I'm not big on views - but waking up every morning with a view of the Pyramids from the Mena House was like a fairy tale. If the renovations make the hotel even halfway ok - that would be my choice. It isn't close to the airport - but you could spend the last night near the airport (we frequently do that when we're staying in a city - X nights in the city - last night very close to the airport).

Although I'm sure Egypt isn't as safe as it was when we were there - I think in general most Egyptians are pleasant to deal with - you just have to get used to haggling a bit. At the Pyramids - many people will offer to take you on horses/camels/etc. for a photo shoot/trip into the desert. I wouldn't go on a horse unless you have been on a horse before and feel comfortable on one. But you'd be nuts not to get on a camel - at least for a photo shoot with the Pyramids in the background. Talk with "tour guides" - find one you like - and negotiate.

We hired a guide though an agency before we arrived who was supposed to speak English. His English was pretty much limited to "Cairo Museum". We stayed with him for 1/2 day - and then found a guide who was well educated and spoke perfect English on the steps of the Cairo Museum. Used him for the rest of our trip in Cairo and the area around Cairo (and then we went on a cruise up the Nile). It was an unfortunate fact of life then - and still is - that there are many well-educated people in Egypt - and very few jobs for well-educated people. That's why our tour guide in Cairo was so good (our guide on the cruise was an architect). It is good to have a guide if for no other reason than everyone you come into contact with - e.g., the fellow who takes your shoes at a mosque - expects a tip. It may be a 25 cent tip - but it is really fatiguing dealing with the situation - especially if you have a lot of jet-lag.

It is also nice to have little "gifts" to give out. I found that BIC (or similar) cigarette lighters were especially welcome - especially once we got out of of Cairo (note that I'm not talking about a gift you'd give to someone who invited you to his house for dinner - just little gifts you give to people who do small things for you).

Egypt has become more conservative in a religious sense since we were there (when we were there - Cairo was fairly liberal - although areas outside of Cairo were not). Especially for women - I do not recommend clothing that reveals anything (like shorts or sleeveless shirts). Best to find some very light weight clothing that is modest - but doesn't kill you in the heat. Robyn