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We booked rooms at the nicest hotel in the city, the Conrad Cairo; a five star hotel overlooking the Nile where presidents, ministers and sheiks stay. The Conrad is the luxury brand of the Hilton. This place rivaled the Le Meridian in Thailand as the nicest hotel I have visited. Two bellmen dressed in official attire introduced themselves, tagged our bags and walked us to the entrance. At the front desk another pair of bellmen were assigned to us. The hotel service was so comprehensive I wouldn’t have been surprised to find bellmen behind the bathroom door waiting to assist.

I settled into my room ready to visit the hotel shopping mall, hotel casino and enjoy my executive privileges. Due to the stays I amassed over the years I was given a plush room with a balcony overlooking the city and the river. I walked to the executive lounge where I eased into a leather chair in front of a plasma television screen. The view from where I sat looked like a commercial. The Conrad insignia appeared on the window; palm trees, gold railing and cushioned seating lined the deck overlooking the Nile River and surrounding city.