Review: Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel, Alexandria, Egypt

March 27, 2024May 17, 2024 Koen 0 Comments

This review covers my stay at Paradise Inn – Le Metropole Hotel, a fabulous Art Nouveau hotel with an old world charm in Alexandria, Egypt.

A trip to Alexandria

To conclude my grand tour of Egypt, I decided to stay two days on the shores of Mediterranean Sea in the city of Alexandria.

After a pleasant ride on an express train from Cairo to Alexandria, I arrived at Alexandria Misr station, located in the heart of the city.

cairo train egypt — *The VIP Express train from Cairo to Alexandria is ready for boarding. ©Paliparan*

vip express train — *First class seats on the VIP Express train from Cairo to Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

alexandria misr station vip express russian train cairo — *Alexandria Misr Station, the final stop on my trip across Egypt. ©Paliparan*

Walking to my hotel

At the station forecourt, you can find buses and taxis to take you to your Alexandria hotel.

Since my accommodation, the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel, was within walking distance, I opted to stroll in order to soak up a bit of Alexandria’s vibe.

The way to my hotel took me along a lively street market in front of the station, as well as many historic yet highly dilapidated buildings.

Finally, I reached Saad Zaghloul Park on the corniche where the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel is situated.

While some hotel rooms offer views of Saad Zaghloul Park and the Alexandria corniche, the entrance to the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel is actually located at the rear side of the building on Saad Zaghloul Street.

misr train station — *The beautiful façade of Alexandria Misr Station. ©Paliparan*

*From the station forecourt, you can take a taxi or bus to take you deeper into Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

alexandria misr railway station street market — *Street market in front of the Alexandria Misr railway station. ©Paliparan*

walk alexandria street — *Instead of taking a taxi, I decided to walk to my hotel. ©Paliparan*

alexandria streetscape — *Alexandria streetscape. ©Paliparan*

alexandria old building decay — *One of the many old, highly decayed buildings in the centre of Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

Saad Zaghloul Park Alexandria — *Le Metropole Hotel is located right behind Saad Zaghloul Park. ©Paliparan*

Paradise Inn - Le Metropole Hotel Alexandria — *The pink façade of Paradise Inn – Le Metropole Hotel. ©Paliparan*

Le Metropole Hotel check-in

At the front desk of Le Metropole Hotel, I was warmly welcomed by the friendly receptionist, who kindly offered me a complimentary welcome drink.

For my superior room with direct sea view, I paid $86 per night, a rate which didn’t include breakfast.

Cheaper rooms are available if you don’t necessarily need a room overlooking the corniche and sea.

When you stand in the reception area, you’ll immediately notice the fabulous Art Nouveau surroundings of the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel, which was one of the main reasons why I opted for it in the first place as I simply love the style.

While the building itself dates back to the 18th century, the Metropole Hotel was only established in 1902.

Over the years, the Metropole Hotel became somewhat of an Alexandria institution and it still maintains that distinctive Belle Époque charm.

Today, the Metropole Hotel is managed by Paradise Inn, an Egyptian hotel group that runs dozens more hotels in Alexandria and throughout the rest of the country.

On booking websites you therefore find it listed as “Paradise Inn – Le Metropole”, although in Alexandria everyone just refers to it as the Metropole Hotel.

paradise inn le metropole hotel — *The reception area of the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel. ©Paliparan*

paradises inn metropole hotel alexandria — *Gorgeous Art Nouveau décor of the Metropole Hotel. ©Paliparan*

*Art Nouveau interior of the hotel. ©Paliparan*

art nouveau mirror le metropole hotel paradise inn alexandria — *Gorgeous Art Nouveau mirror. ©Paliparan*

paradise inn le metropole hotel review alexandria — *Art Nouveau hotel lobby of the Metropole Hotel. ©Paliparan*

welcome drink hotel reception — *Welcome drink at the hotel reception. ©Paliparan*

Staircase and lift

The staircase and lift in the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel also serve as epitomes of magnificent Art Nouveau design.

Along the staircase you’ll find a stunning Art Nouveau glass artpiece, while the historic lift with its gilded ironwork and old wooden cabin, is equally remarkable.

With an impeccably dressed lift attendant in a red-and-black suit operating the lift, you can’t help but get some Wes Anderson vibes as you’re whisked to the upper levels of the Metropole Hotel.

stairs — *Along the staircase you can find a gorgeous Art Nouveau glass panel. ©Paliparan*

Hotel corridors

Similarly as the other public spaces in the hotel, the corridors also breathe Art Nouveau.

Even the signs are in proper Belle Époque style, with the floor numbering in French instead of Arabic or English – my hotel being on the ‘quatrième étage’ instead of on the ‘fourth floor’.

Call me old-fashioned, but I’d choose a historic hotel like this over a modern but soulless chain hotel any day of the year.

At the end of the corridor, I found the double set of doors leading to my hotel room, numbered 411.

troisième étage sign — *A sign reading ‘troisième étage’ – or third floor. ©Paliparan*

room 411 — *Room 411, my home for the next two nights. ©Paliparan*

Superior room

I was booked in a superior room with direct sea view for the two nights I stayed at Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel in Alexandria.

