The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Summer
may be over but that’s still no excuse to neglect working out. With a zillion gyms
all over Cairo, it can be difficult to choose which one to attend. Hidden gems can often be found inside hotels. The best part about hotel gyms is
that you usually get access to the swimming pool as well. It might be getting a
bit chilly to swim at the moment but it’s never too early to prepare for next
summer already.

Located
in Dokki’s El Messaha Square, Safir Hotel has a gym that is open to non-guests and
offers access to the hotel pool afterwards.

Upon
entering the hotel, take a right and walk one floor up the stairs behind the
piano. The gym and spa are on your right side and the swimming pool on the left
side. The gym itself is quite small, but it’s usually empty so you’ll have the
space to yourself.

Although
the equipment is not of the newest designs, the machines are all in good condition.
There are two treadmills and a high and a low bike for endurance training. There
are also several appliances for strength training. The only downside, in this
reviewer’s opinion, is the lack of good ab-strengthening machines. The
only option is to do sit-ups on the old-school bench. Apart from that, there
are machines for your back, legs, arms and chest muscles.

There is
a television in the room and you are free to change channels if you like. A
personal trainer is around to help you out with the machines, but apart from
that you are pretty much on your own and responsible for setting up your own
workout program. The machines are fairly easy to use; so you shouldn’t encounter
any problems. The room does get a bit hot after working out for a while but you
can adjust the AC yourself if you like. This
reviewer was the only visitor, which was really nice. However, the small room may
not be as fun to work out in when it’s crowded, especially given the limited
number of machines.

The best
part about the gym membership at Safir is that you have unlimited access to the
swimming pool, which is large enough to swim laps
in. You can rest on one of the bean bags located around the pool or on one of the
sun beds. The only downside to the pool is that it is not exposed to the sun in
the mornings because of the buildings around it. Also, the lack of heating
makes it perfect for summer but a bit cold for this time of the year.

The spa
is right next to the rather small locker rooms. There is a steam room, a sauna
and a Jacuzzi. All of them are really clean and you can adjust the settings of
the Jacuzzi yourself, depending on how bubbly you like it. There are plenty of
towels around; so you don’t need to bring your own.

A one-year
membership costs 3600LE, while a six-month
membership costs 2100LE. If you’re only in
town for a limited time take the three-month membership for 1650LE or a one-month
membership for 700LE. Though the gym might not be big, the best part about this
membership is having access to the spa and pool. Prices are pretty reasonable
compared to other gyms that charge the same fees but don’t have pools.