look at the room category pictures before confirming.
The pictures are the best way to tell you if you can actually see the pyramids from your room.
6. Room with a balcony is a huge PLUS
If you want to enjoy the view over the pyramids from your room then I definitely recommend you to book a room with a balcony. Sitting behind a window on your bed overlooking the pyramids is nice, but add an extra dimension by staring towards it while sitting on the balcony.
Personally I booked a room without a balcony and the view was good, but the room was small and sitting behind a glass window, uncomfortably on my bed was NOT appealing at all. I found it overrated and did NOT spend any time in my room as I felt like being in a fish tank.
7. Splurge
Traveling to Egypt is cheap so the rest of your trip you can continue traveling on a budget if you have to. If there is one place on your trip where I would recommend you to spend a little more money than normal it is for a room with a view over the Pyramids of Giza. End of the day, this is one of the Wonders of the World and as I said, it is recommended for just 1 night.
8. Prices
Rooms with a view over the pyramids already start from around $50 USD per night but range up to $300 per night. For those visiting Egypt on a budget, there are some cool options and that is why I said it is possible for everyone. Breakfast is mostly included in the room rates. So booking a room with views over the pyramids is for every budget.
9. Rooftops
Most of the hotels near the pyramids have rooftop restaurants with an even better view over the pyramids than your hotel room. The rooftops are a gem and a great place to hang out. Rooftop restaurants are accessible for non hotel guests as well.
The food in these rooftop restaurants is disappointing and expensive. It is mostly pizza, pastas, burgers and kebabs. Very overpriced and shit quality so I do not recommend eating here. Expect to pay about $3 for a tea, soda, coffee, etc.
Alcohol is officially NOT served, but they will get you a beer from a nearby place and serve it. Make sure to agree on a price for the beer on forehand, about 60 EGP ($2) is normal.
Best hotels near the Pyramids with excellent views
When booking a hotel room near the pyramids from one of the famous booking sites then keep in mind that most hotels add 12% service charge, 1% city tax and 14% tax. That means an extra 27% on top of the total price! Therefore always check if the total price includes additional charges or not.
1. Marriott Mena House
By far my favorite place to stay near the pyramids in 2024 is the Marriott Mena House. It is a proper luxurious resort with huge swimming pool that lives up to the name of the Marriott brand. However, it is of course also very expensive and expect to pay at least around $250 per night.
I enjoyed my experience very much at the Marriott Mena House, it felt like a little oasis away from the dirty town of Giza and the touts in and around the pyramids complex hassling tourists way too much.
Don't be fooled by the picture above, there is no pyramids view from the swimming pool and most rooms don't have pyramids view either or are even more expensive. Rooms however are spacious and luxurious.
The view from the restaurant of the Marriott Mena House is phenomenal and so is the breakfast. If you are looking for the best place to have breakfast in Giza then this is your place. The buffet breakfast is also open for non-guests.
Disadvantage of staying at Marriott Mena House is that the view over the pyramids is a little limited. Unlike the other hotels and guesthouses in this article the Marriott Mena House is located at the main entrance gate of the Pyramids Complex. The resort lies a little lower than the pyramids and you can only see 2 of the 3 big pyramids.
You can NOT see the Sphinx from the Marriott Mena House and neither does the Marriott Mena House have a rooftop restaurant with views over the pyramids.
Staying in the Marriott Mena House is all about luxury travel, but if you are looking to splurge one night in Egypt I would say this is a great hotel to do it. But remember to book a room with a balcony that actually has views of the pyramids.
2. Panorama Pyramids Inn
A great place to stay for those on a budget. This guesthouse is located on the front row near the exit of the complex on the side of the Sphinx. The Panorama Pyramids Inn allows you an unobstructed view over the pyramids and the Sphinx from your room as well as from its lovely rooftop restaurant. Rooms with views over the pyramids start from $55. These rooms have no balconies.
The room with a balcony is rather cramped but has a good view over the pyramids and costs around $65.