Just like the rest of the hotel, my room was in Art Nouveau style, although the interior design was toned down a bit in comparison.

However, the room still oozed a lot of historic charm thanks to the red carpet, wall panels, and other design elements.

While there was certainly a bit of wear and tear in some corners, it didn’t bother me much in such historic hotels, especially when everything is spotlessly clean, as my room was.

The large double bed in my superior room was certainly comfortable, and I had two great nights of sleep.

My room was equipped with air conditioning, a TV, a luggage rack, a safety deposit box, and a fridge, although a kettle was unfortunately lacking.

Additionally, the amount of storage space could have been better, as a significant portion of the closet space was already occupied by the minibar and safe.

There were plenty of power sockets in my room – including next to the bed – and the Wi-Fi internet connection was decent enough, even though the signal occasionally seemed to fade away.

Two free bottles of water per day were complimentary provided by the hotel, and I also received a fruit platter as welcome gift.

paradise inn le metropole hotel alexandria superior room — *My superior room at the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel in Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

large double bed — *Large double bed in my superior room. ©Paliparan*

room doors — *The double doors at my room entrance. ©Paliparan*

luggage rack TV — *Luggage rack and TV. ©Paliparan*

minibar safe — *Minibar and safe. ©Paliparan*

water bottles fruit platter — *Complimentary water bottles and fruit platter. ©Paliparan*

Sea view

By far the best aspect of my superior room were the two doors that opened to a small balcony, from where I had a wonderful view over Alexandria’s corniche and the Mediterranean Sea.

During sunset, I simply moved one of the bedside tables and a chair here so that I could fully enjoy the sweeping views over Alexandria.

With a bottle of (surprisingly decent) Egyptian wine next to me, it was a wonderful way to relax after all the sightseeing in Alexandria.

balcony sea view paradise inn le metropole hotel alexandria — *My room had a small balcony with direct sea view. ©Paliparan*

paradise inn le metropole hotel alexandria superior room sea view — *Having the balcony doors opened also allowed for a nice sea breeze to enter my room. ©Paliparan*

room view alexandria paradise inn le metropole hotel — *View from my hotel room over Saad Zaghloul Park and the Alexandria corniche. ©Paliparan*

mediterranean sea view — *Mediterranean sea view. ©Paliparan*

alexandria boulevard — *The boulevard in front of the hotel as seen from my balcony. ©Paliparan*

paradise inn le metropole hotel alexandra balcony view — *A chair, some wine, and a great view over Alexandria: You don’t need much more to have a pleasant afternoon. ©Paliparan*

alexandria sunset view — *Sunset over Alexandria as seen from my hotel room. ©Paliparan*

night view — *The same view at night. ©Paliparan*

Bathroom

The bathroom of my superior double room was clean and functional, and had a toilet as well as a shower inside the bath.

A hairdryer and some basic toiletries in mini bottles were complimentary provided.

superior room bathroom — *Superior room bathroom. ©Paliparan*

bathroom alexandria paradise inn le metropole hotel — *The bathroom of my superior double room. ©Paliparan*

Rooftop terrace

Even if you’re staying in a room without a direct sea view, you can still enjoy such stunning views from the rooftop terrace and Sky View Restaurant at the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel.

In any case, you’re well advised to head to this magnificent rooftop terrace, as it offers sweeping views in three directions.

Although there are also some Art Nouveau design elements at the rooftop restaurant, it does have a more contemporary design.

The rooftop restaurant serves breakfast daily and is open throughout the day and evening for drinks, snacks, lunch, and dinner.

There is often live piano music at the hotel restaurant, which is certainly a classy touch.

rooftop bar restaurant paradise inn le metropole hotel alexandria — *Sky View Restaurant is the rooftop restaurant at the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel. ©Paliparan*

paradise inn le metropole hotel rooftop restaurant — *There is often live piano music during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. ©Paliparan*

outdoor terrace paradise inn le metropole hotel alexandria — *The hotel restaurant also has a large outdoor terrace on the rooftop. ©Paliparan*

rooftop terrace — *Rooftop terrace. ©Paliparan*

rooftop terrace mediterranean sea view le metropole hotel alexandria — *The rooftop terrace at the Metropole is a great place for sunset drinks or dinner while you enjoy sweeping views over the Mediterranean Sea. ©Paliparan*

alexandria rooftop view — *View towards the city centre of Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

sky view restaurant — *Sky View Restaurant. ©Paliparan*

alexandria egypt view — *View over the rooftops of the city of Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

mediterranean sea view alexandria egypt — *View towards the Mediterranean Sea and the east. ©Paliparan*

alexandria corniche seaboard — *The view from the rooftop restaurant over Saad Zaghloul Park and the Alexandria corniche. ©Paliparan*

paradise inn le metropole hotel sea view — *View over the Alexandria corniche and the Qaitbay Citadel on the spit jutting out in the Mediterranean Sea. ©Paliparan*

Breakfast

Although breakfast wasn’t included in my room rate, I decided to have breakfast on the first morning of my stay (my flight out of Alexandria left too early in the morning to be able to enjoy breakfast as well on the last day).

