Where to Stay: A Guide to Crew Accommodation and Catering in Major Egyptian Cities

A well-rested and well-fed crew is a happy, productive crew. After long, demanding days on set, where your team sleeps and what they eat are not minor details—they are critical components of a successful production. Navigating the accommodation and catering landscape in Egypt’s major hubs can be complex, with options ranging from budget-friendly to five-star luxury.

This guide breaks down the best practices for housing and feeding your film crew in Egypt’s key production cities.

Part 1: Crew Accommodation - Strategic Location Over Luxury

The goal is to find a balance of comfort, cost, and, most importantly, logistical efficiency. Wasting two hours a day in Cairo traffic is a budget killer.

Cairo: The Sprawling Metropolis

Cairo is vast. Your choice of neighborhood will directly impact your daily schedule and crew morale.

• Top Tier: Zamalek Island & Downtown

  • Vibe: Zamalek is leafy, quiet, and affluent, located in the middle of the Nile. Downtown is the historic, bustling city center with grand, older hotels.

  • Logistical Advantage: Central location minimizes travel time to locations in Central Cairo, Giza, and even the road to the desert. Zamalek is particularly known for its safety and abundance of restaurants and cafes.

  • Best For: Key crew, producers, and directors. Ideal for productions where minimizing transit time is a top priority.

• Excellent Value: New Cairo & Nasr City

  • Vibe: Modern, suburban feel with wide streets, shopping malls, and newer hotel chains (Hilton, Marriott, Novotel).

  • Logistical Advantage: Excellent for shoots based in New Cairo, near the airport, or heading out to the desert. Can be a longer commute to historic central locations.

  • Best For: Housing larger crews cost-effectively. These areas offer modern amenities and reliable international-standard hotels at a better value.

• The Giza Plateau Area

  • Vibe: Tourist-focused, with many hotels offering direct views of the Pyramids.

  • Logistical Advantage: Unbeatable for shoots focused entirely on the Giza Plateau.

  • Consideration: Can be congested with tourist traffic and is further from most other Cairo locations.

The Egy-Docs Advantage: We have negotiated corporate rates with a portfolio of vetted hotels across these key areas. We can block-book rooms for your entire crew, ensuring the best prices and a location that optimizes your shooting schedule.

Luxor: The Open-Air Museum

In Luxor, the city is smaller, and the key differentiator is the bank of the Nile you stay on.

• East Bank: This is where the town center, Luxor Temple, and Karnak Temple are located. It has the highest concentration of hotels, from budget to luxury (like the Winter Palace). This is the most practical base for most crews.

• West Bank: More remote and atmospheric, home to the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's Temple. Staying here is logistically ideal for shoots focused solely on the West Bank monuments but can feel isolated and offers fewer dining options.

Alexandria: The Mediterranean Jewel

• The Corniche: The best option is to stay along the waterfront Corniche. This provides easy access to most key locations like the Citadel, Bibliotheca, and downtown. Hotels range from historic to modern.

Part 2: Crew Catering - Fueling the Machine

Catering is more than just food; it's a core part of crew morale and health, especially in a country where "Pharaoh's Revenge" can sideline a key team member.

The Two Main Catering Models in Egypt

1. Hotel Catering:

   • How it Works: Your crew hotel prepares boxed lunches or a hot buffet that is transported to set.

   • Pros: Reliable, hygienic, and easy to manage logistically.

   • Cons: Can become repetitive and is often more expensive than a dedicated caterer.

2. Dedicated Film Catering Companies:

   • How it Works: A specialized company sets up a full kitchen at your basecamp, providing hot breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner.

   • Pros: Higher quality, more variety, and designed for the specific timing and needs of a film set. They can cater to dietary restrictions effectively.

   • Cons: Requires more space and coordination. We have a shortlist of trusted, professional caterers who understand film crews.

Craft Services & Hydration

• The "Crafty" Table: This should be constantly stocked with snacks, fresh fruit, coffee, tea, and soft drinks.

• Hydration is Critical: In the Egyptian heat, water is a safety issue. We ensure a constant, plentiful supply of sealed bottled water is available on set at all times. Electrolyte powders are also a wise addition.

Navigating Egyptian Cuisine & Dietary Needs

• The Food: Egyptian cuisine is delicious and often crew-favorite. Expect dishes like Koshari (a mix of rice, lentils, and pasta), grilled meats (kofta, shawarma), fresh salads, and ful medames (fava beans).

• Dietary Restrictions: Vegetarian and vegan options are easy to accommodate with the advance notice we provide to the caterer. For other restrictions (gluten-free, allergies), we ensure the caterer is fully briefed and can prepare separate, safe meals.

The Egy-Docs Difference: Your Crew Welfare Manager

We handle the details of daily life so your production team doesn't have to.

When you partner with Egy-Docs.com, you get:

• Strategic Hotel Blocking: We secure the right rooms in the right location at the best possible rate, handling all check-in/out logistics.

• Vetted Catering Solutions: We connect you with reliable, hygienic caterers who will keep your crew happy and healthy, managing the contract and menu planning.

• Daily Welfare Coordination: We are the point of contact for the hotel and caterer, solving any issues that arise, from a broken air conditioner to a last-minute vegetarian meal request.

• Logistically-Optimized Planning: We align your accommodation and basecamp locations to create the most efficient daily schedule for your crew.

Let us take care of your crew's home and kitchen, so you can focus on the shot list.

A happy crew is a productive crew, and we specialize in both.

Contact Egy-Docs.com for Accommodation & Catering Proposals – Tell us your crew size, budget, and shooting locations, and we will provide tailored options for your production.