Mandarin Oriental to Take Over Cairo's Iconic Shepheard Hotel Property

The story of Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo is one of luxury, lavishness and loss. Established in 1841, Shepheard's Hotel was a celebrated landmark, the stuff of daydreams, the place where people around the world wished they could be, and where celebrities and royalty lived out those fantasies in all their glory. But in 1952, its time in the spotlight ended in tragedy during the Cairo Fire, when a surging blaze burned it down. Although a new hotel, now named the Shepheard Hotel, was rebuilt nearby, it was still missing that old spirit of opulence, the sort of splendour that turned heads around the globe. Now it's time for the world to look again. The renowned Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG) is making its first move into Egypt, and they're looking to bring that spirit back from the ashes with the opening of the Mandarin Oriental Shepheard.

A comprehensive renovation of the property was already underway, spearheaded by Paris-based interior designer Sybille de Margerie, who seeks to preserve the building's heritage design while bringing its interiors and services to modern standards. The renovation is scheduled for completion in 2024, which is when MOHG will take the building over and imbue this brilliant piece of history with the world-class service and management that MOHG is famous for.

Later tonight, representatives from MOHG and AlSharif Group Holding (ASG), the Saudi-based group that helped kick off the renovations in 2020, will sign a number of agreements to grant the management and operations of the hotel to MOHG. The signing ceremony will take place in the historic Abdeen Palace, reflecting the importance of Cairo's heritage, and the enduring grandeur which they hope to preserve.