Vacation rental fees in Egypt explained: cleaning, access cards and service fees
Last updated · BlueKeys
A stay booked on BlueKeys is priced as the nightly rate plus up to three fees: a cleaning fee, usually once per stay; a compound access card in some North Coast compounds such as Marassi, Fouka Bay and Playa; and a service fee of 0–15%. Every fee is itemised in the price breakdown before you confirm.
Which vacation rental fees apply in Egypt, and when?
| Fee | What it is | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Nightly rate | The price of each night, set by the operator. | Every night of the stay; varies by date and season. |
| Cleaning fee | A charge for cleaning the home; the amount depends on its size and operator. | Usually once per stay. Some homes have none, including many Cairo serviced apartments and all Almaza Bay homes. |
| Compound access card | Access to compound facilities, such as the beach and marina in Marassi. | North Coast compounds only: Marassi, Fouka Bay and Playa, depending on the home. None in Almaza Bay, Cairo, El Gouna or Alexandria. |
| Service fee | A percentage calculated on the total of the nightly rates. | 0%, 10% or 15% depending on the home and operator. |
How is the nightly rate set?
The operator who runs the home sets the nightly rate, and it varies by date and season, so two nights in the same home can be priced differently. Prices are in EGP and always per night. To see typical nightly rates across the North Coast, the North Coast price index is the best place to start.
Do all homes charge a cleaning fee?
No. Where a home has a cleaning fee, it is usually charged once per stay, and the amount depends on the size of the home and the operator. Some homes have no separate cleaning fee — for example, many Cairo serviced apartments and all Almaza Bay homes.
How do compound access cards work on the North Coast?
Compound access cards apply only to homes in certain North Coast compounds, and each compound handles them differently:
- Marassi access card: most homes add an access card for the beach and marina, priced according to the home and the length of your stay. For some Marassi homes the card is already included in the nightly rate, and a few hotel-serviced Marassi properties charge no access card.
- Fouka Bay: some homes charge the access card per guest; others charge it per started week of the stay, so 7 nights count as 1 week and 8 nights count as 2 weeks.
- Playa: most homes charge the access card per started week of the stay.
- Almaza Bay: no access card and no cleaning fee.
- Cairo, El Gouna and Alexandria: no compound access card.
How much is the service fee?
The service fee ranges from 0% to 15%, depending on the home and its operator. Almaza Bay homes carry a 10% service fee, and many Cairo apartments have none. It is calculated on the total of the nightly rates — not on the cleaning fee or the access card.
A worked example of a stay total
This is an illustration with round, hypothetical numbers, not a real listing: a 3-night stay at EGP 10,000 a night, with a EGP 1,500 cleaning fee, a 10% service fee and no access card.
| Line | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nightly rates | 3 nights × EGP 10,000 | EGP 30,000 |
| Cleaning fee | Once per stay | EGP 1,500 |
| Service fee | 10% × EGP 30,000 | EGP 3,000 |
| Total | 30,000 + 1,500 + 3,000 | EGP 34,500 |
The numbers above are hypothetical. The real nightly rates and fees for your dates appear in the price breakdown on each listing.
How to read the price breakdown before you confirm
- Choose your exact dates first: nightly rates vary by date, and access cards charged per started week depend on how many nights you stay.
- Check the nightly total, then each fee line — cleaning, access card and service fee — shown separately.
- For North Coast compound homes, look for the access card line; homes in Almaza Bay, Cairo, El Gouna and Alexandria don't have one.
- If anything is unclear, ask the BlueKeys team on WhatsApp before you book. Requesting to book doesn't charge your card.
Frequently asked questions
What is a compound access card in Marassi?
It's the card most Marassi homes add for access to the beach and marina, priced according to the home and the length of your stay. For some Marassi homes it's already included in the nightly rate, and a few hotel-serviced properties charge none. The listing's price breakdown shows which applies.
Do Cairo serviced apartments have a cleaning fee?
Many don't have a separate cleaning fee. Cairo homes also have no compound access card, and many Cairo apartments carry a 0% service fee. Any fee that does apply is itemised in the price breakdown.
Why is the Fouka Bay access card charged per week?
That's how the access card is billed for those Fouka Bay homes: it's charged for each started week of your stay, so 7 nights count as 1 week and 8 nights as 2 weeks. Other Fouka Bay homes charge it per guest instead.
Are there hidden fees?
No. The nightly rate, cleaning fee, compound access card and service fee are all itemised in the price breakdown on the listing before you confirm, in EGP.
Do Almaza Bay homes have extra fees?
Almaza Bay homes have no access card and no cleaning fee. They carry a 10% service fee on the nightly total, shown in the price breakdown.