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

In Cairo, great things come in small packages. On Taha Hussein Street in
Zamalek, El Hammam is one such tiny shop
filled with gifts and home accessories.  

El Hammam (bathroom in Arabic) carries mostly high-end bathroom products
like handmade soaps and plush towels, but a surprisingly wide array of non-bathroom
home accessories are on display on the mossy green shelves. Everything from wall art to knick-knacks are
found at El Hammam, but the shop is even smaller than it looks from the street;
so take care inside.

Towel sets come in a variety of colours, mostly pastels and earth
tones. For 300LE, a set of towels
includes a bath towel, two hand towels, and two wash cloths. Thick, soft bathrobes are also available
here. El Hammam carries both liquid and
bar soap, including hand-poured glycerine-based and olive oil soaps; both are lightly
scented and especially useful for sensitive skin. Many of these hand soaps
range from 25LE to 40LE and can be bought as part of gift sets that include
dark pumice stones.

A few large but simple candles are on display, such as a cream-coloured candle
shaped like a massive bowl for 120LE. Other home accessories include weighty metal coasters for 30LE and hand-painted
ceramic light switch plates for 45LE.

While the sales staff at El Hammam are friendly and happy to answer your
questions; it is rather annoying to inquire about prices and a good number of
El Hammam’s items are unmarked. This is
especially the case for larger items such as the gorgeous green jewellery box,
hand-painted with a floral design; as well as a number of painted glass shisha bottoms,
some of which have been converted to lamps, and an opulent red and gold-painted
metal table top.  

Despite the tiny space and unmarked prices, El Hammam stands out as one
of Zamalek’s finest home accessories shops. El Hammam is great for tasteful gifts and a little self-pampering.