Anyone there?

For the frequent tipping.....do locals enjoy getting a USD1 bill? or is it better to keep small egyptian coins around?

It depends on the situation, but in general US$1 would be 5-10 times what the average "approrpiate" tip would be for a "normal" service. What's normal? Basially any service that you really didn't need: handing you a paper towel in the bathroom, holding a door open, etc. An after-hours tour of a mosque might be worth 5 L.E. (Egyptian Pounds). Giving foreign currency is only a big deal if you'd have given less in Egyptian money. There's no black market, so it's probably more of a hassle for locals to exchange $1, and they'd lose something commission-wise. 25 and 50 piastre notes are fine, as are 1 pound notes. Just remember to hoard change!

If you have a guide, beat him up to get £1E,s. we could not get them. they work fine as tips. that is less than $0.25 canadian, or us.

Does anyone have any advice for hotels to stay at in Alexandria? I'm going for 1 night on a business trip next week and was hoping to optimise between comfort and getting some sense of what the city is like. Any tips would be welcome.

Well..it depends on your budget.
The most upmarket one (which opened recently) is the four seasons in a complex called San Stefano.
One of my favourites is the Sofitel Cecil which is housed in a pretty old building...I like high ceilings.
There's Sheraton al Montaza however I feel its a little bit away from the hustle and bustle...I consider it more on the outskirts of Alex (although thats debatable).
For a lower budget there's Mercure, as far as I remember its rooms weren't that big though.
The 3 I just mentioned are directly facing the sea.

There the hilton green plaza is further inland however I don't like its location. Never stayed there though.

Cheers.

Thanks for that. Sounds like Sofitel or 4seasons is the way to go. ^