Come discover 100 of the most romantic small hotels and places in the world.
Bedouin, salt lakes, and palm-fringed oases.
Spartan elegance at this mud-brick eco-lodge. Dine alfresco, by lantern light, on Limoges china. Swim in a spring-fed Roman pool. Here at the Temple of Oracle, Alexander the Great sought counsel from the god Amun before taking over rule of Egypt. Go in winter; summer desert temperatures reach 135 degrees F.
T: +20 02 340 0052. 30 rooms. US$ 400-, incl. meals
www.adrereamellal.net
Antiquities, pyramids and Queen Nefertari’s tomb; located on the West Bank of the Nile.
Avoid the packaged tourist hotels on the Nile’s East Bank and stay in the West Bank, on the quiet side of the river. Created and operated by jewelry designer Zeina Abuokheir, this elegant boutique hotel sits on eight acres of gardens and is just 3 miles from the Valley of the Kings.
T: +20 12 325 1307. 54 rooms. US$ 150-
www.moudira.com
Africa’s largest city, the densely populated metropolis contains ancient mosques, Coptic churches, Arab settlements, the 10th-century palace-city, Saladin’s imposing Citadel and the minarets of Sultan Hassan’s 13th-century gem of a mosque.
Owned by an Egyptian/Dutch couple, Cairo’s first boutique hotel is located in the leafy Nile-side suburb of Maadi, just 15 minutes by Metro from Cairo’s crowded chaos. Art deco furnishings are mixed with contemporary fabrics and artwork. This 1920’s-era villa includes a small pool and in-house chef.
T: +20 2 2358 0265. 13 rooms. US$ 380-
http://villabelleepoque.com
