Following the cruise to Luxor, we spent another two nights in Luxor. We had a chance to go to the Luxor museum, the Mummification museum and the Karnac light and sound show (meh). No good point options so we had two nights in a crappy hotel (well, mainly just the lack of wifi), $186 total.
From Luxor, we flew on to Cairo. No point options but we were able to get our flight for only $77.
Then we had fabulous stays in the Marriott Mena house Cairo. We used two of Kate’s Marriott FNCs (from opening the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card). Our avoided cost was $1,395. We wereupgraded to a suite for the second night.
The Marriott Mena House is right next to the pyramids. That’s the good news. The bad news, is that while you can get a close view right from the hotel, the smog is so bad that sometimes you can barely see them.
The hotel provides a golf cart five minute ride to the pyramids entrance. We went inside the Menkaure pyramid which was great because there were twists and turns (the Great Pyramid of Giza is just a straight in and straight out if you go inside. So it’s not very interesting. We rode a camel and had our photos taken with the pyramids in the background. We saw the Sphinx and went into the Queen’s Chamber tomb.
Later that afternoon, we went to the GEM Cairo museum.
Next we had four nights in the even better Nile Ritz Carlton. We used 4 Amex FHRs + $373 cash. We were upgraded ttoa Deluxe Nile view room. Our avoided cost was $4,314. This hotel also has the best buffet breakfast of any hotel we’ve ever been to.