Steigenberger Cecil Alexandria
egypt, egypt · ★★★★★
The Verdict
Worth it for your honeymoon?
The Cecil is a 1929 grand dame on Saad Zaghloul Square overlooking the Mediterranean — Lawrence Durrell set scenes from The Alexandria Quartet here, Somerset Maugham stayed, and Winston Churchill held wartime meetings in its salons. For honeymooners chasing the cosmopolitan Levantine Egypt of Cavafy and Durrell rather than the Pharaonic one, no other hotel touches it.
- →Need a strictly adults-only resort
- →Want a direct beachfront
- →Prefer boutique & intimate properties
Score Breakdown
84/100
Book Your Stay
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At a Glance
Room Recommendation
Which room to book
Book a Cecil Suite or a Mediterranean Sea View room on a high floor — the corniche-facing rooms get the bay sweeping from Fort Qaitbey to Stanley Bridge through their tall French windows. The historic suites retain their original art-deco architecture (lacquered walls, deep tubs) and are the only honeymoon-grade option here.
No Surprises
True cost breakdown — 7 nights for two
Based on mid-range rooms, premium-economy flights from Europe, full dining and signature experiences. Adjust for your actual travel profile.
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Room (7 nights avg $350/nt) | $2,450 |
| Flights (2 pax, economy/premium) | $1,800 |
| Airport transfers / seaplane | $200 |
| Dining & drinks (beyond room) | $3,675 |
| Excursions & experiences | $700 |
| Spa / signature treatments | $300 |
| Tips & service (8%) | $490 |
| Total estimated | $9,615 |
Day by Day
Your 7-night honeymoon itinerary
Arrival from Cairo & first walk on the corniche
Train from Cairo (3 hours, first-class is comfortable) or a 3-hour drive — the hotel sends a car if you prefer. Settle into your Mediterranean Sea View room with the corniche right outside. Late-afternoon walk along the seafront to Fort Qaitbey, built on the site of the ancient Pharos lighthouse, then back along the corniche for grilled seafood at Fish Market or Greek Club.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina & Royal Jewellery Museum
Morning at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina — the modern recreation of the ancient library is stunning architecture, and the manuscripts and antiquities collection are world-class. Lunch in the library café. Afternoon at the Royal Jewellery Museum in the former villa of Princess Fatma — the over-the-top Mohamed Ali dynasty jewels are a separate pleasure. Dinner back at the hotel's Monty Bar (named after Field Marshal Montgomery, who used the hotel during the El Alamein campaign).
Kom el Shoqafa Catacombs & Pompey's Pillar
Morning visit to the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa — the unique 2nd-century Roman-Egyptian-Greek burial complex is one of Alexandria's most underrated sights. Across the road is Pompey's Pillar at the Serapeum site. Lunch at Mohamed Ahmed for the city's best ful and tameya (Alexandria-style falafel). Afternoon at the Greco-Roman amphitheatre of Kom el Dikka — small but atmospheric.
El Alamein day trip
Day trip 100 km west along the coast to El Alamein — the Commonwealth War Cemetery, the German and Italian memorials, and the El Alamein Military Museum mark one of the most pivotal Allied victories of WWII. Lunch on the Mediterranean coast. Back by 5pm for a quiet hotel evening — drinks in the lobby with a Cavafy book, dinner in your room.
Cavafy Museum & coffeehouse afternoon
Morning at the Cavafy Museum on Sharia Sharm el Sheikh — the apartment where the great Greek-Alexandrian poet lived and wrote, preserved as it was. Walk through the old Greek Quarter and the European-era streets that Durrell described. Long afternoon at Pastroudis or Délices coffee houses for the Levantine café tradition Alexandria still keeps. Dinner at Santa Lucia — old-school Greek-Italian on the corniche.
Stanley & Mahmoud Said Museum
Take the corniche tram east to Stanley Bridge and the eastern suburbs — wide bays, calmer beaches, and the Mahmoud Said Museum, which houses the most important Egyptian modernist painter's collection in his former villa. Lunch on the seafront at San Giovanni or White & Blue. Slow afternoon back at the hotel — a long bath, a book, and a final corniche walk at sunset.
Farewell breakfast on the Mediterranean
Final breakfast in the historic dining room with the bay through the windows, then a last walk along the corniche before the train or car back to Cairo. Most honeymooners pair this with a Cairo or Luxor extension; Alexandria works as a 3-night component of a longer Egypt itinerary, and the Cecil supports a longer slower stay if you want to do the city properly.
Honest Assessment
What to know before you book
The Cecil is a historic property and shows it — service is more old-school European than Four Seasons polish, and modern amenities (pool, spa, gym) are minimal. Adjust expectations to grand-old-hotel standards.
Alexandria is a working Egyptian city, not a resort destination — the corniche is busy and traffic loud; this is a cultural-immersion honeymoon, not a beach one.
Mediterranean weather is unreliable November–March (cool and rainy) and the hotel does not have a beach — visit April–June or September–October for the best balance.
The hotel's restaurant scene is limited; plan to eat out at the city's classic seafood and Greek-Egyptian places (Fish Market, Santa Lucia, Mohamed Ahmed).
Train travel from Cairo is comfortable in first class but the road can be slow; pre-book the early-morning Talgo train and the hotel's airport meet.
Pre-Arrival
Email to send the hotel
Subject: Honeymoon booking inquiry — Steigenberger Cecil Alexandria Dear team, We are planning our honeymoon and are interested in staying from [DATE] to [DATE]. Could you advise on availability of a Cecil Suite or a Mediterranean Sea View room on a high floor, any honeymoon packages, and whether you can arrange a private guide for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Catacombs, and Cavafy Museum? Thank you, [Names]
Send 2 weeks before arrival. Fill in names, dates, and preferences. Hotels respond to personalised requests.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is it good for honeymooners?
For the right honeymooners — those drawn to literary and cultural travel, Levantine grandeur, and grand-old-hotel atmosphere over modern resort polish. Couples chasing the Cavafy-and-Durrell Alexandria will love it; those wanting a beach lounger will not.
Best time to visit?
April to early June and September to late October are ideal — Mediterranean weather is perfect, light is golden, and the corniche is at its best. November to March is cool and often rainy; avoid July and August for crowded domestic-tourism heat.
Should we book in advance?
Cecil Suites and Mediterranean Sea View rooms on high floors should be booked 4–6 weeks ahead for the April–June and September–October sweet spots. Standard rooms are usually available shorter notice.
Is it adults-only?
No, it accepts families and is also a regular wedding and conference host. The historic suites and corniche-facing rooms tend to skew adult and culturally-oriented.
Best room type for couples?
A Cecil Suite or Mediterranean Sea View room on a high floor is the honeymoon sweet spot — corniche outlook, retained art-deco architecture, and the bay through the windows from sunrise to sunset.
How do we get there?
From Cairo, the Talgo first-class train (3 hours) is comfortable and atmospheric, or a 3-hour private car. Borg El Arab International Airport (HBE) is 50 minutes from the hotel for direct flights from Cairo, Athens, Istanbul, and a few European hubs.
Same Vibe, Different Destination
