Of course other arrangements had to be made, including a hotel in Aswan, transfer from the airport, travel insurance, and a hotel and parking at Gatwick for my wife and myself.
I booked a night at the Skyline hotel at Horley, including 8 days parking, at APH (Airport Parking and Hotels) for £62.10. The hotel was entirely suitable for a single overnight stay, the bar food was good and Theakston's Best Bitter was available. An English Breakfast (from 06:00) cost about £6.50). A transfer to the airport in the morning cast £2.00.
Our Hotel in Aswan was the Pyramisa Isis Nil Corniche. I booked using Hotels4U. This hotel comprises many single-storey chalets set in a garden between the Corniche and the Nile in the centre of Aswan, opposite the centre of the Souk. Nile views, pool, food and drink were excellent, the main downside being the long flight of stairs leading down from the Corniche to reception. We selected a chalet close to reception, and got a good wi-fi connection in the room. There were all the usual furnishings - bath with shower over, wardrobe, chairs, desk, fridge, TV. The cost, for B&B for a twin woom was £30.06 per night. I booked 3 nights.
Our transfer was arranged through Aswan-Individual. We were met outside Aswan International Airport by Waleed Ali and his driver, and driven directly to the hotel. This cost £E100.
Waleed also arranged for us a 2-day cruise to Luxor (see later), and could have provided a transfer from Aswan railway station to the airport at the end of our stay had we not made other arrangements.
We ate at the hotel that evening, with a Nile view from the main restaurant, a mixed cold starter and a mixed warm starter being sufficient. Stella was £E22, wine an expensive £E150 and Coca Cola £E12.
The Nile view, from the hotel's El-Pasha coffee bar on the terrace was exceptional, under a bright first-quarter moon.