Hotel des Roses, 33 Tala’at Harb St. (tel. 393 8022), 2 blocks north of Tala’at Harb Sq. Small, grimy hotel with reasonably clean rooms, Make sure you actually get some bed linen. Doubles LE23, with bath LE31. Fans LE3. Prices negotiable. Hotel Beau Site, 27 Tala’at Harb St. (tel 392 9916 or 392 9877), 2 blocks north of Tala’at Harb Sq. Watch your step in the doorless elevator. If the outer door won’t close, pull back the plastic toggle at the top. In one corner of the lobby stands a table of books-a “library.”

The rooms are clean, but the dining hall is a bit shabby and the bathrooms could be cleaner. Singles LEI 5. Doubles LE23-Anglo-Swiss Hotel, 14 Champollion St., 7th flr. (tel. 75 14 97), 2 blocks west of Tala’at Harb Sq. Quiet, secluded, and clean; this is the place to calm your shattered nerves after a day of sight-seeing. Cool stone floors and conservative decor do in fact create a European ambiance. Bathrooms are clean. Manager swears that all modern conveniences will be installed by the date of publication. Singles LE22. Doubles LE35. 10am checkout.