The project is the restoration, renovation, and expansion of an old hotel near Cairo. The 5-star luxury Mena House Hotel is located below the Pyramid plateau in Giza. It was originally a rest house and later became a luxury hotel in the early 1900's. The colonial hotel building had fallen into a state of disrepair. Increased tourism and commercial activity induced the government to develop a restoration program in 1970. In the course of program development, the decision was made to expand the facility in addition to restoring it.
The original hotel contained 100 guest rooms. 400 have been added in a low lying annex in a garden area. The present hotel complex offers a golf course, restaurant, coffee shop, night clubs, garden café, pool and reception areas. The restored building has two wings. A three-story wing houses entrance hall, reception area, dining facilities, and entertainment and recreation facilities. A five-storey wing built higher on the sloping site houses the guest bedrooms and service facilities. The sloped site is reflected in the bedroom wing plan. The first floor is small and constricted; the upper floors extend to increased floor space.
The main entrance is located on the east side of the original building. A garden entry court lies in front of the entrance. The square entrance lobby rises to a three-story height and is surmounted by a dome. Overlooking the lobby from the second floor is a wooden mezzanine gallery decorated with elaborately carved wooden arches and balustrades. A marble clad corridor progresses through successive pointed arches to the large restaurant area which is divided by partitions pierced with arches
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture