Steigenberger Cecil Hotel

Overlooking the sunny harbour, the Steigenberger is rather grand with a turreted roof and Moorish arches. Your introduction to the hotel is a red-carpeted lobby, where you can enjoy light lunches and teas. With a gleaming wooden bar and moody lamps, the Monty Bar is an intimate spot for evening drinks, accompanied by live local music. Amongst the hotel's rather haughty decor, Le Jardin is a bright, laid back restaurant with greenery dangling from the 'garden gates', vases of pink roses, and lots of tasty Mediterranean dishes.

The Steigenberger has 82 rooms and three suites, each donning red textiles, wooden furnishings, and ornate mirrors. The bathrooms are functional with a shower/bath combination and a large mirror. Each room has a balcony and some enjoy views of the Saad Zaghlou Square, whilst the suites look out over the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. The Prestige Suites are the most spacious with a separate lounge furnished with plump, chintzy sofas and an antique desk. Other amenities include a TV with international channels, minibars, and tea/coffee makers.

Step out of the front door for stroll along the pretty Corniche promenade, the scent of freshly-fried seafood in the air. Head for the Citadel of Qaitbay, where you can see the headlands where Alexandra the Great's famous Pharos Lighthouse once stood. Visit Alexandria's Manuscripts Museum, where you'll see a copy of the only papyrus text to survive its ancient library, and get to know the city's history at the National Museum where there are sculptures exhumed from the Eastern Harbour on display.