We had points to use at Luxor--Sheraton, but we started at the Novotel Pavillion for one night (Accor discounts can be as much as 75% off) I would go thru the travelnet link for resx.com (you have to register and it's not the most user-friendly) to get ideas of prices and they show Nile cruises, too. We also use ASU Guide and you pay for that--monthly or annually.
Our Cairo guide, Abdo was great--like having a pal w/car. Great driver! Tell him you're airline and I sent you.
Cairo hotels--can't really help becuase we had teh Heliopolis Fairmont I bought at auction year prior--OMG--it was a HUGE suite w/bells and whistles but really close to CAI so the trip to Giza etc was long! Abdo is from Fayoum--that could be a major cool side trip from Cairo because they just found 57 tombs (in May). Abdo is a student so he doesn't charge like the official guides YET.
Amman--hmmm--I'd rely on Murad for Petra hotels--or Julian for the Bedouin camp. We had to go from AMM to city (45 mins) to Intercontinental Hotel then back to get to Petra. Petra Town is a dump,there is one interesting sounding place--let me figure out what the name of the hotel is--it's not in my travel files for Jordan.
I woudl start sorting thru the tripadvisor forums, too--just be cautious about touts in any of the Egypt forums--so irritating.