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Cairo’s famed Gezira Palace in the heart of the Cairo Marriott Hotel is set to undergo a meticulous, multi-million-dollar, two-year restoration designed to reclaim its resplendent brilliance while re-imagining its long-held traditions of hospitality.
“The Gezira Palace is the heart and soul of the Cairo Marriott Hotel. It provides our guests with the chance to visit and explore a living palace. It is an environment rich in period details, dramatic open gardens and architectural treasures, transporting our guests to a different place and time even while serving their every day needs,” said Cairo Marriott Hotel General Manager Rick Zeolla.
“As we embark on our journey of redefining this cultural masterpiece, we are committed to protecting, preserving and celebrating its rich cultural and architectural history as one of Egypt’s most revered national treasures,” he said. “Our goal is to seamlessly integrate the business of the hotel while honoring its period details and precious antiquities to allow the beauty and the grandeur of the original Palace to shine through for each and every guest.”
Aly Abdel Aziz, chairman and chief executive officer of the Holding Company for Tourism, Hotels and Cinema, said, “This hotel is a unique property because of its historic significance. The Holding Company is very committed to the restoration projects taking place at the Cairo Marriott Hotel as part of the asset management program and vision of the company. The project will retain the historic sentiments of this iconic hotel and essentially will enhance the physical and emotional overall experience of the hotel to what it once was. Although it is a considerable investment on our part, we strongly believe that it is one which yields greater economical and emotional rewards.”
Speaking for EGOTH (The Egyptian Company for Tourism and Hotels), a subsidiary of the Holding Company and owners of the Cairo Marriott Hotel, Nabil Selim, chairman of the company, said: “It is one of the company’s priorities to drive the property level higher and maintain its assets. This is what creates uniqueness and positioning not only in the Egyptian market, but on an international level as well.”
While the planned restoration will celebrate the Palace and its rare antiquities, the overall scope of the project will encompass all public spaces of the hotel including the entrance, lobby, gardens, food and beverage outlets, recreational areas and the addition of a world-class Spa.
The Palace restoration follows the recent completion of a refurbishment of the Cairo Marriott’s guest room towers with elegant fabrics, handcrafted woodwork and fine marbles, color schemes, carpeting, walls, lighting, plush bed and bath linens and amenities, the latest technology and the addition of two Royal Suites, each measuring 650 square meters and each served by its own butler.
The Gezira Palace was originally built as a luxurious “guest house” to accommodate royal guests among whom was the Empress Eugenie of France on her visit to Egypt for the 1869 inauguration of the Suez Canal. Its storied past includes hosting numerous heads of state and lavish social events. Complementing it at the time on Zamalek Island were a zoo, luxuriant gardens and lawns, statues by Europe’s most prominent sculptors and priceless paintings. Its interior was inspired by the Oriental style of the time and traditional Islamic motifs and architectural features. Its decor carefully balanced French and Oriental fabrics, furniture and artifacts shipped in from different parts of the world, specifically Germany, France and Italy.
Over the years, despite several changes in ownership, the Palace has always been treated with care and respect, ensuring preservation of its cultural heritage, unique architecture and royal history. In 1982 the Palace became the heart of the current Cairo Marriott Hotel.
At that time, a group of historical and conservation experts spent months making a complete inventory of the Palace’s treasures and drafting plans for restoration efforts. A cast-iron fountain was rescued, along with the grand marble staircase, six clocks, several paintings including a portrait of Eugenie and a marble table from the time of Louis XIV. A team of 75 painters spent months re-gilding the high ceilings. Even what remained of the original gardens was restored to some of their former glory. In 1982, the Cairo Marriott officially opened with two modern guest room towers embracing the fully restored Palace. It was the largest hotel in the Middle East with 1,250 guest rooms and seven presidential suites – and the only hotel in downtown Cairo with a garden!
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
