Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence

The lounges, dining rooms and bars are all finely dressed, from the great, circular stained-glass window and grand piano in the Tea Lounge to the rose-hued marble in The First Bar. If you're stopping, we highly recommend the Golden Mummy cocktail of gold rum, fernet-branca, fresh cream and honey. Menus at the eateries range from modern Mediterranean cuisine, including Lebanese grills, prawn provencals and desserts of Egyptian pudding, to more continental classics. On the fourth floor, there is a large pool with fabulous views and intimate cabanas, as well as a kid's pool and a spa.

While the neighbouring First Mall has high-end stores aplenty, head downtown to the Khan Al Khalili bazaar, a conglomeration of medieval-style streets and fascinating stalls, for the real deal. Journey to see the Pyramids of Giza, perhaps even riding horseback over the sand, and visit the Sharia Al Muizz, one of Cairo's most spectacular collections of minarets and domes. Peruse the Museum of Islamic Art, its halls lined with stunning frescoes and carved plaster so fine it appears to be lace. The Four Seasons also offers exclusive, nighttime access to the Egyptian Museum, topped off with a private dinner in the gardens.