August 7, 2007

Africa & Mideast | Egypt | Alexandria

Alexandria Ascending

By Nicole Cotroneo

How Egypt's second city is now mixing antiquity with modern magic.

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While scientists comb Alexandria’s coastal waters for clues of a lost city, Four Seasons is making sure Egypt’s historic metropolis doesn’t fade into oblivion. Following decades of neglect, Cleopatra’s hometown is on a roll again — first with its spectacular $200-million library (honoring the world’s first university), and now with the just-opened Hotel Alexandria. Occupying the site of the storied San Stefano, the Four Seasons’ fourth Egypt address faces the sea at the San Stefano Grand Plaza, a new crescent-shaped skyscraper that has introduced upscale shopping, restaurants and residences. French-inspired interiors by Pierre Yves Rochon and private poolside suites recall the glamorous 1950s, when movie stars and the literati flocked to the fabled “Pearl of the Mediterranean.” Beyond the Plaza, a 45-mile-long promenade called the Corniche traces the shoreline. But if that seems to invite too much get-up-and-go, you can always luxuriate at the hotel’s two-story Daniela Steiner Spa, slated to open late summer.