We spent one night at this hotel because it was the starting point of our tour. I wasn't sure what to expect after reading the mixed reviews on here but in the end I feel it was an acceptable place to stay. It wasn't perfect but it was alright.

One of things I appreciated about this hotel was its old classical style, and the building itself. Like so many of the high-rises in the area, it was built in a more booming, glamorous time for Cairo and has fallen into decay. The hotel has kept the building up relatively well and I quite enjoyed the art-deco style including the staircase and elevator.

The rooms feature very high ceilings and are upscale basic. We had a mini-bar (that was empty), small seating area and a bathroom that was larger than normal. Bedding was typical for Egypt with a large comforter and single pillow, and the beds harder than we are used to in North America. There was minimal lighting in the room and with the shutters closed, I found it quite dark. There were also old-school touches like a radio built into the nightstand, but it didn't work.

The lobby area is large with lots of seating and free wi-fi (just ask for the password). If you don't have your own internet device you can use the business centre in the lobby for a fee. There is also a tavern inside the hotel for drinks at night, and a restaurant for breakfast (that was included but very simple).

This a great area to stay - many things are within walking distance including a metro stop for the attractions that are located outside downtown. There were tons of places to eat, and things to do within a 5km radius.

All in all, this was a good place to stay for our night before the tour. I would have no problems staying here for a few nights on my own due to its excellent location and value. For the price, you are getting your moneys worth.

This government run palace is simply run down. The lobby is nice, but the rooms are not so nice. The floor was covered with cigarette ashes and I showered with about 10 bugs. The bathroom is simply scary looking. That being said, for 1 night this was absolutely fine because the location is smack in downtown Cairo. If I were staying longer, I would most certainly find somewhere newer and cleaner... Wifi is available in the lobby at no cost. Kudos to the staff... they were very lovely.

Stayed here with a small group. The lobby is nice . . . the rooms don't quite live up to the first impression. The rooms I saw were all quite small and cramped. Otherwise, the hotel is fine. My room was clean and fairly quiet. Staff was generally helpful. The hotel is located in a very walkable part of the downtown - within reasonable walking distance of the Egyptian Museum.

We stayed at Cosmo 4 nights over the course of 2 weeks (3 different rooms).

First, make sure you bring directions to get there because nobody (taxi driver, locals) seemed to know where it was located based on the address alone.

This hotel is definitely old, which is part of it's charm. Elevator is quite an interesting piece of "technology".

Our rooms were ok (some are bigger than others) and kept clean. We had some problems flushing the toilet in one of our rooms though (only complain we had).
There is a busy street below, so if you're sensitive to noise, bring earplugs. Personally, we weren't bothered by the noise, but people travelling with us had to use earplugs.

Hotel is within walking distance of the Egyptian Museum and major shopping streets!

Staff were nice, but always looking for a tip (which is something you will get EVERYWHERE in Egypt, so don't be surprised).

This is the only hotel we stayed at in Cairo, but it did the job. Don't expect the Hilton.

You will most likely run into Youssef (he owns the papyrus shop in front of the hotel). He's a very nice guy and he might offer to show you around (as long as you agree to go for coffee in his shop after). He will try to sell you papyrus and will then take you to his cousin's perfum shop. Both of them were extremely friendly and nice. A taxi driver later told me that Youssef's papyrus are not of the best quality. We still enjoyed the time we spent we them regardless.