Our travel expert answers your questions

We are spending two nights in Cairo en route to Athens in July. We are happy to splash out on a really good hotel, so could you suggest one or two of the best? We hope to visit the pyramids. What other sights do you recommend? - Sharon Rademeyer

Most of the major international hotel groups can be found in Cairo, including the Four Seasons, Hilton, Kempinski, Sofitel, InterContinental and Le Meridien.

Many rate the palatial old-world Marriott the best (www.marriott.com), but they all offer good standards of accommodation and service.

Room rates are $150-$250 (R1100 - R1900) per night and are available on discount websites such as www.booking.com. If you are looking for something totally different, you can try the city's best boutique hotel, La Villa Belle Epoque.

This 13-room hotel is located in two sprawling villas in the leafy suburb of Maadi, which is home to wealthy expats and locals. It's only 15 minutes from the city centre, but it's another world. A double room with breakfast costs around $200 a night (www.villabelleepoque.com).

As for attractions, it is certainly worthwhile visiting the Pyramids of Giza, best combined with a visit to the Sphinx (www.city-discovery.com).

You should also find some time to visit the Egyptian Museum, the Khan El Khalili open-air market and its modern counterpart, the City Stars Complex. You can also take a felucca ride down the Nile River or have dinner on one of the Nile cruises. You will find that there is plenty of information available at your hotel and booking agencies abound.