We stayed on two separate occasions in December 2010 and on both occasions we found the rooms to be clean, reasonably sized and with fully working bathrooms. The staff went out of their way to be helpful and were able to arrange trips/excursions with minimal fuss and reasonable prices. Tefa (the manager) is knowledgable and enthusiastic and all his arrangements went like clockwork. He was "worth his weight in gold". We have no hesitation in recommending this hotel to others looking for budget accommodation.

My first impression of Invitation Hotel was that it's a nice hotel. It has basic rooms, good beds, hot water 24/7, clean bathrooms, and a fantastic location.
But what makes this hotel stick out is the hospitality. The staff, especially Tefa and Zuzu, go out of their way to help you. The first night we were here, Zuzu suggested that we go a free whirling dance concert. He gave us all of the information and even went down to catch us a taxi for us, gave the driver instructions in Arabic and when we offered him a tip, refused saying that this was part of his job and that he wanted to help us. We loved this concert and probably wouldn't have found it if it wasn't for Zuzu. The next night, we met Tefa, on the night staff. He sat with us and told us all about Egyptian culture, introduced us to some Egyptian music on the internet, and ordered rice pudding for us so that we could try it. Every night following, we hung out with Tefa and he always offered us some dessert and one night Zuzu introduced us to some Egyptian drink. We also booked a Pyramids tour through Tefa at the hotel and were very pleased with the experience.
I would highly recommend this hotel if you want great service, a chance to make some friends, and the opportunity to learn something about Egyptian culture. My only advice would be to remember that Cairo has 20 plus inhabitants and its traffic noise reflects that, so bring earplugs!

The rooms were large enough, not super clean but ok for a budget hotel. The staff for the most part were friendly, and Tiefa (spelling) went out of his way to help out with tips, directions, etc. What spoiled my one week stay there was the gruffness of checkout. A loud pounding on the door to literally kick me out of the room (this done by the corpulent Mohammed) although the hotel was half-empty and Mohammed could have given me some leeway on the check out. He remained very moody and unfriendly, but Tiefa saved the day in the evening with his friendliness and help in getting a taxi to the airport. Good location near Egyptian museum but rooms are loud no matter which side of the hotel.

very good to stay, good and friendly staff, airo in each room, clean! 4the floor! high when the elevator is broken!