This high-rise hotel overlooks the Nile (a plus) but is hemmed in on three sides by major traffic arteries (a minus). It’s within a block of the Egyptian Museum (a plus), but, because of the traffic, getting there can take 5-10 minutes. Once you make it to the museum, another short walk takes you to the Sadat ‘Metro’ station.

My original room looked out over expressways and the ruins of an earthquake-ravaged building. On returning from Luxor, I was on a high floor with a magnificent view up the Nile. Rooms on both of my stays were spacious and well-furnished, as were the bathrooms. The baths had more toiletries than one could ever use and bidets --- a European amenity that I wish more North American properties would offer.

There was a large outdoor terrace, with a swimming pool and shade-protected bar, about 20 feet above ground level. It had an unlighted area where one could park a lounge chair and nurse a nightcap in the dark while watching the river traffic go by.

The rooftop dining room had picture windows overlooking the Nile and skyline, but barely 25% of the tables had access to them. They filled up quickly and weren’t available to single diners. My one dinner there was excellent, but service began much later than I prefer and, after 9 p.m., the music was uncomfortably loud.

Early dinners could be had at an alternative restaurant on the mezzanine level. The food wasn’t as elegant as the dinner upstairs --- I didn’t expect it to be --- but service was excellent. Diners could choose between a buffet or menu entrees; both Continental and Arabic dishes were available. (The buffet was a nice way to check out some of the latter.) There were two large dining areas, both with views of the river. The restaurant was far too good to be called a ‘coffee shop’ but a little too large and informal to be called a ‘dining room.’ Though full dinners weren’t served before 5 p.m., lighter fare was available throughout the day. And there was --- get this --- 24-hour bar service. The evening I left for Luxor, the manager arranged dinner a half-hour early so I could take the Metro to the railstation instead of a pricey taxicab.

Though I normally stay in mid-price hotels, my travel agent suggested that an internationally-known brand might be a wise investment in a country that would be as unfamiliar as Egypt. It was. Just having Hilton’s concierge desk and on-premises travel agency at my service made life considerably easier.

The awkward pedestrian access keeps me from rating the Ramses Hilton ‘highly recommended,’ but its overall amenities and ability to offer special assistance as needed make it worthwhile for anyone willing to pay a little extra for quality.

Be advised: Egyptian hotels usually add a mandatory 12% ‘service charge’ to the rate quoted to your travel agent.