I was going to stay at a more expensive place, but this midrange hotel got a good review from Lonely Planet, has airport pickup, and organizes tours everywhere. I may still go off on my own after the first two days, but there is at least one part of the trip that i want to make an official tour of, namely the eastern desert. Without renting a car, it simply isn’t feasible on my own. The Palace Hotel is where I will be 23 days from now!