A decision by the Saudi owner of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Cairo to ban the sale of alcohol and destroy millions of dollars worth of beverages has sparked a debate in Egypt.The international company which runs the hotel has urged Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Brahim - a relative of the Saudi king - to revoke his decision, fearing it could drive away Western tourists and may even lead to the hotel losing its five-star rating.
The Grand Hyatt occupies one of the most expensive sites overlooking the River Nile. It is only minutes from the diplomatic quarter, where the British and American embassies are located.
Like all five-star hotels in Egypt, alcohol used to be available there - but not any more. It is unclear what prompted the owner Sheik Al Brahim to take this controversial measure.
Staff at the hotel are reluctant to talk about the whole affair. But a barman told me that they now only serve soft drinks and that he saw with his own eyes how expensive whiskey, liqueurs and fine wines were emptied down the drains of the hotel.
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