The grande dame of Alexandria's hotels, on Saad Zaghloul Square at the centre of the downtown waterfront. The wood-panelled lobby, the ironwork lift cage, and the corner Monty Bar (named after Field Marshal Montgomery, who allegedly used it as a meeting room) all survive from the 1929 original. The hotel was refurbished by Sofitel in the 2000s, then sold and operated independently from 2014.
Non-guests can sit in the Monty Bar or the lobby tea room — both are easier to access than they look. The bar is one of the few proper old-Alexandria spots that still functions. The exterior is the most-photographed art-deco facade in the city. Worth at least a passing visit on any walk through downtown; an afternoon coffee or evening drink for a longer encounter.