Landmark

Cecil Hotel (Alexandria)

4.2 · 300 reviews
Cecil Hotel (Alexandria)Simon Skidmore · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
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The Cecil Hotel, perched on the Corniche overlooking the Eastern Harbour, is a living monument to Alexandria's golden age. Built in 1929, its Italianate facade and grand lobby evoke the city's cosmopolitan heyday, when figures like Lawrence Durrell, Winston Churchill, and British intelligence officers frequented its bar. Though now part of the Steigenberger chain, the hotel retains its vintage charm with high ceilings, period furniture, and a rooftop terrace offering panoramic sea views. Visitors can enjoy afternoon tea or a drink at the bar, soaking in the atmosphere that inspired Durrell's 'Alexandria Quartet'.

Don't miss

  • The rooftop terrace with sweeping views of the Mediterranean and the city skyline
  • The historic bar, once a meeting place for Allied spies during WWII
  • The lobby's original 1920s marble floors and wrought-iron elevator

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Ways to visit Cecil Hotel (Alexandria)

You can usually visit on your own. A tour is worth it for transport, a guide, or combining nearby sights into one day.

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