If you want to directly experience Cairo, the Windsor is the perfect spot. It is right in the heart of the city but not on a busy street, just blocks from both subway lines. Chock full of charm, not big chain amenities. The hotel bar is the perfect spot for breaks. Make sure to ask for a deluxe room and you'll be very comfortable. The other rooms are great for young couples or singles. All the rooms are good value. Most of all, the entire staff, from the owners down, gives personal and personable service. You'll leave feeling like you made friends! I'd recommend the Windsor to my best friends and hope to return one day myself.

I have been visiting Cairo for over a decade now and I really wonder why I never discovered the Windsor before. We stayed there for one week and absolutely loved it. It is a real piece of history in the middle of Cairo. We had a large room with two beds, shower and toilet. The hotel is spotlessly clean: do not be put off by the fact that it is furnished with the original furniture and bathroom tiles. There is a difference between vintage, and dirty! (and believe me I have seen it: this hotel is very clean) Our bedsheets were very very clean, new clean towels every day, and the staff is amazing in their friendliness and helpfulness. Real kindness from real people without bothering you.
The well-maintained elevator is unique, the bar feels like you are sitting in a living room rather then a hotel-bar, and the free wifi makes this the ideal place to relax and chat with your family and friends back home while enjoying a fresh lemonade!
The Doss family, owners of this hotel, are always around to assist you in any possible way, or to tell you about the rich history of their hotel.
The metro station is about 3 minutes walking, the Egyptian Museum is just 2 stops away.
Please bear in mind that this is Egypt: yes, you will have to wait a few minutes before the hot water runs hot (but it will), and yes, the street is bustling with life until midnight.
If you prefer a formula-hotel, then this is probably not for you. If you prefer a real piece of history, this is the hotel! I am glad I finally found the hotel I will stay in from now on.

I stayed for two times at the Windsor hotel.
The first time, also my first time in Cairo, i took part in a workshop with a group of 17 people. We stayed for almost 5 weeks in the windsor and it became kind of home for me.
The staff is so friendly, that you always feel welcome.
Also the hotelmanager is a very sympathic person, who is always caring, that everything is going right and the guests feel comfortable.
When I came back the second time, it was a bit like coming home.
I stayed for 2 weeks, and again the whole staff gave us a very special time.
The hotel is wonderful, the rooms have their own charme, everything is very clean, and the cleaning staff is very nice.
The bar is famous all over Cairo,and they have a good kitchen!
I could not imagine where else to stay in Cairo, to get a rest in this colossal city.
Everything I expect from a good hotel, I found at the Windsor hotel....and more!!

An amazing place! If you're looking for luxury then this certainly won't fit the bill. However if you're looking for a bit of colonial and celluloid history preserved then this is ideal. By modern standards, the rooms are very basic but, in my experience, clean. I loved the old lift, the barrel bar, the manual telephone switchboard, the authentic old telephone in the room....

The rooms are good value, considering the excellent location (downtown Cairo, within 2 minutes walk of a metro station) and the historical appeal. You can find rooms of a similar standard for a cheaper price but I would bet that it would be lacking the charm and good location that sets the Windsor apart.

The hotel can be tricky to find due to the one-way-system and the fac that the enstrance is around the back.

Be careful with your booking. Like some others who have posted reviews, my second stay here began with a night in their "sister" hotel (the Lotus) following an error on their part, which meant that there were no rooms available at the Windsor upon my arrival. Avoid the Lotus if at all possible - it's not good value!