3. Egypt Pyramids Inn
Right in front of the Pyramids Complex exit on the first row you will find the Egypt Pyramids Inn with very good reviews on hotel booking sites. The rooms with views of the pyramids start from $50 but are rather cramped. So are the rooms with balconies overlooking the pyramids that start from $100 per night.
The rooftop restaurant of the Egypt Pyramids Inn is big and spacious and has excellent unobstructed views over the complex. This is hotel is a great choice when thinking about staying near the pyramids.
4. Best view Pyramids Hotel
This hotel is one of those popular pyramid hotels that circulate on Instagram for having a jacuzzi with a view of the pyramids. There is only 1 room with a jacuzzi though and that is the suite on the top floor which costs $130 per night.
The rooftop restaurant has large windows and a rather small outdoor seating. There are better rooftops with views over the pyramids.
5. Hayat Pyramids View Hotel
Not located on the front street, but one street away from the Pyramid complex and therefore the rooms are much more quiet. It is a taller building than the others and therefor the view from the rooftop is also unobstructed. The rooftop is very spacious and probably one of the best rooftop restaurants near the pyramids. Hotel rooms with views of the pyramids start from $60.
They have a Deluxe Suite for $130, but unfortunately it has no balcony. The rooms with balconies do have a partial view of the pyramids.
6. Pyramids Valley Boutique Hotel
A little more expensive than most other hotels in this area, but also a little more comfortable plus the deluxe double rooms with pyramids view have balconies. I didn’t stay there myself but it looked as the nicest place to stay, especially with the multi level terraces. Price: $75 for a balcony room with views over the Sphinx and the pyramids.
The Pyramids Valley Boutique Hotel has several rooftops, and from the one on the top floor you a have 360 degrees view over the town and of course the Pyramids of Giza.
A little bummer is that from the rooms and some terraces you can NOT see the biggest pyramid, only from the rooftop terrace. But you can see the other 2 big pyramids from everywhere else.
7. Cleopatra Pyramids View Hotel
This is the hotel that I chose when staying near the pyramids. Just like many other hotels around it had very good ratings on hotel booking sites. It is one of the cheapest rooms with an actual view of the pyramids. You can get a room with pyramids view for already $40. The staff is friendly.
The rooms are pretty small and there is no balcony. As it is on the street side it is pretty loud and I used earplugs to sleep.
The rooftop is a little disappointing. It is very small, chairs are incredibly uncomfortable, food is NOT good and prices are high. The included breakfast is served at the rooftop restaurant. Views are good, but the breakfast is very simple.
8. Airbnb Jacuzzi by the Pyramids
Last but not least a complete different option. Not directly located near the entrance or exit of the pyramids, but a short 5 minute walk away. This one bedroom apartment is the most popular choice on Airbnb when looking for rooms close to the Pyramids of Giza.
Bummer is that it requires a short walk through the town to reach the pyramids. Although I would say Giza is safe, at night I would recommend to take a 2 minute taxi or tuk-tuk ride. Price for 1 night at this Airbnb with pyramids view is around $100.
A lot of articles about Pyramids hotels are still talking about the Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel and Spa, but it already closed its doors early 2020.
One last recommendation when visiting the pyramids is the 9 Pyramids Lounge. The most incredible place to have lunch with an unobstructed view over the pyramids. The food is good and the view is simply extraordinary.
However, this place is within the Pyramid complex and only accessible when having paid the 300 EGP ($10 USD) entrance fee to the Pyramid complex.
To get there you will have to get a horse cart or a camel ride as it is a little out of the way, all the way on the other side of the pyramids main entrance gate. To go to the 9 Pyramids Lounge, have lunch there and come back will take you at least about 2 hours. The lounge closes at 3.00 pm and the Pyramid complex closes at 4.00 pm.
Oh one more tip for visiting the Pyramids. If you are thinking to buy the 500 EGP ($16 USD) ticket to go inside the Great Pyramid, I just want you to know that it is a 10 minute visit, walking through a very narrow and boiling hot walkway, very steep staircase to a black chamber with just a sarcophagus.
I expected something completely different. Cool experience? Yes! Worth $25? I would say no.
Enjoy your stay at the Pyramids of Giza! May you have any more questions then please leave me a comment below and I will try to help you out.