For the breakfast buffet, which was served in the Sky View Restaurant on the rooftop, I paid $11.50.

I appreciated the quality and variety of options available at the breakfast buffet, which included both Egyptian favourites like fuul and continental breakfast items.

The bread, including pitas, Western bread loaves, as well as croissants, were all fresh.

Additionally, there was a decent variety of sausages, salads, and fruits available.

There were made-to-order eggs available at the breakfast buffet, and the veggie and cheese omelette I ordered hit the spot.

Best of all was the apple pie – which was absolutely delicious.

paradise inn le metropole hotel alexandria breakfast buffet — *Each morning, breakfast buffet is served at the Sky View Restaurant on the rooftop of the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel. ©Paliparan*

bread breakfast — *Freshly baked bread. ©Paliparan*

breakfast buffet — *Breakfast buffet. ©Paliparan*

metropole hotel alexandria breakfast — *I certainly enjoyed the breakfast at the Metropole Hotel. ©Paliparan*

donut apple pie — *A donut and some absolutely divine apple pie. ©Paliparan*

Drinks

If you visit Alexandria during the cooler winter months, the open air terrace is a great place for drinks on a sunny afternoon.

On my second day in Alexandria, I enjoyed a couple of beers here while enjoying the fine views over the city and the Med.

Drinks are served with complimentary crisps, which is a nice touch.

view alexandria open air terrace paradise inn le metropole hotel — *On sunny winter afternoons, the open air terrace is a great spot for a drink. ©Paliparan*

meister beer alexandria egypt — *Beer with a view. ©Paliparan*

Dinner

On my last night at the Metropole Hotel, which also happened to be the final night of my grand tour of Egypt, I decided to have dinner at the Sky View Restaurant.

With an absolutely magnificent sunset unfolding, I opted to sit outside on the open air terrace.

I began my meal with some mussels and a glass of Egyptian white wine, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

As my main course was served, the sun had already set, although the skies over Alexandria were now showing some amazing twilight colours.

Although the portion was absolutely massive, unfortunately the salmon pasta wasn’t as good as the starter, as I found it too oily and the thick sauce too overpowering.

I still greatly enjoyed the meal thanks to the fine views and the attentive service of the restaurant staff.

Overall, I have nothing but good things to say about the service levels at the hotel, as every employee I interacted with was highly professional and welcoming.

sky view restaurant metropole hotel alexandria dinner — *Dinner at the Sky View Restaurant. ©Paliparan*

alexandria sunset — *There was an absolutely gorgeous sunset over Alexandria when I had dinner at the rooftop restaurant. ©Paliparan*

alexandria sunset egypt mediterranean sea — *Alexandria sunset. ©Paliparan*

sky view restaurant metropole hotel alexandria dinner mussels — *Enjoying some mussels and a glass of white wine at the hotel restaurant. ©Paliparan*

alexandria twilight — *Twilight colours over Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

alexandria sunset twilight — *What a gorgeous setting to enjoy the last meal on my grand tour of Egypt. ©Paliparan*

salmon pasta — *Salmon pasta with a glass of rosé wine. ©Paliparan*

Hotel location

To cap off my review, I wanted to say some final words about the location of the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel.

As you might have already seen from the pictures above, Alexandria’s famous corniche is located right outside the hotel.

All of the main sights in the city centre of Alexandria, such as the Qaitbay Citadel, are therefore just a leisurely stroll away.

As you are located right in the heart of the city centre, you will also find lots of shops, cafés, and restaurants in the direct environment of the hotel.

Whether you decide to stay at the Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel or not, make sure to visit the Trianon Café, located in the same block as the hotel.

Just like the Metropole Hotel, Trianon is an Alexandria institution and is as famous for its delicious sweets and desserts, as well as for its magnificent Art Deco interior.

cafe trianon alexandria art deco — *The Art Deco interior of Café Trianon. ©Paliparan*

alexandria corniche — *The Alexandria corniche. ©Paliparan*

citadel of Qaitbay Alexandria — *Citadel of Qaitbay. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

With its magnificent Art Nouveau interior, fabulous rooftop views over the corniche and the Mediterranean Sea, and great service levels, the Paradise Inn Le Metropole is an excellent hotel choice for your stay in Alexandria.

The Metropole is somewhat of an Alexandria institution, and you can feel the history of the place simply by walking through the tastefully decorated lobby and corridors of this hotel.

It’s well worth paying extra for a room with a sea view, as you won’t easily forget the mesmerising vistas over the Alexandria rooftops and the Med.

The Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel also features a fantastic rooftop bar and restaurant, which doubles as the venue for their breakfast buffet.

If you appreciate historic charm, there aren’t many better choices than the Metropole when you travel to Alexandria.